Heating device and its operating method

Abstract

To provide a heating device and its operating method that can reduce the installation area. [Solution] The heating device 1 that solves the above problem is a heating device 1 for heating an object to be processed M, comprising: a container 2 of the heating device 1; an upper rotating body 3 and a lower rotating body 4 arranged at a predetermined distance apart inside the container 2 and rotating in the circumferential direction; an annular connecting part 5 that spans between the upper rotating body 3 and the lower rotating body 4 and moves in conjunction with the rotation of at least one of the upper rotating body 3 and the lower rotating body 4; a plurality of holding parts 6 arranged on the connecting part 5 that hold the object to be processed M and move up and down while holding the object to be processed M in conjunction with the movement of the connecting part 5; and a heating part 7 for heating the object to be processed M.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a heating device for heating a metal workpiece such as an ingot and an operation method thereof.

Background Art

[0002] Before putting a metal workpiece such as an ingot with moisture on its surface into a melting device, for example, a melting furnace, in order to remove the moisture on the surface of the workpiece to be melted in advance, a heating device is arranged in the front stage of the melting device, and the workpiece is heated by the heating device to evaporate and remove the moisture.

[0003] For example, the conveyor type material preheating device of Patent Document 1 is a device for preheating a material melted by an electric furnace or the like on a conveyor, and this conveyor extends long in the horizontal direction.

[0004] The melting equipment of Patent Document 2 has a drum-shaped casing fixed in a state where its axial direction is horizontal, and a stocker arranged inside the casing and rotatably supported around a stocker shaft. And the stocker has a large number of racks arranged in an annular rack frame concentric with the stocker shaft, and one ingot is stored in each rack.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] When a conveyor-type material preheating device is equipped with a conveyor that extends horizontally, as in the aforementioned Patent Document 1, the horizontal length of the preheating device tends to increase, resulting in the problem of a large installation area for the preheating device.

[0007] Furthermore, even in cases where an annular rack frame is provided that is concentric with the stocker axis, as in the melting equipment described in Patent Document 2, the diameter of the rack frame must be of a certain size, and when the melting equipment itself is viewed from above, there is a problem that the installation area of ​​the preheating device becomes large as a result.

[0008] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a heating device for heating a metal workpiece that can reduce the installation area, and a method for operating the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The following are embodiments of the means for solving the above problems.

[0010] (First aspect) A heating device for heating an object to be processed, The container of the heating device, An upper rotating body and a lower rotating body are arranged above and below the container at a predetermined distance apart and rotate in the circumferential direction, An annular connecting portion that spans between the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body and moves in conjunction with the rotation of at least one of the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body, A plurality of holding parts are arranged in the connecting part, hold the object to be processed, and move up and down while holding the object to be processed as the connecting part moves, A heating unit for heating the object to be processed, A heating device characterized by having the following features.

[0011] (Effects and Benefits) The heating device of the first embodiment has a structure in which a plurality of holding parts are arranged on an annular connecting part that spans between an upper rotating body and a lower rotating body, and the holding parts that hold the workpiece move up and down as the connecting part moves. Since a heating device of this structure extends in the height direction, the installation area of ​​the heating device can be reduced. This heating device of the first embodiment differs from structures that have a conveyor that extends in the horizontal direction, such as the conveyor-type material heating device of Patent Document 1, and structures that have an annular rack frame, such as the melting equipment of Patent Document 2, and thus prevents the heating device from spreading horizontally.

[0012] (Second aspect) At least one of the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body is configured to be movable upward or downward, and the vertical distance between the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body can be changed by such movement. The heating device according to the first embodiment, wherein the length of the connecting portion is changed in accordance with the change in the vertical distance between the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body.

[0013] (Effects and Benefits) When a large number of objects to be heated by the heating device, it is necessary to arrange many holding parts in the annular connecting section that spans the upper and lower rotating bodies, thus requiring a longer connecting section. Conversely, when a small number of objects to be heated by the heating device, it is sufficient to arrange fewer holding parts in the annular connecting section that spans the upper and lower rotating bodies.

[0014] The heating device of this embodiment allows the installation position of at least one of the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body to be moved upward or downward, and the length of the connecting part can also be changed in accordance with the change in the vertical distance between the upper and lower rotating bodies.

[0015] For example, when the number of workpieces to be heated by the heating device is large, move the installation position of the upper rotating body upward or move the installation position of the lower rotating body downward to increase the vertical distance between the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body, and accordingly increase the length of the connecting portion. Since the number of holding portions that can be arranged on the connecting portion increases as the length of the connecting portion increases, as a result, many workpieces can be heated. On the other hand, when the number of workpieces to be heated by the heating device is small, move the installation position of the upper rotating body downward or move the installation position of the lower rotating body upward to decrease the vertical distance between the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body, and accordingly decrease the length of the connecting portion. Since the number of holding portions that can be arranged on the connecting portion decreases as the length of the connecting portion decreases, as a result, the number of holding portions that do not hold workpieces can be reduced, and the power required to raise and lower the holding portions can be reduced.

[0016] (Third Aspect) At least a part of the connecting portion is configured to be capable of inserting and removing a length adjusting member, The heating device according to the second aspect, wherein the length of the connecting portion is changed by inserting or removing the length adjusting member in accordance with a change in the vertical distance between the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body.

[0017] (Function and Effect) It exhibits the same function and effect as the second aspect. By inserting or removing the length adjusting member from the connecting portion, the length of the connecting portion can be easily changed.

[0018] (Fourth Aspect) At least a part of the container is configured to be capable of inserting and removing a height adjusting member, The heating device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the height of the container is changed by inserting or removing the height adjusting member in accordance with a change in the vertical distance between the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body.

[0019] (Function and Effect) The heating device of this aspect can also change the height of the outer container in accordance with the change in the vertical distance between the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body. For example, when it is desired to increase the vertical distance between the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body, depending on the distance to be increased, the upper rotating body or the like may hit the upper wall of the container, so there is a limit to increasing the vertical distance between the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body. Therefore, in such a case, the structure is made such that the height of the container can be increased so that the vertical distance between the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body can be made longer. When it is desired to increase the height of the container, for example, a height adjustment member may be inserted into a part of the container.

[0020] On the other hand, when the vertical distance between the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body is shortened, a dead space will occur inside the container. For example, when the installation position of the upper rotating body is moved downward, the dead space between the upper wall of the container and the upper rotating body will increase. When such a dead space increases, the heat generated by the heating unit will also be used to warm the air in the dead space, so the heating efficiency will deteriorate. That is, from the perspective of heating efficiency, it is preferable to make the size of the container as small as possible. Therefore, in such a case, the height of the container is lowered, and the dead space between the upper surface of the container and the upper rotating body is reduced, so that the heating efficiency by the heating unit can be enhanced. When it is desired to lower the height of the container, for example, the height adjustment member may be pulled out from a part of the container.

[0021] (The fifth aspect) The holding part has a heat-conductive holding part that holds the object to be processed inside. The holding part is heated by the heating part. The heating device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, which is configured such that the object to be processed is heated by the contact between the holding part and the object to be processed inside it.

[0022] (Function and effect) In this embodiment, the heating device transfers heat to the workpiece through the contact surface between the outer surface of the workpiece and the inner surface of the holding part that holds the workpiece. Therefore, it is possible to increase the heating efficiency of the workpiece compared to when such heat transfer does not occur.

[0023] (Sixth aspect) Below the aforementioned container, A supply port is provided for supplying the workpiece to be heated, and an outlet is provided for discharging the heated workpiece. Alternatively, a heating device according to any one of the first to fifth embodiments, which is provided with a supply / discharge port used for both supplying the workpiece to be heated and discharging the heated workpiece.

[0024] (Effects and Benefits) The heating device of the first embodiment heats the object to be processed in the process of raising and lowering it in the vertical direction, so the height of the heating device tends to be high. If the supply port and discharge port for the object to be processed are located at the top of the container, as in the heating device disclosed in Patent Document 2, there is a concern that the supply port and discharge port will be located too high in the heating device of the first embodiment. If the supply port and discharge port are located at a high position, it becomes difficult to supply the object to be processed into the container and discharge the object to be processed out of the container, and there is also a risk that the object to be processed may fall from a height.

[0025] Therefore, in the heating device of this embodiment, unlike the heating device of the first embodiment which tends to have a higher height, the supply port and discharge port are provided at the bottom of the container to prevent such problems from occurring. It should be noted that instead of providing separate supply and discharge ports, a configuration in which a single supply and discharge port is provided that serves both purposes is also conceivable. In this case as well, providing the supply and discharge port at the bottom of the container can prevent the aforementioned problems from occurring.

[0026] (Seventh aspect) The heating device according to the sixth embodiment, wherein a shielding device is provided at least one of the supply port, the discharge port, and the supply / discharge port to block the flow of air between the inside and outside of the container.

[0027] (Effects and Benefits) Because the workpiece is heated by the heating section, the temperature inside the heating device's container tends to be higher than the temperature outside the container. Maintaining a high temperature inside the heating device's container is also desirable for heating the workpiece. Therefore, it is important to prevent cold air from flowing in from the outside to the inside of the container through the openings of the supply port, discharge port, and supply / discharge port. In particular, as in the sixth embodiment described above, if the supply port, discharge port, and supply / discharge port are located at the bottom of the container, cold air from the outside can easily flow into the inside of the container through these openings. That is, the warm air inside the container, whose temperature has risen due to the heating section, has a lower density. When denser, colder air from outside the container enters through the supply port, discharge port, and supply / discharge port at the bottom of the container, the denser, colder air pushes up the less dense, warmer air inside the container. This creates a so-called "chimney effect." As a result, the temperature inside the heating device's container may drop. Therefore, by providing a shielding device that obstructs the flow of air at the supply port, the discharge port, and at least one of the supply and discharge ports, it is possible to prevent cold outside air from flowing into the container and thus prevent a drop in the temperature inside the heating device container. Examples of shielding devices that can be used include shielding curtains, air curtains, shutters, etc. If the heating device container is provided with a supply port and a discharge port, a shielding device may be provided at only one of the supply port or the discharge port, but providing a shielding device at both the supply port and the discharge port can further enhance the aforementioned effect.

[0028] (Eighth aspect) The holding portion has a holding portion that extends substantially horizontally and holds the object to be processed inside, with openings at both ends in the longitudinal direction. The longitudinal length of the holding portion is shorter than the length of the workpiece to be processed. With the object to be processed held inside the holding portion, both ends of the object to be processed protrude outward from both ends of the holding portion. The object to be processed moves up and down within the container while being held in the holding part. The heating device is The container includes a supply channel for supplying the material to be processed, The container has a discharge channel on the outside for discharging the material to be processed, One end of the supply path is located near the other end of the workpiece held in the holding section. A heating device according to any one of the first to seventh embodiments, wherein the other end of the discharge passage is located near the one end of the workpiece held in the holding portion.

[0029] (Effects and Benefits) In this embodiment of the heating device, since one end of the supply passage is located near the other end of the workpiece held in the holding section, when inserting the workpiece into the holding section from the supply passage, it is less likely for the workpiece to fall out through the gap between the supply passage and the holding section. Furthermore, contact with the supply passage when the workpiece moves upward after being inserted into the holding section can be avoided or limited to only light contact. Similarly, when discharging the workpiece from the holding section to the discharge passage, since the other end of the discharge passage is located near the one end of the workpiece held in the holding section, it is less likely for the workpiece to fall out through the gap between the holding section and the discharge passage, and the workpiece can be discharged smoothly. In this invention, "nearby" means that at least two things are in contact or separated by a very close distance (greater than 0 mm and 150 mm or less).

[0030] In the heating device of this embodiment, if the holding part is made of heat-conducting material, the following further effects can be obtained. That is, the outer surface of the object to be processed and the inner surface of the holding part that holds the object to be processed (the inner wall surface of the holding part) come into contact, and the object to be processed is heated by so-called conductive heat, which is transmitted to the object to be processed through this contact surface. In addition, since both ends of the object to be processed protrude outward from both ends of the holding part, these protruding parts are heated by radiation from the heating part. The object to be processed is heated by so-called radiant heat. In other words, the heating efficiency of the object to be processed can be increased by the synergistic effect of conductive heat and radiant heat.

[0031] Furthermore, even if the holding part is not made of heat-conducting material, the heating efficiency of the workpiece can be increased by the radiant heat.

[0032] (Ninth aspect) A method for operating a heating apparatus according to the eighth aspect described above, The system includes an insertion and discharge step in which the object to be processed before heating is inserted into the holding portion, and the object to be processed after heating is discharged from the holding portion. The aforementioned insertion and discharge process is as follows: The process involves bringing one end of a newly supplied, unheated workpiece into contact with the other end of the heated workpiece held inside the holding section, and then pushing the unheated workpiece toward one end, thereby inserting the unheated workpiece into the holding section and discharging the heated workpiece outwards toward one end from the holding section. The heated material to be processed, which is discharged from the holding section outward at one end, is transported to the outside of the container by a conveying device installed in the discharge path. A method for operating a heating device, characterized in that the speed at which the conveying device discharges the heated workpiece is faster than the speed at which it pushes the workpiece to be processed toward one end before heating.

[0033] (Effects and Benefits) The material to be processed before heating is pushed into the holding section, and the material to be processed after heating is pushed out of the holding section by the material to be processed before heating. At this time, the speed at which the conveying device discharges the material to be processed after heating is faster than the speed at which the material to be processed before heating is pushed to one end. This difference in speed makes it easier for the material to be processed after heating to separate from the material to be processed before heating. In addition, since the material to be processed after heating can be discharged from the container of the heating device quickly, it is possible to prevent the material to be processed after heating from accumulating in the discharge passage.

[0034] (Tenth aspect) A method for operating a heating apparatus according to the eighth aspect described above, The object to be processed is an ingot whose upper surface is flatter than its lower surface. The holding portion located at the insertion point of the ingot has a flat bottom surface inside, A method for operating a heating device, characterized in that the ingot is pushed into the holding part with the top and bottom surfaces of the ingot inverted.

[0035] (Effects and Benefits) Ingots are generally manufactured by pouring molten metal into a mold with a trapezoidal recess, then cooling and solidifying the metal, and finally removing the solidified metal mass from the mold. Ingots manufactured through this process tend to have a flatter top surface than their bottom surface, as the part that was in contact with the bottom surface of the mold becomes the top surface of the ingot.

[0036] Therefore, when pushing the ingot into the holding part of the heating device, the ingot was pushed in with its top and bottom reversed (i.e., with the top surface of the ingot facing downwards). Because the top surface of the ingot is flatter than the bottom surface, it becomes easier to push the ingot in, and because the bottom surface inside the holding part is also flat, the stability of the holding part when it holds the ingot can be increased. [Effects of the Invention]

[0037] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a heating device for heating a metal workpiece that can reduce the installation area, and a method for operating the same. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0038] [Figure 1] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the heating device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a left side view showing the internal structure of the heating device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is an enlarged view of the area surrounding the holding part in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a front view showing the heating device before and after the height change. [Figure 5]This is a side view showing the process of inserting the object to be processed before heating into the holding section and discharging the object to be processed after heating from the holding section. The process is shown in order from (a), (b), (c), to (d) in chronological order. [Figure 6] Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the supply-side conveying device according to the first embodiment, with a belt conveyor. [Figure 7] Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the supply-side conveying device according to the first embodiment, which consists of a roller conveyor and a metal plate table. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram of a case where the holding part is a rectangular parallelepiped tube. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram of a case where the object to be processed is a trapezoidal columnar ingot extending in a roughly horizontal direction. [Figure 10] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the positional relationship between one end of the supply-side conveying device and the other end of the workpiece to be processed before heating, which is held in the holding section 6, in the state shown in Figure 5(d). [Figure 11] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the positional relationship between the other end of the discharge-side conveying device and the one end of the heated workpiece held in the holding section in state 5(d). [Figure 12] This is a left side view showing the internal structure of the heating device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] This is a left side view showing the internal structure of the heating device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 14] This is a schematic diagram showing the ingot manufacturing process (a-c) and the state in which the manufactured ingot is placed on the supply-side conveying device (d). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0039] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

[0040] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the heating apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description and drawings are merely examples of embodiments of the present invention, and the content of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to these embodiments.

[0041] (First Embodiment) Figures 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the heating device 1 according to the present invention. This heating device 1 includes a container 2, an upper rotating body 3 and a lower rotating body 4 arranged at a predetermined distance apart inside the container 2 and rotating in the circumferential direction, an annular connecting part 5 that spans between the upper rotating body 3 and the lower rotating body 4 and moves in conjunction with the rotation of at least one of the upper rotating body 3 and the lower rotating body 4, a plurality of holding parts 6 arranged on the connecting part 5 that hold the object to be processed M and move up and down while holding the object to be processed M as the connecting part 5 moves, and a heating part 7 that heats the object to be processed M. These configurations will be described in detail below.

[0042] In this invention, "one end" refers to the right side of Figure 1, and "the other end" refers to the left side of Figure 1.

[0043] (Heating device 1) The container 2 of the heating device 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is a roughly rectangular prism with a rectangular base, and at the top of the container 2, one of the side walls curves in a semicircular shape and continues to the opposite side wall. The upper parts of the other side walls of the container 2 extend and are joined to the curved upper wall, so that there are no gaps at the joints of each wall surface at the top of the container 2. The container 2 of the illustrated shape is suitable for housing an annular connecting part 5 which has multiple holding parts 6 that extend roughly horizontally and are arranged in the vertical direction (i.e., the height direction HD). The shape of the container 2 of the heating device 1 is not limited to that shown, and may be any shape such as a roughly cylindrical shape or a roughly polygonal prism shape. However, it is preferable to make the shape such that the installation area of ​​the heating device 1 (the area occupied by the heating device 1 when viewed from above) is as small as possible, and for example, it is preferable to make the shape such that the width of the heating device 1 in the horizontal direction HZ is reduced.

[0044] The installation area of ​​heating device 1 is, for example, 0.9 to 2.25 m². 2 It is preferable to do so, 1.1 to 1.44 m 2It is more preferable to do so. For example, it is preferable to set the left and right width RL (width in Figure 1) of the heating device 1 to 900 to 1500 mm, and more preferably to 1000 to 1200 mm. Also, it is preferable to set the depth DP (width in Figure 2) of the heating device 1 to 1000 to 1500 mm, and more preferably to 1100 to 1200 mm.

[0045] To reduce the horizontal HZ width (left-right width and depth) of the heating device 1, it is undesirable to create excessive gaps between the inner wall of the container 2 of the heating device 1 and components such as the holding part 6 located inside the container 2. For example, in Figure 1, it is preferable to set the distance RL1 between one end of the object to be processed M1 before heating or the object to be processed M2 after heating, which is held in the holding part, and the inner wall of one end of the container 2 to 50-400 mm, and more preferably to 50-100 mm. Similarly, it is preferable to set the distance RL2 between the other end of the object to be processed M1 before heating or the object to be processed M2 after heating, which is held in the holding part, and the inner wall of the other end of the container 2 to 50-400 mm, and more preferably to 50-100 mm. Furthermore, in Figure 2, in the middle portion of the height direction of the container 2, it is preferable to set the distance DP1 between the outer wall on the width direction of the holding part 6 and the inner wall of the container 2 to 80-200 mm, and more preferably to 100-120 mm.

[0046] The height of the heating device 1 may be increased, but as it gets taller, its stability deteriorates, increasing the risk of collapse in the event of natural disasters such as earthquakes. Furthermore, dead space is more likely to form inside the heating device 1, resulting in reduced heating efficiency of the material to be processed M. Therefore, it is preferable not to make it taller than necessary.

[0047] The lower side wall of the container 2 of the illustrated heating device 1 is provided with a supply port 9 for supplying the material to be processed M1 before heating and a discharge port 10 for discharging the material to be processed M2 after heating. More specifically, the supply port 9 is provided on one side wall (the left side wall) in Figure 1, and the discharge port 10 is provided on the opposite side wall (the right side wall) facing that side wall. In the first embodiment, the discharge port 10 is provided at a position approximately 180 degrees opposite to the position where the supply port 9 is provided, but the positions of the supply port 9 and discharge port 10 are not limited to these positions and may be changed to any position. However, in the case of a mechanism in which the material to be processed M2 after heating is pushed out by the material to be processed M1 before heating, as in the first embodiment, it is preferable that the positional relationship between the supply port 9 and the discharge port 10 be approximately 180 degrees opposite, or close to it.

[0048] A supply-side conveying device 11 is positioned at the supply port 9 of the illustrated heating device 1 so as to pass through the supply port 9 from the outside to the inside, forming part of the supply passage 13. A discharge-side conveying device 12 is positioned at the discharge port 10 of the heating device 1 so as to pass through the discharge port 10 from the outside to the inside, forming part of the discharge passage 14.

[0049] Any conveying device can be used as the supply-side conveying device 11, such as a roller conveyor, a belt conveyor, or a metal plate table (preferably one with a smooth surface) (hereinafter referred to as a table). Because it has the advantage of reducing the power required to operate the conveying device, it is preferable to use a roller conveyor as shown in Figure 1, or a roller conveyor and table as shown in Figure 7, as the supply-side conveying device 11. Of course, a belt conveyor as shown in Figure 6 may also be used. In any case, an extrusion member 17 is required to push the workpiece M1 before heating to the supply port 9. The extrusion member 17 will be described later.

[0050] Furthermore, if the supply-side conveying device 11 using only a table is used to supply the unheated workpiece M1, and the table is positioned so that it passes through the supply port 9 from the outside to the inside, the portion of the table inside the supply port 9 (i.e., inside the container 2 of the heating device 1) may deform due to heat. For this reason, as shown in Figure 7, it is preferable to position the table only to the outside of the supply port 9 (i.e., outside the container 2 of the heating device 1), and to position a roller conveyor inside the supply port 9. This is because, compared to a table, a roller conveyor has a smaller surface area and is therefore less susceptible to deformation due to heat. Other conveyors may be used instead of a roller conveyor. Therefore, the best configuration is to use a roller conveyor as the supply-side conveying device 11 and to push the unheated workpiece M1 into the supply port 9 using an extrusion member 17.

[0051] Similarly, any conveying device such as a roller conveyor or a belt conveyor can be used as the discharge-side conveying device 12. As mentioned above, one method can be considered in which the discharge speed of the heated workpiece M2 is faster than the pushing speed of the workpiece M1 before heating. In order to create such a speed difference, as in the first embodiment, it is preferable to use a powered conveying device such as a belt conveyor as the discharge-side conveying device 12, and to make the conveying speed of the heated workpiece M2 by this belt conveyor faster than the supply speed of the newly supplied workpiece M1 before heating.

[0052] The passage through which the unheated material M1 supplied to the inside of container 2 passes is called the supply passage 13. For example, in the configuration shown in Figure 1, the passage through which the unheated material M1 passes in the supply-side conveying device 11 can be called the supply passage 13. The passage through which the heated material M2 discharged from inside container 2 passes is called the discharge passage 14. For example, in the configuration shown in Figure 1, the passage through which the heated material M2 passes in the discharge-side conveying device 12 can be called the discharge passage 14.

[0053] Since the inside of container 2 is used to heat the material M to be processed, it is preferable to seal container 2 as tightly as possible to prevent outside air from flowing into it. For this reason, it is preferable to provide shielding equipment 15 at both the supply port 9 and the discharge port 10 to prevent outside air from flowing into container 2. The material and shape of the shielding equipment 15 are not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use a material with high heat resistance, shielding properties, and fire resistance. Examples of shielding equipment 15 include shielding curtains, air curtains, shutters, etc. In Figure 1, etc., a shielding curtain is used as the shielding equipment 15. Hereafter, the case in which a shielding curtain is used as the shielding equipment 15 will be explained as an example.

[0054] The shielding curtain 15 is preferably attached to the side wall surface of the container 2, which is provided with a supply port 9 and an outlet port 10, and positioned to hang down from its attachment point and cover the openings of the supply port 9 and the outlet port 10. As in the first embodiment, it is preferable to provide the shielding curtain 15 at both the supply port 9 and the outlet port 10, but the shielding curtain 15 may also be provided at only one of the supply port 9 and the outlet port 10. However, if a supply-side conveying device 11 and an outlet-side conveying device 12 are provided, it is preferable that the lower end of the shielding curtain 15 is positioned so that it does not come into contact with the supply-side conveying device 11, the outlet-side conveying device 12, or the unheated workpiece M1 or heated workpiece M2 that pass over these devices 11 and 12.

[0055] In the first embodiment, the supply port 9 and the discharge port 10 are provided separately, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, a supply / discharge port (not shown) that serves both the supply port 9 and the discharge port 10 may be provided. By not providing the supply port 9 and the discharge port 10 separately and unifying them into a single supply / discharge port, the airtightness of the container 2 can be improved. Even when such a supply / discharge port is provided, it is preferable to provide a shielding curtain 15 as in the first embodiment from the viewpoint of improving the airtightness of the container 2.

[0056] Examples of the shape of the blackout curtain 15 include those resembling a traditional Japanese curtain (noren) or those resembling an accordion.

[0057] The heating device 1 described above is mounted on a base 8 on the ground so as not to move easily, and it is preferable to install the heating device 1 (particularly the discharge passage 14 of the heating device 1) at a higher position than the melting furnace so that the heated material to be processed M2 discharged from the discharge passage 14 can easily fall into a melting furnace, for example, which is located at a later stage (not shown).

[0058] (Heating section 7) The heating device 1 is equipped with a heating section 7 for heating the material to be processed M. The heating section 7 is preferably capable of heating the material to be processed M supplied to the heating device 1 to a certain temperature or higher, and can be, for example, a metal heater or a non-metal heater. In Figures 1 and 2, a coil-shaped metal heater is used as the heating section 7, and an example is shown in which this heater is embedded in each of the four side walls of the container 2. It is preferable to heat the material to be processed M to 120°C to 200°C by the heat from this heating section 7, and more preferably to 150°C to 200°C. In particular, if the material to be processed M is a material to be dissolved before it is melted, and the purpose is to preheat the material to be dissolved in the heating device 1 before putting it into the melting furnace to remove the water contained in the material to be dissolved, then heating to the above temperature is preferable.

[0059] (Upper rotating body 3 and lower rotating body 4) In the first embodiment shown in Figure 1, a pair of upper rotating bodies 3 and lower rotating bodies 4 are arranged inside the container 2 at a predetermined distance apart vertically (in the height direction HD). In the first embodiment, the upper rotating body 3 is located at the top of the container 2, and the lower rotating body 4 is located at the bottom of the container 2, with no other rotating bodies positioned between the upper rotating body 3 and the lower rotating body 4. Although only one upper rotating body 3 and one lower rotating body 4 are visible in Figure 2, in reality, another upper rotating body 3 is provided behind the upper rotating body 3 shown in Figure 2, and another lower rotating body 4 is provided behind the lower rotating body 4 shown in Figure 2. That is, two upper rotating bodies 3 are provided that engage with the upper portion of each connecting portion 5, and two lower rotating bodies 4 are provided that engage with the lower portion of each connecting portion 5, so as to interlock with the two connecting portions 5 in Figure 1. Preferably, the two upper rotating bodies 3 and the two lower rotating bodies 4 are positioned such that the front and rear upper rotating bodies 3 and lower rotating bodies 4 overlap, as shown in Figure 2, and the rear upper rotating body 3 and lower rotating body 4 are not visible (i.e., the left, right, top, and bottom are in the same position in the side view as shown in Figure 2).

[0060] The types of the upper rotating body 3 and the lower rotating body 4 are not particularly limited, but for example, sprockets can be used. In the illustrated upper rotating body 3 and lower rotating body 4, two sprockets are used for both. The upper rotating body 3 has a shaft that passes through its center in a substantially horizontal direction and is connected to a power generating unit (e.g., a motor) not shown, and the upper rotating body 3 rotates in the circumferential direction when driven by this power generating unit. On the other hand, the lower rotating body 4 is not connected to a power generating unit, and the rotational force of the upper rotating body 3 is transmitted to the lower rotating body 4 via a connecting part 5, causing the lower rotating body 4 to rotate.

[0061] (Connection part 5) An annular connecting portion 5 is provided inside the container 2 of the heating device 1. In the first embodiment, the connecting portion 5 is in contact with the upper part of the upper rotating body 3 and the lower part of the lower rotating body 4, bridging the gap between the upper rotating body 3 and the lower rotating body 4. The rotational force of the upper rotating body 3 is transmitted to the lower rotating body 4 via this connecting portion 5.

[0062] Figures 1 to 4 show two chains extending in the height direction HD as the connecting section 5, but it is not limited to chains, and other parts such as mesh belts may be used. However, since the inside of the container 2 becomes hot, it is preferable to use a heat-resistant material. In the illustrated configuration, the rotational force of the upper rotating body 3 and the lower rotating body 4 is reliably transmitted to the connecting section 5 by the interlocking of the gaps in these chains and the grooves provided on the outer circumference of the sprocket. Furthermore, depending on the installation area of ​​the heating device 1, the number and size of the objects to be processed M, etc., it may be sufficient to have one upper rotating body 3, one lower rotating body 4, and one connecting section 5.

[0063] (Holding part 6) Multiple holding parts 6 are arranged on the connecting part 5. Each holding part 6 is positioned approximately perpendicular to the extending direction of the connecting part 5. Figure 3 shows that the holding part 6 is positioned to straddle two connecting parts 5. The holding part 6 holds the object to be processed M and moves up and down inside the container 2 while holding the object to be processed M as the connecting part 5 moves. For example, the annular connecting part 5 shown in Figure 2 rotates counterclockwise. More specifically, the right side of the connecting part 5 moves upward, the left side moves downward, the upper part of the connecting part 5 moves to the left, and the lower part of the connecting part 5 moves to the right. Therefore, the multiple holding parts 6 arranged on the connecting part 5 also move in the same direction as the connecting part 5. Conversely to Figure 2, the annular connecting part 5 may be rotated clockwise, and the holding parts 6 may be moved clockwise.

[0064] It is preferable that the connecting portion 5 is not moved continuously, but rather moved a fixed distance at regular intervals. For example, it is preferable to move the connecting portion 5 all at once to the location of the adjacent holding portion 6 every minute, and then not move it until one minute has elapsed. In this way, the holding portion 6 remains stationary for a certain period of time, making it easier to insert the workpiece M1 before heating into the holding portion 6 and to discharge the workpiece M2 after heating from the holding portion 6. The aforementioned regular interval can be arbitrarily determined by considering the insertion time of the workpiece M1 before heating and the discharge time of the workpiece M2 after heating. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of inserting the workpiece M1 before heating into the holding portion 6 and discharging the workpiece M2 after heating from the holding portion 6, it is preferable that the distance the connecting portion 5 is moved all at once is to the location of the adjacent holding portion 6 (one segment). Furthermore, if it only takes a few seconds to insert the object to be processed M1 into the holding part 6 before heating and to remove the object to be processed M2 from the holding part 6 after heating, the connecting part 5 may be kept in a constantly moving position.

[0065] In Figures 1 and 2, the insertion of the material to be processed M1 into the holding section 6 before heating and the discharge of the material to be processed M2 after heating are performed at the lowest holding section 6. This is because the supply port 9 for the material to be processed M1 before heating and the discharge port 10 for the material to be processed M2 after heating are provided at the bottom of the container 2, respectively. Therefore, if, for example, the supply port 9 and the discharge port 10 are provided at the top of the container 2, it is preferable to perform the insertion of the material to be processed M1 into the holding section 6 before heating and the discharge of the material to be processed M2 after heating at the upper holding section 6. However, as mentioned above, since it is preferable to provide the supply port 9 and the discharge port 10 at the bottom of the container 2, it is preferable to perform the insertion of the material to be processed M1 into the holding section 6 before heating and the discharge of the material to be processed M2 after heating at the lower holding section 6.

[0066] Incidentally, the holding part 6 of the first embodiment uses a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped cylinder with openings at both the left and right ends, and this cylinder extends in a substantially horizontal direction. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the case where the holding part 6 is a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped cylinder. Preferably, the external dimensions are such that the length l1 in the length direction is in the range of 380 to 420 mm, the length w1 in the width direction is in the range of 105 to 170 mm, and the length h1 in the height direction is in the range of 55 to 80 mm, and the internal dimensions are such that the length w0 in the width direction is in the range of 100 to 160 mm and the length h0 in the height direction is in the range of 50 to 70 mm.

[0067] A trapezoidal columnar ingot (workpiece M) extending in a substantially horizontal direction is inserted into the holding part 6. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram with the top surface of the ingot facing downwards and the bottom surface facing upwards. Preferably, the trapezoidal columnar ingot has a length L1 of 600 to 680 mm in the longitudinal direction of the top surface, a length W1 of 40 to 70 mm in the width direction, a length L2 of 680 to 700 mm in the longitudinal direction of the bottom surface, a length W2 of 90 to 140 mm in the width direction, and a height H of 40 to 60 mm. The length of the holding part 6 in the longitudinal direction (substantially horizontal length in Figure 1) is shorter than the length of the workpiece M in the longitudinal direction (substantially horizontal length in Figure 1), and the holding part 6 holds the middle portion of the workpiece M in the longitudinal direction. In other words, with the holding portion 6 holding the workpiece M, the workpiece M protrudes from one end AS of the holding portion 6, and also from the other end BS of the holding portion 6. By causing the workpiece M to protrude from both ends of the holding portion 6 in this way, it becomes easier to bring the AS end of the workpiece M1 before heating into contact with the BS end of the workpiece M2 after heating, and it also becomes easier to discharge the workpiece M2 from the holding portion 6 when pushing the heated workpiece M2 out of the holding portion 6 using the workpiece M1 before heating. The protruding portion can be of any length, but in order to obtain the above advantages, it is preferable that it protrudes by 30-50% of the length of the workpiece M in the longitudinal direction, that is, by about 15-25% from each end face of the holding portion 6.

[0068] Furthermore, it is preferable to position the AS end on one side of the supply passage 13, i.e., the AS end on one side of the supply-side conveying device 11 in Figure 1, near the BS end on the other side of the workpiece M held in the holding section 6. Also, it is preferable to position the BS end on the other side of the discharge passage 14, i.e., the BS end on the other side of the discharge-side conveying device 12 in Figure 1, near the AS end on one side of the workpiece M held in the holding section 6. By arranging the positions in this way, when inserting the workpiece M1 to be molten before heating from the supply passage 13 into the holding section 6, it becomes less likely for the workpiece M1 to fall out through the gap between the supply passage 13 and the holding section 6. Furthermore, after the object to be processed M is inserted into the holding section 6 and begins to move upward, when another object to be processed M (the heated object to be processed M2) held in the holding section 6 enters the space between the supply passage 13 and the discharge passage 14, contact between the heated object to be processed M and the supply passage 13 can be avoided, or if contact occurs, it will only be minor, thus preventing the operation of the heating device 1 from stopping. Similarly, on the discharge side, it becomes less likely for the heated object to be processed M2 to fall through the gap between the holding section 6 and the discharge passage 14, and the heated object to be processed M2 can be discharged smoothly. Furthermore, after the object to be processed M is inserted into the holding section 6 and begins to move upward, when another object to be processed M (the heated object to be processed M2) held in the holding section 6 enters the space between the supply passage 13 and the discharge passage 14, contact between the heated object to be processed M and the discharge passage 14 can be avoided, or if contact occurs, it will only be minor, thus preventing the operation of the heating device 1 from stopping.

[0069] Furthermore, in order to allow the object to be processed M to be inserted into the holding part 6, the size of the cross-section of the holding part 6 (meaning the cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the holding part 6; the same applies hereinafter) is larger than the size of the cross-section of the object to be processed M (meaning the cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the object to be processed M; the same applies hereinafter).

[0070] The shape of the holding portion 6 is not limited to that of the first embodiment, and can be changed to any shape other than the rectangular parallelepiped shape described above, such as a hexagonal prism shape. However, if the workpiece M is easily moved inside the holding portion 6, the workpiece M may fall out of the holding portion 6. To prevent such a situation from occurring, it is preferable to make the shape of the inner wall of the cross-section of the holding portion 6 similar to the shape of the outer wall of the cross-section of the workpiece M. Furthermore, it is preferable to make the length of each side of the inner wall of the cross-section of the holding portion 6 slightly longer than the length of each side of the cross-section of the workpiece M.

[0071] The material of the holding part 6 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use a material with high heat resistance because the inside of the container 2 becomes hot. Furthermore, it is preferable to use a material with high heat conductivity for the holding part 6, as the heating efficiency can be increased when heat from the holding part 6 is transferred to the workpiece M via the contact area between the holding part 6 and the workpiece M. Specifically, it is preferable to use a holding part made of a material such as iron or stainless steel.

[0072] In the first embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, a plurality of attachments, which are connecting members 16, are attached to a chain, which is an annular connecting portion 5, and a plurality of holding portions 6 are attached via these connecting members 16. The type of connecting members 16 is not particularly limited, and other known parts may be used. These plurality of holding portions 6 are attached to the outer circumference of the connecting portion 5 at predetermined intervals so as to surround the connecting portion 5. The number of holding portions 6 arranged on the connecting portion 5 can be arbitrarily determined by considering the total length of the annular connecting portion 5, the length of the overlapping portion between the connecting portion 5 and each holding portion 6, the time required to heat the workpiece M to the desired temperature, the moving speed of the connecting portion 5, and so on.

[0073] For example, in the heating device 1 of the first embodiment, a total of 20 holding parts 6 are attached so as to surround the annular connecting part 5. In this heating device 1, the object to be processed M inserted into the holding part 6 at the bottom of the connecting part 5 is gradually moved every minute (in Figure 2, it is moved counterclockwise), so that it completes one rotation in about 20 minutes and returns to its original bottom position. During those approximately 20 minutes, the object to be processed M is heated to the desired temperature before being discharged from the heating device 1 to the outside.

[0074] In a heating device 1 as shown in Figures 1 and 2, if the number of holding units 6 is halved to, for example, 10, only 10 workpieces M can be heated in 20 minutes. Therefore, from the viewpoint of production efficiency (the efficiency of producing heated workpieces M; the same applies hereinafter), it is preferable to provide as many holding units 6 as possible in the connecting unit 5 and heat as many workpieces M as possible.

[0075] However, since the total length of the annular connecting portion 5 is limited, there is a limit to the number of holding portions 6 that can be arranged. For example, in the heating device 1 shown in 4A of Figure 4, if we consider gradually moving the object to be processed M, which is inserted into the holding portion 6 at the bottom of the connecting portion 5, every minute for 25 minutes, and heating the object to be processed M to the desired temperature, the total length of the connecting portion is short, so it is not possible to provide 25 holding portions 6 in the connecting portion 5, and the production efficiency will deteriorate.

[0076] Therefore, in such cases, it is preferable to insert a length adjustment member 18 into a part of the connecting portion 5, as shown in 4B of Figure 4, to lengthen the overall length of the connecting portion 5. By doing so, more holding portions 6 can be attached to the connecting portion 5 than in 4A of Figure 4. The type of length adjustment member 18 is not particularly limited, but it can be the same as that of the connecting portion 5, for example. For example, if a chain is used as the connecting portion 5, the so-called chain link material that makes up the chain can be used as the length adjustment member 18. When the same type is used in this way, the boundary between the connecting portion 5 and the length adjustment member 18 becomes indistinct after the length adjustment member 18 is attached to the connecting portion 5.

[0077] If the length of the connecting part 5 is increased, the upper rotating body 3 must be moved upward US in order to place it inside the container 2. As a result, the upper rotating body 3 and the connecting part 5 and holding part 6 around it may come into contact with the upper wall surface of the container 2, making it impossible to properly fit the extended connecting part 5 inside the container 2. In such cases, as shown in 4B of Figure 4, it is preferable to insert a height adjustment member 19 into the container 2 (especially the side wall of the container 2) to increase the height of the container 2. This height adjustment member 19 can be attached to the container 2 via a joining member 20 (for example, a flange). The height H0 of the height adjustment member 19 can be arbitrarily determined, but it is preferable to set it so that the upper rotating body 3 and the connecting part 5 and holding part 6 around it do not come into contact with the upper wall surface of the container 2, and there is an appropriate gap between the uppermost holding part 6 and the upper wall of the container 2. In this case, as shown in 4B of Figure 4, it is preferable to provide a heating part 7 in the height adjustment member 19. This is because the increased number of holding parts 6 will reduce heating efficiency, which is expected to result in a decrease in production efficiency.

[0078] On the other hand, it is also undesirable to have an unnecessarily large number of holding parts 6. For example, as explained above, if it is desirable to raise the workpiece M to the desired temperature before heating over a period of about 20 minutes and then discharge it to the outside from the heating device 1, then as shown in 4B of Figure 4, if there are 27 holding parts, and the workpiece M inserted into the holding part 6 at the bottom of the connecting part 5 is moved gradually every minute, it will take about 27 minutes to complete one rotation, resulting in an extra 7 minutes (27 minutes - 20 minutes) of heating. This can lead to problems such as overheating of the workpiece M, resulting in poor quality of the workpiece M after heating, or wasted electricity and other resources used to heat the heating part 7. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the 7-minute loss results in a decrease in production efficiency. While it is possible to prevent such problems by increasing the rotation speed of the upper rotating body 3 and the lower rotating body 4 to move the connecting part 5 faster, this requires time to insert the unheated workpiece M1 into the holding part 6 and discharge the heated workpiece M2 to the outside of the holding part 6, during which time the movement of the connecting part 5 must be temporarily stopped. More specifically, a sensor (not shown) installed near the bottom of the inside of the container 2 detects the holding part 6 that is holding the heated workpiece M2 to be discharged next, and stops the movement of the connecting part 5 when the heated workpiece M2 is inserted between the supply passage 13 and the discharge passage 14. Then, the extrusion member 17 is activated, and after the extrusion member 17 inserts the unheated workpiece M1 into the inside of the holding part 6 and discharges the heated workpiece M2 to the outside of the holding part 6, the extrusion member 17 is returned to its original position, and a sensor (not shown) installed in the heating device 1 detects that the extrusion member 17 has come out of the container 2. Because this action is repeated, there are limits to how much can be addressed by simply increasing the movement speed of the connecting part 5.

[0079] Therefore, if the time until the heating of the workpiece M is completed is short, it is preferable to reduce the number of holding parts 6, as shown in 4A of Figure 4. If the number of holding parts 6 is reduced, and the length of the connecting part 5 is longer than necessary, the connecting part 5 will have to be moved faster than necessary. In this case, it is preferable to remove the length adjustment member 18 from the connecting part 5 and shorten the length of the connecting part 5. In this case, for example, if the connecting part 5 and the length adjustment member 18 are on the same rail, it is assumed that it will be difficult to distinguish between the connecting part 5 and the length adjustment member 18, so the removed part will be considered as the length adjustment member 18.

[0080] When the length of the connecting portion 5 is shortened in this way, the length of the connecting portion 5 in the height direction HD is also shortened. As a result, a needlessly large space (dead space) is created between the upper part of the connecting portion 5 and the upper wall surface of the container 2. When a dead space is created, the heating portion 7 must heat the air in that area extra, so it is important to reduce this dead space as much as possible. In such cases, it is preferable to remove the height adjustment member 19 of the side wall of the container 2 and lower the height of the container 2.

[0081] (Insertion and discharge process of the object to be processed M1) The heating device 1 described above has an insertion and discharge process in which the workpiece M1 to be processed before heating is inserted into the holding section 6 and the workpiece M2 to be processed after heating is discharged from the holding section 6. This insertion and discharge process will be described in detail below.

[0082] As shown in Figure 5, with the one end AS of the newly supplied unheated workpiece M1 in contact with the other end BS of the heated workpiece M2 held inside the holding part 6, the unheated workpiece M1 is pushed toward the one end AS, thereby inserting the unheated workpiece M1 into the holding part 6 and discharging the heated workpiece M2 outwards toward the one end AS from the holding part 6.

[0083] Figure 5(a) shows the state before pressing the workpiece M1 before heating. Figure 5(b) shows the state after the extrusion member 17 has pushed the workpiece M1 before heating toward one end AS from the state in Figure 5(a), bringing the one end AS of the workpiece M1 before heating into contact with the other end BS of the workpiece M2 after heating. Figure 5(c) shows the state after the extrusion member 17 has been further pushing the workpiece M1 before heating toward one end AS from the state in Figure 5(b). Figure 5(d) shows the state after the extrusion member 17 has further pushed the workpiece M1 before heating toward one end AS from the state in Figure 5(c), completely pushing the workpiece M2 after heating out of the holding part 6, and inserting the workpiece M1 before heating into the holding part 6. After reaching the state in Figure 5(d), the extrusion member 17 is returned to its original position. Subsequently, by moving the connecting part 5, the unheated workpiece M1 inserted into the holding part 6 is transported upwards to US.

[0084] Now, let's explain the state shown in Figure 5(d). The AS end of one end of the supply-side conveying device 11 is located near the BS end of the other end of the workpiece M1 before heating, which is held in the holding part 6. More specifically, as shown in Figure 10(a), the AS end of one end of the supply-side conveying device 11 and the BS end of the workpiece M1 before heating, which is held in the holding part 6, may be separated by a distance N, where N is preferably 30 to 100 mm, and more preferably 50 to 60 mm. This makes it less likely for the workpiece M1 before heating to fall through the gap between the supply-side conveying device 11 and the holding part 6. Also, the tangent to the top of the AS end of one end of the supply-side conveying device 11 and the bottom surface of the inner wall of the holding part 6 may be separated by a distance M, where M is preferably 0 to 5 mm, and more preferably 2 to 3 mm. When spacing them in this way, it is preferable to make the height of the tangent to the top of one end AS of the supply-side conveying device 11 higher than the height of the bottom surface of the inner wall of the holding part 6. By spacing them by a distance M, the workpiece M1 to be processed before heating is inserted diagonally downward into the holding part 6, allowing for smooth insertion.

[0085] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 10(b), a portion of the bottom surface of the other end BS of the workpiece M1 to be processed before heating, held in the holding part 6, may be in contact with the surface of the one end AS of the supply-side conveying device 11. In this case, the distance N' between the one end AS of the supply-side conveying device 11 and the other end BS of the holding part 6 is set, and this distance N' is preferably greater than 0 mm and 150 mm or less, and more preferably 40 to 60 mm. In this state, the workpiece M1 to be processed before heating will not fall through the gap between the supply-side conveying device 11 and the holding part 6, but the supply-side conveying device 11 and the workpiece M1 to be processed before heating will come into contact. However, this contact will be minor and will not stop the operation of the heating device 1.

[0086] Furthermore, in Figure 5(d), the other end BS of the discharge-side conveying device 12 is located near the one end AS of the heated workpiece M2 held in the holding part 6. More specifically, as shown in Figure 11(a), the other end BS of the discharge-side conveying device 12 and the one end AS of the heated workpiece M2 held in the holding part 6 may be separated by a distance Q, preferably 30 to 100 mm, and more preferably 50 to 60 mm. This makes it less likely for the heated workpiece M2 to fall through the gap between the discharge-side conveying device 12 and the holding part 6. In addition, the top tangent of the other end BS of the discharge-side conveying device 12 and the bottom surface of the inner wall of the holding part 6 may be separated by a distance P, preferably 0 to 5 mm, and more preferably 2 to 3 mm. When spacing them in this way, it is preferable to make the height of the tangent to the top of the other end BS of the discharge-side conveying device 12 lower than the height of the bottom surface of the inner wall of the holding part 6. By spacing them by a distance P, the heated workpiece M2 is discharged diagonally downward from inside the holding part 6, as shown in Figure 11(b), allowing for smooth discharge.

[0087] Although the extrusion member 17 shown in Figure 5 uses a pusher, the type of extrusion member 17 is not particularly limited as long as it can press the workpiece M1 before heating, and materials such as iron and stainless steel may be used.

[0088] Furthermore, if the workpiece M is an ingot, as mentioned above, considering the characteristics of the normal ingot manufacturing process (proceeding in the order of (a), (b), and (c)) as shown in Figure 14, the top surface of the ingot will be flatter than the bottom surface. Therefore, as shown in Figure 14(d), by pressing the ingot with the extrusion member 17 while the top and bottom surfaces of the ingot before heating are inverted, that is, with the top surface of the ingot before heating facing downwards and the bottom surface facing upwards, the ingot can be pressed more smoothly than when the top and bottom surfaces of the ingot are not inverted, making it easier to insert the ingot into the holding part 6.

[0089] Furthermore, by making the bottom surface of the inner wall of the holding part 6 flat, the contact area with the flat surface of the ingot pressed into the holding part 6 (the top surface of the ingot when it is inverted) can be increased. As a result, heat is more easily transferred from the holding part 6 to the ingot, which has advantages such as increased heating efficiency of the ingot.

[0090] (Second embodiment) In the first embodiment, an example was described in which two upper rotating bodies 3 and two lower rotating bodies 4 were provided vertically, but the invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the number of lower rotating bodies 4 may be further increased, as shown in the second embodiment in Figure 12. The heating device 1 of this second embodiment has the disadvantage of having a larger installation area than that of the first embodiment, but it is useful when it is desired to increase the number of holding parts 6 attached to the connecting part 5, as the length of the connecting part 5 can be increased. In addition, as mentioned above, there is a method of increasing the distance between the upper rotating body 3 and the lower rotating body 4 and increasing the height of the container 2 in order to increase the length of the connecting part 5, but if the height of the container 2 becomes too high, the stability will deteriorate and it will become vulnerable to disasters such as earthquakes, so if the height of the container 2 becomes too high, it is advisable to consider the method of the second embodiment.

[0091] However, even in the case of the second embodiment, it is preferable not to make the installation area of ​​the heating device 1 too large, so it is preferable to set a certain limit on the distance between adjacent lower rotating bodies 4. The distance between adjacent lower rotating bodies 4 is preferably 1000 mm to 2000 mm, and more preferably 1000 mm to 1500 mm.

[0092] Furthermore, from the standpoint of minimizing the installation area of ​​the heating device 1, the first embodiment is preferable to the second embodiment.

[0093] Furthermore, since the connecting portion 5 between adjacent lower rotating bodies 4, 4 may sag due to its weight, it is preferable to provide multiple guides 21 at predetermined intervals below the connecting portion 5 to prevent sagging. In addition, although the supply port 9 and discharge port 10 are provided at different positions on the left and right sides of the figure in Figure 12, they may be provided at the same position in the figure.

[0094] (Third embodiment) In the first embodiment, an example was described in which the upper revolving body 3 and the lower revolving body 4 are arranged vertically, but the embodiment is not limited to this configuration. For example, as shown in the third embodiment in Figure 13, the upper revolving body 3 and the lower revolving body 4 are not arranged vertically, and the upper revolving body 3 may be positioned slightly to the right of the lower revolving body 4. In Figure 13, the upper revolving body 3 is positioned slightly to the right with respect to the vertical direction with respect to the lower revolving body 4. Specifically, the upper revolving body 3 is positioned at a predetermined angle θ to the right with respect to a perpendicular line passing through the center of the lower revolving body 4. The angle θ is preferably 0 to 10 degrees. Note that, unlike in Figure 13, the upper revolving body 3 may be positioned at a predetermined angle θ to the left with respect to a perpendicular line passing through the center of the lower revolving body 4, and in this case, the angle θ is preferably 0 to 10 degrees, as described above.

[0095] When the upper rotating body 3 is positioned to the left or right of a perpendicular line passing through the center of the lower rotating body 4, the horizontal distance D between the center of the upper rotating body 3 and the center of the lower rotating body 4 is preferably 100 mm to 350 mm, and more preferably 100 mm to 150 mm.

[0096] By keeping the positional relationship between the upper rotating body 3 and the lower rotating body 4 within the range of the predetermined angle θ and the distance D described above, it is possible to prevent the width of the heating device 1 from increasing and the installation area of ​​the heating device 1 from exceeding the allowable range.

[0097] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of minimizing the installation area of ​​the heating device 1, the first embodiment is preferable to the third embodiment. However, by not arranging the upper rotating body 3 and the lower rotating body 4 vertically as in the third embodiment, the length of the connecting portion 5 can be made longer than when the upper rotating body 3 and the lower rotating body 4 are arranged vertically. As a result, more holding portions 6 can be installed in the connecting portion 5, which has the advantage of allowing more workpieces M to be heated inside the heating device 1. [Industrial applicability]

[0098] The workpiece M refers to an object that is melted by a melting furnace or the like installed downstream of the heating device 1, or an object whose hole is heated and expanded by shrink-fitting in the heating device 1. Furthermore, examples include an object that is hardened once and then tempered in the heating device 1. It mainly refers to a lump-like object of a certain size. Such workpiece M may be an ingot of non-ferrous metals such as aluminum or aluminum alloys, or a metal ingot other than an ingot, such as a metal lump of iron or stainless steel, or a non-ferrous metal lump.

[0099] It should be noted that the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the heating device 1 of the present invention can be used for shrink-fitting and tempering of metals, as described above.

[0100] However, the heating device 1 of the present invention is particularly suitable for use as a preheating device placed in front of a melting device, such as a melting furnace, for the purpose of heating the metal to be processed, such as an ingot, which has moisture on its surface, to evaporate and remove the moisture before it is introduced into the melting device. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0101] 1…Heating device, 2…Container, 3…Upper rotating body, 4…Lower rotating body, 5…Connecting part, 6…Holding part, 7…Heating part, 8…Base, 9…Supply port, 10…Discharge port, 11…Supply side conveying device, 12…Discharge side conveying device, 13…Supply path, 14…Discharge path, 15…Shielding equipment (e.g., shielding curtain), 16…Connecting member, 17…Extrusion member, 18…Length adjustment member, 19…Height adjustment member, 20…Joining member, 21…Guide, AS…One end, BS…Other end, DS…Downward, H…Height of height adjustment member, HD…Height direction, HZ…Horizontal direction, M…Workpiece, M1…Workpiece before preheating, M2…Workpiece after preheating, US…Upward

Claims

1. A heating device for heating an object to be processed, The container of the heating device, An upper rotating body and a lower rotating body are arranged at a predetermined distance from each other inside the container and rotate in the circumferential direction, An annular connecting portion that spans between the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body and moves in conjunction with the rotation of at least one of the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body, A plurality of holding parts are arranged in the connecting part, hold the object to be processed, and move up and down while holding the object to be processed as the connecting part moves, A heating unit for heating the object to be processed, A heating device characterized by having the following features.

2. At least one of the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body is configured to be movable upward or downward, and the vertical distance between the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body can be changed by such movement. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the length of the connecting portion changes in accordance with the change in the vertical distance between the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body.

3. A length adjustment member is removable from at least a portion of the aforementioned connecting part. The heating device according to claim 2, wherein the length of the connecting portion is changed by inserting or removing the length adjustment member in accordance with the change in the vertical distance between the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body.

4. A height adjustment member is removable from at least a portion of the container. The heating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the height of the container is changed by inserting or removing the height adjustment member in accordance with the change in the vertical distance between the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body.

5. The holding portion has a heat-conducting holding portion inside which it holds the object to be processed. The holding portion is heated by the heating portion, The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the heating of the object to be processed is performed by contact between the holding portion and the object to be processed inside the holding portion.

6. Below the aforementioned container, A supply port is provided for supplying the workpiece to be heated, and an outlet is provided for discharging the heated workpiece. Alternatively, the heating apparatus according to claim 1 is provided with a supply / discharge port used for both supplying the workpiece to be heated and discharging the heated workpiece.

7. The heating device according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the supply port, the discharge port, and the supply / discharge port is provided with a shielding device that blocks the flow of air between the inside and outside of the container.

8. The holding portion has a holding portion that extends substantially horizontally and holds the object to be processed inside, with openings at both ends in the longitudinal direction. The longitudinal length of the holding portion is shorter than the length of the workpiece to be processed. With the object to be processed held inside the holding portion, both ends of the object to be processed protrude outward from both ends of the holding portion. The object to be processed moves up and down within the container while being held in the holding part. The heating device is The container includes a supply channel for supplying the material to be processed, The container has a discharge channel on the outside for discharging the material to be processed, One end of the supply path is located near the other end of the workpiece held in the holding section. The heating device according to claim 1 or claim 6, wherein the other end of the discharge passage is located near the one end of the workpiece held in the holding part.

9. A method for operating a heating apparatus according to claim 8, The system includes an insertion and discharge step in which the object to be processed before heating is inserted into the holding portion and the object to be processed after heating is discharged from the holding portion. The aforementioned insertion and discharge process is as follows: The process involves bringing one end of a newly supplied, unheated workpiece into contact with the other end of the heated workpiece held inside the holding section, and then pushing the unheated workpiece toward one end, thereby inserting the unheated workpiece into the holding section and discharging the heated workpiece outwards toward one end from the holding section. The heated material to be processed, which is discharged from the holding section outward at one end, is transported to the outside of the container by a conveying device installed in the discharge path. A method for operating a heating device, characterized in that the speed at which the conveying device discharges the heated workpiece is faster than the speed at which it pushes the workpiece to be processed toward one end before heating.

10. A method for operating a heating apparatus according to claim 8, The object to be processed is an ingot whose upper surface is flatter than its lower surface. The holding portion located at the insertion point of the ingot has a flat bottom surface inside, A method for operating a heating device, characterized in that the ingot is pushed into the holding part with the top and bottom surfaces of the ingot inverted.

Images