Link belt for use in furnaces

Abstract

A link belt for use in a sintering furnace, which is made of a plurality of first links, each of said links having working surfaces for supporting objects to be carried on the belt. A plurality of rollers are positioned intermediate certain of said first links, and a plurality of pins pass through apertures within said first links and within said rollers.

1 . A link belt for use in a sintering furnace, said link belt comprising:
 a plurality of first links, each of said links comprising working surfaces for supporting objects to be carried on said belt;   a plurality of rollers positioned intermediate certain of said first links; and   a plurality of pins received through apertures within said first links and within said rollers.   
     
     
         2 . A link belt in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that each of said rollers is formed of ceramic material. 
     
     
         3 . A link belt in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that each of said first links comprises a top section having opposing ends and a bottom section having opposing ends, said bottom section being spaced apart from said top section, and said top section and said bottom section of each of said first links being joined at said ends by noses. 
     
     
         4 . A link belt in accordance with  claim 3 , characterized in that said top section of said first links comprises:
 a main body;   a longitudinal member substantially narrower than the width of said top section main body, and extending upwardly from said main body; and   lateral members extending upwardly from said main body at the ends of said longitudinal member, the upper surfaces of said longitudinal and lateral members defining said working surfaces.   
     
     
         5 . A link belt in accordance with  claim 4 , characterized by a center post joining said top and bottom sections of said first links. 
     
     
         6 . A link belt in accordance with  claim 5 , characterized in that:
 each of said bottom sections comprises a main body; and   said main bodies of said top and bottom sections have comparable dimensions.   
     
     
         7 . A link belt in accordance with  claim 6 , characterized in that each of said first links comprises ribs projecting upwardly from said main body of said bottom section, and extending from said center post to said noses. 
     
     
         8 . A link belt in accordance with  claim 3 , characterized in that said noses comprise arcuate sections defining said pin receiving apertures in said first links. 
     
     
         9 . A link belt in accordance with  claim 8 , characterized in that said pin receiving apertures are partially open along the portion thereof facing said center post, but are sufficiently closed so as to retain said pin within said aperture. 
     
     
         10 . A link belt in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said link belt comprises a plurality of second links, said second links positioned at opposing sides of said link belt. 
     
     
         11 . A link belt in accordance with  claim 10 , characterized in that:
 an aperture is formed horizontally through each end of each of said second links; and   each of said pins being received within said apertures of said second links so as to secure together said side links, said rollers and said first links.   
     
     
         12 . A link belt in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said first links are formed of iron-nickel super alloy material. 
     
     
         13 . A link belt in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that each of said first links comprises:
 a top section;   a pair of opposing noses integral with or otherwise connected to said top section, said noses comprising a first end section and a second end section; and   said first end section and said second end section each comprise an arcuate section curving inwardly toward a center of said top section.   
     
     
         14 . A link belt in accordance with  claim 13 , characterized in that each of said first links further comprises straight sections formed at said ends of said arcuate sections, said straight sections terminating in working surfaces formed at the top of lateral members of each of said first links. 
     
     
         15 . A link belt in accordance with  claim 14 , characterized in that for each of said first links, said arcuate sections define said apertures for said pins. 
     
     
         16 . A link belt in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that each of said first links comprises a top section, a bottom section spaced apart from said top section, a center post joining said top and bottom sections, and a substantially hollow interior formed around said center post between said top section and said bottom section. 
     
     
         17 . A link belt for use in a sintering furnace, said link belt comprising:
 a plurality of first links, each of said first links comprising:   a top section comprising a main body and working surfaces for supporting objects to be carried on said belt and formed at the top of longitudinal and lateral members extending upwardly from said main body of said top section;   a bottom section spaced apart from said top section, said top section and said bottom section being joined together at ends thereof by noses, and also being joined together by a center post;   a plurality of rollers positioned intermediate certain of said first links, each of said rollers having an aperture extending therethrough;   a plurality of second links positioned on opposing sides of said link belt and comprising a pair of apertures extending therethrough; and   a plurality of pins extending between said opposing sides of said link belt, each of said pins being received through said apertures of said first links, rollers and second links.