Commercial Decal, Inc.

Saul Weingrad

A furnace for preparing test specimens, such as specimens of ceramic materials, is provided, such furnace including a furnace chamber having a heating zone; heating means for heating the heating zone; first specimen support means disposed in the heating zone supporting at least two test specimens to be subjected to heat treatment; heat sensing means disposed in the heating zone for sensing the degree of heat treatment of at least one of said test specimens; specimen outlet conveyor means for removing from the heating zone at least one test specimen subjected to a predetermined heat treatment; and specimen inlet conveyor means for feeding control or blank specimens into the heating zone to maintain constant the total number (total mass) of specimens subjected to heat treatment in the heating zone. In a preferred embodiment, the specimen inlet and outlet conveyor means are adapted to cause the specimens to be moved about a predetermined path in the heating zone after the specimens are subjected to a predetermined heat treatment so as to allow the removal of at least one of the test specimens and the feeding of a corresponding number of control specimens onto the first specimen support means. In this manner, the total number and mass of specimens, including actual test specimens and control specimens, in the heating zone will be constant, from start to finish. Preferably, the control specimens should have the same heat absorption properties as the test specimens. In addition, it is also preferable to pre-heat the control specimens to the temperature of the heating zone before they are fed into the heating zone to more accurately duplicate conditions in the furnace. A method of preparing a plurality of test specimens employing the above apparatus is also provided, which method includes the steps of feeding at least first and second test specimens to be heat treated into a heating zone, subjecting said test specimens to a first predetermined heat treatment, removing said first test specimen from said heating zone, said first test specimen representing a specimen subjected to said first predetermined heat treatment, substantially simultaneously feeding a control specimen into the heating zone to replace said first test specimen, thereby maintaining constant the total number and total mass of specimens present in the heating zone, subjecting said second test specimen and said control specimen remaining in the heating zone to a second predetermined heat treatment, and removing said second test specimen from the heating zone, said second test specimen representing a specimen subjected to said first heat treatment under the same conditions as was said first test specimen and also subjected to said second predetermined heat treatment.

Method and apparatus for preparing test specimens subjected to different

Decalcomanias are automatically transferred from a vacuumized porous transfer surface to an object to be decorated which is held in position to assure constant non-slipping, rolling contact with the decalcomania. The porous decalcomania-holding surface coacts in transfer relation with the object to be decorated.

Growing community of inventors

Hillsdale, NJ, United States of America

Saul Weingrad