MoSi2 arc-shaped heater, and method and device for manufacturing the heater

1. A method of manufacturing a MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater formed as a continuous waveform in which a plurality of U-shaped heater members having opposed parallel parts are connected alternately to each other at end parts thereof, comprising the steps of:

aligning end faces of a pair of U-shaped heater members while said U-shaped heater members are retained in parallel;

welding said end faces of said U-shaped heater members while guiding and supporting said U-shaped heater members on an arc-shaped guide to provide an angle between faces of said U-shaped heater members to provide the heater with an arc-shaped face of a specified curvature in a connecting direction; and

disposing the continuous MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater along an inner wall of a heating furnace.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said specified curvature is a curvature approximately coinciding with a curved surface of the inner wall of the heating furnace.

3. A method of manufacturing a MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater, comprising the steps of:

providing a separate pair of MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater members each having a specified arc length in which a plurality of U-shaped heater members extend alternately from each other to form a continuous waveform;

aligning end faces of said MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater members while retaining said end-faces in parallel;

welding said end faces to join said pair of MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater members and form a continuous waveform while guiding and supporting said pair of MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater members on an arc-shaped guide to provide an angle between faces of said joined MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater members to provide the heater with an arc-shaped face of a specified curvature in a connecting direction; and

disposing the continuous waveform MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater along an inner wall of a heating furnace.

4. A method according to claim 3 , wherein said plurality of U-shaped heater members that form said continuous waveforms of said MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater members are formed by welding separate U-shaped members together.

5. A method according to claim 3 , wherein said plurality of U-shaped heater members that form said continuous waveforms of each of said MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater members are formed by bending a continuous member into U-shapes.

6. A method according to claim 3 , wherein said specified curvature is a curvature approximately coinciding with a curved surface of the inner wall of the heating furnace.

7. An apparatus for manufacturing a MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater formed as a continuous waveform in which a plurality of U-shaped heater members having opposed parallel parts extend alternately to each other from end parts thereof, comprising:

a set of electrodes for retaining a pair of said U-shaped heater members therebetween and for welding said end faces of said U-shaped heater members via electrical heating;

a guide for aligning and retaining in parallel said end faces of said pair of U-shaped heater members retained between said electrodes;

a device to cause said end faces of said U-shaped heater members to contact each other under an amount of pressure when said U-shaped heater members are retained between said electrodes; and

an arc-shaped guide for guiding and supporting said U-shaped heater members in a connecting direction of said U-shaped heater members to provide an angle between faces of said U-shaped heater members to provide the heater with an arc-shaped face of a specified curvature in a connecting direction;

whereby a continuous MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater is produced that has a shape for being disposed around an inner wall of a heating furnace.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein said arc-shaped guide has a curvature approximately coinciding with a curved surface of the inner wall of the heating furnace.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein a curved surface part of said arc-shaped guide has an insulating body for preventing short circuits.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said curved surface part of said arc-shaped guide carries one of an exposed adhesive and a cohesive material.

11. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein a curved surface part of said arc-shaped guide carries one of an exposed adhesive and a cohesive material.

12. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein said electrodes have an adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of at least one of said U-shaped heater members in a vertical direction and for causing said U-shaped heater members to separate or contact each other.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein at least one of said electrodes is activated with a fluid pressure device so that said U-shaped heater member is retained between said set of electrodes under pressure.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein said electrodes retain said U-shaped heater members at a position spaced forward of a working point of said fluid pressure device that activates said electrodes.

15. An apparatus for manufacturing a MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater formed as a continuous waveform, comprising:

a set of electrodes for retaining therebetween a separate pair of MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater members each having a specified arc length in which a plurality of U-shaped heater members extend alternately from each other to form a continuous waveform and for welding end faces of said MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater members via electrical heating;

a guide for aligning and retaining in parallel said end faces of said pair of MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater members retained between said electrodes;

a device to cause said end faces of said MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater members to contact each other under an amount of pressure when said MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater members are retained between said electrodes; and

an arc-shaped guide for guiding and supporting said MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater members in a connecting direction of said MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater members to provide an angle between faces of said MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater members to provide the heater with an arc-shaped face of a specified curvature in a connecting direction;

whereby a continuous MoSi 2 arc-shaped heater is produced that has a shape for being disposed around an inner wall of a heating furnace.