Conversion of hydrocarbons

Claim 2

A REGENERATIVE FURNACE WHICH COMPRISES, IN COMBINATION, AN ELONGATED SHELL; AT LEAST THREE REGENERATIVE MASSES DISPOSED IN SAID SHELL, SAID MASSES HAVING PASSAGEWAYS EXTENDING THERETHROUGH SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID SHELL AND SAID MASSES BEING SPACED APART AND THEREBY FORMING CHAMBERS IN SAID SHELL BETWEEN SAID MASSES, WHICH CHAMBERS ARE OPEN TO FLUID FLOW ONLY THROUGH SAID MASSES, SO AS TO PROVIDE MEANS FOR REDISTRIBUTING GASES FLOWING THERETHROUGH; A COMBUSTION CHAMBER FORMED OF REFRACTORY INSULATING MATERIAL COMMUNICATING WITH THE PASSAGEWAYS OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID REGENERATIVE MASSES; MEANS FOR SUPPLY FUEL TO SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER; AND MEANS FOR PASSING AIR AND MATERIAL TO BE CONVERTED THROUGH THE PASSAGEWAYS OF SAID REGENERATIVE MASSES.

Claim 3

A PROCESS FOR CONVERTING HYDROCARBONS WHICH COMPRISES PASSING AIR THROUGH A FIRST REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK INTO A COMBUSTION ZONE; INTRODUCING FUEL GAS INTO SAID COMBUSTION ZONE, THEREBY FORMING A COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE; BURNING SAID COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE; PASSING THE RESULTING COMBUSTION PRODUCTS INTO A SECOND REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK; TRANSFERRING HEAT FROM SAID COMBUSTION PRODUCTS TO SAID SECOND REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK; INCREASING THE RATE OF HEAT TRANSFER IN A CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID SECOND REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK, TERMINATING THE SUPPLY OF AIR AND FUEL GAS; PASSING HYDROCARBON FEED INTO SAID SECOND REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK TRANSFERRING HEAT FROM SAID SECOND REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK TO SAID HYDROCARBON FEED; IN CREASING THE RATE OF HEAT TRANSFER IN A CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID SECOND REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK; PASSING THE RESULTING REACTION PRODUCTS FROM SAID SECOND REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK INTO AND THROUGH SAID FIRST REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK, THEREBY QUENCHING SAID PRODUCTS TO A TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THEY ARE COMPARATIVELY STABLE; AND REMOVING SAID REACTION PRODUCTS FROM SAID FIRST REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK

Claim 4

A PROCESS FOR CONVERTING HYDROCARBONS WHICH COMPRISES PASSING AIR THROUGH A FIRST REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK INTO A COMBUSTION ZONE; INTRODUCING FUEL GAS INTO SAID COMBUSTION ZONE, THEREBY FORMING A COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE; BURNING SAID COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE; PASSING THE RESULTING COMBUSTION PRODUCTS INTO A SECOND REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK; TRANSFERRING HEAT FROM SAID COMBUSTION PRODUCTS TO SAID SECOND REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK; INCREASING THE RATE OF HEAT TRANSFER IN A CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID SECOND REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK, TERMINATING THE SUPPLY OF AIR AND FUEL GAS; PASSING HYDROCARBON FEED INTO SAID SECOND REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK TRANSFERRING HEAT FROM SAID SECOND REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK TO SAID HYDROCARBON FEED; IN CREASING THE RATE OF HEAT TRANSFER IN A CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID SECOND REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK; PASSING THE RESULTING REACTION PRODUCTS FROM SAID SECOND REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK INTO AND THROUGH SAID FIRST REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK, THEREBY QUENCHING SAID PRODUCTS TO A TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THEY ARE COMPARATIVELY STABLE; AND REMOVING SAID REACTION PRODUCTS FROM SAID FIRST REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK