Retort Furnace for Heat Treating Metal Workpieces

To increase the usage value and for increased availability of retort furnaces (1), which, for the heat treatment of metal workpieces, have a tubular metal retort (3) and a furnace housing (2) enclosing the retort (3), the retort (3) comprising a gastight closable treatment or batch space (10), which receives the protective and reactive gases, for the heat treatment of the workpieces and a receptacle framework (8) as a batch receptacle for the positioning thereof, the weight of the batch and the receptacle framework (8) is decoupled from the retort (3), the receptacle framework (8) is connected to means (5) for support on the furnace housing (2), and the means (5) are guided gastight in passages (6) of a wall (2.1) of the furnace housing (2) and a wall (3.1) of the retort (3) (FIG. 1).