Abstract: A conveyor defines a path along which hot rolled steel rod is transported in the form of overlapping mutually offset rings. Air nozzles are arranged beneath the conveyor path to direct air upwardly against the rings from underlying plenum chambers fed by motor driven fans. Additional water nozzles are arranged to apply water to the rings. Some of the thus applied water is vaporized by the heat of the rod, and the remainder of the water is drained through the air nozzles into the plenum chambers for subsequent removal.

Abstract: A conveyor has successive mutually spaced driven rollers in which hot rolled steel rod is transported in the form of overlapping offset rings. The rings are rapidly air cooled by first nozzles which direct first jets of cooling air upwardly to impinge against and to flow around the conveyor rollers, and by second nozzles which direct second jets of cooling air upwardly between the rollers. The first and and second jets of cooling air produce respective first and second velocity profiles, each having an average velocity. The arrangement of the first and second nozzles in relation to each other and to the conveyor rollers is such that the velocity profiles of the first and second jets are superimposed one over the other to produce a broader combined velocity profile having an average velocity greater than that of either the first or second velocity profiles.

Abstract: A method for rolling and heat treating small diameter stainless steel rod, comprising the following sequence of steps: cooling the rod prior to and during finish rolling to increase its stiffness; passing the rod through a sizing mill to achieve close tolerances; subjecting the rod to additional water cooling to thereby improve its resistance to surface scratching; forming the rod into rings which are received in an offset pattern on an open moving conveyor; subjecting the offset rings moving along the conveyor to a solid solutioning treatment by reheating and water quenching the same; and then air cooling and drying the rings before collecting them into coils.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided whereby maximum options for the treatment of steel rod in direct sequence with rolling are available within a single piece of equipment, all on a single treatment line, and all at convenient, labor free, push-button control. Maximum application of heat to the rod is provided for heat treating, slow-cooling or intermittent reheat cooling or treating, and alternatively maximum application of cooling air is available by means of individually controllable air ducts and guides associated with each roller conveyor for applying air at different pressures both across and/or along the conveyor. Special means for applying forced air to the rod through outlets in contact with the rod assure maximum penetration of cooling air into the dense parts of the lay. Special forms of rollers are provided for applying cooling air to the rod and to the rollers as well as for supporting rod during heat treatment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for quenching steel rod in a high speed rolling mill is provided wherein a liquid coolant is preliminarily applied to the rod prior to its exiting from the mill finishing train in order to increase the column strength of the exiting rod by lowering the surface temperature thereof to less than about 950.degree. C. Thereafter, as the rod progresses through additional liquid cooling devices on the way to the mill laying head, tractive forces are applied to the rod. The aforesaid increase in rod column strength acts in concert with the application of tractive force to insure that the rod has sufficient rigidity and forward momentum to pass from the finishing train through the liquid cooling devices and to and through the laying head.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided whereby maximum options for the treatment of steel rod in direct sequence with rolling are available within a single piece of equipment, all on a single treatment line, and all at convenient, labor free, push-button control. Maximum application of heat to the rod is provided for heat treating, slow-cooling or intermittent reheat cooling or treating, and alternatively maximum application of cooling air is available by means of individually controllable air ducts and guides associated with each roller conveyor for applying air at different pressures both across and/or along the conveyor. Special means for applying forced air to the rod through outlets in contact with the rod assure maximum penetration of cooling air into the dense parts of the lay. Special forms of rollers are provided for applying cooling air to the rod and to the rollers as well as for supporting rod during heat treatment.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for hot rolling and treating rod first by depositing the rod in spread-out ring form on a moving conveyor, then gathering it into a relatively loose somewhat offset bundle and thereafter subjecting it to batch treatments among which are conventional annealing, and/or coating and baking as well as new forms of annealing not heretofor practiced.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for rolling and cooling medium to high carbon steel rod is provided wherein the rod is rolled at high speed and laid in rings directly onto a conveyor at high temperature. Thereafter high velocity hot water is sprayed onto the rings to cool them to a temperature near to but above A.sub.3. Transformation is then started while applying air to the rod, and while substantial parts of the rod are transforming, further accelerated cooling is again applied to the rod.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying a liquid, for example cooling water, to the surface of an axially moving elongated element, for example a hot rolled rod in a rolling mill. The apparatus includes a housing having an interior chamber through which extends a guide assembly. The guide assembly in turn defines a longitudinally extending passageway which is suitably adapted and dimensioned to accommodate movement therethrough of the elongated element. Liquid is admitted into the chamber through an inlet in the housing and is thereafter fed into the passageway through an orifice in the guide assembly. Vanes in the chamber prevent the liquid entering the orifice from swirling about the longitudinal axis of the passageway.