Abstract: Apparatus for cooling sheet metal panels has an elongated channel bounded by two side walls, a longitudinally slotted top wall and a longitudinally slotted bottom wall. These walls are immersed in a liquid containing vessel and the latter contains sets of horizontal driven shafts above the top wall and below the bottom wall. The shafts carry disc-shaped transporting members, portions of which extend through the slots of the top and bottom walls to engage a panel which is introduced into the channel and to transport the panel toward the outlet of the channel. The top wall and the shafts above the top wall are movable up and down to provide room for panels of different thicknesses. Two nozzles discharge water into the inlet of the channel at a level above as well as at a level below the panel between the upper and lower transporting members.