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: Apparatus for conveying an elongated hot-rolled steel rod in overlapping off-set ring form over a controlled cooling conveyor. The conveyor is provided with a plurality of nozzles through which cooling air is supplied to the edges of the rings and with a lesser number of nozzles through which cooling air is supplied to the centers of the rings. The center and edge nozzles are supplied through independent air plenums each of which is supplied with air from independently controlled air blowers. The blowers are independently adjustable to adjust the quantity of cooling air to the center and edges of the rings. The nozzles are configured to direct high velocity streams of air along non-intersecting paths through the rings. The apparatus provides means for carrying out a process in which, by properly controlling the independently adjustable blowers, the rings may be made to cool along a predetermined time cooling curve with all parts of the rings cooling at the same rate.