Abstract: Furnace cart assembly for loading high temperature vacuum furnaces for treating target material, for example, metal parts, under extreme temperature and vacuum environments. The furnace cart includes electrical heating elements as an integral part of the cart, which elements are adapted for releasable connection to the furnace electrical supply. When so connected the furnace cart heating elements can form a part of the heating system of the furnace. The lower part of the furnace cart assembly, including a frame above and supported on wheels, the frame having heat reflection means on at least Its upper surfaces providing some protection from heat is preferably also protected from heat during furnace operation by insulating material above the frame (the material desirably supported by the frame but separated therefrom).

Abstract: The present invention relates a train of in-line continuous manufacturing equipment for producing steel wire, considered difficult with a block mill up to now, capable of efficiently carrying out controlled-rolling and slow-cooling by an effective in-line combination of controlled rolling apparatuses and slow cooling apparatuses, having a hot rolling mill for steel wire, a winder to wind the rolled steel wire into rings, bundling apparatuses to pack the wound steel wire into bundled coils and an in-line heat treatment furnace to slow-cool the steel wire bundled into coils, which are sequentially connected, and using, preferably, a block mill with an area reduction rate of 25 to 60% having at most 4 roll stands as a final finish rolling mill of the hot rolling mill.

Abstract: Apparatus to transport and cool rolled products such as bars, round pieces, rods or similar, arrangable downstream of a coil-forming head, comprising a plurality of transport rollers, at least partly motorized and parallel to each other to define a substantially horizontal transport plane on which the rolled products arranged in coils are able to lie, ventilator in correspondence with the transport rollers to blow air towards the rolled products and a conveyor to convey more air towards the lateral edges of the coils than towards the central zone of the coils, the conveyor comprising a plurality of elements, arranged at intervals between the transport rollers. Each of the elements shaped to define transit channels having a first transverse section greater in correspondence with the ends of the transport rollers and a second transverse section less in correspondence with the median zone of the transport rollers.

Abstract: A cooling shaft for the rollers of a roller conveyor includes a flow duct for the cooling medium and an outlet opening. The cooling shaft includes the flow duct for the cooling medium and at least one length portion extending upwardly from the flow duct, wherein the length portion has an outlet opening and ends below the axes of the rollers. The cross-section of the flow duct in the transition from the flow duct and the length portion is smaller than the outlet opening and at least one side of the length portion is curved outwardly.

Abstract: A laying head forms hot rolled steel rod into a continuous series of rings. The rings are received on a conveyor for transport in an overlapping pattern through at least one cooling zone. The ring density of the overlapping pattern is greater along edge regions of the conveyor as compared to the ring density at a central region of the conveyor. A gaseous coolant is directed upwardly through the overlapping ring pattern, and a screen or other like foraminous element retards the upward flow of gaseous coolant at the central region of the conveyor.

Abstract: In an arrangement for heat treatment of steel wire, the wire, after emerging from a continuous wire rolling mill, is placed by a laying head onto a horizontal conveyor and is transported on the horizontal conveyor in the form of a row of successive and overlapping loops. The wire is subjected to surface treatment during the transport and is collected at the end of the conveyor by a loop collecting unit to form a wire coil and is transferred to a coil conveying unit. Behind the laying head, a second loop collecting unit which can be moved into and out of the conveying path of the horizontal conveyor is provided. The second loop collecting unit includes a coil conveyor with transfer units which can be operated as selected for transferring the wire coils to coil heating units or to coil cooling units.

Abstract: An apparatus for delivery of rolled stock wound into coils, especially of wire from a reel-up device and for transfer of the rolled stock coils onto conveyance arrangements located downstream, wherein the reel-up and conveyance arrangements are installation components of a rolling mill with one or more rolling lines for wire, light or medium section steel, which essentially comprises a furnace installation for the rolling stock used, as well as a breakdown train, intermediate train and, if necessary, a finishing train for the rolling stock. The delivery and transfer apparatus may be provided with a liftable, as well as horizontally displaceable support panel, which can also be swiveled in a carousel-like manner for the wound rolled stock coils and one or more reeling arrangements and one or more conveyance arrangements may be disposed in the peripheral region of the swiveling path of the support panel.

Abstract: Rod cooling system for use in a rod rolling mill having a laying reel and a conveyor onto an entry portion of which the rod is deposited in overlapping offset rings, entry portion receiving substantial amounts of cooling air for rapid cooling of the rod, the conveyor having a grid for introducing cooling air under the rings for movement in a confined space thereunder and surfaces developing low pressure that draws ambient air through the rings.

Abstract: Cooling system for use in a rod rolling mill having a laying reel and an elongated conveyor onto which the rod is deposited in a pattern of overlapping offset rings, the conveyor having a section consisting of spaced, parallel transverse shafts bearing radially-extending disks whose arcuate upper peripheries support the rings in driving relationship for movement of the rod along the conveyor and for introducing cooling air under the rings for flow in a confined space thereunder.

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: An arrangement for cooling in a controlled manner a rolled wire from rolling temperatures. The arrangement includes a cooling unit arranged following a finishing stand, a coiling unit for the wire and a cooling and conveying system for the spread-out wire coils. A pivotable and/or displaceable coil placement unit is arranged between the coiling unit and the cooling and conveying system.

Abstract: The partial tempering of rolled wire (WD) takes place in a quenching chamber (2), which is disposed following the winding layer (1). Thus work can proceed at the typical rolling speeds of up to 120 m/s, and the annular disposition of the wire in the quenching chamber makes it possible for the cooling line required for tempering to be much shorter. The rolled wire (WD) is shaped into loops (S) in the state in which it is still hot from the rolling mill, and as a result excessuve abrasion of the winding layer (1) does not occur, and the cooled wire has no strains, because the hardened steel does not have to be bent.

Abstract: Multipurpose cooling line to process equally well either steel with a low content of carbon, or equivalent, or steel with a high content of carbon, or equivalent, the line including a roller conveyor (12) downstream of a coil-winder machine (11) to wind wire rod, the roller conveyor (12) comprising forced draught means (13) and an insulation hood (14) and being dimensioned to cool steel coils (15) having a high content of carbon, the terminal portion of the roller conveyor (12) including a first delivery station (28) and a second successive, neighbouring delivery station (29), the first delivery station (28) cooperating with a first pit (18) containing a first coil collection unit (23), while the second delivery station (29) cooperates with a second delivery pit (21) containing a second coil collection unit (22), the first delivery station (21) being located within the insulation hood (14), while the second delivery station (29) is located outside, and on the same axis as, the hood (14 ).

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for use in dropping metal rod stock which is continuously formed in succeeding loops into a coil, where the loops are in spaced apart overlapping relationship moving on a conveyor where the apparatus comprises pinching means disposed on either side of a horizontal conveyor adjacent the drop-off end thereof and spaced a distance apart which is less than the width of the loops, the pinching means including movable means engaging the loops whereby the loops are compressed in one direction and elongated in the other as the loops pass through the pinching means and held in a generally horizontal plane after exiting the conveyor, and dropped vertically from engagement with the movable means to a collection device.

Abstract: A multifunction apparatus for the direct heat treatment of a medium- to high-carbon steel rod in a lower quench line and the treatment of low carbon steel in an upper quench line. A hot-rolled rod is transported on a conveyor in the form of a sequence of non-concentric rings, the conveyor, being operative between a first position in contact with the lower quench line and a second position in the upper cooling line. In the lower quench line the rod is subjected to controlled cooling in a coolant so that the greater part of any austenite in the entire length of the rod is substantially uniformly transformed to a fine pearlite structure. A heat holding vessel is operated under conditions that transforms any residual defects into pearlite.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuous heat treatment of wire rod comprises a tank containing a water bath maintained at a temperature of at least 75.degree. C., at least one inlet conveyor having an emergent part and a immersed part which is immersed in the water bath, and at least one outfit conveyor having an immersed part immersed in the water bath and an emergent part, the inlet conveyor having a plurality of steps inside the tank which are lower than the maximum upper level of the water bath, and at least one of the steps of the inlet conveyor having a downward inclination not exceeding 3.degree. to horizontal in the direction of conveyor movement, successive steps of the inlet conveyor being interconnected by at least one conveyor section inclined downwardly in the direction of conveyor movement at an angle not exceeding 10.degree. to horizontal. The level of the water bath is varied so that one or more of the steps of the inlet conveyor can be immersed selectively and optionally.

Abstract: Convertible head (10) to form coils for the forming of coils of rolled wire rod, which comprises a body (11) supported on a tiltable base (18), motor means (12) and rotor means (15-16) and in which the rotor means (15-16) include interchangeable rotors (15-16), of which at least one (15) is suitable to deposit horizontal coils (23), and at least one other (16) is suitable to deposit vertical coils (24).

Abstract: Plant (10) to form and cool coils, which comprises a conveyor (12) for horizontal coils (19), conveyor means (24) for vertical coils (27), movable (114-214) cooling hoods (14), at least one coil-forming head (11) able to form horizontal (19) and vertical (27) coils, and a station (15) to form wound bundles, in which plant (10) the conveyor means (24) for vertical coils can move between an inactive position (FIG. 2) and a working position (FIG. 3) and cooperate with movable side walls (23) that are able to form momentarily, in cooperation with such hoods (14), a closed cooling tunnel (50).

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: 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 the direct heat treatment of medium- to high-carbon steel rods which provides an increased tensile strength and drawability by subjecting hot-rolled steel rods to controlled cooling with a coolant. Expanded spiral coils of hot-rolled medium- to high-carbon steel rod having an austenitic structure and which is continuously transported in a generally horizontal direction is cooled by passing the spiral coils through a vessel containing a coolant of a gas bubble-water mixed fluid under a strong turbulent action. The coolant fluid contains a uniform dispersion of oxidizing gas bubbles and is maintained at a temperature of not higher than 95.degree. C. Preferably, the coolant is caused to flow in the same direction as the direction of movement of the coil in the vessel. The surface of the rod may be oxidized by allowing it to cool in air before it is immersed in the coolant fluid.

Abstract: A process for rolling steel rod is provided whereby rolling rod at delivery speeds in excess of 15,000 fpm and cooling same after laying it in spread-out ring form on a conveyor is made feasible with less risk of cobbles and improved rod quality especially in the medium to high carbon content range by entering the rod after rolling into the laying head and thereafter cooling same non-uniformly through a grain size growing phase and a transformation phase with the non-uniformity of cooling rate during the transformation phase being kept in substantially inverse proportion to the differences in effective grain size established in the first phase.

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 heat treating and especially annealing of elongate metallic materials such as wire wherein the wire (24) given a longer length exposure to complete the heat treatment of the wire at higher line speeds. This is accomplished either by adding a heated storage chamber (41) holding a great length of wire (24) in sequence with conventional or modified annealing apparatus, or by substitution of a special apparatus (100) for the existing conventional annealing apparatus.

Abstract: A controlled cooling apparatus for a wire rod coiled into loops immediately after hot rolling. The coiled wire rod is transported with the loops laid substantially flat with a space of a given pitch from one another on a cooling bed. Nozzles are provided to project a cooling fluid such as forced air from below the cooling bed at an angle of from 40.degree. to 140.degree. with respect to the plane of the cooling bed to cool the coiled wire during its transportation. The nozzles are open in a transverse direction of the cooling bed with a nozzle opening area ratio of from 0.8 to 1.2, to provide uniform distribution of the cooling fluid in the transverse direction, whereby uniform cooling can be accomplished to minimize the variation in the cooling rates at densely overlapped loop portions and at sparsely overlapped loop portions.

Abstract: Apparatus for coiling and cooling wire rod comprises a turn-laying head, a coil receiver below the head, movable downwards to maintain a constant distance between the head and the top of the coil, and a cooling tank which is vertically movable. In an upper position the cooling tank contains the coil receiver and coil, and in a lower position the cooling tank is lower than the coil receiver, so that the coil can be conveyed horizontally away from the coil receiver. A coil mandrel is mounted in the cooling tank. Two such devices can be provided side by side with a common drive arranged to raise one cooling tank while lowering the other.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooling a rod delivered successively from a hot rolling mill while transferring it. The apparatus has a laying reel for forming the rod into successive rings, and a conveyor having a coil receiving portion for receiving the rings and forming them into a densely packed coil having a plurality of overlapped rings with the centers of the rings offset in a transferring direction. The conveyor has at least one step for loosening the coil when it is conveyed over the step. An enclosure is provided for enclosing. The sections of the conveyor between which the step is located. The enclosure has stirring devices for keeping the gaseous heat transfer medium within the enclosure at substantially uniform temperatures, which progressively decrease in the direction of movement of the conveyor. A plurality of coolant nozzles are provided at the step for blowing coolant on to the back of the vertically dropping rings.

Abstract: A metallurgical product, e.g. wire rod emerging from a hot rolling mill, is subjected to controlled cooling by immersing it in a bath, e.g. an aqueous bath, kept at a given temperature. During immersion, the bath is stirred, e.g. mechanically or by means of a fluid. In a controlled cooling installation a cover arranged above the bath has a condenser for recovering vapor from the bath.

Abstract: Apparatus for cooling rolled wire rod consists of a first part which guides the wire rectilinearly and cools it with water, a turn-laying unit which forms the wire into turns and lays the turns in staggerred disposition on a continuously running conveyor, and a second part comprising the conveyor which allows passage of an approximately vertically directed stream of air to the turns and conveys the wire turns to a coil forming station which collects them. In order to provide substantial adaptability to various cooling requirements by means of simple and inexpensive conversion, the two parts are composed of a plurality of modules of the same modular length or an integral multiple of the modular length. A base frame carries the modules and the turn-laying unit is fixed on the base frame in a longitudinally displaceable manner. Thus, the lengths of the first and second parts can be changed, and individual modules or groups can be replaced.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the controlled cooling of a hot rolled steel rod. A hot rolled steel rod issued from a final stand of mill train is rapidly cooled, and then formed into a coil. The coiled rod is transported in a generally horizontal direction with its loops held at an angle of 30.degree. to 60.degree. relative to the direction of transportation and with a pitch of at least 2d/sin .alpha. where d is a diameter of the rod and .alpha. is the above-mentioned angle. A cooling medium, e.g. air, is forcibly applied to the coiled rod upwardly from below the coiled rod to cool the coiled rod uniformly at such a cooling rate as to achieve a phase transformation to obtain a structure consisting essentially of fine pearlite. The apparatus includes a cooling device for the rapid cooling, a laying head for the coil forming, a conveyor for transporting the coiled rod while supporting its loops at the angle and pitch, a coolant supply, and a mechanism for collecting the treated rod.

Abstract: Multi-purpose in-line direct heat treating equipment for hot-rolled steel wire rod has, in combination, a front stage transport conveyor portion and a holding furnace both positioned on a front traveling skid carriage, a quenching tank and a holding tank both positioned on a rear traveling skid carriage, each of the traveling skid carriages being able to travel in direction transverse to the direction of conveying of the hot-rolled steel wire rod emerging from a hot rolling mill for the purpose of direct heat treating the wire rod by taking advantage of the heat retained in the wire rod.

Abstract: A cooling conveyor arrangement for rolled wire or wire rod which has left a water cooler has a loop-forming device which deposits the wire in overlapping loops on an air-cooling conveyor. To obtain a shorter cooling path, which is desirable for high-grade steels to reduce the rate of cooling, the loops fall onto a conveyor portion and are carried by a conveyor portion to a coil-forming station where the loops are collected. To obtain a longer cooling path a removable conveyor portion is switched into place so that the loops are carried along a conveyor portion to an opening where they fall onto a conveyor portion. A conveyor portion is swung into alignment with the portion carrying the loops to feed the loops to the coil-forming station.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for laying out and evenly distributing the coils of severed hot strands of wire emerging from a rolling mill. In order to maintain the line in continuous operation and in order to distribute the severed cooled strands to the subsequent bundling apparatus, the arrangement herein provides for dual conveyors each preceded by its own laying tube and a switch for selectively feeding the strands to one or other of the conveyors. By controlling the speed of one relative to the other of the dual conveyors, the strands may be selectively converged in even distribution for subsequent processing. The dual conveyors may be side by side or superimposed one above the other. With the latter arrangement, the upper conveyor may be mounted to pivot into and out of the line of the lower conveyor for the sequential feeding of the coils to the following line.

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 steel wire directly from the rolling mill is formed into a horizontally advancing helix having a succession of upstanding turns. This helix is fed into a horizontally opening end of an elbow and a roller at the short side of the elbow deflects the helix so that it exits from the downwardly opening outlet end of the elbow. An upright cooling tube is provided immediately at this downstream end and has a multiplicity of throughgoing holes each aligned with a respective nozzle for spraying of liquid on the descending coil so as rapidly to cool it and to transform at least the surface of it into martinsite. At the lower end of the tube the cooled coil, at a temperature of 500.degree. C.-600.degree. C. as compared with the starting temperature of 750.degree. C., is carried horizontally away by a conveyor.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus for collecting hot wire rod at the output of a rolling mill and cooling the same in such a manner that the same is prevented from being oxidized. The wire rod is conveyed to a coiler in a guide preventing the wire from coming into contact with air and then placed on a tape conveyor having a first portion immerged in a cooling fluid. The coiler is enclosed in a bell-shaped casing immerged in a cooling fluid so as to define and air-tight sealing. The spirals of wire carried by the conveyor are cooled before loaving the cooling fluid down to a temperature lower than the oxidation temperature thereof.

Abstract: Cooling by a gas coolant of carbon steel wire coils which have been heated to above the austenizing temperature of the wire is controlled to rapidly quench cool the wire coils to within a selected critical range of temperatures which results in a desired fine pearlitic crystalline structure of the steel wire, by controlling the impingement pattern and velocity of the coolant gas on the wire. The coolant gas is discharged through individual coolant gas inlet conduits, thence through a plurality of individual enclosed plenum boxes, onto the heated coils as the coils are transported past the boxes by a conveyor device. Each plenum box has a series of gas-discharge slots formed in the bottom thereof, through which slots the gas is discharged onto the coils. The distance between the discharge slots of each box and the wire coils may be selectively adjusted by raising or lowering individual ones of the plenum boxes relative to the level of the wire coils on the conveyor device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for controlled cooling of wire, especially steel wire. According to the invention the device comprises, in combination, a movable conveyor to which wire is continuously supplied in open ring windings for movement of the same in mutually displaced positions, means surrounding the conveyor for control of the temperature ratios of the wire, and a collection device for the cooled ring windings, said conveyor essentially having the shape of an inclined plane which rotates about its center.

Abstract: Apparatus for conveying an elongated hot-rolled steel rod in off-set form on a conveyor through a series of cooling chambers. Each chamber comprises a stationary lower section and a removable cover section, the interior walls of each being heat reflective. Each chamber is also provided with tubes supported adjacent the interior walls and controlled in temperature by gas passing through said tubes, said gas being cold or hot, the hot gas being supplied from a plurality of separately controlled burners. The tubes differentially control the rate of heat radiation from the rod rings to compensate for the different rates of radiational heat loss emanating from the top and sides of the rod rings so as to cause the rod to cool uniformly. The side walls of the chamber are provided with adjustable apertures for the escape of radiant energy from the sides of the rod rings.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooling a rod of a coil form, immediately after the hot-rolling thereof and within which the rod, whose loops are spaced a given pitch from one another, is laid flat upon a chain conveyor, and more particularly upon rails thereof, and transported therealong by means of endless chains, includes the cooling of the rod with cooling fluid or air which is introduced from below the cooling floors through means of nozzle portions formed within the bodies of the cooling floors. The method and apparatus features the arrangement and construction, including the configuration, of the nozzle portions thus formed, the cooling fluid being projected upwardly at an angle within the range of 10.degree.-70.degree. with respect to the plane of the cooling bed, and horizontally at an angle within the range of 10.degree.-150.degree.

Abstract: A batch-type method of annealing large coils of silicon steel for magnetic purposes in an annealing furance of the type comprising an outer enclosure surrounding an insulated heating chamber in which the coils are supported, the furnace being capable of subjecting the coils both to a desired atmosphere and a vacuum. The method comprises the steps of locating the coils to be annealed in the furnace heating chamber; drawing and holding a vacuum within the outer enclosure and heating chamber to remove air therefrom; backfilling with a desired non-oxidizing annealing atmosphere; circulating the annealing atmosphere through the outer enclosure and heating chamber; heating the coils to a temperature of about 2200.degree.F. (1204.degree.C.) and soaking the coils at temperature with continued annealing atmosphere circulation; subjecting the coils to an initial, slow, unassisted cooling step down to about 1700.degree.F. (927.degree.C.); subjecting the coils to an intermediate cooling step down to about 1225.degree.F.