With Means To Agitate Or Control Temperature Of Bath Patents (Class 266/131)
  • Patent number: 7645417
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cooling device for a quenching operation during a continuous annealing treatment of a flat product in a form of a metal strip. The cooling device includes an overflow weir and a series of tubes ejecting a cooling fluid onto the strip, wherein the tubes are separated by a gap allowing evacuation of the cooling fluid via the gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Arcelor France
    Inventors: Stéphane Lecomte, André Fouarge, Denis Bouquegneau
  • Patent number: 6185901
    Abstract: An automated positive count rotary slat packaging apparatus and related methods include independently rotatable rotary slats. In one embodiment, the apparatus also includes a positive count mechanism disposed in the pill delivery path adjacent the containers and a controller which is capable of generating an alarm or determining when a bottle is filled incorrectly. Accordingly, underfilled containers can be independently filled by further rotating only the respective rotary slat. A drive device for each rotary slat is also provided having frustoconical drive wheels connected to the ends of counterrotating drive shafts. The drive wheels, which are driven by a motor, engage corresponding frustoconical drive surfaces of the rotary slats to thereby rotate the slats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Aylward Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: John T. Aylward
  • Patent number: 6132534
    Abstract: The liquid quenching system includes a method and apparatus for heat treating small parts discharged from a furnace. The apparatus includes a bearing and bearing support that provide cantilevered support to a rotary quenching drum. A rotatable joint that rotatably connects the rotary quenching drum to a transfer chute does not provide the majority of support for the rotary quenching drum. Accordingly, the rotatable joint can comprise no bearing at all or can be an inexpensive, easy to manufacture bearing or other juncture device. A protection member is connected to the output end of the transfer chute and protects the rotatable joint from damage from contact with metal parts that are being quenched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Seco/Warwick Corp.
    Inventors: Richard P. Roberts, Michael A. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6099666
    Abstract: A variable rate quench system allows the cooling of a heated workpiece to be controlled more closely. A liquid quenchant used in the system has an initial temperature, density and heat extraction index. The system comprises a first tank containing the liquid quenchant and to receive the workpiece and a second tank communicated to the first tank. The first tank has a means for agitating the liquid quenchant around the workpiece and a supply of make-up liquid quenchant communicated thereto. The second tank has a slurry of a non-liquid solid phase quenchant modifier and a means for selectively controlling addition of the slurry to the first tank. A real time data acquisition system acquires and analyzes temperature, density and agitation rate of the liquid quenchant, calculates an instantaneous heat extraction index of the liquid quenchant and compares the difference between the calculated index and a predetermined ideal index. Corrective action to minimize the difference is then taken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Inventor: Joseph A. Powell
  • Patent number: 6024913
    Abstract: In the apparatus: Y table 43 carries a work W and travels a predetermined distance in direction Y in a reciprocating manner; X table 41 causes the work W to reciprocate in direction X between a first position, in which the work W is loaded onto and unloaded from Y table 43, and a fourth position, in which an induction heating coil 23 is disposed; X table 41 is mounted on a base frame 11; a first reference on Y table 43 positions rows of quenched portions 76a of the work W in desired locations when the work W is loaded onto Y table 43; a second reference on Y table 43 serves as a reference for determining coordinates of Y table 43; a position measuring means 32 in a second position intermediate between the first and the third position measures coordinates of the second reference and of the quenched portions 76a; and, a control means 100 issues signals to control X-Y table 40 together with the heating coil 23 based on the measured coordinates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: Neturen Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuharu Ogawa, Daiji Itoh, Yoshimasa Tanaka, Hisashi Tabuchi
  • Patent number: 5837189
    Abstract: The invention relates to a quench management system for cooling heat treated workpieces in an alkylene glycol solution. The system includes a quench tank adapted to contain a solution of alkylene glycol into which the heat treated workpieces are immersed for quenching and a rinse tank adapted to contain a solution of alkylene glycol into which the quenched workpieces are immersed. A mechanism for heating the alkylene glycol solution in the rinse tank is provided to thereby cause some of the alkylene glycol in solution to precipitate in the rinse tank. A fluid transport mechanism, such as a pump, is fluidly connected to each of the rinse tank and quench tank, for moving the precipitated alkylene glycol solution from the rinse tank into the quench tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Alfe Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Kurt H. Westman
  • Patent number: 5837187
    Abstract: An apparatus for the heat treatment of aluminum and aluminum alloy components in the aircraft manufacturing industry is precisely controlled in accordance with manufacturing regulations that must be satisfied if the components are to meet regulation quality standards for use in manufacturing an aircraft. For this purpose, the apparatus has a compact arrangement of four stations cooperating with a transport system that moves the components to be treated sequentially through the stations including an annealing station, a quenching station, a cleaning station, and a drying station arranged in that order in the transport direction. The transport system and the stations are controlled by a central processing unit for providing the required control signals, including closed loop controls and monitoring of all parameters that are necessary for a fault-free precisely repeatable heat treatment of the aluminum and aluminum alloy components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Daimler-Benz Aerospace Airbus GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Doersing, Dietmar Mietrach
  • Patent number: 5795538
    Abstract: In a method for quenching metal parts, a quenching chamber is provided in which the quenching oil is continuously supplied from below the steel parts and circulated upward through the parts in a laminar flow. The circulation is accomplished by feeding the quenching oil onto the bottom of the quenching chamber of an auxiliary chamber surrounding it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: Dowa Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumitaka Abukawa, Hitoshi Goi, Masahiko Watanabe, Shin Kurasawa, Hirofumi Kamisugi
  • Patent number: 5529290
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlled quenching of hot formed coils is desccribed, and has a timed dip on a wand connected to a pump. The wand delivers quench liquid into the coil to prevent bubbles from forming in the coil, damaging the coil from irregular quenching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Inventor: Barry Drager
  • Patent number: 5492168
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a long, thin-shelled heat transfer tube closed at one end and secured at the other end to a manifold collar which has an exhaust tube extending from the center thereof and a manifold housing extending from the collar side opposite that from which the heat transfer tube extends. A plurality of longitudinally extending distributor tubes extend from the heat transfer tube through the collar in fluid communication with a sealed manifold chamber and a plurality of orifices spaced at longitudinal increments along the length of each distributor tube permits the wind mass in the manifold chamber to exit the orifices as high speed, free-standing gas jets for impingement against the interior of the heat transfer tube so that the heat transfer tube acts either as a heat source or as a heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Indugas, Inc.
    Inventor: Klaus H. Hemsath
  • Patent number: 5478054
    Abstract: A device for tempering steel tubes comprising an immersion tank (6) for cooling fluid, a chassi (2) for horizontally supporting the tube (5) to be tempered in the tank (6), means for displacing the chassi (2) from a suspended position over the tank to a second position in which the tube is inside the tank, means (3i, 4i) for maintaining the tube on the chassi so that it does not float and a cooling fluid injection nozzle (1) abuttable against an end of the tube (5) for injecting the cooling fluid into the tube. The invention provides an injection nozzle support actuable (9) for coupling the nozzle (1) to the end of the tube (5) in the suspended position and allowing it to accompany the tube to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: Mannesmann, S.A.
    Inventors: Eberhard E. Titze, Paulo F. Alencar, Edesio E. D. Louzada, Werner F. Dreistein
  • Patent number: 4583720
    Abstract: An apparatus and a process for the zone-annealing of a workpiece (1) consisting of a high-temperature material, in which the workpiece (1) is hung on a suspension device (2) actuated via a roller (3) driven by a drive motor (4) and is provided with a plate-shaped covering screen (10) having an orifice. For the dipping of the workpiece (1), there is underneath the latter a salt bath (5) which is enclosed in an insulating vessel (6) and is provided with a heating system (7) with centrally symmetrical guide plates (8) and which is closed off at the top by means of a floating insulating cover (9). The cooling of the part of the workpiece (1) which is not immersed is guaranteed by a cooling body (11) through which cooling air (14) flows and which has a central passage (12) and, at the lower end of the passage (12), a projecting edge (13) serving as a stop for the covering screen (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1986
    Assignee: BBC Brown, Boveri & Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Roland Kunzli, Gunther Schroder, Robert Singer
  • Patent number: 4575052
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for continuously quenching a steel plate with cooling water, by passing the steel plate through a water storage vessel containing the cooling water. The cooling water for cooling the upper side of the steel plate is introduced into the upper section of the water storage vessel from an upper portion of the latter and is exhausted from an upper portion of the same through, for example, overflow. The cooling water for cooling the lower side of the steel plate is introduced into the lower section of the water storage vessel from a lower portion of the latter and exhausted from a lower portion of the same. The cooling water is agitated and moved by impellers disposed in the upper and lower sections of the storage vessel in the direction of movement of the steel plate or in the direction opposite to the direction of movement of the steel plate which is clamped and fed linearly through the water storage vessel by means of upper and lower rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1986
    Assignee: Kawasaki Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Sadao Ebata, Seiji Bando
  • Patent number: 4526627
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1985
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Limited
    Inventors: Hitoshi Iwata, Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Katsuhiko Yamada
  • Patent number: 4487398
    Abstract: The quench severity of a molten salt bath is drammatically increased by adding substantial amounts of water to the bath while it is being vigorously agitated by two impellors submerged in the bath. One impellor causes an upward flow and the other a downward flow of molten salt which results in a quiescent condition at the surface of the quench zone of the bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1984
    Assignee: Atmosphere Furnace Company
    Inventors: Joseph A. Lincoln, William A. Keough
  • Patent number: 4415143
    Abstract: A continuous hardening device of steel plate of a type wherein steel plate is continuously cooled and hardened by cooling water. The cooling water is continuously supplied into and exhausted out of a water vessel (10) provided in the path of the steel plate for cooling the same. A plurality of rollers (16, 18) supporting the steel plate on the upper and lower sides thereof to feed the same and a plurality of paddle wheels (32, 34) having axial shafts disposed in parallel with the rollers (16, 18) are provided in the water vessel (10). Each paddle wheel (32, 34) is disposed between adjacent rollers and close to the steel plate, and stirs and causes the cooling water to flow along the surface of the steel plate with a predetermined relative speed maintained between the cooling water and the steel plate. The cooling and hardening efficiency of the steel plate is substantially improved by the relative movement of the cooling water and the steel plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1983
    Assignee: Kawasaki Steel Corporation
    Inventor: Sadao Ebata
  • Patent number: 4395022
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1983
    Assignee: Centre de Recherches Metallurgiques-Centum voor Research in de Metallurgie
    Inventors: Philippe A. Paulus, Marios Economopoulos
  • Patent number: 4373703
    Abstract: The device according to the present invention is an improvement on the conventional devices for quenching metal tubes (3) by immersion into a tank (4) of liquid at ambient temperature.This device comprises in particular a deflector (18) positioned below the tube at the time of its immersion. This deflector distributes the contact of the cooling fluid on the surface of the tube (3). It allows a more homogeneous cooling and avoids asymmetric deformations of the tube (3). An air injection system fastened to the end of the tube to be treated is associated with this deflector.This device will be particularly useful in installations for treating very long, thin tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1983
    Assignee: Vallourec
    Inventors: Philippe Perineau, Yves Lebreton
  • Patent number: 4336924
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for quenching heated elongated workpieces by rotatably mounting the heated workpiece in a quench tank and subsequently rapidly flooding the tank with a quenching liquid. The heated workpiece is mounted within the quench tank by engaging opposite axial ends of the elongated workpiece. Transverse deflection of the workpiece is prevented by paired restraints located adjacent the top and bottom of the workpiece near the opposite ends. As the quenching liquid is flooded into the quench tank from a storage tank, the heated elongated workpiece is rotated about its central axis at a fixed speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1982
    Assignee: Park-Ohio Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul L. Day
  • Patent number: 4177088
    Abstract: A process for effecting an annealing treatment of a spheroidal or lamellar graphite cast iron pipe. While the pipe is driven in rotation about the axis of the pipe, it is suspended substantially horizontally as it issues from the centrifugal casting machine and the pipe is partly immersed in a bath of metal at the desired temperature. An installation for carrying out this process comprises an elongate vessel having a horizontal axis and containing a bath of molten metal at the required temperature. A withdrawable device is provided outside the bath for suspending the pipe in a substantially horizontal position and plunging the pipe partly in the bath while driving the pipe in rotation about the axis of the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1979
    Assignee: Pont-a-Mousson S.A.
    Inventor: Michel Pierrel
  • Patent number: 4084798
    Abstract: A water cooling system for quenching rod, billet or bar typically as it leaves a hot mill. The system comprises one or more open ended troughs into which water is fed under pressure through vertical slots in the walls of the trough to provide an agitated bath of water through which the rod, billet or bar travels and is thereby cooled. Sets of angled slots in one end of each trough act to control the flow of water from the trough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1975
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1978
    Assignee: British Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald F. Dewsnap, Andrew D. Higgins, David E. Beard
  • Patent number: 4055333
    Abstract: A novel apparatus for automatically heat treating ferrous work rapidly from austenite stage temperature through the martensite state and automatically slowly cooling the same thereafter to impart uniform hardness and other desired characteristics thereto, eliminating risk of warpage, cracking, distortion and variations therein. The invention includes a work holder within which the work is positioned during the automatic heat treating procedures, the work holder being provided with an upstanding vertical perforated wall such that, on positioning the work holder and work, after being preheated in a furnace, into the quenching medium, the work will be automatically quenched and cooled through the rapidly cooling initial and subsequent slow cooling time and temperature stages, achieving uniform transformation and hardness of work having varying forms and thicknesses to the martensitic transformation stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1977
    Assignee: Owego Heat Treat, Inc.
    Inventor: William E. Engelhard
  • Patent number: 3993086
    Abstract: An arrangement for cooling hot rolled steel bands reeled into coils, according to which the rolling hot steel band after having been rolled into coils are cooled in a liquid bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1974
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1976
    Assignee: Hoesch Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wilhelm Nellen, Wolfgang Fabian, Theodor Sevenich