US3675908A

US3675908A - Quenching device

Info

Publication number: US3675908A
Application number: US103578A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clifford L Amend
Original assignee: Ajax Magnethermic Corp
Current assignee: Park Ohio Holdings Corp
Priority date: 1971-01-04
Filing date: 1971-01-04
Publication date: 1972-07-11
Anticipated expiration: 1989-07-11

Abstract

There is disclosed herein an annular quench ring surrounding a coaxial, axially relatively moving pipe for spraying a coneshaped pattern of quenching fluid inwardly thereagainst. A sleeve, also coaxial with the pipe, is disposed adjacent to the exit end of the quench ring in the direction of the apex of the cone-shaped spray, the sleeve being spaced radially outwardly of the pipe whereby a substantial portion of the fluid richochets between the load and the inner surface of the sleeve throughout the length of the sleeve to increase the quenching effect.

Description

United States Patent 45] July 11,1972

Amend [54] QUENCHING DEVICE [72] Inventor: Clifford L. Amend, Youngstown, Ohio [73] Assignee: Aiax Magnethermlc Corporation, Warren,

Ohio

[22] Filed: Jan. 4, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 103,578

[52] US. Cl. ..266/6 S, 148/143 [51] Int. Cl. ..C21d l/62 [58] Field of Search .72/201; 266/4 R, 4 S, 6 R, 266/6 S; 148/143, 144, 153

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,657,698 ll/l953 Primary Examiner-Gerald A. Dost Attorney-J. H. Slough ABSTRACT There is disclosed herein an annular quench ring surrounding a coaxial, axially relatively moving pipe for spraying a coneshaped pattern of quenching fluid inwardly thereagainst. A sleeve, also coaxial with the pipe, is disposed adjacent to the exit end of the quench ring in the direction of the apex of the cone-shaped spray, the sleeve being spaced radially outwardly of the pipe whereby a substantial portion of the fluid richochets between the load and the inner surface of the sleeve throughout the length of the sleeve to increase the quenching effect.

3 chins, 3 Drawing Figures QUENCHING DEVICE This invention relates to the quench hardening of metal and particularly to an improved spray quenching device for quenching a relatively moving, elongated workpiece such as steel pipe. The present invention is particularly adapted for use with induction heating of the elongated workpieces.

The spray quenching of heated iron or steel pipe is conventionally effected by an annular spray quench ring which surrounds the pipe and provides an inwardly directed spray of the quenching fluid while at the same time the quenching ring and pipe are caused to move relative to each other in the axial direction. Thus, the pipe is moved through the quenching ring or the ring is moved axially along the pipe whereby the pipe is progressively quenched.

The conventional quenching ring has the disadvantage that the quenching fluid contacts the workpiece for only a brief interval and over a relatively short length of the workpiece before falling away. To overcome this, the quenching ring must either be elongated in the axial direction or provided with a plurality of turns with the resultant increased flow of quenching fluid and added expense of manufacture.

The present invention as herein illustrated and described comprises a cylindrical sleeve coaxial with and of greater diameter than the axially moving workpiece or pipe which passes therethrough. The sleeve is positioned just beyond the exit end of a conventional quench ring, the quench ring spraying the quenching fluid at high velocity in a conical pattern the apex of which would be axially outwardly beyond said exit end. The result is that a substantial amount of the high velocity spray strikes the outer surface of the pipe and richochets or is deflected into the interior of the sleeve where it alternately impinges on the interior of the sleeve and is again deflected from the workpiece to provide a turbulent atmosphere of entrained quenching fluid throughout the length of the sleeve thereby greatly extending the area quenched and increasing the amount of quenching time for any given part of the pipe.

In view of the foregoing, the general object of the present invention is to enhance the quenching power of a conventional quench ring.

Another object of this invention is to increase the amount of quenching fluid which contacts the workpiece as it passes through the spray quench.

Still another object of the invention is to redirect the quenching fluid back toward the workpiece after it has been initially sprayed thereagainst at high velocity and caused to richochet or rebound therefrom.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a spray quench as set forth above which may be used for quenching either a moving or a static workpiece.

Still another object is to provide a quenching device which is simple and economic to manufacture and highly durable in use.

Other objects of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description thereof and the accompanying drawings, in which said drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a first embodiment of the quenching device of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a section through the quenching device taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, shown on a reduced scale; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a second embodiment of the quenching device of this invention.

Referring now to the drawings in all of which like parts are designated by like reference numerals, the quenching device of this invention comprises a quench ring of hollow, annular form having a pressurized quenching fluid delivered thereto by any suitable means such as a pipe 11. As herein shown, the quench ring 10 is rectangular in cross section and has an inner peripheral wall 12 provided with an overall pattern of closely spaced passages or apertures 13. The apertures 13 are preferably disposed at an angle in such manner as to af ford a cone-shaped spray pattern 14, the apex of the cone being directed toward the exit end of the quench ring or toward the right-hand side as shown in FIG. 1. The quench ring 10 is fixedly mounted in any suitable manner whereby a workpiece such as a pipe 15 disposed substantially coaxially with said quench ring can be moved axially through the ring in the direction indicated by the arrows A. Suitable means are provided for supporting and propelling the pipe 15 in an axial direction, such means being shown herein in the form of support rolls 16 which may be power driven.

Adjacent to the exit end of the quench ring 10 and spaced a short distance therefrom is an elongated sleeve 20 of cylindrical cross section fonned of a suitable rigid material such as steel. The sleeve 20 is disposed coaxially with the quench ring 10 and the pipe 15 and surround said pipe. Thus, the pipe, moving from left to right in FIG. 1, passes first through the quench ring 10 and then through the sleeve 20 on the exit side of said quench ring.

It will be noted that the quench ring 10 has an inner diameter defined by the inner wall 12 which is substantially greater than the diameter of the pipe 15 whereby said wall 12 is spaced radially outwardly in a uniform manner of substantial distance about the circumference of said pipe. The sleeve 20 also has a greater inner diameter than the diameter of the pipe 15 and is circumferentially evenly spaced from said pipe. The relative diameters of the inner wall 12 and the inner surface of the sleeve 20, the distance between the quench ring 10 and the said sleeve, and the angle of the conical spray pattern 14 are such that a substantial amountof the high velocity spray richochets or rebounds from the outer surface of the pipe 15 into the sleeve 20 and impinges upon the inner peripheral surface 21 thereof. The droplets comprising the spray are than redirected back toward the outer surface of the pipe 15 whereupon they are again deflected outwardly towards the inner surface 21 of the said sleeve. Thus, the quenching fluid becomes entrained in an agitated atmosphere of rebounding fluid droplets indicated at 22 whereby the quenching fluid is redirected toward the pipe over and over again. The sleeve 20 may be of any desired length depending upon the amount of quench required, and the velocity of the liquid in the spray pattern 14 is preferably such as to provide an agitated atmosphere of redirected fluid 22 throughout the entire length of said sleeve.

In the second embodiment of FIG. 3, the quenching device of this invention comprises the same components described above which function in exactly the manner described, the difference being that the quench ring and sleeve are unitarily mounted to move axially with respect to a fixed workpiece. Referring now particularly to the drawings, the second embodiment comprises a quench ring 10 of the same form shown in FIG. 1 but which may be modified by providing a flexible hose 11' in place of the pipe 11 for supplying the pressurized quenching fluid. A sleeve 20' of the same form shown in FIG. 1 is disposed on the exit side of the quench ring 10' in such manner as to receive a conical spray pattern indicated at 14'. The workpiece or pipe 15 projects coaxially through the quench ring 10' and sleeve 20 and is rigidly held and supported in any suitable manner.

The quench ring 10' and sleeve 20' are mounted in a fixed relative relationship and are movable together axially with respect to the pipe 15 in the direction of the arrows A in FIG. 3. As herein illustrated, the quench ring 10' is provided with a vertical support member 30 and the sleeve 20' is provided with a pair of vertical support members 31, all of said support members projecting upwardly and being welded or otherwise suitably secured to an overhead carriage 32 having wheels 33 engaging the lower flange 34 of a horizontally disposed, overhead I-beam 35. The carriage 32 is propelled in a horizontal direction along the overhead I-beam 35 by any suitable or conventional means, the present embodiment showing by way of example a small electric motor 36 mounted adjacent to and driving at least one of the wheels 33.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides means enhancing and increasing the quenching power of a conventional quench ring. Due to the fact that the quenching fluid is redirected over and over repeatedly against the workpiece, there is a greater volume of quenching fluid contact against the load. Also, it will be readily seen that the quench extends over a greater period of time since the load is quenched continuously from the quench ring to the exit end of the sleeve 20 or 20'. It will also be seen that the present invention is readily adaptable for improved quenching of 'either a moving or a static load.

It will be understood that many changes in the details of the invention as herein described and illustrated may be made without, however, departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A quenching device for quenching an elongated, relatively moving workpiece comprising an annular quench ring adapted to surround and be spaced radially from the workpiece and direct a high velocity spray of quenching fluid against the workpiece in a conical pattern directed axially outwardly of the exit end of said quench ring; a sleeve member coaxially surrounding and spaced radially from the workpiece at a position spaced axially beyond the exit end of said quench ring whereby a substantial portion of the quenching fluid is deflected from the workpiece and, alternately, impinges on the inner surface of said sleeve and is again deflected from the workpiece throughout substantially the length of said sleeve, to increase the quenching of the workpiece.

2. In a quenching device as set forth in claim 1: means for moving the elongated workpiece through said quench ring for continuous quenching thereof.

3. In a quenching device as set forth in claim 1: support means mounting said quench ring and said sleeve together as a unit; and means for moving said support means in a path whereby said quench ring and said sleeve travel coaxially along the workpiece for continuous quenching thereof.

Claims

1. A quenching device for quenching an elongated, relatively moving workpiece comprising an annular quench ring adapted to surround and be spaced radially from the workpiece and direct a high velocity spray of quenching fluid against the workpiece in a conical pattern directed axially outwardly of the exit end of said quench ring; a sleeve member coaxially surrounding and spaced radially from the workpiece at a position spaced axially beyond the exit end of said quench ring whereby a substantial portion of the quenching fluid is deflected from the workpiece and, alternately, impinges on the inner surface of said sleeve and is again deflected from the workpiece throughout substantially the length of said sleeve, to increase the quenching of the workpiece.