US1339424A

US1339424A - Furnace for the annealing, hardening, quenching, or like heat treatment of metals and the like

Info

Publication number: US1339424A
Application number: US247641A
Authority: US
Inventors: Smallwood Alfred
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1918-07-31
Filing date: 1918-07-31
Publication date: 1920-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 1937-05-11

Description

A. SMALLWOOD.

FURNACE FOR THE ANNEALING, HARDENING, QUENCHING, 0R LIKE HEAT TREATMENT 0F METALS AND THE'LIKE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 31.1918.

Patented May 11, 1920.

2 SHEETS SHEET l.-

Hlll lllll I ll |||l| A. SMALLWOOD. FURNACE FOR THE ANNEALING, HARDENING, QUENCHING, 0R LIKE HEAT TREATMENT OF METALS AND THE LIKE. APPL|CAT|0N FILED JULYTBI, 1918.

Patented May 11; 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- i Z h d,

Illwll.

m m III l a I I n 1 O m v WT ,5? 255:? n m n UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

ALFRED SMALLWOOD, OF HIGHGATE, LONDON, ENGLAND.

FURNACE FOR TI-IE ANNEALING, HAEDENIEG, QUENCHING, on. LIKE HEAT TnEAT- MEN'I. 0E METALS AND THE LIKE.

Patented May 11, 1920.

Application filed July 31. 1918. Serial No. 247,641.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED SMALLwooD, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 42 T-largrave Park, Highgate, London, l l., in the county of Middlesex, England, metallurgist, have invented Improvements in or Relating to Furnaces for the Annealing, Hardening, Quenching, or like Heat Treatment of Metals and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprises certain improvements in or relating to furnaces for the annealing, hardening, quenching, or likeheat treatment of metals, and the like.

A feature of the present invention lies in the method of which it permits of introducing articles into a chamber sealed by water or other liquid. By the present invention it is possible to introduce goods into a' liquid sealed heating chamber in such a manner that the introducing provision is not within the heating chamber during the heat treatment. By the present invention it is further possible to treat in such a sealed chamber, articles such as tubes, rods, and the like which are of considerable length and of a character such that it has previously been impossible to introduce into a water-sealed heating chamber.

According to the present invention the articles are adapted to be introduced into a water-sealed spaceor chamber from which they can be introduced into the furnace chamber by mechanical charging means such as can be removed from the furnace chamber after the charging process.

A chamber is provided, the interior of which is sealed by water or other suitable liquid, but such chamber is adapted to be charged through .an opening of width or length adapted to permit of the introduction therethrough of elongated articles in a direction laterally of their length. In cases in which the said chamber is of elongated form adapted to accommodate the tubes or like articles longitudinally and in a horizontal position, the charging aperture occurs at the side of the chamber. This charging aperture is belowthe water level, and in the process of charging, the articles arev lowered into the water at a position externally of the chamber, then displaced laterally of their length into position in the lower part of the chamber and finally elevated into the upper part of the said chamber into a position above the water level. This chamber is in alinement with the furnace chamber, and the articles are then adapted to be longitudinally in troduced into the heating chamber of the furnace.

The mechanism for handling the articles in this process of charging may be varied considerably.

In order that this invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into practice, reference may be had to the appended explanatory three sheets of drawings, upon which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a furnace according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional end elevation of the furnace shown in Fig. 1, the plane of section being on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section, the plane of section being on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Ina convenient embodiment of the present invention, the furnace has an elongated horizontal heating chamber a, and in alinement with this and at the same level is a charging chamber 6 of substantially the length of the furnace heating chamber. This charging chamber is suitably inclosed, and said chamber extends downwardly considerably below the level of the heating chamber of the .furnace. This lower part of the charging chamber is adapted to be filled with water. On one side the wall or partition 0 inclosing the charging chamber is discontinued at a position a short way below the surface (Z of the water. At a suitable distance outwardly of this wall or partition a water-confining wall or partition 6 extends upwardly from the bottom of .the chamber. This wall or partition extending upwardly from the bottom of the chamber extends suitably above the water level, and a part of the surface of the water is thus exposed externally of the charging chamber.

In the lower water-confining part of the charging chamber a trolley or carriage member f is adapted to move laterally. This carriage or trolley member may be moved into a position in which it is below. that part of the water surface which is outside of the charging chamber. When in this position the articles may be placed upon the carriage. The carriage is then moved laterally into the part of the water space below the charging chamber proper. In this movement the trolley is adapted to move upon a lift or elevator g. The trolley runs upon rails which are provided in the stationary part of the water space, and which are alined with rails provided upon the elevator. lVhen in position upon the elevator the carriage is adapted to be raised by the latter until the articles are located in an inclosed position in the charging chamber 6 above the water surface.

The elevator maybe adapted to be operated by any appropriate means.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, screwed stems in are secured at their lower extremities to the top of the elevator, and said screwed stems work within worm wheels 71 suitably incorporated to rotate and being appropriately restrained from axial derangement. The worm wheels 2' are in mesh with worms 7' provided upon a horizontal shaft adapted to be operated in any appropriate manner, as for instance manually by a handle Z through the medium of chain gear m.

The carriage or trolley f carries or involves a mechanical charging apparatus comprising, for instance, a charging bearer or bearers adapted to be displaced longitudinally to convey the articles into the heating chamber.

In the construction illustrated the trolley f carries fixed rails it upon which movable rails or bearers 0 are adapted to run or move horizontally and longitudinally. For this purpose the movable rails 0 are connected together at their rear extremities by a bracket 39 which carries rollers Q occurring above and below the fixed rails n. The fixed rails 1?, also carry at their front extremities rollers r upon which the movable rails 0 rest. 8 is an endless chain carried by the trolley and running around chain wheels 6, the axes of which are immovable in relation to the trolley. The endless chain 8 is secured to the bracket 79 at u. Rotation of either of the chain wheels t'thus has the effect that the rails 0 are moved longitudinally in relation to the rails a. In the furnace, grooves 12 are provided in the floor of the goods chamber. These grooves o accommodate the supporting rails 0 when the latter are advanced bearin the articles to into the articles chamber. fter the goods have been located in the articles chamber, the rails 0 may be low ered by lowering the elevator from the lever Z, and after the rails 0 have by this means been relieved of the weight of the articles, and the latter have thereby been deposited upon the floor of the articles chamber, the rails 0 can be withdrawn by the operation of the endless chain 8.

One appropriate mechanism for operating the endless chain 8 is illustrated in the drawing. In this construction a chain wheel :0, Fig. 2, is mounted to rotate with the rear in the floor of the articles chamber.

chain wheel 6'. This chain wheel a" is geared by a chain with a chain wheel 2 carried by a shaft 2 which is mounted in suitable bearings upon the trolley. This shaft 2 extends laterally a substantial distance and carries a chain wheel This chain wheel 3 is keyed to the shaft .2, and the shaft is capable of axial movement in relation to the chain wheel. ll hen having in view Fig. 2, the trolley is displaced to the left, the shaft 2 slides within the chain wheel 3, which latter remains stationary. a is an extension of the water chamber which accommodates the shaft 2 when the trolley is in its left-hand position. 5 is an endless chain passing around chain wheels 6 having permanently fixed axes. 7 are take-up wheels, between which a vertical part of the chain occurs which is adapted to mesh with the chain wheel 3. When the trolley is in the position shown in Fig. 2, and the elevator is raised, the shaft 2 and chain wheel 3 are adapted to rise and remain in mesh with the endless chain 5. When the trolley f has assumed its elevated position the shaft 2 may thus be operated from the chain 5, the upper pulley 6 of which may be adapted for manual operation, as for instance by being fitted with a hand-lever 8. 9 is a suitable guide in the nature of a tube of rectangular cross section adapted to inclose the pinion 3 throughout its vertical movement, and also to include that part of the chain 5 with which said pinion 3 cooperates. In the side of said guide 9 adjacent to the trolley, an elongated slot is provided for accommodating the shaft 2. In the other side 0f the guide 9 a perforation 10 is provided, through V which the shaft 2 may project when entering the extension 4L. Another method of operating the charger is by a motor of a character adapted to work whether or not it is immersed in the water.

In operation, when the trolley is moved laterally out of the elevator, the articles are lowered on to the charging bars, as for instance by the use of a crane. The trolley is then displaced laterally into the elevator. The elevator is then raised, after which the supporting rails of the charger are advanced into the grooves in the floor of the articles chamber. The elevator is then slightly lowered to deposit the articles on the floor of the articles chamber. The supporting railsare then withdrawn from the grooves In discharging, the operation'is reversed.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is r 1. A furnace, including a liquid-sealed heating chamber, an elevator in the liquidseal adapted to raise articles deposited thereon into alinement with said heating chamber, and articles supporting means on said elevator adapted to be advanced together with the articles into the heating chamber to deposit the articles therein and to subsequently withdraw said articles.

2. A furnace, including a liquid-sealed heating chamber. an elevator in the liquidseal adapted to raise articles deposited thereon into alinement with said heating chamber, a trolley adapted to be moved laterally onto and off said elevator. and charging mechanism on said trolley carrying the articles and adapted to be projected. lrmgitudinally into the heating chamber to carry the articles thereinto.

3. A furnace, including a liquid-sealed heating chamber, an elevator in the liquid seal adapted to raise articles deposited thereon into alinement with said heating chamber, a trolley adapted to be moved laterally onto and off said elevator, and charging mechanism on said trolley comprising bars carrying the articles and adapted to be projected longitudinally into the heating chamber to carry the articles thereinto.

4. A furnace, including a liquid-sealed heating chamber I having longitudinal grooves in its bottom. an elevator in the liquid-seal adapted to raise goods deposited thereon into alinement with said heating chamber, a trolley adapted to be moved laterally onto and off said elevator, and charging mechanism on said trolley comprising bars carrying the articles and adapted to be projected laterally into the heating chamber, said elevator being subsequently slightly lowered to force said bars to descend in said grooves so as to be released from the articles by their engagement with the bottom of the heating chamber.

5. A furnace, including a liquid-sealed heating chamber, a liquid-sealed charging chamber in alinement with said heating chamber, means for introducing and removing articles from said charging chamber laterally Without breaking the seal, means for raising the articles in said charging chamber into alinement with said heating chamber, and means arranged on said raising means carrying the articles into the heating chamber to deposit the articles therein and for removing the articles therefrom.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED SMALLVOOD.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR H. BROWN, EDGAR N. WHEELER.