US1674431A - Apparatus for annealing metal - Google Patents

Description

F. GlEsEcKE l APPARATUS FOR ANNEALING METAL Filed April 21, 1925 l tive gas.

Paenea ne.; 19,1928,

e UNITED STATESv -imrrz Gmsacxn, or num, am.

APPARATUS ron NNEA'LING METAL.

rApplication tied April 21, 1925, Serial No'. 24,716, and in Germany Iay 80, 1824.

My inventionwelates to improvements. in the method of and apparatus for annealing metal, and more particularly in the method in which the heated metal, such as wire, is cooled within an atmosphere of a protec- One of the objects of the improvements is to provide a method in which the injurious elect ot the protective gas on the metal is reduced, and "with this object in view my invention consists in cooling the heated metal in vacuo, so that the amount of protective gas acting on the metal is reduced. In carrying out my improved method I make use of a receptacle adapted to receive the metal to be cooled and having a supply of protective gas, which supply mcludes means for controlling the pressure of the gas within the receptacle. |lhe protective medium is supplied to the apparatus either in gaseous form, or in liquid form, said liquid being vaporized within the said receptacle.

For the purpose of explaining the invention two structures suitable for putting the method into effecthave been shown in the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters have been used in all the views to indicate' corresponding parts. In said drawing, l

Fig. 1, is a sectionalelevation showing the apparatus, the protect-ive medium being supplied to the cooling receptacle in a liquid state and gasified at the bottom of the said receptacle, and

Fig. 2, is a sectional elevation showing means for controlling the gas within the cooling receptacle, said means being included in a supply pipe for gaseous protective medium. I

In the example shown in Fig. 1 the apparatus consists of a receptacle a adapted to have a container b placed therein, and provided with a cover c for tightly closing the same. As shown a liquid seal is provided for tightening the cover c, said seal comprising an annular cup d surrounding the top part of the receptacle a and having a supply of water through' a pipe y and a delivery of water through a pipe y1. The cover c is formed with a flange 01 projecting downwardly therefrom and into the liquid confined within the cup d. Preferably the cover c is provided with agconcentric Harige f adapted to insulate the liquid seal from the 'hot container b. The container b is designed to receive the metal to be cooled, and it--isl providedl with a lid b1.

I InA a. lateral ortion d1 of the cup d a casing g is locate which` casing is adapted to recelve a suitable protective liquid. At its bottom the said casing communicates through a tubular portion nlk with a casing n closed at its top by a lid n2, and containing a float p. The said float carries a needle valve o adapted to control the delivery of the protective liquid from the casing g. The

casing n communicates through a Siphon and a pipe k with a spout i adapted to deliver the protective liquid to the bottom part of lthe receptacle a, and below the spout z' there is a pan adapted to gather thefliquid discharged from the spout i for gradually vaporizing the same. Above the spout z' there is a hood m.

'I he Siphon comprises a tubular member- 1', which is closed at its top/and open at its bottoni, and which encloses the top part of 4 the pipe h projecting into the same to a point at aV higher level than the liquid .conf tained within the casing n. The receptacle a is connected by a pipe u with a vacuum apparatus. into the receptacle a and putting thecover con the said receptacle, a vacuum is pro. duced within the receptacle a through the pipe u. rlherefore the protective liquid rises within'the tubular member r and to the top part thereof, whereupon it'tlows downward- After placing the container b ly to the pipe la and a filter s to the spout z.

The liquid discharged from the said spout is gathered by the pan and vaporized. Thus the vacuum within the receptacle a depends on the diiierence ot" the ,levels within the casing n and the tubular member r. By raising or lowering the pipe h within the tubular member r the vacuum within the reeeptacle a may be -varied as desired. ,',lhe

by liquid from thecasing g. Z is an eX-. haust valve.-

ln some cases it is desirable to supply protective liquid to the receptacle/a independently of the vacuum produced within the receptacle. For this purpose a rod w is passed through the lid n2 and into the casing n, and by means of the said rod the float p may be pressed downwardly by hand for opening the valve o. AThe rod m is acted upon by a spring m1. Whendepressing the 'loat p the casing n is filled with protective liquid taken from the casing n is replaced l 2i' pipe h is connected-With a coolingrecep- Itacle suchas has been described withV refer- In Fig. 2 I have shown a modification of themeans for controlling the vacuum,'which means are designed for use in connection with a cooling receptacle having a supply `of Avthe protective medlum in `gaseous forx'nf.V As shownthe said apparatus comprises a casing rw closed at its top by a ylid lw1 and'fjpartly l filled with a suitable li uid vi Throiiglithe lid w1 a supply pipe t or the protective gas .is passed downwardly and to the bottom of the casing fw. 'A. second pipe opens through the said lid-into the top part of the casing w andabove the level. of the liquid fv. The pipe t is connected with a supply of a l.suitable gaseous protective medium, and the ence to Fig. 1. l p

As long as-there is no vacuum Within the receptacle a the levels of the liquid Within the casing w and the pipe t are alike, and there is'noV supply ofl protective gas to the receptacle a'. When reducing the pressure Within the receptacle a the liquid within the pipe t sinks, until gaseous protective medium flowsV from the ipe t and through the body of the liquid o, t ie vacuum maintained within `the receptacle a corresponding to the difference between the level of the liquid 'v and the bottom part of the pipe t. v

lVhile in describing the invention reference has been made -to particular examples vembodying the same I Wish it to be linderstood that my invention is not limited to the use of Vthe apparatus shown in the drawing.

l claim:

l. An apparatus for cooling annealed metal, con'iprising a container adapted-to receive the metal to be cooled, a cover providing a tight closure for said container, means to fill said container with protective gas, and meansy controlled by the vacuum within the container. for regulating the said supply of gas. v

2. An apparatus for cooling annealed metal, comprising a container adapted to receive the metal to be cooled, a cover providing a tight closure forsaid container, and means to lill said container with protective gas, said means including a chamber containing a float and having a supply of liquid adapted when vaporized to supply the rotectlve gas, said supply'being controlle by said float and a passage connecting the iioat chamber and said container, `said passa A including a si whon structure whereby t e VJsupply of liqui to thecontainer is regulated by thedegree of vacuum therein.

, `3. An apparatus ,for cooling` annealed metal, comprisingfa container adapted to receive the metal to be cooled, a cover having a liquid seal and providing a tight closure for said container, and means to fill said container withprotective gas, said means including a chamber containing a float, a re.

ccptacle Within the liquid of said liquid seal and containing-af liquid adapted when vaporized to supply"av'lprotective gas, said receptacle having ai discharge into said chamber and controlled by said float, and aconduit 'connectingfthe float chamber to said container and-including a Siphon structure -regulatino tainer unrder control um therein.

4. An apparatus for cooling annealed metal, comprising acontainer adapted to receive the metal `to be cooled, a cover providing a tight closure for said container, a supply of vaporizable lprotective liquid o ening `into said container near the bottom t iereof, a receptacle Within said container in position for gatherin r theliquid delivered from said supply, and means controlled by the vacuum within the container for regulating the supply ot liquid thereto.

5. Apparatus for cooling and at the same time protecting annealed metal, comprising a chamber, means for exhaustinggas therefrom, means for. su plying a protective fluid to the chamber, an means controlled by the ofthe degree of vacut-he supply -of liquid to the coni lating the supply of said iuid. i

6. Apparatus for cooling and-at the sam time protecting annealed metal, comprising a chamber, means for exhausting gas there from, means for su aplyiiugi; a protective fluid to the chamber, an means controlled by the degree of vacuum in the chamber for regulating the supply of said Huid, said means comprising a trap containing a liquid, supply and discharge passages communicating with the trap, the discharge passage supplying the protecting iuid to the chamber, and the liquld level inthe trap being controlled by pressure differences affected bythe vacuum in the chamber to regulate the supply of the protective fluid.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

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