US2333344A - Heat treating means - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 2, 1943. w. P, SMITH ETAL 2,333,344

HEAT TREATING MEANS Filed June '7, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I l I l Q mum BY 5 Edward 1449550067;

Nov.2, 1943. I w. P, SMITH EI'AL HEAT TREATING MEANS Filed June 7, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 2, 1943. w. P. SMITH ETAL HEAT TREATING MEANS Filed June 7, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 umlw'i o HHIHHIH] M Nov. 2, 1943. w. P. SMITH E AL 2,333,344

HEAT TREATING MEANS V I A 70 Z4 INVENTQ 5 Wag} F3722 70, BY CEazz/ard 14525227067,

Nov. 2, 1943. w. P. SMITH ETAL HEAT TREATINGMEANS Filed June '7, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVE Wake/F677;

lllHHuHW CELilUd/Ui W 57i Patented Nov. 2, 1943 U N I T E D STAT ES PAT ENT 0 FF HEAT TREATING FIEHNS Walter P. Smith and 0 Edward Wstover, Chicago,-Ill., assignors to Burnside Steel Foundry Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation or Illinois Application June 7, 1941, Serial No. 397,146

'10 Claims.

The present invention'relates to improvements in straightening and-heat treating means.

The present invention will be described in connection with means for straightening and heat treating elongated member such as conveyer screws of the type used in stokers. Such screws are commonly manufactured by a casting operation and after bein taken from the molds must be straightened and heat treated.

An object of the present invention is to provide means for heat treating elongated "members with a-minimum of handling.

A further object is to provide improved heat treating means in cooperation with improved straightening means whereby uniform heat treating operations may be expeditiously performed.

A further object is to provide straightening and heat treating means well adapted to meet the needs of commercial operation.

liurther objects will appear as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings- Figure 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the structure illustrated in Figure 1; r H

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the plane indicated by the arrows 3-3 of Figure 1 and Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken along the plane indicated by the arrows 44 in Figure 1 and Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the planes indicated by the arrows 55 of Figure 3 showing the hammering member in contactin relationship with a conveyor screw;

Figure 6 is an end view of the structure illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the viewbeing taken in the direction of the arrows 6-6; and

Figure 7 is a view on an enlarged scale taken along the plane indicated by the arrows 'l--! of Figure 1.

The description of the mechanism may be prefaced by a brief preliminary discussion thereof.

Referring to the straightening and heat treating of conveyer screws, which structure have been chosen for illustration, such screws, after having been cast, are placed in a heating furnace. After having been subjected to a heating operation the screws are taken from the heating furmace "and placed upon straightening mechanism which according to th'e present invention in- 'c'lude's a horizontal V-S'h'ape'd the, open fat its bottom. A ='conveyer screw is commonly li l d fi at one of its ends with a socket 6f non-round conformation, aria into this s'oc'k'et a projection is fitted "whereby turning fnover'nent may be communicated to the screw to be straightened. A spring-pressed abutment is moved up againstjthe opposit'e hd of the screw so that saids W is resiliently "held "against 'ehdwise movement while it has been rotated. 1 1hoop'erating V-shaped "die is adapted to be "brought-flown with hanimerblbws against the the side of the screw as it is being rotated. Inasmuch as the screw, when it comes from {the heating furnace, will ordinaril be warped, "the socket referred to, in one end-of the screw, may be out dflin'e with the lengthwise dimension of the screw. For this rea'SOn the projection fitting within the-sch mata aperture in the socket portionbf said screw should have a meteor less Luilversalmoverhent. V

Convey'er screws "are I Inaruff actured of varying diameters inter'riredietteof theirends, t n a ed t en a scr w bein tapered. In order fto'takfe care or the tapered portions of "a-s'crew; or of the portions 'o'f le's' s diameter than-the largest V on of -the screw, the upper 'd'iem'ay beprovid'ed th'a "shoe shaped to "conform toftlre 'shape fof the straightened screw. This "shoe need be located only upon "the upperdie. m

Below the lower digjs an elongatedftank with overflow pipe's exteridin'g to near the top thereof. This tank maybe moved"b'odily up and down. Cold water may be admitted to thebcttom of the tank at all times except when the tank is or a roaching its up ermost, that.isquenchin'g, operation. The level "of the water is maintained by means or said overflow pipes'w en the tank isin its lowered position. When said tank is raised, inflow orwater is automatically stopped and the olitflow of Water is also automatically stopped. The level of the water in the tank is sufficient to submerge a.- predeterrni ned radial dimension of the la'rge diameter-of the screw 'tif it is a tapered screw). By reasonof thegsubmergin of the outer portion-of'thescrew-in the water, this outer :portion is hardened. The "operator, during the quenching operationywill continually turn the screw so that the entire outeredgeof the screw is quenched. it is possible that" the outer edgeof the part "of the screw of less 'dia-nieter may not be submerged, "but this is satisfactory because the portions of 'the 'screw close to the axis should be left ductile. Moreover, the

large diameter of the screw is the part subjected to the heaviest duty and should be the hardest part. This is due to the fact that the linear speed of the outermost portion of the screw is greater than the linear speed of the part Of the screw of smaller diameter. By reason Of the fact that the bottom of the lower die is open, the water in the tank will have ready access to the screw when the tank is raised.

By reason of the fact that the inflow of water to the tank and the outflow of water from the tank are stopped automatically when the tank is in raised position, a sufficient submersion of the screw in the water is insured. When the tank is in its lowered position, water is always flowing bottom, 'as indicated by the numeral ll, toper- Resting upon the mit the free access of water. die member ID is an elongated screw member l2 which is to be straightened. The numeral I3 indicates a'shoe adapted to be brought down with hammer blows upon the upper surface of the screw I2. Said shoe I3 is V-shapedin cross section on its hammering surface and, longitudinally, should conform in general to the corresponding surface of the screw member l2 throughout the length of said screw member l2 as said surface should appearafter it has been straightened. Said shoe is mounted upon a bearing 14 extending longitudinally in parallel relationship with the die l0. Said bearing I 4 is carried by aplurality of rocker arms [5 connected together by the rod [5a and mounted to swing about the fulcrum I5b, adapted to be operated by mechanism which will be described presently. Said shoe I3 is resiliently carried by the bearing 14; and for this purpose the shoe 13 may be provided with a plurality of pins l6 adapted to ride in bosses l1- carried by the bearing M. The pins 16 may be screw-threaded at their outer extremities for the reception of nuts I8. Coil springs l9 may be positioned to exert pressure between the bosses I1 and the nuts [8.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the die H1 is carried by 3. depending U-shaped member 26 having the side members 2l2l and the bottom'meirw bers 22. Said bottom members 22 will permit access of water to the aperture II in the die. It.

Said U-shaped member 2| is supported ffrcm above by the standards 23-23 carried by the base member 24. The side members 2.l-2| of the U-shaped depending member 26 are spaced from the corresponding standards 23-23 to provide spaces 25-25 to permit the raising of the tank 26.

Said tank 26 is shown in its lowered position in Figures 3 and 4 and is supported in said lowered position by means of the cross bars 21 carried by the standards 2323. Said tank 26 is guided in its vertical movement by means of the rollers 28-28. The bottom of said tank is provided with a plurality of downwardly extending rods 29. Rollers 36-30 supported by the standards 2323 are adapted to engage'said rods 29-29, whereby to assist the rollers 28-'28in guiding the tank 26 in its vertical movement.

. As illustrated in Figure4, the tank26 is provided with a downwardly extending operating rod 3! adapted to be moved by means of a rocker arm 32, to be described more in detail presently.

The tank 26 is provided with the water inlet pipe 33 and the water outlet pipes 34-34. Said outlet pipes 34 are open at a predetermined level below the top of the tank 26. Said level is so chosen that when the tank 26 is in its uppermost or quenching position the level of the water will be such as to submerge a portion of the periphery of the screw being heat treated. The level reached by the Water in the tank 26 will be con--.

trolled by the extent of lifting of said tank 26 in a manner which will appear as the description proceeds. As indicated hereinabove, the inflow of water to the pipe 33 and the outflow of water from the tank to the pipes 3434 will be stopped automatically when the tank 26 is in its raised or quenching position. The inflow of water to the pipe 33 and outflow of water from the tank to the pipes 3434 will be permitted automatically when the tank 26 is in its lowered position, as will appear more in detail presently.

Resiliently controlled means are provided for holding the screw I2 ln predetermined position relative to the length of the die l0. As indicated hereinabove, one extremity of the screw will ordinarily be provided with a socket portion 35 having a non-round opening.- As shown more in detail in Figure '7, a floating member or drive center 36 is provided having a projection 3'! adapted to fit within the non-round aperture in the socket portion 35 of the screw I 2. Said float ing member, or drive center; 36 is providedat its other extremity with the non-round projection 38 adapted to fit within the corresponding aperture in the socket 39. Said socket 39 is mounted to turn in suitable bearings and is connected to be driven by a gear 46 adapted to cooperate with the gear 4l, which gear 4| in turn is provided with the shaft 42 adapted to be turned by means of the crank43. The oppositely extending projections 31 and 38 of the floating member or drive center 36 may have relatively loose connections respectively with the socket portion 35 of the screw I2 and with the socket 39, whereby to have a more or less universal movement, to the end that itwill cooperate with a screw I2 which has its socket portion 35 warped out of proper relationship with the lengthwise dimension of the screw l2.

The particular screwl2 chosen for illustration is provided with a cylindrical extremity 44 adapted to be disposed within and to turn relatively to the socket 45. Said socket 45 is mounted at the end of a longitudinally movable rod 46, which rod 46 is mounted upon the extremity of an arm 4'! extending at right angles to the axis of said rod 46. Said socket 45 will have suflicient play in a direction at right angles to the length of the rod 46 to engage the extremity 44 of the screw 1 2 even though said screw 12 is in warped condition. Y

The arm 47 with the rod 46 is adapted to be moved longitudinally of the machine, and for this purpose has fixed thereto the rod 41a adapted to slide longitudinally of the machine in bearings carried by the frame of the machine. Said arm 41 is adapted to be moved longitudinally of the machine by the rod 48. Said rod 48 is connected to the lever 49 which swings about the fulcrum 56. Said lever 49'is' disposed'within the guide loop 5| and is provided with the handle 52 (Figs. 1 and 2). A spring 53 is disposed in position to urge the lever .49 toward the right as the parts are viewed inFi'gure 2, whereby tore siliently hold the arm 41 and consequently the socket 45 toward the righgt as the parts are viewed in Figures 1, 2 and 7. By this action the screw I2 will be resiliently held against longitudinal movement. When it is desired to change screws the lever 49 will be moved toward the left as the parts are viewed in Figure 2 to release the socket 45 from the extremity of the screw 12. The loop i may be provided with catch means, indicated generally by the numeral 5la, for releasably holding the lever 49 toward the left as the parts are viewed in Figures 1 and 2 while one screw I2 is being removed from the machine and another screw [2 is being disposed thereon.

The means for operating the top die are illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 6. The numerals ii454 indicate cylinders mounted for swinging movement about the fulcrum 55. Disposed within each of said cylinders 54 is a piston 56, to

which is connected a corresponding piston rod 57. The piston rods 5l51 are fulcrumed to the rod i550 which connects the rocker arms [5-45. The lower extremity of each of the cylinders 54 is provided with the air conduit 58, through which air may be admitted under pressure to said cylinder or may be discharged from said cylinder. Valve means for controlling the admission of air to and the withdrawal of air from the cylinders 54 need not be illustrated in detail. The numeral 58a indicates generally a valve for this purpose, which valve is adapted to be controlled by the lever 58?). It will be sufficient to state that when air under pressure is admitted to the cylinders 54 and pistons 56 thereof will be raised whereby to lift the rocker arms Iii-I5 and the shoe 13. When air is allowed to discharge from the cylinder 54 the shoe 13 will descend and will strike the screw 2 with a hammer blow. Mechanism which is readily available to those skilled in the art may be employed in connection with the valve 580. to control the admission of air to and the withdrawal of air from the cylinders 54, whereby the shoe l3 may be raised and dropped in a rapid succession of movements. The numeral 559 indicates a stop mounted upon the die member 19 adjacent to the left-hand end thereof as the parts are viewed in Figures 1, 2 and 7. Said stop 59 will limit the movement of the shoe It in its hammer blows. As shown in Figure 4, said stop 59 is provided with the upwardly opening slot to for receiving and permitting longitudinal movement'oi the rod 45.

As stated hereinabove, the operator, by means of the handle 33 operating through the gears H and t will communicate a turning movement to the screw #2 while the hammer blows are being delivered to said screw [2 by the shoe IS.

The mechanism for operating the quenching tank 26 is illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 4. The numeral 6| indicates an air cylinder mounted to swing about the fulcrum v62. Disposed within said cylinder ii! is the piston 63 having connected thereto the piston rod 64. The outer extremity of the piston rod 54 is fulcrumed about the pin 65 at one extremity of the rocker arm 32 mounted for swinging movement about the fulcrum 66. The other extremity of the rocker arm 32 is slotted, as indicated by the numeral 61, for cooperation with a pin 68 projecting from the operating rod 3! for moving the tank 26. An adjustable stop 69 is provided having the inclined face 70 for limiting movement in a clockwise direction of the rocker arm 32 as the parts are viewed in Figure 4.

The upper extremity of the air cylinder BI is provided with the conduit 7|, through which air under pressure may be admitted to the cylinder 61 or discharged therefrom. Means for controlling the admission of air to the cylinder 6| or the withdrawal of air from said cylinder will "be readily available to those skilled in the art, and no illustration thereof is necessary. It will be sufficient to state that when air under pressure is admitted to the top portion of the cylinder 6! the rocker arm 32 will be swung in a clockwise direction as the parts are viewed in Figure 4, communicating a lifting movement to the tank 25, whereby the level of water (marked by the upper extremities of the pipes 34-34) will be brought up to a sufiicient height to submerge a portion of the screw I2 being heat treated. During the time that the screw I2 is being heat treated, said screw will be rotated, such rotation being accomplished by operation of the crank 43.

Cooling water will preferably be admitted to the tank 28 and discharged therefrom continuously "while said tank is in its lowered position. By reference to Figure 6 it will be noted that the pipe 33 for delivering water to the tank 26 is provided with the valve 12 adapted to be operated by the lever 73. Said lever 13 is biased by the spring 74 to hold valve 12 in closed position. When the tank 26 is in its lowermost position, said lever l3 will be abutted by the stop I5, whereby to hold the valve 12 in open position. The pipes 3434 for discharging water from thetank 25 are connected to the pipe 16 provided with the valve Ti. Said valve H is adapt- 'ed to be controlled by the lever "l8, which is biased by the spring 79 to hold the valve 71 in open position. When the tank 25 is in its lowermost position the lever l8 will be abutted by the stop 89, whereby to hold the valve H in open position.

When the tank 25 is raised a short distance above its lowermost position the levers l3 and '18 will be freed from their corresponding stops "I5 and 80, and by reason of the springs M and '19 respectively will be moved in a counterclockwise direction as the parts are viewed in Figure 6 to close the corresponding valves 72 and 17, whereby both inflow of water to and discharge of water from the tank 25 will be stopped and whereby a predetermined level of water will be maintained within the tank 26 to submerge a predetermined portion of the screw 52 being treated.

As illustrated, a conduit 8! is provided for admitting water to the valve 'l'fi for delivery to the bottom of the tank 23. A discharge conduit, indicated by the numeral 82, is connected to the discharge valve "ll. When the tank 26 is in its lowered position, water is always flowing in at the bottom of th tank and out at the top. It is thereby assured that the tank is filled with cold water when quenching is to be done.

The numeral 83 indicates a trough extending longitudinally of the machine for convenience in handling a screw !2 before and after it has been straightened and heat treated.

By reason of the construction illustrated and described, the functions set forth in the prefatory remarks appearing hereinabove will be accomplished. By reason of the blows applied by the shoe [3 while the screw is hot and being turned,

said screw will be straightened, the action being decidedly better than a pressing action upon th hot screw. Experience has shown that a screw which has been straightened by pressing will often resume its warped shape upon being subjected to a blow such as caused for example by dropping upon a hard floor.

Though a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. It is intended to cover all such modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is- 1.. Means for heat treating a member including means for holding said member, means for rotating said member, a vertically reciprocable quenching tank, means for delivering cooling medium to and withdrawing cooling medium from said tank to maintain a predetermined level of cooling medium in said tank when said tank is in lowered position, said delivering and withdrawing means being provided with means responsive to Vertical movement of said tank for stopping flow of cooling medium into and out of said tank when said tank is removed from its lowermost position, and means for controlling the raising and lowering of said quenching tank whereby the level of water in said tank may be raised to a predetermined level to submerge a predetermined portion of said member. I

2. Means for heat treating a member including means for holding said member, means for rotating said member, a quenching tank, means for maintaining a predetermined level of water within said tank, means for raising said tank into quenching relationship with said member, and means responsive to the position of said tank for stopping inflow of waterto and outflow of water from said tank when said tank is removed from its lowermost position.

3. Means for heat treating a memberv including means for holding said member, means for rotating said member, a quenchingtank, means for maintaining a predetermined level of water within said tank, means for raising said tank into quenching relationship with said member, means responsive to the position of said tank for stopping inflow of water to and outflow of water from said tank when said tank is removed from its lowermost position, and adjustable means for limiting the lifting movement of said tank whereby to limit the level of water in said tank with respect to said member.

4. Means for heat treating a member including means for holding said member, means for rotating said member, a quenching tank, means for maintaining a predetermined level of water within said tank, means for raising said tank into quenching relationship with said member, means for insuring a supply of flowing cool water to said quenching tank while said tank is in non-quenching position, and means responsive to the position of said tank for shutting off the supply of water to and the outflow of water from said tank when said tank is in quenching position.

5. In combination, means for holding a member to be heat treated, means for rotating said member, a quenching tank adapted to be raised and lowered, means for maintaining a predetermined level of flowing water within said tank when said tank is in lowered position, means for raising said tank whereby the water in said tank isbrought into quenching relationship with said member, and means responsive to the position of said tank for shutting off the inflow of water to and the outflow of water from said tank when said tank is in quenching position.

6. Means for heat treating a member'including means for holding said member, a vertically reciprocable quenching tank, means for delivering cooling medium to and withdrawing cooling medium from said tank, said delivering and withdrawing means being provided with means responsive to movement of said tank for stopping flow of cooling medium into and out of said tank when said tank is removed from its lowermost position, and means for controlling the raising and lowering of said quenching tank whereby the level of water in said tank may be raised to a predetermined level to submerge a predetermined portion of said member.

'7. Means for heat treating a member including means for holding said member, a quenching tank, means for maintaining a. predetermined level of water within said tank, means for raising said tank into quenching relationship with said member, and means responsive to the position of said tank for stopping inflow of water to and outflow of water from said tank when said tank is removed from its lowermost position.

8. Means for heat treating a member includ-' ing means for holding said member, a quenching tank, means for maintaining a predetermined level of Water within said tank, means for raising said tank into quenching relationship with said member, means responsive to the position of said tank for stopping inflow of water to and outflow of water from said tank when said tank is removed from its lowermost position, and adjustable means for limiting the lifting movement of said tank whereby to limit the level of water in said tank with respect to said member.

9. Means for heat treating a member including means for holding said member, a quenching tank, means for maintaining a predetermined level of water within said tank, means for raising said tank into quenching relationship with said member, means for insuring a supply of flowing cool water to said quenching tank While said tank is in non-quenching position, and means responsive to the position of said tank for shutting off the supply of water to and the outflow of water from said tank when said tank is in quenching position.

10. In combination, means for holding a member to be heat treated, a quenching tank adapted to be raised and lowered, means for maintaining a predetermined level of flowing water within said tank when said tank is in lowered position, means for raising said tank whereby the water in said tank is brought into quenching relationship with said member, and means responsive to the position of said tank for shutting off the inflow of water to and the outflow of Water from said tank when said tank is in quenching position.

WALTER P. SMITH. C EDWARD WESTOVER.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,555,5L h. November 2, 1914.5.

WALTER P. SMITH, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5 first column, line 2, for "righgt" read --right--; line 5b., for "and" read -the-; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent ffice. I

Signed and sealed this ll th day of December, A. D. 19%.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) 7 Acting Commissioner of Patents.

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