US2348232A

US2348232A - Quench pot

Info

Publication number: US2348232A
Application number: US379754A
Authority: US
Inventors: Oscar C Trautman; William H Wood
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1941-02-20
Filing date: 1941-02-20
Publication date: 1944-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 1961-05-09

Description

y 9, o. c. TRAUTMAN ETAL v 2,348,232

QUENCH POT v r v Filed Feb. 20, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 39' 2" gs I l 34 58 39 97 INVENTORS WILLIAM "H.WOOD and BY I OSCAR CIRAUTMAN M tam/M Q ATTORNEY z May 1944- Q. cQ TRAUTMAN E'r L 2,348,232

QUENCH POT Filed Feb, 20, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS WILLIAM H.WOQD and OSCAR C.TRAUTMAN ATTORNEYS? ITE.E

' used:

Patented May 9, 1944 I IQUENCH POT Oscar C. Trautman, Fauna, and William H.

' Wood, South Euclid, Ohio Application February 20, 194.1, Serial No. 379,754

14 Claims.

This invention relates to baths which are maintained at a substantially uniform predetermined temperature while heated material is quenched therein. Particularly, this invention concerns apparatus in which heated material, in the form of wire and the like, is quenched in continuous operation by advancing into and through a liquid. Such baths are widely used in metallurgical processes, such as the heat treatment of carbon steel to securedeflnite desired physical conditions and qualities, as is well understood. In these heat treatments it is usually important that the material, in the form of wire and the like, be quenched to a definite narrow range of temperature uniformly from end to end of the strand, that the wire may have the same physical structure and the same physical qualities throughout. In quenching carbon steel, from a heated condition in which it is austenitic, a

slight change in quenching, in respect to speed or I temperature, may produce results which vary widely from those desired. .1

It is an object of this'invention to maintain uniform quenching conditions in a bath regardless of the fact that the heated material-under treatment delivers to the bath continuously substantial quantities of heat.

Incidentally it is an object of this invention to provide apparatus which will, selectively and automatically, heat or cool liquid which has been discharged from a bath, and return same thereto.

Also it is an object of this invention to provide apparatus in which'quench liquid, which has been heated by the incoming material under treatment, will be quickly removed from contact therewith.

And it is a further object to provide apparatus in which quench oil used for a secondary quench is circulated over a section of the surface of a bath of molten metal, or the like, used for a primary quench.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain means and one mode of carrying out the invention. Theembodiment of our invention described in a quench bath usin molten alloy as a primary quench liquid, as installed by us in wire mills for'the heat treatment of carbon. steel wire. l he disclosed meansand mode illustrate, however, but one of various ways in which the principle of the invention may be In said annexed drawings: Fig. l is a top view of apparatus embodying our invention, partly in phantom; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a. cross-sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a. crosssectional .view on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram showing a hook-up for automatic control of the temperature of the quench bath.

The embodiment of our invention shown in said drawings is that useddn apparatus for heat treating wire in continuous operation by passing therethrough a current of electricity supplied by a molten metal bath used as an electrode, and at maximum temperature quenching in the molten metal of said bath maintained at a fixed narrow range of temperature. V

A double-bottomed vessel I is formed from steel sheets by pressing parts to shape and welding together. This vessel is preferably provided with a well 2 at one end thereof. Plate 6' affixed to the bottom of vessel I on the outside, forms a passage 3 shown as having the width'of the vessel I and extended from the well 2 to a point beyond the opposite end of vessel I. A motor driven blower 63' is connected to said extended end of passage 3 for purposes which will be here inafter explained. The end of passage 3 adjacent the well 2 has a downwardly faced discharge opening 4. Within passage 3 heat conductive fins 5, extended longitudinally and preferably formed of copper, are welded by one edge 5' to the bottom of vessel I. Such fins are preferably, although not necessarily, of the same depth as the passage 3, so as to sub-divide the latter into a plurality of channels as shown in Fig. 4.

Vessel I is placed inside a similarly shaped larger vessel 6, or outershell, and insulating material "I is packed between the two vessels. Cover plates 8 are welded to the edges'of the upstand-' ing sides of the two vessels I and 6, covering the insulation material.

A second, or false, bottom is provided in the inner vessel I by fitting a steel plate 9 substantially from end to end thereof and amxing to the sides of vessel I by welds I0. Plate 8 terminates short of one end of vessel I, leaving apassage II.

Toward the other end of vessel I, plate .9 is inclined upwardly in a section I2, and, instead of contacting the end wall of vessel I, is bent downward vertically forming a wall 2I which with the end of -vesselI forms a passage I3, which in turn communicates with well 2. The space It abovethe false bottom 9 constitutes the quench pot and Eontains the molten meta lei the quench bath, and the space below constitutes part or the ,passage l3 into well 2 or vessel From well 2 the molten metal passes through slot 23 to the a passage connecting thepassages- II and I3 at the respective ends of the false bottom 9, as will be hereinafter explained.

A division plate 29 disposed substantially vertially transversely of the vessel I is welded to the plate 9 and to the sides and bottom of vessel- 1 bar 30 is welded to the plate 9 transversely oi the pot I4. A shaped plate 2'! is welded to the side and end walls of ,vessel I in such position that it forms a transverse compartment 28. The free edge 29 of plate 21 forms, with the bar 30, a narrow slot 26 through which molten metal from the compartment 26 is discharged into the quench pot I4.

A pump-well I1 is formed ,of plates and welded on the side of vessel adjacent well '2. This pump-well I|' connects with quench pot I4 through an opening If in the wall of vessel I, in which wall there, are .also circular :openings leading from the pump-well II respectively into the space enclosed by plate 9 and baifle,22, and into the passage I5. Welded in each of said pump intake I9 and is again returned through the pump I8 and discharge tube l9 into passage It for re-circulation through the apparatus.

The end wall of vessel I, adjacent compartment 29 does not rise to the height of the side walls but terminates slightly above the level at which molten metal is maintained in the quench pot I4 as appears at 3|. A steel sheet 32, welded in position between the end wall of vessel and the end wall of outside shell 6 at at point just below the top 3| oi the former provides a bottom for a well 33 through which a notched guide roller 34 is mounted. On the outside of outer 'shell 6 on the end adjacent the well 33, steel plates 39' are welded to iorm a well 35 extended transversely across the width of the quench pot H. The well 35 is provided with a discharge 35 and has affixed to its outer wall, by welding, an end of a steel trough 31 of substantially the width of the quench pot l4. Slots 38 in the end wall of the outer shell 6 and slots 39 in the outer wall of the well 35 permit wires 4| to be drawn therethrough under oil 49 which is flowed from the steel trough 31, through the

slots

38 and 39 apertures is a cradle, or guide I6 and I9 for the support respectively of intake tube I6 and discharge tube |9 of a pump I8, mounted in said well I1 and driven by a motor 24. The opening I" permits molten metal from quench pot M to will be placedat the top of the passage I5 against the plate 9. This arrang ent tends to force the hot molten metal agains the bottom of vessel I, to which bottom are welded the heat abstracting fins 5. Having traversed the length of passage I5 the molten metal is discharged through passage II into compartment 28 from whence itescapes to quench pot M in a thin fiat stream through slot 26. The continued steady supply of molten metal through slot 26 causes such-molten metal to overflow the end 2| of the plate 9. This continuous supply and overflow will cause the body of the molten metal to 'move steadily toward such discharge end of quench pot 4. As such' molten metal approaches the section of the pot in which the wires under treatment enter the molten metal of qunch pot- I4, the speed of the flowing metal is accelerated by reason of the restriction in the cross-area of the flowing body which results from the inclination of plate 9. ,Asa result of this acceleration, the molten metal will move from the hot wires 4| at a much greater speed than that at which the molten metal moves toward the entering wires. I v

The molten metal which has acquired additional heat in quenching the entering wires 4| is discharged from the quench pot l4, through into well 33 from which it flows over end wall 3| into quench pot l4. Intermediate the ends of quench pot I4 a dam 48 is mounted transversely of the pot, with lower edge extended slightly below the level at which it is desired to maintain molten metal in said pot. This dam 48 is provided throughout its length from side to side of pot I4 with a trough 49 which has a discharge 59. On transverse bearing rods 5| mounted across shell I on either side of the dam 48 are pivotally mounted a plurality of angular sinkers 5| with arms 52 operative to engage a wire 4| and hold it beneath the surface of molten metal in the pot I4.

On the opposite end of outer shell 6 steel plates 42 are welded to form a well 43 which is provided with a discharge 44. The adjacent end wall 45 of outer shell 6 and end wall 46 of vessel I do not rise to theheight of the side walls of said vessels, but terminate slightly above the level at which it is desired to maintain molten metal in quench pot I4. The upper ends of

walls

45 and 46 are joined by plate 41.

- Inserted in the molten metal in pot I4 is immersed an electric device 53 which is responsive to temperature changes of the molten metal. Such a device may comprise a bi-metal strip55 mounted between two electrically

conductive arm

56 and 51, as shown in Fig. 6. Strip 55 will bend into contact with arm 51 when cold and when the temperature of the bath has attained a desired minimum the strip 55 will break contact with arm 51. Should the' temperature of the bath rise until it attains an undesired maximum the strip 55 will bend into contact with arm 56. A source'62 of electrical energy has one side connected with a plurality of heating elements 25' in parallel arrangement inserted in the tubes 250i the described apparatus, and also with a motor 63 driving the fan 63' which discharges air into the passage 3 below vessel insaid apparatus. The opposite side of said source 62 is connected to a pivoted arm 86 operative to selectively make electrical contact with

terminals

64 and 65 connected respectively with the opposite sides of said heating elements 25' and said motor 63 driving fan 53'. .The free end of pivoted arm 66 carries an armature 69 mounted between two

solenoids

58 and 66, which are so connected with a battery 6i and device as. that the armature 60 will be shifted as contact is made in device 63 between strip 65 The element 63 may be a thermo-couple instead of a thermostat as shown, and the current of electricity developed therein will vary with the temperature of the molten metal, and may be used to control the operation of the motordriven fan and the heating elements in altema', tion, by means of well-known devices, such as the controller sold under the trade-name Wheelco.

An electrical terminal 54, which may bewater or air cooled, is electrically connected to the steel vessel L This terminal is used when it is desired to use the liquid of quench pot "as an electrode when heating wire advanced into the said liquid for quenching.

In using said described embodiment of our invention, in quenching steel wire from an austenitic temperature to substantially 425 F. in a bath of molten alloy. as described in our Patent No. 2,224,998, the operation is as follows: Electricv current is supplied to the heating elements 25' in the tubes 25 until the alloy in theapparatus melts and attains a temperature of approximately 425 F. at which temperature the thermostat 53 inserted in the liquid alloy in the quench pot l4 opens a switch 64 in the circuit supplying current to the heating elements 25'. The motor 24 is then caused to operate the rotary pump l8, and

.the liquid alloy is circulated through pipe l9.

passage i5, compartment 28, slot 26, quench pot l4, passage l3, compartment 2, pipe I6, to the pump 16. Arrows on Figs. 1 and Z'indicate the course of the liquid alloy through the described apparatus. Sufiicient quench metal is maintained in the apparatus to fill all of said recited passages and maintain a level of quench metal in quench pot l4 almost to the level of plate 41 joining the

end plates

46 and 45 of vessels I and 6, respectively. This molten metal also overflows through the opening i' into the pump well I! where it is eflective to seal the joints between the intake and discharge pipes l6 and iii of pump I8 and their respective cradles l6 and I9.

Heated wires 4| are advanced into and through iehe liquid alloy being held therebeneath by arms 2. the temperature of the liquid alloy, but as a result of the inclination i2 in the plate 9, this higher temperature alloy moves rapidly to the discharge end of quench pot l4. If sufiicient heat is not lost by such alloy as it travels the above-stated route to re-enter the quench pot l4, causing its temperature as it flows through the main body of the quench pct 20 to become higher than desired, the

The heat abstracted from the wires raises (ill device 53 closes a switch 65 in a circuit supplying electricity to a motor 63 driving a fan 63' which supplies air to the passage 3, cooling the fins 5, which have been heated by heat abstracted from the liquid alloy flowing through passage 15. When the temperature of the liquid alloy in quench pot I 4 has been reduced to approximately 425 F. the device 53 opens the switch 65 in the circuit to the blower motor 63.

' Similarly.-should the temperature of the alloy as it flows through the main body of quench pot drop below a desired temperature, the element 66 in device 63 will move intocontact with arm 51 and the current flow to solenoid 58 will close the switch 64 in the circuit supplying heating current to elements 26' in heating tubes 26.

When desired a high iiashoil may be supplied through nozzle 44' in the side wall of quench pot l4. This oil will form a thin layer over the liquid alloy protecting same and will overflow into the well 43 from which it is withdrawnthrough the discharge 44.

When a secondary quench is desired, oil may be flooded through the trough 31 into thequench pot M by passing through the

slots

38 and 38 in the end walls of well 36 and vessel 6, respectively, through which slots the wires 4| are drawn. Through the quench pot l4 the oil will flow to and over the dam 48 "into the trough 49 from which it is withdrawn through the discharge 60. The major portion of the oil in trough 31 is withdrawn through the well 35 and discharge 36.- Oil withdrawn from discharges 36 and may be recirculatedto trough 31 by appropriate means, such as piping and a pump.

It will be understood that in this use of our present invention the incoming wires 4! which are to be quenched, will be heated by a heating current passed therethroi'igh between the alloy of the quench bath i4 and an electrode in spaced relation therewith. The source from which such heating current is supplied willhave one pole connected with said spaced electrode and the other pole connected with connector-54 whereby such current is supplied to the molten alloy of bath l4.

The term wire and the like," when used herein, is to be understood as includingmetal strip and other forms of metal having a length many times greater than any cross-sectional dimension. In its broader aspects our invention includes machines adapted to treat strip material as well as machines adapted to treat drawn wires. Also our invention may be used to treat wire and the 'like made of metal other than steel, and in quenches other than molten metal. The use *of an alloy in the described embodiment is not to be deemed an exclusion of the use of a single metal in the quench bath when such metal is liquid at the desired temperature of quench, or other quench medium fluid at temperature of quench.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention maybe emplnved, change beingv made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

1. Apparatus for use in quenching heated material, such as wire and the like,'to a desired tem-.

perature by advancing continuously into and through a bath of liquidz-comprising a quench pot; means operative to supply liquid to said pot in the section thereof from which the treated material is withdrawn; means operative to maintain the liquid so supplied at a controlled temperature as it enters said pot; and means operative to discharge from the pot liquid which has been heated by contact with the material under treatment, the transverse cross-sectional area of the said pot being reduced adjacent such discharge means whereby such liquid is caused to move toward and past the entering material at a speed faster than the speed of initial movement of the liquid toward the entering material.

2. Apparatus for use in quenching heated material; such as wire and the like, to a desired temperature by advancing continuously into and through a bath of liquid:comprising in combi- .temperature by advancing continuously into and nation a quench not; two openings in the shell of said pot,.one in each opposite end thereof; a continuous passage connecting said openings through which a liquid discharged from said pot is returned thereto; means operative to circulate 5 a liquid through said passage and throughsaid pot, in a direction in said not opposite to the movement of heated material advanced therethrough; heat conductive fins integrally mounted or a wall of said passagefin longitudinal relation therewith; and means operative to flow a fiuid coolant over said fins whereby the liquid circulated through said passage is delivered to said pot at a controlled temperature.

3. Apparatus for use in quenching heated material, such as wire and the like, to a desired temperature by advancing continuously into and through a bath of liquidz-comprising in combination a quench pot; a continuous passage through which a liquid discharged from said pot is returned thereto; means operative to circulate a liquid through said passage and through said pot, in a. direction in said pot ppposite to the movement of heated material advanced therethrough; heat conductive fins integrally mounted on the outside wall or said passage in longitudinal relation therewith; electrically driven means operative to flow a fluid coolant over said fins; and electric heating elements associated with said passage; means operative to, supply electric current alternativelyto said coolant flowing means and to said heating elements responsive to changes of temperature of liquid in said pot, whereby liquid circulated through said passage is delivered to said pot at a controlled temperature.

4. Apparatus for use in uenching heated ma-- terial, such as wire and the like, to a desired through a bath of liquidz-comprising in combi- 0 nation a quench pot; a continuous passage through which a liquid discharged from said pot is returned thereto; means operative to circulate a liquid through said passage and through said pot, in a direction in said pot opposite to the movement of heated material advanced therethrough; means operative to cause such liquid to move past the entering material at a speed faster than the normal speed of movement 01 the liquid through the pot toward the entering material, said last named means including an inclined floor in said pot rising in the direction of liquid flow; means operative to discharge from said pot liquid which has been heated by contacting such material; and means associated with said passage, operative to modify the temperature of liquid circulated therethrough whereby such liquid is delivered to said pot at a controlled temperature.

5. Apparatus for use in quenching heated material, such as wire and the like, to a desired temperature by advancing continuously into and through a bath of liquid: comprising a quench pot: means operative to supplyliquid to said pot in the section thereof irom which the treated material is withdrawn; means operative to maintain the liquid so supplied at a controlled temperature as it enters said pot; means operative to cause liquid to move past the entering material at a speed faster than the speed of movement or the liquid through the pot toward the entering material, said last named means including an inclined floor in said pot rising'in the direction of liquid flow: and means to discharge irom the pot liquid which has been heated by contact with the material under treatment.

6. Apparatus for use in quenching heated material, such as wire and the like, to a desired temperature by advancing continuously into and through a bath or liquid: comprising in combination. a quench pot; a continuous passage through which a liquid discharged from said pot is returned thereto; means operative to circulate a liquid through said passage and through said pot, in a direction in saidpot opposite to the movement of heated material advanced therethrough; means operative to cause such liquid to move past the entering material at a speed faster than the speed of movement of the liquid toward the entering material, said last named means including an inclined floor in said pot ris.

, ing in the direction of liquid flow; means operative to discharge from said pot liquid which has been heated by contacting such material; and

means associated with said passage, operative to ciated means including heat conductive fins and groans operative to flow a fluid coolant over said '7. Apparatus for use in quenching heated material, such as wire and the like, to a desired temperature by advancing continuously into and through a bath of liquid: comprising in combination a quench pot; a continuous passage through which aliquid discharged from said pot is returned thereto; means operative to circulate a liquid through said passage and through said pot, in a direction in said pot opposite to the movement of heated material advanced therethrough; means operative to cause such liquid to move past the entering material at a speed faster than the speed of movement of the liquid through the pot toward the entering material; means operative to discharge from said pot liquid which has been heated by contacting such material;

and means associated with said passage, operastream at one end of said pot near the bottom thereof; means operative to discharge liquid from the other end of said pot; a passage communieating with said supply means and said discharge means; means operative to circulate continuously a liquid through said passage and said pot in a direction in saidpot opposite to that of material moving through said pot; fins, associated with said passage and operative to abstract heat from c a liquid passing therethrough; electrically driven means operative to flow a fluid coolant over said fins; electric heating elements associated with said passage, operative to heat a liquid flowing therethrough; and means supplying electric current selectively, to said electrically driven means and said heating elements, responsive to changes in the temperature of liquid as it enters said pot.

9. Apparatus, as described, comprising a well with said conduit at the closed end thereof; and a pump in said well operative to iiit liquid 2,848,889 therefrom and discharge same through said sup-' quench pct; means located transversely of said pot and operative to supply horizontally a relatively thin stream of quench liquid to said pot near the bottom in one end thereof; discharge means in the opposite end of said poti an inclination in the floor of said pot rising toward said discharge means; a passage communicating with said discharge means and said supply means; means operative to circulate liquid continuously through said passage and through said pot in a closed path; and means associated with said passage operative to modify the temperature of liquid passing therethrough.

10. Apparatus, as described, comprising a quench pot; an elongated closed chamber located transversely of-said pot in one end thereof: a slot in a wall of said chamber extended substantially the length thereof and opening toward the opposite end of said pot; discharge means at said opposite end; a closed passage com-' municating with said chamber and with said discharge means; means operative to circulate a liquid continuously through said passage and said pot in a closed path; and means associated with said passage operative to control the temperature at which liquid is delivered to said chamber.

11. Apparatus, as described, comprising an elongated pot formed of metal plates; a dis-. charge'opening insaid pot at one end thereof; a compartment below the discharge end of said pot into which said opening discharges; an inclination in the bottom" plate of said pot rising toward the said dischargeopening and located in the section adjacent the discharge opening; a chamber at the opposite end of said pot, which chamber has a restricted opening into said pot near the bottom thereof; a conduit located beneath said pot, the bottom plate of which constitutes the upper plate of said conduit. which conduit is closed at the end adJac'ent the discharge end of said pot and at the opposite end communicates with said chamber; a well adjacent the discharge end of said pot; a discharge passage connecting said discharge compartment with said well; a supply passage connecting said ply passage to said conduit.

12. In a quench pot as described, through which a heated wire and the like is drawn and quenched in continuous operation, the improvement comprising a closed passage connecting openings in opposite ends oi. the quench pot; means opera-. tiveto flow-through said passage liquid withdrawn from one end of the quench pot and return same tothe quench pot at the opposite end thereof; electrically driven means operative to flow a coolant over the walls of saidpassage; electrical heating elementsinserted insaid passage; electrical heating elements inserted in said passage; and means operative to selectively sup- 7 ply electricity to said electrically driven means and to said heating elements responsive to temperature changes in the liquid in the quench pot.

13. In a quench p t as describedthrough which a liquid flows and quenches heated wire and the like drawn therethrough contrawise to the flow of the liquid, the improvementcomprising an ininclined section in the iioor-oi'the pot, which section rises toward the point at which the wire enters the liquid and attains maximum elevation tering said quench pot, the transverse cross-sec- 'tional area of said pot being reduced in the section wherein such material enters, whereby quench liquid is caused to move toward and past such entering material at a speed faster than the speed of initial movement oi the liquid toas ward the entering material.

oscan c. mums. wrLLrArs H. WOOD.