US2569634A - Apparatus for automatic localized annealing - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 2, 1951 H. A. HOLBERSON 2,569,634

' APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICYLOCALIZED ANNEALING .4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 13, 1948-.

. INVENTOR. HENRY A. HOLBERSON ATTORNEY Oct- 2, 1.951 H. A. HoLBErSoN 2,569,634

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC-LOCALIZED ANNEALING FiledvNov. 13, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 4 v

INVENTOR. HENRY A. HOLBERSON ATTORNEY Oct. 2, 1951 H. A. HOLBERSON APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC LOCALIZED ANNEALING Filed Nov; 15, 1948 4 She'ets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR. HENRY A. HOLBERSON ATTORNEY Oct. 2,1951 H. A. HOLBERSON 2,569,634 I APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC LOCALIZED ANNEALING v I Filed Nov. 15, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I07 H I05 WW 108 IN V EN TOR.

HENRY A.HOLBERSON BY A ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 2, 1951 APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC LOCALIZED ANNEALIN Henry A. Holberson, Youngstown, Ohio Application November 13, 1948, Serial No. 59,865

5 Claims.

Many articles which are die formed or pressed from flat sheets require annealing in certain areas to avoid strain cracks or to relieve work hardening prior to further processing. Typical of such articles are stove tops and sinks of the class which comprise a generally flat surface in part bounded by a depending skirt or flange with a curved or rounded edge intermediate the two which are usually annealed for the purpose aforesaid in their rounded corners proximate their front edges. This work customarily has been performed manually by directing a lighted annealing torch against the inner surface of one corner and holding it there for a time presumably sufi'icient to effect the requisite annealand then repeating the operation for the other corner, but this procedure is a time consuming one and open to several objections among which may be mentioned the tendency of the operative to over anneal or under anneal the work or to apply the torch improperly or to an area other than that which should be annealed.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide apparatus adapted to automatically effect the annealing of articles of this general character in a minimum amount of time and in an efficient manner so that by its use not only may the proper areas be treated but the right amount of heat applied thereto for the requisite time.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character which is adapted to anneal a plurality of areas of the work piece simultaneously thus materially reducing the time heretofore required for annealing them separately and correspondingly reducing production costs.

A still further object is the provision of a novel method of simultaneously annealing a plurality of areas of work pieces of the general character of which mention has been made, while still another object is the provision of a novel annealing nozzle or tip for an annealing torch adapted to direct the burning gases toward the particular zone or area to be annealed and so concentrating the heat therein with resultant savings in the amount of gas consumed for a given job.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of design, construction and assembly comprehended by the invention are hereinafter more particularly pointed out or will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of one form of apparatus constructed in accordance with it and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic front elevation of the said apparatus;

Fig. 2 on a larger scale is a more detailed front elevation of a portion thereof, and

therefrom.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the same scale as Fig. 2 on the plane of line 3-3 inFig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation on a still larger scale of the annealing torch carrying mechanism and associated parts included in the apparatus;

Fig. 5 is an end' elevation on the same scale of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4 looking from the left in said figure;

Fig. -6 is a top plan view of one of the torch holding brackets;

Fig. 7 on a scale still larger than Figs. 4 and 5 is a fragmentary detail of the work feeding mechanism and associated parts;

Fig. 8 is a View looking from the left of Fig. '7, and

Fig. 9 is one looking-from the right of said figure. V

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of one of the annealing torch heads or nozzles;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view thereof, and

Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram of certain electrical connections and controls'which may be used in the apparatus.

Essentially the apparatus comprises transversely spaced, longitudinally extending ways or rails along which the work pieces W consecutively travel from the point at which they are received on the ways to an annealing station where they are held while being annealed and from which they pass to a discharge portion of the ways from which'they are ultimately removed for further processing. The ways may be either continuous or, as shown in Fig. l, the receiving portion A and discharge portion B may be formed separately from the intermediate portion C where the annealing is performed and suitably secured thereto. The annealing torches are disposed in front of this part of the ways and in the embodiment of the invention now being described are arranged in spaced relation and in such manner they can be reciprocated in a generally vertical direction to enter their tips into the interior of the work pieces when resting on the ways in proper alignment with the torches and so bring them into proximity to the areas which are to be .anhealed and to enable this to be done with work pieces of different sizes the supporting means for the torches are made adjustable in different directions, all as will hereafter more fully appear. The ways are supported on leg frames of appropriate construction and the torches and their supporting means are likewise suitably supported In th operation of the illustrated apparatus, the work pieces are consecutively disposed on the receiving portion of the ways, are then moved therealong to the annealing station and properly positioned thereat by appropriate mechanism, the torches are then moved simultaneously to annealing position, maintained there for a sufficient interval to effect the required anneal and are then retracted so as to clear the work piece, after which the latter is moved from the annealing station and onto the discharge portion of the ways by the succeeding work piece as it in turn is drawn to annealing position, the leading piece being then of course in condition for removal from the apparatus in properly annealed condition.

With this general description of the construction and operation of the apparatus in mind, reference may now be had more specifically to the drawings and the following description of the instrumentalities illustrated therein which are comprised in the apparatus and coordinate in its operation. Thus, suitable rigid frames generally designated I each comprising'a pair of legs 2 support the longitudinally extending transversely spaced way forming rails 3, 3, desirably of inverted" angle iron, on which the flanges of the work pieces W, for example stove tops as shown in broken lines, slide as the pieces are consecutively moved from the receiving portion A of the ways to the discharge portion; the ways may extend integrally from one end of the apparatus to the other or, as above mentioned, may be sectionalized and suitably secured together. It will be noted that when the apparatus is viewed from the front, rail 3 nearer the observer is located above rear rail 3' so when the flanges of the work piece are resting on both, the piece is inclined rearwardly desirably at an angle of about 20, and for affording support to its back another rail 4 is extended along the back of the machine above rail 3' and suitably supported from the main frames, the arrangement being such that when the work piece is resting on the ways its front flange will considerably overhang front rail 3 as best illustrated in Fig. 3.

The means provided for moving the work ieces consecutively from the receiving portion of the ways to the annealing station comprise a cylinder It positioned beneath the discharge portion of the ways and containing a piston from which the piston rod ll extends toward the receiving end of the apparatus and at its extremity is connected with a shuttle generally designated l2, the piston being actuated by any suitable fluid, preferably air. This shuttle comprises two complementary spaced plates 13 of approximately the shape, shown in Fig. '7 secured together by bolts l4, l5, [,6 and countersunk screw ll; between the plates the bolts are. provided with spacer sleeves which may be arranged for rotation if desired. On the outer face of one of theplates, preferably that proximate. the front of the apparatus, a latch I8 is pivoted on. bolt l and provided with an arcuate slot 19 receiving bolt Hl so that when the latch is turned. counterclockwise to the limit of the, movement permitted by the slot its upper corner 18' will extend beyond the body of the shuttle; the latch also carries a depending lug 2,0 which receives one end of a spring 2| the other end of which is secured to the head of bolt [B so that the latch is constantly biased upwardly by the spring. Piston. rod U is connected to. the corner of the shuttle proximate bolt [6, and. to form a track for supporting and guiding the shuttle, a. bar 22 of rectangular cross section passing through, it between its plates is disposed beneath and parallel to the ways, suitably supported from the latter, and arranged to extend from about the middle of receiving portion A to approximately the discharge portion B. It will thus be apparent that reciprocation of the piston in the cylinder will correspondingly reciprocate the shuttle for substantially the full length of the bar, the length of cylinder I0 and piston rod ll; being adequate. for this purpose.

As the shuttle normally moves the heavy work pieces quite rapidly along the ways, for example at about 180 per minute or even faster, it is evident that if not restrained their momentum might carry them past the annealing station after movement of the shuttle toward the said station is arrested. Means are therefore provided for arresting the movement of each work piece in proper position for annealing as it is drawn thereto by the operation of the shuttle, and to this end the latter is equipped with a stop lifting bar 25 which extends from the shuttle toward the discharge end of the ways and has its free extremity downwardly beveled in that direction. This bar or rather its beveled extremity is adapted to engage in the opening of a U-shaped stop 26 disposed between rails 3, 3' in line with the shuttle at a point a little to the right of the latters limit of movement in that direction when the machine is viewed from the front as in Figs. 1 and 2, the legs of the stop slidably engaging in guides 2'! fixed to the frame, and the stop being so arranged that when in lowermost position it will not impede movement of the work pieces along the ways but when it is raised therefrom by bar 25 during the latter part of the movement of the shuttle to the right it will project upwardly far enough to engage the inner face of the trailing flange of a work piece positioned above it and so prevent the latterfrom moving beyond a predetermined distance to the right, that is, toward discharge portion B of the ways. Further explanation of the operation and effect of this stop hereinafter appears.

The apparatus is also desirably provided with a spring pressed shoe 30 faced with leather or other appropriate non-abrasive material and disposed at a suitable distance above the ways so as to yieldingly engage the flat surfaces of the work pieces and hold the latter snugly against the ways, the shoe preferably being curved upwardly at its extremities. From the upper face of the shoe bolts 3|, surrounded by coil springs 32, slidably extend through a longitudinal member 33 rigidly supported at its extremity on struts in turn fixed to uprights 35 extending vertically upward from the subjacent frames, the angularity of the struts desirably approximating that of the tops of the work pieces when disposed on the ways and the bolts being provided with heads on their upper extremities above member 33, the arrangement being such that as a work piece passes underneath the shoe the latter ispressed upwardly against the bias of the springs and exerts a corresponding yielding downward pressure on the piece. A secondary function of the shoe is to prevent two superimposed work pieces frombeing drawn by the shuttle to annealing position in case two or more of them have been piled on the receiving portion of, the Ways since under such conditions only the lowermost piece can pass under the shoe and the superjacent one is thus relegated to the receiving portion of the ways as the former is pulled from under it.

The apparatus as shown is equipped with two longitudinally spaced torches 40. adjustably mounted at the. extremities. of a bar 41. as hereinaftefmo're fully described, and this bar is disposed in front of and parallel to the ways and supported through the medium of a pair of longitudinally spaced legs 42 which pass slidably through U-shaped guides 43 secured to the face of a support plate 45 disposed in front of the machine and upwardly and rearwardly inclined so as to form a substantial right angle with a plane coincident with the tops of rails 3, 3; in other words the plate lies substantially parallel to the front flange of the work piece when disposed on the ways. This plate is rigidly supported from frames ly and also serves to support an actuating cylinder whose piston is connected with torch bar 4|. Thus when the piston in the cylinder is reciprocated by the alternate admission of air or other fluid to its ends the bar 4! and torches 40 are correspondingly moved with respect to the ways and consequently .to a work piece supported on them above the bar.

Torches 40 are so supported as to be adjustable to a limited extent in all directions to accommodate work pieces of different dimensions and to enable their respective flames to be directed to the appropriate areas thereof. To this end torch bar 4| is provided adjacent its ends with longitudinal slots 5| which respectively receive inwardly projecting ribs 52 formed up in one leg of each corresponding torch holding bracket 55 (Fig. 6), the latter also having a slot 56 receiving a bolt 51 whereby limited adjustment of the brackets outwardly and inwardly is afforded to allow torches 40 to be adjusted to the length of the work. The torches are secured to brackets 55 through the medium of split holders 58 surrounding the torches and held to the brackets by bolts 59 extending through slots 60 in their forwardly projecting legs 6i, each holder also having a rib 62 seating in a guideway 63 in the bracket leg to maintain the holder in upright position wherebv the torches can be positioned properly with respect to the work transversely of its bath, the combined adjustments just described enabling each torch to be located at substantially any desired position relatively to the annealing station. It will be noted that that leg of the right hand bracket which lies parallel to bar 4! is shorter than the corresponding leg of the other bracket since whatever be the length of the work pieces their leading ends are always positioned by the stop and a relatively large capacity for longitudinal adjustment is therefore unnecessary in the case of the adjacent bracket and torch.

Moreover, each torch comprises a head or nozzle of novel construction and of particular advantage when employed, as in the present case, for annealing the interior corners of a workpiece since it is adapted to direct the burning gases thereinto in the most effective way and to inhibit their dissipation in directions in which they would accomplish no useful purpose.

These nozzle heads, more particularly shown in Figs. 10 and 11, are similar and each nozzle comprises a generally cylindrical body 65 preferably formed by machining from a bar of suitable material such as copper and provided with an axial socket 66 adapted to receive the end of the desirably arranged in staggered spaced horizontal rows subtending substantially an arc of struck from the nozzle axis and terminating in a circumferential groove H preferably of substantially rectangular cross section the walls of which tend to confine the gases as they emerge from the openings. The upper corner of nose 69 is preferably beveled as shown to allow the flame issuing from jet passages 10 to be brought into close proximity of the work without the nose itself contacting the latter and the nozzle, which delivers a quadrant or fan-shaped flame due to the arrangement of passages 10 is effective to uniformly heat and thereby anneal the inner corners of flanged stove tops or the like when it is incorporated in apparatus such as that just described. The nozzle, preferably secured to torch tube 6'! by a set screw 12 or other suitable means is also further shielded to more fully concentrate the heat at the appropriate zone of the work by a disk (3 which may be mounted on the tube immediately below the nozzle and secured thereto in any convenient way, the diameter of the disk being sufliciently larger than that of the nozzle to substantially overlie and thus in effect partially enclose the corner zone of the work when the nozzle is projected thereinto.

Operation Reference will now be made to the operation of the apparatus when constructed and assembled substantially as hereinbefore described and when employed, for example, for annealing the interior corners of stove tops of the character hitherto mentioned, it being understood, however, that cylinders ill and 59 are equipped with appropriate valves, preferably solenoid operated, to control the admission and discharge of air or other fluid from their respective ends and that the apparatus is also equipped with suitable switches and other electrical actuating and control devices of usual and well known type coordinated and arranged to cause it to perform either a single or consecutive cycles of operation. Thus, for example, and as schematically indicated in Fig. 12, there may be provided a limit switch 36 adapted to be closed by the shuttle as it completes its movement to the right in Figs. 1 and 2, another limit switch It! closed by one of legs 42 when in its lowest position, a time delay relay or like device IEIZ, and a preferably foot actuated starting switch I03 with circuits suitably interconnecting them.

Now assuming the shuttle is at the left hand end of its path (Figs. 1, 2), when starting switch I03 is closed by the operator a solenoid N34 is energized to actuate a four-way valve I05 in such manner that air is admitted to the left hand end of cylinder l0 so as to move the shuttle toward the right and as the latch is then positioned to engage the adjacent and leading end flange of a work piece on the receiving portion of the ways the piece will be drawn to the right and onto the annealing portion 0 thereof. Toward the end of this movement the beveled end of bar 25 passes into the opening in stop 26 and as the movement of the shuttle. continues the bar lifts the stop to a position in which it can intercept the leading flange of the work piece and so arrest further movement of the latter to the right and substantially properly position it with relation to the torches. Approximately as this occurs the shuttle engages limit switch I00 to energize the solenoid ID! of another generally similar four-way valve I08 which admits air to the lower end of cylinder 50 to thereby raise bar 41 and the previously lighted torches relatively to the now stationa y work piece; during this movement the torch nozzles pass into the interior of the latter proximate its front end corners and are brought to rest at the limit of their upward movement adjacent thereto, the respective torch adjusting means of course having been set to produce this result. The torches therefore new direct the burnin gases issuing from them to the interior corners of the work piece, disks 1'3 assisting in confining the heat and preventing overheating of the supporting parts of the torches. As solenoid H)? is in series with time delay relay I92 the latter is energized when switch I08 closes and maintains the circuit through solenoid I01 fora limited time after switch 1'80 again opens on the ensuing left hand movement of the shuttle so as to keep the burners in annealing position for a suitable time, for example four seconds.

.As soon as the piece which is about to be annealed has been properly positioned at the annealing station the shuttle has performed its function insofar as that piece is concerned, and as bar 4| rises leg 62 leaves switch [ill and so allows it to open and valve I 05 then operates to admit air to the right hand end of cylinder ii? to again carry the shuttle to its limit left hand position and thus beneath the succeeding work piece disposed on the receiving portion of the ways, latch 18 of the shuttle during this movement sliding under the leading end flange oi the piece and then returning to normal position so as to be ready to engage said flange when the shuttle is once more moved toward the right. After completion of the annealing, relay it! opens the circuit through solenoid ID! to actuate valve 1-08 to return bar 4| and the torches to initial position, thus completing the cycle and as switch I0] is now closed the apparatus is conditioned for the succeeding cycle if the operator has removed his rcot from the foot switch but if he has not, the cycles will be repeated consecutively and automatically as long as that switch is held closed.

During the succeeding cycle the second work piece is drawn to the right until its leading end flange contacts the trailing end flange oi the work piece which has just been annealed, and as the stop upon withdrawal of actuating bar during movement of the shuttle to the left has dropped to non-stopping position, the annealed work piece is pushed onto the discharge portion of the table by the succeeding piece as it is drawn to annealing position until the stop is again raised to engage the trailing end fiange of the leading piece and so arrest further movement of both pieces and position the trailing one in proper relation to the burners. It will be observed that the first piece while being annealed is positioned farther to the right by the thickness or its flange than the succeeding pieces since the leading face of its end flange contacts the stop whereas in the case of subsequent pieces the inner face of the trailing fiange of the annealed piece does so but this is of no moment in actual practice.

It will thus be evident that in accordance with the method of my invention the workpieces are consecutively moved to an annealing station, are there simultaneously and accurately annealed at a plurality of points and are then discharged from the station through the action of the succeeding piece as it is brought thereto and, further, that while in the particular embodiment of the apparatus herein described the arrangement is such that the torches are raised into the interior of each piece, the apparatus can readily be arranged i'nsuch manner that the torches are maintained in a stationary position and the work pieces lowered over them since relative movement between the torches and the piece is all that is essential to dispose the burners at an appropriate point in its interior for annealing its corners.

Further, while I have herein described one embodiment'of the apparatus which is well adapted for the performance of said method I do not thereby desire or intendto restrict or confine myself specifically thereto as numerous changes in its form, details of construction and assembly may be made if desired and-anyappropriate type and arrangement of electrical instrumentalities employed for its actuation, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. Annealing apparatus of the class described comprising longitudinally extending ways for successively receiving the articles to be annealed, means reciprocal parallel to the ways adapted to engage and draw the leading article therealong from its point of reception, a stop actuated by said means operative to limit the movement of the article at a predeterminedpointon the ways, a pair of annealing torches 'disposed in spaced relation adjacent the ways and simultaneously reciprocable with respect thereto, and means operative to move the torches toward the article after it is positioned by the stop to thereby dispose their nozzles in proximity to limited areas of its surface and to then retract the torches to clear their nozzles from the path of the article preparatory to its further movement along the ways under the influence of the succeeding article as it is drawn by the reciprocal :means into alignment with the torches.

2. Annealing apparatus of the class described comprising longitudinally extending waysproviding a receiving station, an annealing station and a discharge station,:a pair of longitudinally spaced torches disposed proximate the annealing station and normally out of alignment with the path of the articles to be annealed as they are successively moved along the ways, means operable to project the torches simultaneously toward said path to bring their nozzles into proximity to those areas of an article which are to be annealed while it is at the annealing station, means operable to successively draw the articles from the receiving to the annealing station, and a stop operable to arrest the movement of each article at said station prior to movement of the torches toward the article and adapted to automatically clear the path of the articles after each article is so arrested.

3. Annealing apparatus of the class described comprising longitudinally extending Ways providing a receiving station, an annealing station and a discharge station, a plurality of torches arranged proximate the annealing station in spaced relation and normally out of the path of the articles as they are consecutively moved along the ways, means operable to project said torches toward said path and thus in proximity to an article' to be annealed when positioned at the annealing station and to thereafter retract said torches out of said path, a shuttle recipro'cable parallel to the ways,- fluid actuated means for reciprocating the shuttle, a latch on the shuttle adapted to consecutively engage the articles after they are disposed at the receiving station and draw them to the annealing station as the shuttle is moved in the direction thereof, and a stop operative as the shuttle approaches the limit of its movement in said direction to arrest further movement of the article under the influence of the shuttle and latch and position it at the annealing station, said stop moving out of article arresting position on the ensuing opposite stroke of the shuttle to enable the annealed article to be moved toward the discharge station by the succeeding article as it is drawn toward the annealing station by the shuttle and latch.

4. Annealing apparatus of the class described comprising substantially horizontal ways adapted to support the articles to be annealed, automatic means operable to consecutively move the articles along the ways to an annealing station, a member projectible into the path of the articles to successively stop each in a predetermined position at said station, a torch normally supported adjacent said station out of the path of the article, and means for effecting automatic movement of the torch into annealing position adjacent the article when at said station, said means operable to move the articles along the ways including means for projecting said member into said path.

5. Annealing apparatus of the class described comprising ways adapted to support for successive movement along a rectilinear path a plurality of independent articles each having a main body portion and flanges extending normal thereto and to each other, means operable to consecutively move the articles along the ways to an an- 10 nealing station with their body portions parallel to the ways, a torch adjacent said station normally positioned out of the path of the articles and including a head adapted to project a heating flame in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the body portion of each article while at said station, means for automatically projecting the torch along a path substantially normal to said plane to thereby impinge said flame against the article within a corner defined by a junction of said flanges with each other and with the body portion upon the attainment by the article of a fixed position at said station, and means for thereafter consecutively retracting the torch and projecting the article farther along said ways while moving a succeeding article therealong toward said station.

HENRY A. HOLBERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 850,190 Stevens Apr. 16, 1905 1,338,071 Cohen Apr. 27, 1920 1,781,785 Kerr Nov. 18, 1930 1,961,751 Feyling June 5, 1934 2,102,040 Slade Dec. 14, 1937 2,235,771 McDermott Mar. 18, 1941 2,252,030 Pratt Aug. 12, 1941 2,254,700 Jones Sept. 2, 1941 2,331,014 Brown Oct. 5, 1943 2,366,088 Coody Dec. 26, 1944 2,457,654 Furkert Dec. 28, 1948

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