Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
  • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
  • C21D9/00—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor
  • C21D9/0006—Details, accessories not peculiar to any of the following furnaces
  • C21D9/0018—Details, accessories not peculiar to any of the following furnaces for charging, discharging or manipulation of charge
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
  • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
  • C21D9/00—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor
  • C21D9/0062—Heat-treating apparatus with a cooling or quenching zone

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the field of heat treatment and relates to a flexible modular device for heat treatments.
• the problem posed in the present invention is therefore to design a flexible heat treatment device, easily expandable, composed of modules of the oven type and of the quenching or washing tank type and presenting a compact constitution, said device having to allow, moreover, on the one hand, to carry out a maximum number of different heat treatments, without interruption, with a given number of modules, and, on the other hand, to maximize the times d '' use of ovens while minimizing times for changing the treatment cycle and transferring and placing loads.
• Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the device according to the invention
• Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the device shown in Figure 1
• Figure 3 is a half sectional view of a module. loaded oven type, shown in FIG. 2, during the treatment cycle
• FIG. 4 is a half section view of an oven type module and of a time or washing tank type module, shown at Figure 2, during the unloading phase of the oven type module.
• the flexible modular device for thermal treatments mainly consists, on the one hand, of a support structure 1 provided with at least a transport gantry 2, on the other hand, by at least one device 3, 4, 5 for loading and unloading the various modules 6, 7 and, finally, by one or more control modules 8, 9 controlling the operation of the different elements 2 to 7 constituting the modular device and each comprising, where appropriate, a programmable controller 10, each module 6 of the oven type being able to be conveyed, by means of a transport gantry 2, from a parking position during the treatment cycle of its load 11 to any of the modules 7 of the quenching or washing tanks type, without any interruption of said cycle of processing said load 11, and this, while the placement of the load 11 next in line ter by said oven-type module 6 is being prepared, one or more of said modules 6, 7 being able, moreover, to be simultaneously during loading or restitution of their load 11.
• the modules 7 of the quenching or washing tank type are arranged side by side and aligned in the support structure 1 , the modules 6 of the oven type being arranged in a similar manner parallel to said modules 7 of the quenching or washing tank type, but in a different horizontal plane.
• the modules 6 of the oven type present a vertical structure and are provided with an opening 12 on their underside, the modules 7 of the quenching or washing tank type having a corresponding opening 13 on their upper face.
• the modules 6 of oven-type modules have, notam ⁇ ment, on the one hand, an inner lining 14 of ceramic fibers, lined with 'an envelope 15 having high mechanical characteristics, on the other hand, a vacuum pump 16 for the change of controlled atmospheres, and, finally, a cooling turbine 17 supplying exchangers 18 opening out inside said oven-type modules 6.
• the oven-type modules 6, by serving o different temperature ranges due to variable heating powers, depending, in particular, on the characteristics of their radiant heating elements 19, may be intended, in a privileged manner, each for specific heat treatments. 5 Nevertheless, by the installation of vacuum pumps 16 and cooling turbine 17, fixed on the support structure 1 and connected to said modules 6, allowing rapid and controlled changes of temperatures and internal atmospheres, each module 6 of the oven type 0 can carry out several different heat treatments, such as, for example, case hardening, re ⁇ fired, nitriding, tempering, ceramic firing, ion nitriding and case hardening, etc. , thus making it possible to limit the number of modules 5 6 of the oven type necessary for carrying out the heat treatments likely to be implemented in a given production unit.
• each module 6 of the oven type can be easily programmed for a series of heat treatment steps, thanks to the control modules 9 provided with programmable controllers 10.
• the modules 7 of the quenching or washing tank type can be various natures, each corresponding to one or more specific treatments, such as, for example, oil, water or salt quenching tanks, burnishing tank, pressurized gas quenching tank, ultrasonic washing filled with water or a chlorine solution, etc ...
• each module '6 of the oven type comprises, on the one hand, a bottom plate 20 pierced provided with several, preferably three, frustoconical feet 21 allowing the lift and the maintenance of said modu ⁇ 6 in the treatment phase in its parking position and in the unloading phase on the module 7 of the corresponding quenching or washing tank type, thanks to support points 22 of complementary shape, and, on the other hand, an upper plate 23 provided with at least one, preferably three, anchoring points 24 for the transport gantry 2.
• each module 6 of the oven type is provided with at least two connectors 25, 25 ′, namely, at least a lower connector 25, cooperating with a corresponding complementary connector 26 connected to the support structure 1 when said module 6 is in the parking position, and. at least one upper connector 25 ′ which can cooperate with a corresponding complementary connector 26 ′ mounted on the transport gantry 2, as soon as said module 6 is taken into account by said transport gantry 2.
• the connectors 25, 25 ', 26 and 26' therefore make it possible, by simple interlocking, to establish connections of very diverse nature such as, for example, electrical connection, connection of gas supply pipes. processing, signal or data transmission link, a contact detector able to indicate to the control modules 8 and 9 the state of said connections.
• connection 25 '- 26' makes it possible to compensate for the rupture of the connection 25 - 26, the control module 8 of said transport gantry 2 being able, if necessary, to control the end of the load treatment cycle 11, after transmission corresponding data by the control module 9 of said module 6 and this until the moment of the transfer of the load 11 into a module 7 of the quenching or washing tank type.
• the device 3, 4, 5 for loading and unloading consists, on the one hand, of movable obturation elements 4 making the establishment and maintenance of the load 11 in the modules 6 of the oven type, on the other hand, by mobile support elements 5 arranged in the modules 7 of the quenching or washing tank type making it possible to carry out the transfer loads 11 from modules 6 of the oven type to modules 7 of the quenching or washing tank type as well as the draining of said loads 11 after soaking or washing, and, finally, by at least one manipulator carriage 3 carrying out the loading of the movable closure elements 4 and the unloading of the movable support elements 5.
• the movable closure elements 4 are present, advantageously, in the form of plates 27 actuated by jacks 28 and extended by frustoconical keys 29, said elements 4 further comprising each one a seal 30 making it possible to insulate the interior of the module in leaktight manner 6 of the oven type, as well as, where appropriate, a turbine 31 for mixing the internal controlled atmosphere, the latter being also able to be disposed directly in the module 6.
• the manipulator carriage 3 advantageously comprises a table 32 for handling the load 11, which can be rotated about a vertical axis Z and can be moved in translation along the same axis Z as well as in a direction Y perpendicular to the direction X of movement of said manipulator carriage 3 ( Figures 1 and 2).
• the latter can thus deposit loads 11, stored in a storage place outside the support structure 1 or directly coming from a production unit, on the movable obturation elements 4, each linked, in a parking position of a module 6 of the oven type, or remove a load 11 from a movable support element 5 in the high position, after completion of the soaking and draining phases.
• the movable closure elements 4 as well as the movable support elements 5 are provided, on their upper face, with support pads 33 of the loads 11, allowing, respectively, to deposit or to lift the loads 11 by means of said handling table 32.
• the modules 6 of the oven type In order to carry out the maintenance of the charges 11 in the modules 6 of the oven type, during the transport of the latter to the modules 7 of the quenching or washing tank type, the modules 6 of the oven type have pivoting hooks 34 disposed near the lower reu 12 of said module 6 and making it possible to maintain a load 11 inside said module 6 (FIGS. 3 and 4).
• the number of said hooks 34 and their arrangement inside one of said oven-type modules 6 depend on the shape and size of the loads 11.
• the replacement of said hooks 34 is greatly facilitated by their installation on a support plate 35 fixed to removably on the bottom plate des ⁇
• the loads 11 are, therefore, successively supported during their treatment, on the one hand, by the movable obturation elements 4 during their heat treatment phase inside the modules 6 of type - j _ oven, on the other part, by the hooks 34 during the transport phase of said modules 6 to the modules 7, and, finally, by the movable support elements 5 during their soaking or washing phases in the modules 7 and draining, when said elements mo ⁇ support
• the movable obturation elements 4 are provided with lugs 36 making it possible to make
• the operation of the device according to the invention will now be presented in a more complete manner by the description of the route carried out by a load 11 inside said device during a treatment cycle.
• the load 11 waiting at a storage location, is conveyed by the manipulator carriage 3 to the parking position of the module 6 of the oven type chosen as a function of the treatment to be carried out and deposited on 1 ' movable shutter element, in the lowered position, corresponding.
• the latter then rises, introducing the charge 11 inside the module 6 of the chosen oven type and closing the lower orifice 12 in a sealed manner.
• the load 11 then undergoes the various
• the transport gantry 2 is called
• the module 20 pulls depositing the load 11 on the ends in angle of the hooks 34.
• the module 6 is then transported to the module 7 of the selected quenching or washing tank type and deposited on the upper part of the latter.
• the mobile support element 5 of said module 7 is
• said charge 11 remains under a controlled atmosphere, owing to the continuous supply of said module 6 with fluids and the maintenance of a slight internal overpressure, thus avoiding any risk of oxidation.
• modules 6 or 7 can be carried out without major structural modification by the very fact of the constitution of said device according to the invention. Furthermore, from a certain number of modules 6, 7, it could also be envisaged to use several transport gantries 2 and / or several manipulator trolleys 3 in order to maximize the occupation times of said modules 6 , 7. In addition, an extractor hood 38 can be placed on the support structure 1.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Metallurgy (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Tunnel Furnaces (AREA)
• Heat Treatment Of Articles (AREA)
• Cleaning In General (AREA)
• Polymers With Sulfur, Phosphorus Or Metals In The Main Chain (AREA)
• Apparatus For Making Beverages (AREA)
• Control Of Resistance Heating (AREA)
• Processing And Handling Of Plastics And Other Materials For Molding In General (AREA)
• Heating, Cooling, Or Curing Plastics Or The Like In General (AREA)
• Yarns And Mechanical Finishing Of Yarns Or Ropes (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=9400507

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

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Citations (5)

• 1990
  • 1990-09-18 FR FR9011644A patent/FR2666818B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1991
  • 1991-09-17 WO PCT/FR1991/000733 patent/WO1992005289A1/fr unknown
  • 1991-09-17 EP EP91440075A patent/EP0477117B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1991-09-17 PL PL91298508A patent/PL169846B1/pl unknown
  • 1991-09-17 AT AT91440075T patent/ATE120805T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1991-09-17 ES ES91440075T patent/ES2073144T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1991-09-17 DE DE69108654T patent/DE69108654T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (5)

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