Cooling of flat rolled material without post-running of the header

An apparatus for cooling flat metal rolling stock with a liquid coolant, comprising:

• at least one cooling bar arranged above a conveying path, the flat rolling stock being conveyed on the conveying path in a transport direction, the at least one cooling bar extending substantially transversely to the transport direction, the at least one cooling bar being fed the liquid coolant via a supply line;
• and
• a plurality of outlet tubes of the at least one cooling bar, the outlet tubes each have an inlet opening and an outlet opening;
• wherein the liquid coolant enters the respective outlet tube from the cooling bar via the respective inlet opening and exits the respective outlet tube via the respective outlet opening;
• wherein the respective outlet tube has, as seen in a flow direction of the liquid coolant, an upwardly running start portion which originates from the inlet opening, a middle portion adjoining thereto and a downwardly running end portion adjoining thereto which extends as far as the outlet opening, such that the middle portion contains an apex at which the coolant flowing through the respective outlet tube reaches a highest point;
• and
• wherein the outlet openings are located above the cooling bar, and in that a first height distance of the inlet opening from the apex is at least two times as great as a second height distance of the outlet opening from the apex.