US 2025/0129988 A1 · METHOD OF HEAT-TREATING TUBING

Abstract

A method of heat-treating tubing is disclosed which obtains desired performance characteristics, and more particularly to a method of heat-treating tubing which minimizes undesirable tinting and oxidation of the interior surfaces of tubing during heat-treatment by controlling the atmosphere within the tubing. This is achieved by purging the interior of the tubing with an inert gas, or a like protective atmosphere, as the tubing is advanced into an associated heat-treatment furnace. Notably, the purging is effected via the trailing ends of the tubing as it introduced into the heat-treatment furnace. Additionally, the method contemplates that a vacuum can be applied to the interior of the tubes during treatment in order to draw the protective atmosphere within the furnace into the leading ends of the tubing.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method of heat-treating tubing, comprising the steps of:

providing a heat-treatment furnace having a controlled internal atmosphere;
providing one or more metallic tubes;
providing a purge sled having a gas chamber for receiving a trailing end of each said metallic tube, and sealing the trailing end of each said metallic tube in gastight relationship with said gas chamber of said purge sled;
and
pressurizing said gas chamber of said purge sled to purge the inside diameter of each said metallic tube with a protective atmosphere in order to minimize oxidation or degradation of the inside diameter of each said metallic tube, and advancing said purge sled to advance said metallic tubes into said heat-treatment furnace while maintaining the protective atmosphere in the tubes during heat-treatment.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of heat-treating tubing

Life of this patent

Method of heat-treating tubing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13