Multi-surface flame hardening machine and process
AssigneeCMI International, Inc.
InventorRobert L. Macheske
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus (10) for heat treat hardening multiple wear surfaces (24,26,28) of a metal workpart (14). Flame burners (38) and associated trailing quenches (36) travel along a linear and vertical path (13) across the workpart (14) to flame harden the wear surfaces (24,26,28) thereon. The workpart (14) is mounted on support studs (60) extending from a turntable (52), and clamping arms (66) securely engage the workpart (14) with the support studs (60). The turntable (52) rotates the workpart (14) relative to the travel path (13) of the flame burners (38) to move flame hardened surfaces (24,26,28) out of the travel path (13) and move unhardened surfaces (24,26,28) into the travel path (13) for flame hardening by the flame burners (38).
Claims48
An apparatus (10) for heat treat hardening multiple wear surfaces of a metal workpart (14), said apparatus (10) comprising:
- heat treat hardening means (12) for heat treat hardening the multiple wear surfaces (24,26,28) of the workpart (14);
- moveable support means (16) for moving said heat treat hardening means (12) in successive iterative trips along a travel path (13) (14) to heat treat harden successive wear surfaces of the workpart (14) placed within said travel path (13);
- workpart support means (18) for supporting wear surfaces of the workpart (14) along said travel path (13) of said heat treat hardening means (12) and for selectively moving the workpart (14);
- and
- drive means (55) for intermittently rotating the workpart support means (18) in a partial revolution prior to each successive iterative trip of said heat treat hardening means (12) to remove a first heat-treated workpart surface from said travel path (13) while positioning a second untreated workpart surface along said travel path (13) for subsequent heat treat hardening thereof.
A method for heat treat hardening multiple wear surfaces of a metal workpart (14) with a heat treat hardening assembly (12) supported for movement along a travel path (13), said method comprising the steps of:
- supporting a first wear surface of the workpart (14) along the travel path (13) of the heat treat hardening assembly (12);
- heat treat hardening the first wear surface by moving the heat treat hardening assembly (12) with respect to the workpart (14) along the travel path (13) to heat treat harden the first wear surface;
- thereafter selectively moving the workpart (14) relative to the heat treat hardening assembly (12) to move the hardened first wear surface of the workpart (14) out of the travel path (13) while bringing a second wear surface of the workpart (14) into the travel path (13) for heat treat hardening thereof;
- and
- heat treat hardening the second surface by moving the heat treat hardening assembly (12) along the travel path (13).
A method for heat treat hardening multiple wear surfaces of a metal casting flask (14) having four symmetrical sides (20) with multiple wear surfaces (24,26,28), said method comprising the steps of:
- supporting the wear surfaces of at least a first one of the sides (20) along a generally linear travel path (13) of a heat treat hardening device (12);
- moving the heat treat hardening device (12) along the travel path (13) and thereby heat treat hardening the wear surfaces of the first side;
- thereafter rotating the casting flask (14) with respect to the device (12) to move the hardened wear surfaces of the first side out of the travel path (13) of the heat treat device (12) while positioning the wear surfaces of at least a second one of the sides into the travel path (13);
- and
- thereafter moving the heat treat hardening device (12) along the linear travel path (13) and thereby heat treat hardening the consecutive wear surfaces of the second side.
A method for heat treat hardening multiple wear surfaces of a metal workpart (14), said method comprising the steps of:
- moving a heating apparatus (34) along a substantially vertical travel path (13) to heat the wear surfaces of the workpart (14);
- supporting a surface of the workpart (14) along the travel path (13) for heating thereof by the heating apparatus (34);
- and
- moving a fluid quenching apparatus (36) along the vertical travel path (13) immediately following the heating apparatus (34) to quench the heated areas of the workpart (14) whereby the vertical movement of the fluid quenching apparatus (36) prevents excess quenching fluid from pooling on the workpart (14) and unevenly cooling the surface thereof thereby providing even heat treat hardening of the workpart (14).
An apparatus (10) for heat treat hardening wear surfaces of a metal workpart (14), said apparatus comprising:
- heating means (34) supported for movement along a substantially vertical travel path (13) for heat treating the wear surfaces of the workpart (14);
- workpart support means (18) for supporting a surface of the workpart (14) along said vertical travel path (13) for heat treatment thereof by said heating means (34);
- and
- quenching means (36) supported directly below said heating means (34) for quenching heated areas on the workpart (14) by immediately following said heating means (34) along said vertical travel path (13) whereby said vertical movement of said quenching means (36) prevents excess quenching fluid from pooling on the workpart (14) and unevenly cooling the surface thereof thereby providing even flame hardening of the workpart (14).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.