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US 5,330,593 AGranted
Process and apparatus for the inductive hardening of elongate workpieces
AssigneeAEG-Elotherm G.m.b.H.
InventorEdgar Stengel
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AssigneeAEG-Elotherm G.m.b.H.
InventorEdgar Stengel
Estimating the term…
The invention relates to a process and apparatus for the hardening of elongate workpieces by means of an inductor 19. The apparatus comprises a rotary ring 3 mounted to rotate around a horizontal axis in a hardening basin 1 and having a number of retaining devices 11 by means of which each of individual workpieces 16 is retained horizontally and rotatably around its longitudinal axis. To improve the hardening result and increase the degree of automation of the apparatus and process, associated with each retaining device 11 for connection to a central driving shaft 2 is an adjustable clutch-brake unit 7, and the retaining device 11 is drivable by the driving shaft 2 in a first position, is uncoupled from the driving shaft 2 and freely rotatable in a second position and is braked in relation to the rotary ring 3 in a third position. By these steps each of the workpieces 16 disposed on the rotary ring 3 can perform rotary movements independently of one another.
An apparatus for induction hardening of elongate workpieces, comprising a rotary ring having a plurality of retaining devices, each of said retaining devices retaining one of said workpieces horizontally and rotatably about a longitudinal axis, a drive unit for rotatably driving said retaining devices, a drive shaft coupled to said drive unit, and a three-position adjustable clutch-brake unit associated with each of said retaining devices, each adjustable clutch-brake unit being disposed between its associated retaining device and said drive shaft, each adjustable clutch-brake unit having a first position wherein the associated retaining device is driven by said drive shaft, a second position wherein the associated retaining device is uncoupled from said drive shaft and is freely rotatable, and a third position wherein the associated retaining device is braked against a fixed stop on said rotary ring.
A process for induction hardening of elongate workpieces, comprising retaining said elongate workpieces in a rotary ring horizontally in relation to a liquid level contained in a hardening basin, rotating an individual one of said workpieces in a movement which is separate from said other workpieces into an initial angular position, said initial angular position, and rotating said one of said workpieces to a position located below said liquid level thereby quenching said one of said workpieces, wherein said workpieces are kept in continuous rotary motion by means of said rotary ring throughout said process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.