US 7,255,829 B1 · Method and apparatus for treatment of metallic workpieces

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for the thermal treatment of metallic workpieces with which gas quenching can be obtained that is low in distortion, even for workpieces with an undulating shape or workpieces that are projectingly stackable are provided. In accordance with the method, after being heated the workpieces are cooled in a quenching chamber with a quenching gas, whereby the quenching gas is intentionally caused to flow around the workpieces by means of guide channels that have a closed lateral surface and that enclose the workpieces along the direction of flow of the quenching gas. The apparatus comprises a quenching chamber in which the workpieces can be cooled with a quenching gas, and wherein guide channels are provided to ensure that the quenching gas flows around the workpieces, the guide channels having a closed lateral surface and enclosing the workpieces along the direction of flow of the quenching gas.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An apparatus for the thermal treatment of metallic workpieces or a plurality of stacks formed of metallic workpieces arranged one above the other, said apparatus comprising:

a quenching chamber for receiving preheated workpieces and a quenching gas for cooling same;
guide channels each for guiding a directed flow of quenching gas about a respective one of said workpieces or said stacks of said workpieces, wherein each of said guide channels has a closed lateral surface and a length that corresponds at least to a height of the respective individual or stacked ones of said workpieces and each of said guide channels surrounds a respective one of said individual workpieces or said stacks of said workpieces along a direction of flow of said quenching gas such that the respective guide channel guides said quenching gas to flow longitudinally past the respective one of said workpieces or said stacks of said workpieces;
and
a quenching gas closed loop circulation assembly associated with said quenching chamber for circulating said quenching gas along a closed loop circulation path through said quenching chamber.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for treatment of metallic workpieces

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for treatment of metallic workpieces

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14