US2747855A - Heat treating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

May 29, 1956 H. N. IPSEN 2,747,855

HEAT TREATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 11, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m Q-qrcIcL pu-er C340,. t aw May 29, 1956 H. N. IPSEN 2,747,855

HEAT TREATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 11, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVESNTO -x T-ronmEl United States Patent 2,747,855 HEAT TREATING APPARATUS Harold N. Ipsen, Rockford, 133. Application September 11, 1951, Serial No. 246,088 9 Claims. (Cl. 2664) This invention relates to heat treating apparatus of the type in which a heating chamber is associated with an enclosure around an adjacent quenching tank having an elevator onto which the heated work or a tray containing the same may be transferred and lowered into the quenching liquid while being maintained in an inert or nonoxidizing atmosphere.

The general object is to provide, in heat treating apparatus of the above character, a novel mechanism which is manually operable from the exterior of the apparatus to enable the work to be transferred from the heating chamber to the quenching tank, which holds the work tray in proper position and against cocking during its transfer, and which does not interfere with the lowering and raising of the work into and out of the quenching bath.

A more detailed object is to provide such a transfer mechanism having two laterally spaced members extending through the quenching chamber and the outer wall of the latter and mounted for endwise sliding to elfect the transfer and also for turning into and out of engagement with a work tray disposed between the members.

The invention also resides in the novel manner of slidably supporting the transfer members and adapting the quenching elevator for actuation by an overhead operator.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of head treating apparatus embodying the novel features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the work transfer mech anism and the quenching elevator platform.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the transfer mechanism with the parts thereof in a different position.

In the apparatus shown in the drawings to illustrate the invention, the work to be treated is heated in the chamber 11 of a furnace having inlet and outlet openings -12 and 13 controlled by doors 14 and 15. Conventional heating elements 16 within or surrounding the chamber 11 bring the work, usually carried in a tray 17, to the desired temperature while the tray is resting on the floor 18 of the chamber. a

After the work has been heated the tray 17 is transferred out of the furnace through the exit opening 13 into a closed quenching chamber and onto an elevator 19 by which it is lowered into a quenching bath 20 in a tank 21 adjacent to and below the furnace opening 13. Inits elevated position (Fig. 1), the platform 22 is at the level of the furnace floor 18. in the quenching chamber 10 taken along the is a stationary shelf 23 disposed adjacent and beyond the outer end of the platform 22 to receive each tray 17 as it is slid off from the plat- At the same level and withice form preparatory to removal from the quenching chamber. The platform 22 and the shelf 23 may comprise laterally spaced bars 24 rigidly connected by rounded crossbars across which the tray will slide easily. In its vertical movements, the platform 22 is guided along bars 22 secured to the tank walls and received in notches 22 in the projecting ends of a crossbar 22 on the platform.

In order that the heating and the quenching may be performed under a controlled atmosphere, the quenching chamber 10 is defined by a box-like casing 25 covering the tank 21 and enclosing the furnace opening 13, the elevator 19, and the shelf 23. The end wall 26 of the casing 25 adjacent the shelf has an exit opening 27 therein alined with the furnace outlet 13 and normally closed by a door 28 which may he slid upwardly when it is desired to withdraw a tray of treated workpieces resting on the shelf 23.

The elevator platform 22 may be raised and lowered by" an overload actuator 29 herein comprising a piston 30= slidable within a vertical cylinder 31 mounted on the top= of the casing 25 with its rod 32 extending downwardly and connected to the platform 22 through a framework 33. Herein, the framework 33 comprises brackets 35 rigid with and upstanding from each side of the platform 22 and joined at the upper ends by a bar 36 cooperating with the brackets to define an opening 34 horizontally alined with the furnace outlet 13, and substantially wider than the work tray. A horizontal member 37 projecting rigidly from the member 36 overlies the central portion of the platform 22 and is connected to the lower end of the actuator rod 32. This member 37 is spaced inwardly from the side brackets to define openings 37 the purpose of which will appear later.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a novel mechanism extending horizontally through the quenching chamber 10 and the outer casing wall 26 and manually operable from a point externally of the quenching chamber to slide into and out of the heating chamber 11 through the opening 13 while being rotatable into and out of engagement with the work tray to be removed from the furnace. To this end, the transfer mechanism comprises two parallel elongated rods 38 disposed above and movable endwise along the heating chamber floor 18, the elevator platform 2 and the shelf 23 and spaced apart to receive the tray 17 between them. Each rod 38 is journaled in and slidable endwise through a bearing 38* mounted in the outer wall 26 of the casing 25. The outwardly projecting ends of the rods are journaled in opposite ends of a bar 53 which is held against axial shifting along the rods and serves to hold the outer end portions of the rods properly spaced apart when retracted through the wall 26 as shown in Fig. 4.

At a point adjacent the inner end of the platform 22, each rod 38 extends through a hole 45 in a bar 46 rigid with the casing-25 and slidably supporting the inner end portion of the rod. The rods 38 are thus properly guided and spaced apart so as to lie'along and adjacent opposite sides of the tray. Thus, they perform the additional function of holding the tray against lateral displacement or twisting as it is being slid along the furnace floor or along the top of the platform 22.

Rigid with and projecting laterally from the extreme inner end of each rod 38 is a short finger 39 with anoutwardly projecting lug 39 formed as an integral part thereof. By turning of the rod, the fingers may be swung in behind a transverse part of the tray, in this instance the end wall of the trayas shown in Fig. 3. After the rods are turned to swing the fingers upwardly and out wardly into vertical position as shown in Fig.4, they without engagement with the latter.

When the fingers.

are disposed horizontally, they will, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 abut against the guides 46 with the lugs, which are substantially longer than the width of the guides, extending to the edge of the platform 22.

To enable a work tray resting on the platform 22 after quenching to be transferred onto the shelf 23 simultaneously with the transfer of a heated tray out of the chamber 11, a second finger 40 with a shorter lug 40 is secured on the opposite side of the guide 46 to each rod in the same angular position as the fingers 39 and spaced along the rods from the latter a distance such that when the finger 39 is advanced into the furnace as shown in Fig. 1, and swung inwardly behind a tray on the fioor 18, the fingers 40 will be swung in behind the inner end of a tray resting on the elevator platform in a location determined by the fingers 39 in the previous transfer of the tray out of the furnace. Inward movement of the transfer rods is limited by engagement of the crossbar 53 with the casing wall 26, while outward movement is similarly limited by the fingers 39 coacting with the guide 46.

Means manually operable from a point outside the casing 25 is provided for enabling the rods 38 to be turned thereby swinging the fingers 39 and 40 into and out of engagement with the trays 17 in the chambers 10 and 11. While this means may take the form of separate handles, it is preferred to employ a single handle 47 connected to the rods 38 in a manner such as to swing the two in opposite directions between horizontal tray engaging positions (Fig. and vertical or inactive positions (Fig. 4). Herein, the handle 47 comprises the upstanding end of a lever 47 fulcrumed intermediate its ends on a horizontal pivot 48 rigid with and projecting outwardly from a bar 53 joining the ends of the rods 38 outwardly beyond the wall 26 and the bearings 38 The bar 53 constitutes a handle which may be grasped conveniently in pulling the rods 38 and the trays outwardly or pushing the rods inwardly.

At points spaced equal distances on opposite sides of the fulcrum 48, the lever 47 is pivotally connected through oppositely projecting links 49 and 50 to the free ends of crank arms 51 and 52 fast on the outer ends of the rods 38. The angular spacing of the arms is such that when the handle 47 is swung to the right to a position determined by a stop 54 on the bar 53 the fingers 39 and 40 are disposed horizontally and project inwardly toward each other as shown in Fig. 5. Now, when the lever is swung to the left (Fig. 4) to a position determined by a stop 55, the arms 51 and 52 swing outwardly to dispose the fingers 39 and 40 in vertical position.

In the operation of the apparatus described above, an inert or nonoxidizing gas is delivered continuously into the heating chamber 11 and allowed to escape through the outer end of the quenching chamber so that air is always excluded from both chambers even during the short periods of opening of the doors 14 and 27 to load or remove the work trays. While a new tray of work is being loaded into the furnace through the opening 12, the rear door is closed and the transfer bars are retracted into the quenching chamber as shown in Fig. 4 with their fingers 39 and disposed vertically.

Upon completion of the heating of the work, the door 15 is opened and the handle 53 is pushed inwardly sliding the rods 38 and the fingers 39 into the heating chamber 11 and past the tray 17 therein. The handle is then turned to the position shown in Fig. 5 thus rotating the rods 38 inwardly and swinging the fingers 39 in behind the tray 17 in the chamber 11. Next, the handle and the entire transfer mechanism are pulled outwardly to slide the tray along the furnace floor, through the furnace outlet 13 and opening 34 in the framework 33, and onto the platform 22, this motion being limited when the fingers 39 encounter the guides 46 as shown in Fig. 3. During this sliding movement, the rods 38 hold the tray in its transverse position and prevent it from cocking or becoming jammed in the furnace or on the platform 22.

The work in the tray supported on the platform 22 may now be quenched by lowering the platform into the bath 20. This is accomplished by deenergizing the actuator 29 whereupon the platform descends by gravity, the fingers 39 and the adjacent end positions of the bars 38 passing through the recesses 37 in the framework 33 without interference. Since the transfer rods 38 are disposed above the platform 22 and spaced somewhat from opposite sides of the tray, the latter passes freely through the opening between the rods. Similarly, since the horizontal position of the tray on the platform is not disturbed during the quenching operation, the tray again comes in between the transfer rods as the platform is again raised by energization of the actuator 29.

While the first tray of workpieces is in the quenching tank 21 and the transfer mechanism is in retracted position, a second tray may be loaded into the chamber 11. After the second tray has been heated, the door 15 is opened and the rods 38 are again pushed into the furnace 10 past the second tray 17. Meanwhile, the elevator 19 has returned the platform 22 to its raised position, and the first tray 17 is again positioned between the rods 38. Now, when the handle 47 is swung clockwise (Fig. 5), both sets of fingers 39 and 40 will engage the trays in the chambers 11 and 10 and these trays will, as the handle is pulled outwardly, be transferred onto the platform 22 and the shelf 23 respectively. While the second tray is being quenched, the door 28 may be opened and the relatively cooled tray resting on the shelf 23 may be withdrawn from the quenching chamber.

It will be apparent that the double transfer bar arrangement above described is easily operated from the exterior of the fully enclosed heating and quenching chambers which may, during the transfer of the work out of the heating chamber and into the quenching liquid, be maintained fully closed. At the same time, the transfer rods hold the position of the work tray during its transfer and thus locate it properly on the platform 22 for lowering and raising without interference with the transfer mechanism. Moreover, the transfer mechanism is extremely simple in its construction and in its mounting.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a heat treating apparatus, the combination of, a furnace having a heating chamber and a door-controlled opening to permit a work tray to be slid along the floor of said chamber and out of an opening in said furnace, a quenching tank adjacent and below said furnace opening, a platform mounted in said tank to move vertically into and out of an elevated position at the level of said floor, mechanism operable to move said platform vertically into and out of said position, a casing enclosing said tank and said platform and extending to said furnace opening and defining a chamber communicating with said heating chamber through said opening, two parallel rods mounted above said platform to slide endwise through said opening into and out of said heating chamber between a first position above said floor and a second position above said platform, said rods being laterally spaced apart to receive and hold a work tray between them, and a finger rigid with and projecting laterally from each of said rods and swingable in behind a transverse part of a tray when the rods are turned while in said first position, said fingers, while said rods are being withdrawn from said heating chamber, sliding a work tray along said floor out of said heating chamber and onto said platform.

2. In a heat treating apparatus, the combination of, a furnace having a heating chamber and a door-controlled opening to permit a work tray to he slid along the floor of said chamber and out of said furnace, an elevator adjacent said furnace opening and having an elevated position at the level of said floor, two parallel rods mounted above said elevator to slide endwise through said opening between a first position above said floor and. a

second position above said elevator and laterally spaced apart to receive and hold a work tray between them, a finger rigidly mounted on each of said rods and projecting laterally therefrom to swing in behind a transverse part of a tray to pull the latter from said floor to said elevator when said rods slide from said first position to said second position, a quench tank disposed beneath said elevator, said elevator being adapted to lower the tray away from said rods and into said tank and to return the tray to its former position between said rods, and means to turn said rods to thereby swing said fingers into and out of engagement with a work tray.

3. In a heat treating apparatus, the combination of, a furnace having a heating chamber and a door-controlled opening to permit a work tray to be slid along the floor of said chamber and out of said furnace, a platform adjacent said furnace opening and at the level of said floor, a quench tank disposed beneath said platform, mechanism for lowering said platform into said tank, two parallel rods mounted above said platform to slide endwise through said opening between a first position above said floor and a second position above said platform and laterally spaced apart to receive and hold a work tray between them, a finger rigidly mounted on each of said rods and projecting laterally therefrom to swing in behind a transverse part of a tray to pull the latter from said floor to said platform when said rods slide from said first position to said second position, and means to turn said rods thereby to swing said fingers into and out of engagement with a work tray.

4. In a heat treating apparatus, the combination of, a furnace having a heating chamber and a door-controlled outlet opening to permit a work tray to he slid along the floor of said chamber and out of said furnace, a quenching tank adjacent and below said furnace opening, an elevator having an elevated position above said tank at the level of said floor and a lower position in said tank, a casing enclosing said tank and said elevator and extending to said furnace opening, said casing having a wall remote from said furnace with a door controlled opening therein alined with said furnace opening, two parallel rods mounted above said elevator and journaled in said casing wall to slide endwise through said outlet opening between a first position above said floor and a second position above said elevator, said rods being laterally spaced apart to receive and hold a work tray between them, a finger rigidly mounted on each of said rods and projecting laterally therefrom to swing in behind a transverse part of a tray to pull the latter from said floor to said elevator when said rods slide from said first position to said second position, said elevator being adapted to lower a tray into said tank and return the tray to its former position between said rods, and means outside said casing to turn said rods to thereby swing said fingers into and out of engagement with a work tray.

5. In a heat treating furnace, the combination of, means defining a heating chamber and an adjacent quenching chamber communicating with the heating chamber through a door-controlled opening, a platform mounted in said quenching chamber for vertical movement into and out of a quenching bath from a position at the level of the floor of said heating chamber, mechanism operable to move said platform vertically into and out of said position, a stationary shelf mounted at said floor level within said quenching chamber on the side of said platform opposite the heating chamber, a pair of rods disposed above said platform and shelf and mounted for angular movement and also for endwise sliding into and out of said heating chamber through said opening, and two arms projecting laterally from each of said rods and spaced along the latter to move simultaneously in behind work trays in said heating chamber and on said platform during turning of the rods after entry thereof into the heating chamber, said trays being slid onto said platform and said shelf respectively during endwise retraction of the rods out of the heating chamber, and means by which said rods may be turned to carry said arms into and out of tray-engaging positions.

6. In a heat treating apparatus, the combination of, a furnace having a heating chamber and a door-controlled opening to permit a work tray to be slid along the floor of said chamber and out of said furnace, a quenching tank adjacent and below said furnace opening, a platform above said tank at the level of said floor, a framework rigid with and extending above said platform and defining an opening therein alined with said furnace open ing to permit a tray to be slid out of the heating chamber through the framework opening and onto said platform, a power actuator disposed above and connected to the top of said framework into said tank and to raise the platform therefrom, two parallel rods mounted above said elevator to slide endwise through said openings between a first position above said floor and a second position above said platform and laterally spaced apart to receive and hold a work tray between them, a finger rigidly mounted on each of said rods and projecting laterally therefrom to swing in behind a transverse part of a tray to pull the latter from said floor to said platform when said rods slide from said first position to said second position, said platform being adapted to lower the tray away from said rods and return the tray to its former position between said rods, and means to turn said rods thereby to swing said fingers into and out of engagement with a work tray.

7. In a heat treating apparatus, the combination of a furnace having a heating chamber and a door-controlled opening to permit a work tray to be slid along the floor of said chamber and out of said furnace, a platform adjacent said furnace opening to receive a work tray slid outwardly therethrough, a quench tank disposed beneath said platform, mechanism for lowering said platform into said tank, a casing enclosing said platform and defining a chamber communicating with said heating chamber through said furnace opening, said casing having a wall on the side of said platform opposite said opening, a pair of rods mounted above said platform and journaled in said casing wall for angular movement and also for endwise sliding into and out of said heating chamber through said opening, a pair of stationary guides, one for each of said rods, disposed between said platform and said opening and spaced apart to maintain said rods parallel to each other thereby to hold a tray positioned between said rods against lateral displacement, and a finger rigid with and projecting laterally from each of said rods and swingable in behind a tray when the rods are turned after projection thereof into said heating chamber, said fingers, while said rods are being withdrawn from the chamber, sliding a work tray along said floor out of said heating chamber and onto said platform.

8. In a heat treating apparatus, the combination of, a wall structure defining a heating chamber and an adjacent quenching chamber communicating with the heating chamber through an opening, a platform mounted in said quenching chamber to receive a work tray slid through said opening, two parallel rods mounted above said platform and projecting through and journaled in an outer wall of said structure for rotation and for endwise sliding into and out of said heating chamber through said opening, said rods being laterally spaced apart to receive and hold a work tray between them, a finger rigid with and projecting laterally from each of said rods to swing in behind a transverse part of a tray, means rigid with the outer end of one of said rods and defining a pivot, a lever fulcrumed on said pivot, and means to transmit turning motion of said lever to said rods to rotate the latter in opposite directions and swing said fingers into and out of engaging relation with respect to a tray on said furnace floor.

9. In a heat treating apparatus, the combination of, a wall structure defining a heating chamber and an adjacent and operable to lower said platform quenching chamber communicating with the heating chamher through an opening, a platform mounted in said quenching chamber to receive a work tray slid through said opening, two parallel rods mounted above said platform and projecting through and journaled in an outer wall of said structure for rotation and for endwise sliding into and out of said heating chamber through said opening, said rods being laterally spaced apart to receive and hold a work tray between them, a finger rigid with and projecting laterally from each of said rods to swing in behind a transverse part of a tray, a handle outside said structure, and means connecting said handle to the outer ends of said rods to swing said fingers inwardly and outwardly with movement of said handle back and forth.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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