US3160405A - Convector space trays - Google Patents

Description

vUnited States Patent O 3,160,405 CONVECTOR SPACE TRAYS Augustus A. Straub, Cleveland, Dhio, assignor to A. A. Straub Co., Inc.

Filed Aug. 18, 1953, Ser. No. 374,924 2 Claims. (Cl. 263-47) The present invention relates generally to the annealing art and is, more particularly, concerned with a novel con- Vector space tray to be disposed between adjacent stacked coils of metal stock during annealing and to facilitate lifting and carrying of stacked coils and trays easily and safely.

Coils of steel strip and wire stock ordinarily require heat treatment and a generally satisfactory procedure for carrying out such treatment has been devised and is presently in general use. This procedure consists of stacking the coils with spacing means of some type disposed between -adjacent coils to prevent their sticking together and to facilitate the ilow of gaseous heating medium transversely ofthe coil stack and under ideal circumstances longitudinally through the stacked bodies in accordance with the invention disclosed and claimed in my U.S. Patent No. 2,607,577, granted August 19, 1952. These stacks of coils and spacer elements are housed within bells in a furnace and heat is transferred by a gaseous medium owing into the bells in contact with the bell walls and the coils. This procedure, however, has a serious drawback in that an excessive amount of time and effort is required in the stacking and unstacking operations.

In accordance with the present invention, coils and spacer element stacking operations by means of the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,701,736, granted February 8, 1955, to Max R. Heppenstall are easily carried out without involving any special expensive procedures or equipment. tained in accordnace with this invention at only a small cost in the manufacture of spacer plates of my aforesaid patent as well as those of the prior art and at only a small increase in weight in these plates. In addition, the present invention is adaptable readily for use with and application to all types of convector space trays and is universally advantageous and effective.

Those skilled in the art will gain a further and better understanding of the present invention from the following detailed description, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification in which: f

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, plan view of a tray embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is afragmentary, sectional view taken on line 2 2 of FIG.v 1; y

FIG. 3 is a view like FIG. 2 of a tray embodying another form of this invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of the FIG. 3 tray;

FIG. 5 is a view like FIG. 2 of a tray embodying a third form of this invention;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional View of the tray of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view like FIG. 2 of still another form of tray of this invention;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of the FIG. 7 tray;

FIG. 9 is a view like FIG. 2 of a lifth form of tray of this invention; and,

FIG. l0 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of the FIG. 9 tray.

In general, a convector space tray of this invention comprises a plurality of spaced metal ribs defining passageways for gas through the tray and having inner end por- Furthermore, this result is ob-v 3,160,405 Patented Dec. 8, 1964 various trays disclosed and claimed in Dailey Patent No.

2,489,012, for example, being readily adapted to lthis invention. In accordance with my preference,.however, trays disclosed and claimed in U.S.` Patent No. 2,607,577

are employed because of the important advantages af-k forded by these trays over those of the prior art.

In applying the present invention to a convector space tray such as that illustrated in FIG. 2 of my aforesaid patent, an annular metal member or ring 10 is disposed in central opening 11 defined by the inner ends of ribs 12 of tray T. Member 10 is narrower than ribs 12 and, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 hereof, is secured between the upper and lower edges of ribs 12 approximately along the medial line of tray T, being welded to inner hoop 13 of the tray. Thus secured in place, ring 10 is disposed for engagement by lifting tongs which may be lowered through the tray and then adjusted for engagement with this ring as described in U.S. Patent No. 2,701,736.

By virtue of the welded attachment of ring 10 to the tray and by virtue of the fact that this ring is designed to support loads far in excess of the Weight of the tray itself, the tray and coils and trays stacked on it may be lifted and carried safely by lifting tongs in the manner described in said Patent No. 2,701,736.

The device of FIG. 3 comprises a convector space tray 20 made up of two sets of spaced, elongated, longitudinally-curved, metal ribs 21 vand a metal plate 23 disposed between the two sets of ribs. A metal ring 25 of outside diameter corresponding to the diameter of central transverse opening 26 defined by the inner ends of ribs 21 is Welded to said rib ends to provide a strong and rugged construction for use with the lifting apparatus of said Patent No. 2,701,736.

The form` of the invention illustrated in FIG. 5 resembles that shown in FIG. l, tray 30 being substantially the same as tray T except for the fact that inner hoop 13 is eliminated. Thus the inner ends of ribs 12 are notched or recessed in their mid-portions to receive a hoop to secure the ribs in position with respect to each other. However, instead of hoop 13 and ring 10 of FIG. 1, a single integral ring 32 is employed to serve both the purposes of said hoop and ring 10 and is welded in place to the ends of ribs 12. Ring 32 is of Width or diameter approximately the same as the aggregate Width'of hoop 13 and ring 10 and its thickness corresponds to that of said hoop so that the same strong, rugged construction is alforded in this embodiment of the invention as in the FIG. l device with the same advantages resulting.

The embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIG. 7 includes a convector space tray 40, which is essentially the same as that shown in FIG. 2 of the aforesaid Dailey patent. Thus, tray 40 comprises a plurality of spaced metal ribs 41 defining passageways for gas through the tray, that is, from end to end of the ribs and having inner end portions which cooperate to define a central transverse opening 43 through the tray. Additionally, a top plate 44 and a bottom plate 45 of disc-like form are provided, being Welded to the edges of ribs 41 and having centr-al openings 47 and 4S, respectively, in registry with each other and with opening 43. In accordance with this invention, a ring 49 of outside diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of plate 44 is disposed in opening 47 and is welded to plate 44 to provide a means for engagement with the lifting device, as described above.

The FIG. 9 embodiment of this invention corresponds to that of the FIG. 5 form, differing essentially in that top plate 52 is formed with an inwardly projecting annular flange 53- which is integral with the topplate. Thus, this FIG. 9 device bears substantially thesame relation -to the FIG. 7 device of the invention as the FIG.

5 device bears to the FIG. 1 device, and the mode of operation and results obtained in eachinstance are essentially the same in accordance with this invention.

Having thus described the present invention so that those skilled in the art may be. able to gain a better understanding and practice lthe same, I state that what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is defined in what is claimed. c

What is claimed is: Y Y

1. A fabricated convector space tray comprising a lmetal ring, a set of metal ribs attached to said ring and defining passages for gas 110W therebetween, and lifting means comprising a metal annulus disposed within said ring, secured to said tray, and adapted to be engaged by lifting mechanism extending therethrough and to lift said i tray and a load thereon.

2. The combination of elements set forth in claim 1 in which the annulus is attached to the inner ends of said ribs.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,043,456 Watrous `ilne 9, 1936 l 2,137,869 y Woodson Nov. 22,1938 2,409,742 Dougherty Oct. 22, 1946 2,414,130 Wilson Jan. 14, 1947 2,414,996 Armstrong Jan. 28, 1947 2,489,012 Dailey NOV. 22, 1949 2,546,697' Munford Mar. 27, 1951 2,580,283 Cone Dec. 25, 1951 2,607,577 Straub f Aug. 19, 1952 2,671,656 Winder Mar. 9, 1954 2,678,815 Radlinski f May 18, 1954

Claims (1)

1. A FABRICATED CONVECTOR SPACE TRAY COMPRISING A METAL RING, A SET OF METAL RIBS ATTACHED TO SAID RING AND DEFINING PASSAGES FOR GAS FLOW THEREBETWEEN, AND LIFTING MEANS COMPRISING A METAL ANNULUS DISPOSED WITHIN SAID RING, SECURED TO SAID TRAY, AND ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY LIFTING MECHANISM EXTENDING THERETHROUGH AND TO LIFT SAID TRAY AND A LOAD THEREON.

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