Process of hardening steel cartride cases and apparatus for accomplishing such process

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF COOLING A TUBULAR WORK PIECE CLOSED AT ONE END WHICH HAS BEEN HEATED TO A HIGH TEMPERATURE OF THE ORDER OF 1600*F. TO ROOM TEMPERATURE OR BELOW IN A PERIOD OF A FEW SECONDS WHICH COMPRISES DROPPING SAID HEATED WORK PIECE OPEN END FIRST THROUGH A WALL OF QUENCHING LIQUID AT A TEMPERATURE WELL BELOW ROOM TEMPERATURE, MOMENTARILY SUPPORTING SAID WORK PIECE IMMEDIATELY BELOW SAID WALL OF QUENCHING LIQUID SO THE EXTERIOR THEREOF IS STILL SUBJECTED TO COOLING THEREBY, APPLYING A JET OF SAID LIQUID AGAINST THE INTERIOR WALLS OF SAID WORK PIECE MOMENTARILY SUPPORTED BELOW SAID WALL OF QUENCHING LIQUID, TERMINATING SAID LIQUID JET, AND SUBJECTING THE INTERIOR OF SAID WORK PIECE TO A BLAST OF AIR TO DISPLACE SAID WORK PIECE FROM ITS POSITION OF MOMENTARY SUPPORT IMMEDIATELY BELOW SAID LIQUID WALL.