Method and apparatus for heat-treating

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR HEAT TREATING A CRANKSHAFT HAVING A PLURALITY OF MAIN BEARINGS AND AT LEAST ONE CONNECTING ROD BEARING, COMPRISING A BASE, HEAT TREATING MEANS MOUNTED AT THE REAR OF THE BASE, AND INCLUDING A HEATING AND QUENCHING HEAD PROJECTING FORWARDLY OVER THE BASE, SAID HEAD INCLUDING A FIXED HALF AND MOVABLE HALF PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID FIXED HALF AND ADAPTED TO CONCENTRICALLY RECEIVE A CONNECTING ROD BEARING THEREBETWEEN MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A CRANKSHAFT COMPRISING A LOWER CARRIAGE MOUNTED ON SAID BASE FOR MOVEMENT PARALLEL TO THE FRONT OF THE BASE, AN UPPER CARRIAGE MOUNTED ON SAID LOWER CARRIAGE FOR MOVEMENT FORWARDLY AND REARWARDLY OF SAID BASE, SUPPORTING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID UPPER CARRIAGE FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING MAIN BEARINGS OF THE CRANKSHAFT, SAID UPPER CARRIAGE BEING MOVABLE REARWARDLY OF THE BASE TO MOVE A CONNECTING ROD BEARING TOWARD SAID HEAD, SAID LOWER CARRIAGE HAVING STOP MEANS FOR LIMITING THE REARWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID UPPER CARRIAGE SUBSTANTIALLY TO A POSITION WHERE A VERTICAL PLANE THROUGH THEE AXIS OF THE MAIN BEARINGS PASSES THROUGH THE CENTER OF SAID HALVES, AND AN INSULATING STOP PIN MOUNTED IN ONE OF SAID HALVES AND THE CRANKSHAFT BEING ADAPTED TO BE ROTATED IN SAID SUPPORTING MEANS TO ENGAGE THE CONNECTING ROD BEARING WITH SAID STOP AND THEREBY CENTER THE CONNECTING ROD BEARING WITHIN SAID HALVES.