Quenching apparatus for metallic articles

Claim 1

QUENCHING APPARATUS FOR A CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE FURNACE INCLUDING, IN COMBINATION, A TANK FOR HOLDING A BODY OF QUENCHING LIQUID AND HAVING AN OPEN TOP, AN UPRIGHT BAFFLE SUPPORTED IN SAID TANK AND HAVING AN OPEN UPPER END FOR RECEIVING WORKPIECES TO BE QUENCHED FROM SAID FURNACE AND AN OPEN LOWER END SPACED ABOVE THE BOTTOM OF SAID TANK FOR DISCHARGING WORKPIECES INTO THE TANK AFTER THE WORKPIECES HAV GRAVITATED THROUGH THE LIQUID IN SAID BAFFLE, A CONVEYOR IN SAID TANK HAVING A LOWER END PORTION DISPOSED BENEATH SAID BAFFLE TO RECEIVE WORKPIECES GRAVITATING THROUGH THE BAFFLE AND AN UPPER END PORTION EXTENDING UPWARDLY OUT OF THE TANK OUTSIDE THE BAFFLE, MEANS DEFINING INLET AND OUTLET PORTS IN SAID BAFFLE SPACED APART ACROSS THE LATTER, MEANS DEFINING A FLOW PASSAGE SEGREGATED FROM THE LIQUID IN THE TANK OUTSIDE THE BAFFLE AND COMMUNICATING AT ITS OPPOSITE ENDS WITH THE RESPECTIVE PORTS, MEANS FOR INDUCING A FLOW OF LIQUID FROM THE INTERIOR OF SAID BAFFLE AND SUCCESSIVELY THROUGH SAID OUTLET PORT, THROUGH SAID PASSAGE, BACK TO SAID BAFFLE THROUGH SAID INLET PORT, AND ACROSS THE INTERIOR OF THE BAFFLE AND THE PATH OF GRAVITATION OF WORKPIECES TO SAID OUTLET PORT, MEANS FOR COOLING THE LIQUID FLOWING THROUGH SAID PASSAGE, AND MEANS FOR MAINTAINING A PROTECTIVE ATMOSPHERE IN SAID TANK ABOVE SAID BAFFLE AND SEGREGATING THE PROTECTED AREA OF THE TOP OF THE TANK FROM THE AREA THRROUGH WHICH THE UPPER END PORTION OF THE CONVEYOR EXTENDS.