Method and machine for heat treating metal balls

Claim 2

Apparatus for hardening metal balls comprising a helical track arranged vertically and submerged in liquid quenching media, means for feeding heated metal balls into the upper end of said helical track, said track having a pitch angle causing said balls to move downwardly with a rolling action through the liquid quench media, and having a sufficient length so that said heated balls are completely quenched during downward movement thereof and means for rotating said helical track about its axis to change the travel time of said balls through the media.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said helical track is enclosed in a cylindrical casing.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said helical track is rotatable about its longitudinal axis and means is provided to form a circumferential guide for the descending balls in their downward helical path.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 2 with means for moving quenching media upwardly through said casing.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the upwardly moving media is conducted through a hollow shaft forming the axis of said helical track and said hollow shaft has a series of outlet parts for discharging media between the convolutions of said helical track.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 3 including means for upwardly moving quenching media into contact with the downwardly traveling heated articles.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said helical track is rotatably mounted on a hollow shaft within a cylindrical casing, said shaft being provided with a series of outlets between the convolutions of said spiral track, a pump for feeding quenching media through said hollow shaft and said outlets into contact with the descending heated articles, means for variably and reversibly rotating said helical track to thereby vary the time of contact of the rolling articles with said media.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 7 including a delivery chute between a heating furnace and the top of said cylindrical casing, a discharge chute from the bottom of said casing below said helical track and a conveyor cooperating with said discharge chute to remove the quenched articles from the quench media.

Claim 10

Apparatus for hardening metal articles comprising a helical track arranged vertically and submerged in liquid quenching media, means for feeding heated metal articles into the upper end of said helical track, said track having a pitch angle causing said articles to move downwardly and having sufficient length so that said heated articles are completely quenched during downward movement thereof through the liquid quench media, a cylindrical casing surrounding said helical track and means for moving liquid quenching media upwardly thru said casing to increase the rate of contact of said liquid with said downwardly moving articles.

Claim 11

Apparatus for hardening metal articles comprising a helical track arranged vertically and submerged in liquid quenching media, means for feeding heated metal articles into the upper end of said helical track, said track having a pitch angle causing said articles to move downwardly and having sufficient length so that said heated articles are completely quenched during downward movement thereof through the liquid quench media, a cylindrical casing surrounding said helical track and means for moving liquid quenching media upwardly thru said casing to increase the rate of contact of said liquid with said downwardly moving articles.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the upwardly moving media is conducted through a hollow shaft forming the axis of said helical track and said hollow shaft has a series of outlet parts for discharging media between the convolutions of said helical track.