Bar quench fixture

Claim 2

A quenching apparatus for quenching a generally elongated workpiece, said apparatus comprising: means for establishing a longitudinally extending workpiece pass comprising a plurality of interchangeable rotatable roll sets disposed adjacent to each other, each roll of each said set extending generally parallel to the other rolls of each said set and generally transverse to said pass formed thereby; one roll of selected said roll sets being independently movable toward and away from its associated roll; and, means associated with said selected roll sets generally surrounding said pass for symmetrically dispensing a quenching fluid around said pass onto all sides of said workpiece, said dispensing means being operatively connected to said selected roll sets for movement relative to said pass proportional to and in the same direction as movement of said one rolls of said selected roll sets to said associated rolls.

Claim 3

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said roll sets comprise a plurality of first and second roll means for defining said workpiece pass, each said first roll means comprising a generally horizontally disposed roll pair and each said second roll means comprising a generally vertically disposed roll pair, said first and second roll means being selectively positionable adjacent each other in any desired pre-determined pattern, whereby said pass is established between the rolls in each of said roll pairs of said first and second roll means.

Claim 4

The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said selected roll sets comprise roll means and said first roll means include first force means for selectively forcing said one rolls from a first normal position to a second rolling position wherein said rolls are spaced apart from said first position and second force means for selectively forcing said one rolls from said second position back to said first position.

Claim 5

The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said first force means comprises said workpiece as it is directed along said pass and said second means comprises biasing means.

Claim 6

The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein at least one said dispensing means is disposed in an operative relationship with each said first roll means, each said dispensing means comprising a quenching fluid manifold generally transversely surrounding said pass, each said manifold further including a plurality of fluid outlet nozzles focused generally inwardly toward said pass to establish a plurality of quenching spray zones.

Claim 7

The apparatus as defined in claim 5 including means for moving said manifold in the same direction as said one roll a distance proportional to the distance traversed between said first and second positions.

Claim 8

The apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein each of said first roll means includes one of said dispensing means on each side thereof.

Claim 9

In a bar quenching apparatus for an elongated workpiece of the type having a plurality of horizontal and vertical roll pairs which define a longitudinally extending workpiece pass between the rolls of each pair and wherein at Least one roll of each horizontal roll pair is disposed so as to move toward and away from its associated roll to accommodate said workpiece and means for quenching associated with selected ones of said roll pairs to provide quenching fluid to said workpiece, the improvement comprising: means associated with selected of said horizontal roll pairs for supplying said quenching fluid symmetrically about said workpiece pass irrespective of the cross-sectional dimensions of said workpiece, each said supply means including a manifold portion having fluid outlet nozzles therein, means for mounting said manifold portion in an operative relationship with said at least one roll of the associated horizontal roll pair and means for maintaining said manifold portion in a symmetrical position relative to said pass as said at least one roll moves toward and away from its associated roll, said maintaining means comprising an automatic adjustment linkage operably connected to said manifold portion and to said at least one roll wherein said manifold moves in the same direction as said at least one roll as said at least one roll is moved toward and away from its associated roll, the distance of movement of said manifold being approximately one half that of said at least one roll in order to maintain said manifold in said symmetrical position.

Claim 10

In a bar quenching apparatus for an elongated workpiece of the type having a plurality of horizontal and vertical roll pairs which define a longitudinally extending workpiece pass between the rolls of each pair and wherein at Least one roll of each horizontal roll pair is disposed so as to move toward and away from its associated roll to accommodate said workpiece and means for quenching associated with selected ones of said roll pairs to provide quenching fluid to said workpiece, the improvement comprising: means associated with selected of said horizontal roll pairs for supplying said quenching fluid symmetrically about said workpiece pass irrespective of the cross-sectional dimensions of said workpiece, each said supply means including a manifold portion having fluid outlet nozzles therein, means for mounting said manifold portion in an operative relationship with said at least one roll of the associated horizontal roll pair and means for maintaining said manifold portion in a symmetrical position relative to said pass as said at least one roll moves toward and away from its associated roll, said maintaining means comprising an automatic adjustment linkage operably connected to said manifold portion and to said at least one roll wherein said manifold moves in the same direction as said at least one roll as said at least one roll is moved toward and away from its associated roll, the distance of movement of said manifold being approximately one half that of said at least one roll in order to maintain said manifold in said symmetrical position.

Claim 11

The improvement as defined in claim 8 wherein said manifold portion comprises a loop defining a quenching plane, said loop including a plurality of said fluid outlet nozzles disposed therearound and focused generally inwardly towards said quenching plane.

Claim 12

The improvement as defined in claim 9 wherein said loop includes an upper portion, a lower portion and side portions interconnecting said upper and lower portions and means for supplying a quenching fluid to at least said upper and lower portions.

Claim 13

The improvement as defined in claim 10 wherein the oppositely disposed nozzles in said upper and lower portions are focused away from each other towards said pass to prevent interference with each other.

Claim 14

In a bar quenching apparatus for an elongated workpiece the type having a plurality of horizontal and vertical pairs which define a longitudinally extending workpiece pass between the rolls of each pair and wherein at least one roll of each horizontal roll pair is disposed so as to move toward and away from its associated roll to accommodate said workpiece and means for quenching associated with selected ones of said roll pairs to provide quenching fluid to said workpiece, the improvement comprising: means associated with selected of said horizontal roll pairs for supplying said quenching fluid symmetrically to said workpiece pass irrespective of the cross-sectional dimensions of said workpiece, each said supply means including a manifold portion having a fluid outlet nozzles therein, means for mounting said manifold portion in an operative relationship with said at least one roll of the associated roll pair and means for maintaining said manifold portion in a symmetrical position relative to said pass as said at least one roll moves toward and away from its associated roll, said maintaining means comprising at least one generally U-shaped sling operably mounted to the associated of said selected horizontal roll pairs for engaging said mounting means, one leg of said U-shaped sling being stationarily mounted to said quenching apparatus with the other leg of said U-shaped sling being affixed to and movable co-extensive with said at least one roll of the associated of said selected horizontal roll pairs, movement of said at least one roll causing corresponding proportional movement of said manifold about said pass through said U-shaped sling.

Claim 15

In a bar quenching apparatus for an elongated workpiece the type having a plurality of horizontal and vertical pairs which define a longitudinally extending workpiece pass between the rolls of each pair and wherein at least one roll of each horizontal roll pair is disposed so as to move toward and away from its associated roll to accommodate said workpiece and means for quenching associated with selected ones of said roll pairs to provide quenching fluid to said workpiece, the improvement comprising: means associated with selected of said horizontal roll pairs for supplying said quenching fluid symmetrically to said workpiece pass irrespective of the cross-sectional dimensions of said workpiece, each said supply means including a manifold portion having a fluid outlet nozzles therein, means for mounting said manifold portion in an operative relationship with said at least one roll of the associated roll pair and means for maintaining said manifold portion in a symmetrical position relative to said pass as said at least one roll moves toward and away from its associated roll, said maintaining means comprising at least one generally U-shaped sling operably mounted to the associated of said selected horizontal roll pairs for engaging said mounting means, one leg of said U-shaped sling being stationarily mounted to said quenching apparatus with the other leg of said U-shaped sling being affixed to and movable co-extensive with said at least one roll of the associated of said selected horizontal roll pairs, movement of said at least one roll causing corresponding proportional movement of said manifold about said pass through said U-shaped sling.

Claim 16

The improvement as defined in claim 12 wherein said mounting means comprises at least one mounting pin extending outwardly from at least one side of and coplanar with said manifold.

Claim 17

The improvement as defined in claim 13 wherein said at least one sling comprises two said slIngs spaced apart on opposite sides of said apparatus comprised of link chain and said at least one mounting pin comprises two said mounting pins extending outwardly from opposite sides of and coplanar with said manifold, said mounting pins each further including a sprocket rotatably received thereon, whereby said sprockets are matingly received in said spaced apart slings to support said manifold and to effect movement of said manifold coextensive with said at least one roll a distance equal to one half the distance of movement of said at least one roll.

Claim 18

The improvement as defined in claim 14 wherein said mounting pins are received in guides in said apparatus to guide said manifold in said movement.