US4486009A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for cooling sheet metal panels
Assignee: Dillinger Huettenwerke AG
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Filing: 1983-03-16
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Granted: 1984-12-04
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Expires: 2003-03-16
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for cooling sheet metal panels has an elongated channel bounded by two side walls, a longitudinally slotted top wall and a longitudinally slotted bottom wall. These walls are immersed in a liquid containing vessel and the latter contains sets of horizontal driven shafts above the top wall and below the bottom wall. The shafts carry disc-shaped transporting members, portions of which extend through the slots of the top and bottom walls to engage a panel which is introduced into the channel and to transport the panel toward the outlet of the channel. The top wall and the shafts above the top wall are movable up and down to provide room for panels of different thicknesses. Two nozzles discharge water into the inlet of the channel at a level above as well as at a level below the panel between the upper and lower transporting members.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerhard Kopf
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 03:19
CPC Classifications
B; B21; B21B; B21B45/00; B21B45/02; B21B45/0203; B21B45/0209; B21B45/0215; B21B45/0218
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
326 words
Apparatus for cooling panels, particularly panels which consist of sheet metal, comprising confining means defining a coolant-containing channel and having an inlet, an outlet, a top wall and a bottom wall, each of said walls having a plurality of relatively narrow slots; means for advancing the panels through said channel, including a first set of disc-shaped transporting members having portions extending into the channel through the slots of the top wall, a second set of disc-shaped transporting members having portions extending into the channel through the slots of the bottom wall, and means for rotating at least some transporting members of at least one of said sets so that a panel which is introduced through the inlet and between said portions of the two sets of transporting members in said channel is advanced toward and beyond said outlet, said confining means further having side walls extending between said top and bottom walls and flanking the path of panels between said portions of the two sets of transporting members in said channel; a coolant-containing vessel for said confining means and said transporting members, each of said sets comprising several rows of coaxial transporting members and a shaft for each of said rows, said shafts being disposed externally of said channel in the interior of said vessel and said advancing means further comprising rollers mounted on said shafts, said transporting members extending radially beyond the respective rollers and into and through the slots of the respective walls of said confining means, said side walls having openings for the shafts carrying the transporting members of said first set and bellows for sealing said openings, said bellows being arranged to permit substantially vertical movements of the respective shafts with reference to said bottom wall; a cover for said vessel at a level above said top wall; and means for changing the level of said top wall and of the first set of transporting members in the interior of said vessel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
326 words
Apparatus for cooling panels, particularly panels which consist of sheet metal, comprising confining means defining a coolant-containing channel and having an inlet, an outlet, a top wall and a bottom wall, each of said walls having a plurality of relatively narrow slots; means for advancing the panels through said channel, including a first set of disc-shaped transporting members having portions extending into the channel through the slots of the top wall, a second set of disc-shaped transporting members having portions extending into the channel through the slots of the bottom wall, and means for rotating at least some transporting members of at least one of said sets so that a panel which is introduced through the inlet and between said portions of the two sets of transporting members in said channel is advanced toward and beyond said outlet, said confining means further having side walls extending between said top and bottom walls and flanking the path of panels between said portions of the two sets of transporting members in said channel; a coolant-containing vessel for said confining means and said transporting members, each of said sets comprising several rows of coaxial transporting members and a shaft for each of said rows, said shafts being disposed externally of said channel in the interior of said vessel and said advancing means further comprising rollers mounted on said shafts, said transporting members extending radially beyond the respective rollers and into and through the slots of the respective walls of said confining means, said side walls having openings for the shafts carrying the transporting members of said first set and bellows for sealing said openings, said bellows being arranged to permit substantially vertical movements of the respective shafts with reference to said bottom wall; a cover for said vessel at a level above said top wall; and means for changing the level of said top wall and of the first set of transporting members in the interior of said vessel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising first and second coolant admitting nozzles respectively discharging into said inlet at a level above and at a level below the panel which is engaged and advanced by said transporting members.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said nozzles have narrow slit-shaped coolant-discharging openings extending substantially transversely of said channel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each of said nozzles includes a first resilient section bearing against the panel which is introduced between said nozzles.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said resilient sections include leaf springs.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus of claim 4, wherein each of said nozzles further comprises a second resilient section located upstream of the respective first section, as considered in the direction of advancement of panels from said inlet toward said outlet, said second sections bearing against the respective sides of the panel between said nozzles.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second sections of said nozzles are substantially parallel to the respective first sections.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of said second sections and the respective first section define a compartment and further comprising fluid discharging means provided in said compartments and arranged to direct jets of a fluid against the respective sides of a panel between said nozzles.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said fluid discharging means are arranged to direct the jets substantially transversely of the direction of transport of panels in said channel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
68 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said sets comprises several rows of coaxial transporting members and a discrete shaft for each of said rows, said shafts extending transversely of the direction of travel of panels through said channel and the transporting members of at least some of said rows being staggered with reference to each other, as considered in the axial direction of the respective shafts.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein all of said slots are parallel to each other.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said rotating means comprises discrete first and second prime movers for the transporting members of the respective sets.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising eccentric clutches interposed between the first prime movers and the first set of transporting members, and means for moving said top wall and said first set of transporting members up and down relative to said prime movers and said bottom wall.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
176 words
Apparatus for cooling panels, particularly panels which consist of sheet metal, comprising confining means defining a coolant-containing substantially horizontal channel and having an inlet and an outlet; means for advancing the panels through said channel; and upper and lower coolant-admitting nozzles respectively discharging into said inlet at a level above and at a level below the panel which is transported by said advancing means, said nozzles having narrow openings which convert the admitted liquid coolant into discrete streams whose crosssection at least approximates that of the coolant in said channel above and below the panel which is transported by said advancing means, each of said nozzles having a resilient section lying flat against the respective side of the panel which is introduced between said nozzles so as to effect the flow of the respective stream substantially in the direction of coolant flow in said channel and to thus reduce or eliminate turbulence in the region where the respective stream contacts the panel between said nozzles and enhance the predictability of cooling action of the respective stream.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
176 words
Apparatus for cooling panels, particularly panels which consist of sheet metal, comprising confining means defining a coolant-containing substantially horizontal channel and having an inlet and an outlet; means for advancing the panels through said channel; and upper and lower coolant-admitting nozzles respectively discharging into said inlet at a level above and at a level below the panel which is transported by said advancing means, said nozzles having narrow openings which convert the admitted liquid coolant into discrete streams whose crosssection at least approximates that of the coolant in said channel above and below the panel which is transported by said advancing means, each of said nozzles having a resilient section lying flat against the respective side of the panel which is introduced between said nozzles so as to effect the flow of the respective stream substantially in the direction of coolant flow in said channel and to thus reduce or eliminate turbulence in the region where the respective stream contacts the panel between said nozzles and enhance the predictability of cooling action of the respective stream.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said resilient means include leaf springs.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of said nozzles comprises a relatively large rear portion arranged to supply liquid coolant to the respective opening.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said rear portions extend transversely of said channel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each of said nozzles tapers gradually from the respective rear portion toward the respective opening.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each of said rear portions has an at least partially circular cross-sectional outline.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said confining means includes a top wall above and a bottom wall below said channel, said upper nozzle having a portion terminating at said top wall and said lower nozzle having a portion terminating at said bottom wall.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said confining means includes a top wall above and a bottom wall below said channel, said upper nozzle having a portion merging gradually into said top wall and said lower nozzle having a portion merging gradually into said bottom wall.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of said nozzles further comprises a second resilient section located upstream of the respective first resilient section, as considered in the direction of advancement of panels from said inlet toward said outlet, said second resilient sections bearing against the respective sides of the panel between said nozzles.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the second sections of said nozzles are substantially parallel to the respective first sections.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 22, wherein each of said second sections and the respective first section define a compartment and further comprising fluid discharging means provided in said compartments and arranged to direct jets of a fluid against the respective sides of a panel between said nozzles.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said fluid discharging means are arranged to direct the jets substantially transversely of the direction of transport of panels in said channel.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-12-04 | 1988-06-04 | 1988-12-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-12-04 | 1992-06-04 | 1992-12-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-12-04 | 1996-06-04 | 1996-12-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |