Patent ID: 6632302
Filing Date: 2003-10-14
Classification: C21D,F27B,F27D

Abstract:
Apparatus for heat treating a plurality of cutting tools comprising a furnace (2) and one or more tool holders (14) within the furnace (2) for travel through the furnace, the or each tool holder (14) being adapted to receive therein a first portion of each tool of a row of tools (12), with a second portion of each tool (12) projecting therefrom, radiant heating elements (54) within the furnace (2), the second portion of each tool (12) being directly exposed to radiant heat from said elements (54), and the first portion of each tool (12) being shielded from said heat, the furnace (2) being divided into one or more heating zones (36, 38) in which the tools (12) are heated, and one or more separate cooling zones (26) in which the tools (12) are cooled, wherein a plurality of heating elements (54) are disposed within at least one heating zone (36, 38) to define therebetween, for the or each tool holder (14), a corridor through which the associated tool holder (14) passes, the heating elements (54) being positioned to each side of the or each tool holder (14), to lie alongside the second portions of the tools (12) as they pass sequentially through the at least one heating zone (36, 38), and a plurality of cooling elements (60) are disposed within at least one cooling zone (26) to define therebetween, for the or each tool holder (14), a corridor through which the associated tool holder (14) travels subsequent to passage through the or each heating zone (36, 38), the or each corridor in a cooling zone or zones (26) forming a continuation of an associated corridor in a heating zone (36, 38), the cooling elements (60) being liquid cooled and being positioned to each side of the or each tool holder (14) to lie alongside the second portions of the tools (12) as they pass through the at least one cooling zone (26), and wherein the heating elements (54) and the cooling elements (60) are positioned at equal distances from each side of the individual tools (12) such that each tool (12) is uniformly heated and subsequently uniformly and rapidly cooled.