Patent GB-561678-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus adapted for controlling the duration of heat treatment of metal articles
IPC: C21D11/00
Filed: 1942-11-11
Abstract: 561,678. Annealing. BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO., Ltd., GARDNER, F., and BAGSHAW, C. M. Nov. 11, 1942, No. 15903. [Class 72] [Also in Group XXII] A work-holder for moving an article to be heat treated into operating position and releasing it after a predetermined time interval comprises a turret 10 rotatable about a central pivot 14 by handles 24 and carrying two work-holders 16, diametrically opposed, with apertures 64 for receiving the articles to be treated, which rest on supports 20 pivoted to the turret at 18 and are normally maintained in work-supporting position by springs 22. The turret is located by spring plungers 28 in the handles engaging a stationary notched bush 32 on the pivot 14 with one work-holder in the work-inserting position A and the other in the operating position B, the invention being described as applied to the simultaneous hardening of two separate portions of metal parts by flame treatment. For this purpose two oxyacetylene flame nozzles 62 are carried by a bracket 60 at position B. In operation a work piece is placed in the aperture 64 at position A and the turret is rotated anti-clockwise to bring the work to position B. The support 20 at positon B has been removed from beneath the previous work piece by a screw 58 on a spring-actuated lever 42 and is held against a sleeve 68 on the pivot 14, as shown in Fig. 1, so that rotation of the turret will cause the support to act as a cam on the screw 58 attached to the lever 42 which is pivoted at 44 to the stationary framework 12, causing the lever to rock anti-clockwise against the .action of its spring 43 and allowing the support 20 to move into work-supporting position. Further rotation of the turret causes a cam 34 thereon to rock a lever 36 pivoted at 38 on the frame 12 until an arcuate dog 56 adjustably carried by the lever engages the tail 54 of the lever 42, as shown in Fig. 3, to hold the latter against the action of the spring 43 when the support 20 passes beyond the screw 58. When the new work piece reaches position B the parts are as shown in Fig. 3, with support 20 at that position held by its spring 22 against the screw 58 on lever 42. During movement of the lever 36 by the cam 34 from the position shown in Fig. 1, to that shown in Fig. 3, the end 48 of the lever allows the plunger 50 of a time-lag device 52 to be projected outwards by a spring. In the fully indexed position of the turret a heel 40 on the lever 36 lies opposite a step 39 on the cam 34 and the lever is rocked by a spring 46 in an anti-clockwise direction at a speed which is determined by the plunger 50 and an air vane within the device 52. After the time interval required by the heat treatment the dog 56 on lever 36 rides off the tail 54 of lever 42 and allows spring 43 to rock the latter to cause the screw 58 thereon to engage the support 20 and rock it into contact with the sleeve 68, thus releasing the treated article and allowing it to fall into an oil quenching tank 13 on which the apparatus is mounted. The parts are then in the position shown in Fig. 1, ready for a new work piece to be inserted at position A. The gas taps for the flame nozzles 62 may be controlled by arms on the work-holders 16 and the supports 20 so as to give a full supply only when a work piece is under treatment.