US 12,305,924 B2
Method and apparatus for hardening mold grids using clamp quenching
Josef Ott, Hagerstown, MD (US)
Assigned to Columbia Machine, Inc., Vancouver, WA (US)
Filed by Columbia Machine, Inc., Vancouver, WA (US)
Filed on Jan. 3, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/567,441.
Prior Publication US 2023/0213282 A1, Jul. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. F27B 9/24 (2006.01); C21D 1/63 (2006.01); C21D 1/673 (2006.01); C21D 9/00 (2006.01); F27B 9/02 (2006.01); F27B 9/04 (2006.01); F27B 9/12 (2006.01); F27D 3/00 (2006.01); F27D 5/00 (2006.01); F27D 7/06 (2006.01); F27D 9/00 (2006.01); F27D 99/00 (2010.01)
CPC F27B 9/24 (2013.01) [C21D 1/63 (2013.01); C21D 1/673 (2013.01); C21D 9/0018 (2013.01); C21D 9/0025 (2013.01); C21D 9/0062 (2013.01); F27B 9/02 (2013.01); F27B 9/045 (2013.01); F27D 5/0012 (2013.01); F27D 5/0018 (2013.01); F27B 2009/026 (2013.01); F27B 2009/124 (2013.01); F27D 2003/0012 (2013.01); F27D 2005/0093 (2013.01); F27D 2007/063 (2013.01); F27D 2009/0081 (2013.01); F27D 2009/0089 (2013.01); F27D 2099/0096 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for treating a workpiece, the method comprising:
moving a workpiece laterally along a conveyor assembly into a furnace for heating in a carbon-rich atmosphere to form a heated workpiece, the workpiece of a type comprising a plurality of mold grids arranged in vertical layers and spaced apart from one another by grates;
receiving the heated workpiece from the furnace on a conveyor support surface of the conveyor assembly;
lowering the conveyor support surface at or below a lower anvil surface on the conveyor assembly so that the heated workpiece is supported on the lower anvil surface;
applying clamping pressure to the heated workpiece while the heated workpiece is on the conveyor assembly to form a clamped assembly by forcing an upper anvil against a top surface of the heated workpiece and clamping the heated workpiece between the upper anvil and lower anvil surface;
moving the clamped assembly, including at least a portion of the conveyor assembly, into a quenching bath until the heated workpiece is quenched; and
laterally offsetting the vertical layers from one another so as to enhance the contact of the quenching bath with top and bottom surfaces of the heated workpiece.