Device for treating, by heat tempering, a metal element of the tube or bar type having arched portions

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for treating, by heat tempering, a metal element ( 1 ) of the tube or bar type having arched portions. The device includes heat treatment means having an induction coil ( 23 ) and a sprinkler ring ( 26 ). According to the invention, this device includes means ( 2 ) for holding the metal element ( 1 ) that is composed of a clip ( 2 ) arranged so as to clamp around an end portion, referred to as the top, of the metal element and to keep the metal element freely suspended under said clip. The device also includes multi-axis robots ( 24, 28 ) suitable for moving the induction coil ( 23 ) and the sprinkler ring ( 26 ) simultaneously along the metal element ( 1 ) starting from an end portion, referred to as the bottom, of the metal element that is opposite the top portion thereof.

1 . A thermal quenching treatment device of a metal element, of the tube or bar type, having curved sections, comprising:
 a heat treatment device comprising an induction coil and a cooling device comprising spray nozzles integrated into an annular sprinkler ring,   a holding device for the metal element,   and a displacement device, the holding device and the heat treatment device are adapted to produce a relative displacement of the metal element inside the induction coil, and the annular sprinkler ring is arranged in close proximity to both the holding device and the heat treatment device,   the holding device for maintaining the metal element is composed of a clamp arranged in such a way as to tighten a stretch of an end of the metal element, and to maintain the metal element freely suspended under the clamp, and there is provided a travel device that is capable of simultaneously moving the induction coil and the annular sprinkler ring along the metal element suspended under the clamp, from an end section of the metal element opposite to an upper section.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal quenching treatment device according to  claim 1 , wherein the clamp retaining the metal element is carried by a rotational drive of the clamp around a rotation axis (x), capable of conferring an oscillation motion at the metal element suspended under the clamp. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal quenching treatment device according to  claim 1 , wherein the clamp retaining the metal element is carried by displacement of the clamp according to at least one axis of translation. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal quenching treatment device according to  claim 3 , wherein rotational drive of the clamp is around an axis of rotation (x) carried by movement of the clamp according to a vertical translation axis (z) and a horizontal translation axis (y). 
     
     
         5 . The thermal quenching treatment device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a rotating drive of the clamp around a vertical axis (z). 
     
     
         6 . The thermal quenching treatment device according to  claim 1 , wherein a displacement of the induction coil is adapted so that a center of a plane that is transverse of the induction coil is at least substantially coaxial with a median plane of a neutral fiber Fn of the metallic element. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal quenching treatment device according to  claim 1 , wherein the induction coil and the annular sprinkler ring are carried by a multi-axis robot. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal quenching treatment device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a multi-axis robot unloading with a clamp for the attachment of the metal element after heat treatment. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal quenching treatment device according to  claim 1 , wherein the clamp retaining the metal element consists of a tubular clamp suitable for styling and tightening the upper section of the metal element and extending into an axial extension of the upper section. 
     
     
         10 . The heat treatment device according to  claim 9 , wherein the clamp has an external diameter lower than respective internal diameters of the induction coil and the sprinkler ring, suitable to allow axial displacement of the induction coil and the annular sprinkler ring along the clamp. 
     
     
         11 . The thermal quenching treatment device according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat treatment device includes a source of cold fluid connected in such a way as to inject a cold fluid flow into an end section of the metal element, during the heat treatment.