Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
234 words
A steel strip continuous annealing apparatus comprising: a heating-soaking zone for heating a steel strip to a predetermined temperature and for soaking the steel strip at said temperature; a first cooling zone subsequent to said heating-soaking zone for rapidly cooling the steel strip at a predetermined cooling rate; first forcible cooling means incorporated in said first cooling zone for operation of the rapid cooling; a second cooling zone subsequent to said first cooling zone for slowly cooling the steel strip or holding the steel strip at a predetermined temperature; hot-cold change-over means in said second cooling zone for selectively either slowly cooling the steel strip or holding the steel strip at a predetermined temperature; a third cooling zone subsequent to said second cooling zone for cooling the steel strip to substantially room temperature; second forcible cooling means incorporated in said third cooling zone for operation of the cooling to substantially room temperature; a steel strip feeder for feeding the steel strip into said heating-soaking zone; a steel strip carry-out device for carrying the steel strip out of said third cooling zone; means for directly bypassing the steel strip from the heating-soaking zone through a first bypass passageway to said second cooling zone; and means for directly bypassing the steel strip from the first cooling zone through a second bypass passageway to said steel strip carry-out device, whereby different grades of steel may be processed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
234 words
A steel strip continuous annealing apparatus comprising: a heating-soaking zone for heating a steel strip to a predetermined temperature and for soaking the steel strip at said temperature; a first cooling zone subsequent to said heating-soaking zone for rapidly cooling the steel strip at a predetermined cooling rate; first forcible cooling means incorporated in said first cooling zone for operation of the rapid cooling; a second cooling zone subsequent to said first cooling zone for slowly cooling the steel strip or holding the steel strip at a predetermined temperature; hot-cold change-over means in said second cooling zone for selectively either slowly cooling the steel strip or holding the steel strip at a predetermined temperature; a third cooling zone subsequent to said second cooling zone for cooling the steel strip to substantially room temperature; second forcible cooling means incorporated in said third cooling zone for operation of the cooling to substantially room temperature; a steel strip feeder for feeding the steel strip into said heating-soaking zone; a steel strip carry-out device for carrying the steel strip out of said third cooling zone; means for directly bypassing the steel strip from the heating-soaking zone through a first bypass passageway to said second cooling zone; and means for directly bypassing the steel strip from the first cooling zone through a second bypass passageway to said steel strip carry-out device, whereby different grades of steel may be processed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
A steel strip continuous annealing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said forcible cooling means incorporated in the first cooling zone is a cooling gas blow-out device for forcible blowing out a cooling gas from plenum chambers opposed to opposite surfaces of the steel strip.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
A steel strip continuous annealing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hot-cold change-over means incorporated in the second cooling zone comprises at least one radiator provided opposed to opposite surfaces of the steel strip and having a cooling gas or a heated gas selectively, forcibly circulated therethrough.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
A steel strip continuous annealing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said forcible cooling means incorporated in the third cooling zone comprises a cooling gas blow-out device for forcibly blowing out a cooling gas from plenum chambers opposed to opposite surfaces of the steel strip.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A steel strip continuous annealing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said steel strip feeder includes an uncoiler, a cleaning equipment and a looper.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A steel strip continuous annealing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said steel strip carry-out device includes a looper, sampling means and a recoiler.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
A steel strip continuous annealing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein helper rolls for supporting the steel strip and conveying same are provided in said first bypass passageway, and said helper rolls are controlled in temperature in such a manner that the roll temperatures of the respective helper rolls come close to the temperatures of the steel strip predictably calculated based on the furnace operating conditions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
269 words
A steel strip continuous annealing apparatus comprising: a heating-soaking zone for heating a steel strip to a predetermined temperature and for soaking the steel strip at said temperature; a first cooling zone subsequent to said heating-soaking zone for rapidly cooling the steel strip at a predetermined cooling rate; first forcible cooling means incorporated in said first cooling zone for operation of the rapidly cooling; a second cooling zone subsequent to said first cooling zone for slowly cooling the steel strip or holding the steel strip at a predetermined temperature; hot-cold change-over means in said second cooling zone for selectively either slowly cooling the steel strip or holding the steel strip at the predetermined temperature; third forcible cooling means comprising: a third cooling zone subsequent to said second cooling zone for cooling the steel strip to substantially room temperature; and second forcible cooling means incorporated in said third cooling zone for operation of the cooling to substantially room temperature; a steel strip feeder for feeding the steel strip into said heating-soaking zone; a steel strip carry-out device for carrying the steel strip out of said third cooling zone; means for directly bypassing the steel strip from the heating-soaking zone through a first bypass passageway to said second cooling zone; means for directly bypassing the steel strip from the first cooling zone through a second bypass passageway to said steel strip carry-out device; and heat insulating means at the boundary portion between the first cooling zone and the first bypass passageway, for insulating the first bypass passageway from the first cooling zone thermically, whereby different grades of steel may be processed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
269 words
A steel strip continuous annealing apparatus comprising: a heating-soaking zone for heating a steel strip to a predetermined temperature and for soaking the steel strip at said temperature; a first cooling zone subsequent to said heating-soaking zone for rapidly cooling the steel strip at a predetermined cooling rate; first forcible cooling means incorporated in said first cooling zone for operation of the rapidly cooling; a second cooling zone subsequent to said first cooling zone for slowly cooling the steel strip or holding the steel strip at a predetermined temperature; hot-cold change-over means in said second cooling zone for selectively either slowly cooling the steel strip or holding the steel strip at the predetermined temperature; third forcible cooling means comprising: a third cooling zone subsequent to said second cooling zone for cooling the steel strip to substantially room temperature; and second forcible cooling means incorporated in said third cooling zone for operation of the cooling to substantially room temperature; a steel strip feeder for feeding the steel strip into said heating-soaking zone; a steel strip carry-out device for carrying the steel strip out of said third cooling zone; means for directly bypassing the steel strip from the heating-soaking zone through a first bypass passageway to said second cooling zone; means for directly bypassing the steel strip from the first cooling zone through a second bypass passageway to said steel strip carry-out device; and heat insulating means at the boundary portion between the first cooling zone and the first bypass passageway, for insulating the first bypass passageway from the first cooling zone thermically, whereby different grades of steel may be processed.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
266 words
A steel strip continuous annealing apparatus comprising: a heating-soaking zone for heating a steel strip to a predetermined temperature and for soaking the steel strip at said temperature; a first cooling zone subsequent to said heating-soaking zone for rapidly cooling the steel strip at a predetermined cooling rate; first forcible cooling means incorporated in said first cooling zone for operation of the rapidly cooling; a second cooling zone subsequent to said first cooling zone for slowly cooling the steel strip or holding the steel strip at a predetermined temperature; hot-cold change-over means in said second cooling zone for selectively either slowly cooling the steel strip or holding the steel strip at a predetermined temperature; a third cooling zone subsequent to said second cooling zone for cooling the steel strip to substantially room temperature; second forcible cooling means incorporated in said third cooling zone for operation of the cooling to substantially room temperature; a steel strip feeder for feeding the steel strip into said heating-soaking zone; a steel strip carry-out device for carrying the steel strip out of said third cooling zone; means for directly bypassing the steel strip from the heating-soaking zone through a first bypass passageway to said second cooling zone; means for directly bypassing the steel strip from the first cooling zone through a second bypass passageway to said steel strip carry-out device; heat insulating means at the boundary portion between the first cooling zone and the first bypass passageway, for insulating the first bypass passageway from the first cooling zone thermically; and tension control means for controlling the tension of the steel strip.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
266 words
A steel strip continuous annealing apparatus comprising: a heating-soaking zone for heating a steel strip to a predetermined temperature and for soaking the steel strip at said temperature; a first cooling zone subsequent to said heating-soaking zone for rapidly cooling the steel strip at a predetermined cooling rate; first forcible cooling means incorporated in said first cooling zone for operation of the rapidly cooling; a second cooling zone subsequent to said first cooling zone for slowly cooling the steel strip or holding the steel strip at a predetermined temperature; hot-cold change-over means in said second cooling zone for selectively either slowly cooling the steel strip or holding the steel strip at a predetermined temperature; a third cooling zone subsequent to said second cooling zone for cooling the steel strip to substantially room temperature; second forcible cooling means incorporated in said third cooling zone for operation of the cooling to substantially room temperature; a steel strip feeder for feeding the steel strip into said heating-soaking zone; a steel strip carry-out device for carrying the steel strip out of said third cooling zone; means for directly bypassing the steel strip from the heating-soaking zone through a first bypass passageway to said second cooling zone; means for directly bypassing the steel strip from the first cooling zone through a second bypass passageway to said steel strip carry-out device; heat insulating means at the boundary portion between the first cooling zone and the first bypass passageway, for insulating the first bypass passageway from the first cooling zone thermically; and tension control means for controlling the tension of the steel strip.