Method and apparatus for drawing round stock with evaporative cooling

Abstract

An apparatus and method for drawing round stock to produce tubing includes a drawing machine including a drawing die, as well as an evaporative cooling mechanism adjacent to the drawing machine. The evaporative cooling mechanism defines a passageway in axial alignment with tubing drawn in a straight drawing direction and includes a nozzle for producing a fine fluid for cooling the tubing.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for drawing round stock to produce tubing with a reduced tube diameter and tube wall thickness, comprising: 
 a drawing machine including a drawing die; and    an evaporative cooling mechanism adjacent to said drawing machine, said evaporative cooling mechanism defining a passageway in axial alignment with said drawing die to accommodate the tubing in a straight drawing direction, and a nozzle operable to produce a fine fluid mist for cooling the tubing from said drawing machine.    
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein said evaporative cooling mechanism includes a housing defining said passageway therethrough to accommodate said tubing from said drawing machine.  
     
     
         3  . The system according to  claim 2  wherein said nozzle is mounted to said housing.  
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 3  wherein said nozzle includes a body, a passage through said body, an inlet and an outlet for said passage, and a spray tip connected to said body at said outlet to direct said fine fluid mist toward said tubing.  
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 4  further comprising a source supplying cooling fluid to said inlet to said passage, which communicates said fluid to said outlet.  
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 4  wherein said passage includes a chamber for pressurizing said cooling fluid.  
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 2  wherein said nozzle is adjustably mounted to said housing.  
     
     
         8 . An evaporative cooling apparatus for cooling drawn round stock from a drawing die, said apparatus comprising: 
 a housing having a passageway therethrough to accommodate traversing drawn round stock in a straight drawing direction from the drawing die;    a plurality of nozzle assemblies adjustably mounted to said housing;    a source supplying cooling fluid to said plurality of nozzle assemblies; and    a spray tip connected to each of said plurality of nozzle assemblies to direct said cooling fluid toward the drawn round stock.    
     
     
         9 . The evaporative cooling apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein said passage includes a chamber for pressurizing the cooling fluid.  
     
     
         10 . The evaporative cooling apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein each said nozzle assembly includes a body, a passage through said body, and an inlet and an outlet for said passage.  
     
     
         11 . A method for cooling drawn round stock, comprising: providing round stock; 
 drawing said round stock through a first drawing machine to produce drawn tubing; and    cooling said drawn tubing in an evaporative cooling mechanism.