System for cooling a strip of steel

Abstract

A steel strip quenching system is provided. The system includes a lower cooling block having a quench plate and a pair of side walls defining an elongated slot configured to receive an elongated strip of steel. The system also includes a front upper cooling block mounted to the lower cooling block. The front upper cooling block has a quench plate positioned above the quench plate of the lower cooling block. The quench plate of the front upper cooling block is adjustable relative to the quench plate of the lower cooling block between a first position and a second position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A steel strip quenching system comprising:
 a lower cooling block having a quench plate and a pair of side walls defining an elongated slot configured to receive an elongated strip of steel;   a front upper cooling block mounted to the lower cooling block, the front upper cooling block having a quench plate positioned above the quench plate of the lower cooling block, wherein the quench plate of the front upper cooling block is adjustable relative to the quench plate of the lower cooling block between a first position and a second position.   
     
     
         2 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first actuator mounted to the front upper cooling block configured to adjust the position of the quench plate of the front upper cooling block relative to the quench plate of the lower cooling block. 
     
     
         3 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 2 , wherein the first actuator comprises a first adjustable pin that engages the lower cooling block. 
     
     
         4 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 2 , further comprising a second actuator mounted to the front upper cooling block configured to adjust the position of the front upper cooling block relative to the lower cooling block. 
     
     
         5 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 4 , wherein the second actuator comprises a second adjustable pin that engages the lower cooling block. 
     
     
         6 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 5 , wherein the first actuator comprises a first adjustable pin that engages the lower cooling block and wherein the first adjustable pin is aligned with the second adjustable pin along an axis that is parallel to the elongated slot. 
     
     
         7 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 4 , further comprising a third actuator mounted to the front upper cooling block configured to adjust the position of the front upper cooling block relative to the lower cooling block. 
     
     
         8 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 1 , wherein a pair of bolts mounted to the lower cooling block are configured to constrain movement of the front upper cooling block in a first direction that is parallel to a direction of movement of the elongated strip of steel through the elongated slot. 
     
     
         9 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 8 , wherein the pair of side walls of the lower cooling block are configured to restrain movement of the upper cooling block in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction. 
     
     
         10 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 1 , wherein the front upper cooling block comprises at least one cooling channel. 
     
     
         11 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 1 , wherein the lower cooling block comprises at least one cooling channel. 
     
     
         12 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 1 , further comprising a rear upper cooling block having a quench plate positioned above the quench plate of the lower cooling block, wherein the quench plate of the rear upper cooling block is adjustable relative to the quench plate of the lower cooling block between a first position and a second position. 
     
     
         13 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 12 , wherein a front face of the rear upper cooling block contacts a rear face of the front upper cooling block. 
     
     
         14 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 3 , wherein the first adjustable pin is moveable in increments of about 5 μm to about 15 μm. 
     
     
         15 . A steel strip quenching system comprising:
 a lower cooling block having a quench plate and a pair of side walls defining an elongated slot configured to receive an elongated strip of steel;   a front upper cooling block mounted to the lower cooling block, the front upper cooling block having a quench plate positioned above the quench plate of the lower cooling block; and   a plurality of independent actuators on the front upper cooling block, each of the actuators configured to move a respective pin on the front upper cooling block to adjust a position of the quench plate of the front upper cooling block relative to the lower cooling block.   
     
     
         16 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 15 , wherein each of the pins are moveable in increments of about 5 μm to 15 μm. 
     
     
         17 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 15 , wherein a pair of bolts mounted to the lower cooling block are configured to constrain movement of the front upper cooling block in a first direction that is parallel to a direction of movement of the elongated strip of steel through the elongated slot. 
     
     
         18 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 17 , wherein pair of side walls of the lower cooling block are configured to restrain movement of the upper cooling block in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction. 
     
     
         19 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 15 , wherein the front upper cooling block comprises at least one cooling channel. 
     
     
         20 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 15 , wherein the lower cooling block comprises at least one cooling channel. 
     
     
         21 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 15 , further comprising a rear upper cooling block having a quench plate positioned above the quench plate of the lower cooling block, wherein the quench plate of the rear upper cooling block is adjustable relative to the quench plate of the lower cooling block between a first position and a second position. 
     
     
         22 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 15 , wherein a front face of the rear upper cooling block contacts a rear face of the front upper cooling block. 
     
     
         23 . The steel strip quenching system of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the pins is positioned a first distance from the quench plate of about 1.173±0.0025 mm or about 1.189±0.0025 mm.