Slab heating device

Claim 2

Apparatus for inductively heating a metal workpiece comprising, heating coil means having an axis and having convolutions spaced apart in the direction of said axis, means connecting said coil means to a source of alternating current, means for supporting said coil means and a workpiece to be heated in inductive heating relationship, said support means including workpiece support means having a Base portion and a plate portion overlying said base portion and reciprocable relative thereto in the direction of said axis, driveable means between said base portion and plate portion for reciprocating said plate portion to reciprocate the workpiece relative to said coil means during induction heating of the workpiece, and means to drive said driveable means.

Claim 3

Apparatus for inductively heating a metal workpiece comprising, heating coil means having an axis and having convolutions spaced apart in the direction of said axis, means connecting said coil means to a source of alternating current, means for supporting said coil means and a workpiece to be heated in inductive heating relationship, said support means including workpiece support means having a Base portion and a plate portion overlying said base portion and reciprocable relative thereto in the direction of said axis, driveable means between said base portion and plate portion for reciprocating said plate portion to reciprocate the workpiece relative to said coil means during induction heating of the workpiece, and means to drive said driveable means.

Claim 4

Apparatus for inductively heating a metal workpiece comprising, heating coil means having an axis and having convolutions spaced apart in the direction of said axis, means connecting said coil means to a source of alternating current, means for supporting said coil means and a workpiece to be heated in inductive heating relationship, said support means including workpiece support means having a Base portion and a plate portion overlying said base portion and reciprocable relative thereto in the direction of said axis, driveable means between said base portion and plate portion for reciprocating said plate portion to reciprocate the workpiece relative to said coil means during induction heating of the workpiece, and means to drive said driveable means.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said workpiece is reciprocated relative to said coil means a distance approximately equal to 1/2 the pitch distance between adjacent coil convolutions.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said convolutions of said coil means lie in pairs of planes substantially parallel to one another and to said axis.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the portions of said convolutions lying in at least one of said pairs of planes have a non-linear contour in the direction of said axis.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the portions of said convolutions lying in at least one of said pairs of planes have an arcuate contour in the direction of said axis.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said portions of said convolutions are of greater length than the portions lying in the other of said pairs of planes.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 1, and means for reciprocating said workpiece support means in the direction of said axis and between a first position in which a workpiece on said plate portion is axially outside said coil means and a second position in which the workpiece is disposed within said coil means.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said drivable means between said base portion and plate portion includes rotatable cam means and means for rotating said cam means, said drive means being fixedly supported relative to said workpiece support means and including means operatively engagable with said means for rotating said cam means when said workpiece support means is in said second position.

Claim 12

Apparatus for inductively heating a metal workpiece comprising heating coil means having an axis and having convolutions spaced apart in the direction of said axis, said convolutions lying in pairs of planes substantially parallel to one another and to said axis and the portions of said convolutions lying in at least one of said pairs of planes having an arcuate contour in the direction of said axis and being of greater length than the portions lying in the other of said pairs of planes, means connecting said coil means to a source of alternating current, means for supporting said coil means and a workpiece to be heated in inductive heating relationship and including coil support means and workpiece support means, said workpiece support means including support means movable to position a workpiece thereon within said coil means, means to reciprocate said movable support means axially relative to said coil means to reciprocate said workpiece a distance substantially equal to one-half the pitch distance between adjacent coil convolutions during induction heating of the workpiece, said movable support means including a base portion and a plate portion overlying said base portion and vertically reciprocable relative thereto, and said means to reciprocate said movable support means including rotatable cam means carried by said base portion and means to rotate said cam means, said cam means being operable upon rotation to reciprocate said plate portion.

Claim 13

Apparatus for inductively heating a metal workpiece comprising heating coil means having an axis and having convolutions spaced apart in the direction of said axis, said convolutions lying in pairs of planes substantially parallel to one another and to said axis and the portions of said convolutions lying in at least one of said pairs of planes having an arcuate contour in the direction of said axis and being of greater length than the portions lying in the other of said pairs of planes, means connecting said coil means to a source of alternating current, means for supporting said coil means and a workpiece to be heated in inductive heating relationship and including coil support means and workpiece support means, said workpiece support means including support means movable to position a workpiece thereon within said coil means, means to reciprocate said movable support means axially relative to said coil means to reciprocate said workpiece a distance substantially equal to one-half the pitch distance between adjacent coil convolutions during induction heating of the workpiece, said movable support means including a base portion and a plate portion overlying said base portion and vertically reciprocable relative thereto, and said means to reciprocate said movable support means including rotatable cam means carried by said base portion and means to rotate said cam means, said cam means being operable upon rotation to reciprocate said plate portion.