Research Engineering & Manufacturing, Inc.

Charles H Wardwell

Norman L Holcomb

An article is hardened or tempered in a localized zone. Where the article is a thread-forming device the zone is that part of its thread that does the thread-forming in the workpiece. The hardness of the remainder of the body of the article is left unchanged. The localized hardening is carried out by a method that includes high frequency induction heating only of the zone followed by quenching of the zone whereby the hardened zone is a skin of predetermined depth. A machine for making articles in accordance with the method comprises means for delivering the articles in succession to an induction heating element, a mechanism for advancing the articles through the heating element for progressive heating of the surface of the article in the localized zone to a predetermined depth, a quenching manifold for applying a spray of quenching liquid to the heated article, and means for removing the heated articles from the heating element and conveying them to the quenching manifold.

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South Dartmouth, MA, United States of America

Charles H Wardwell