An apparatus for quenching a ring shaped article includes a heating station for heating the ring shaped article to a quenching temperature; a primary cooling station for cooling the ring shaped article to a deformation correction initiating temperature; and a secondary cooling station for cooling the ring shaped article down to a temperature lower than a martensitic transformation point. The heating station includes a preheating station for heating by induction heating the ring shaped article to a predetermined preheating temperature near to the quenching temperature and a soaking station for heating the ring shaped article, which has been heated to the preheating temperature by the preheating station, to the quenching temperature within a continuous heating furnace. The preheating station includes a rotary table and a heating coil arranged to straddle between inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the ring shaped article.

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