A physical-and-mathematical pattern of calculation of the thermo-stressed condition of the cold work roll, being heated in the chamber fast (gradient) heating furnace for hardening of the working layer of the certain depth, has been demonstrated. The heating fur-nace consists of two sliding halves and is connected with the spraying unit. A roll subjected to heating runs on rollers and rotates during heating and hardening. Two heating conditions: forced one and more rational one, under which a speed of the roll heating is limited at the initial stage, have been compared. The authors have offered a steptype schedule of increasing the heating medium temperature during roll heating at which the maximum tensile stress does not exceed an acceptable value of 300 MPa. It is recommended to limit a heating speed at the initial stage of heat treatment to reduce the thermal stress.