A flat rolled article (2) passes through a cooling device (1) in a transportation direction (x) at the level of a passline (3). Spray beams (5, 6) extend transversely with respect to the transportation direction (x). The spray beams (5, 6) have, as viewed perpendicular to the transportation direction (x), in each case two outer regions (7, 8) and a central region (9) in between. A liquid cooling medium (13) can be fed into the regions (7, 8, 9) via a respective dedicated, individually controllable valve device (10, 11, 12). A central flow rate profile (V1), pertaining to the central region (9), of the liquid cooling medium (13) has a maximum in the centre and decreases toward the edge as viewed perpendicular to the transportation direction (x), such that the central flow rate profile (V1) defines a central triangle of which one side runs perpendicular to the transportation direction (x) and the two other sides are of equal length. Outer flow rate profiles (V2, V3), pertaining to the outer regions (7, 8), of the liquid cooling medium (13) have a maximum at the edges and decrease toward the centre, such that the outer flow rate profiles (V2, V3) each define an outer triangle of which in each case one side runs parallel and perpendicular to the transportation direction (x). The central triangle and the two outer triangles combine to form a rectangle.