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US 10,532,436 B2Granted
System, method and apparatus for aligning tubes of a heat exchanger
AssigneeGeneral Electric Technology GmbH
InventorsJohn Sebastian Giuliano, Michelle Giglio York
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for aligning tubes of a heat exchanger includes a generally planar body having an insertion end and an actuator end, a first driving member received by the body and extending between the insertion end and the actuator end, the first driving member being movable axially with respect to the body, and a first biasing member operatively connected to the first driving member. The first driving member is actuatable to move the first biasing member between a clearance position in which the first biasing member lays generally flat within respect to the body, and an extended position in which the first biasing member extends generally perpendicular from the body.
Claims16
An apparatus for inserting between and aligning tubes of a heat exchanger, comprising:
- a generally planar body having an insertion end operative to be inserted between adjacent tubes of the heat exchanger, and an actuator end, the body defining a first aperture therethrough between the insertion end and the actuator end;
- a first driving member received by the body and extending between the insertion end and the actuator end, the first driving member being movable axially with respect to the body;
- and
- a first biasing member coupled to the first driving member;
- wherein the first driving member is actuatable to move the first biasing member between a clearance position in which the first biasing member lays generally flat with respect to the body, and an extended position in which the first biasing member extends generally perpendicular from the body;
- and
- a first longitudinal bore extending through the body from the actuator end towards the insertion end;
- wherein the first aperture is sized to receive the first biasing member therein;
- wherein the first driving member is received within the first longitudinal bore and extends through the first aperture;
- wherein the first driving member is movable axially within the first longitudinal bore;
- and
- wherein in the clearance position, the first biasing member lays generally flat within the first aperture;
- a second aperture formed in the body between the insertion end and the actuator end, and positioned generally below the first aperture with respect to a latitudinal axis of the body;
- a second longitudinal bore extending through the body from the actuator end towards the insertion end;
- a second driving member received within second longitudinal bore and extending through the second aperture, the second driving member being movable axially within the second longitudinal bore;
- and
- a second biasing member received within the second aperture and operatively connected to the second driving member;
- wherein the second driving member is actuatable to move the second biasing member between a clearance position in which the second driving member lays flat within the second aperture and is generally coplanar with the surface of the body, and an extended position in which the second biasing member extends generally perpendicular from the body;
- wherein the first and second biasing members define a first space therebetween configured to receive a first heat exchanger tube.
16 more elements
A method of aligning tubes of a heat exchanger, comprising the steps of:
- providing an apparatus having:
- a generally planar body having an insertion end operative to be inserted between adjacent tubes of the heat exchanger, and an actuator end, the body defining a first aperture therethrough between the insertion end and the actuator end;
- a first driving member received by the body and extending between the insertion end and the actuator end, the first driving member being movable axially with respect to the body;
- a first biasing member coupled to the first driving member;
- a first longitudinal bore extending through the body from the actuator end towards the insertion end, wherein the first aperture is sized to receive the first biasing member therein, the first driving member is received within the first longitudinal bore and extends through the first aperture, the first driving member is moveable axially within the first longitudinal bore, wherein when in a clearance position the first biasing member lays generally flat within the first aperture and when in an extended position the first biasing member extends generally perpendicular from the body;
- a second aperture formed in the body between the insertion end and the actuator end, and positioned generally below the first aperture with respect to a latitudinal axis of the body;
- a second longitudinal bore extending through the body from the actuator end towards the insertion end;
- a second driving member received within the second longitudinal bore and extending through the second aperture, the second driving member being moveable axially within the second longitudinal bore;
- a second biasing member received within the second aperture and operatively connected to the second driving member, wherein the second driving member is actuatable to move the second biasing member between a clearance position in which the second driving member lays flat within the second aperture and is generally coplanar with the surface of the body, and an extended position in which the second biasing member extends generally perpendicular from the body, the first and second biasing members defining a first space therebetween configured to receive a first heat exchanger tube;
- inserting the insertion end of the apparatus between rows of tubes of the heat exchanger;
- and
- actuating the first driving member and the second driving member to extend the first and second biasing members, respectively;
- wherein the first and second biasing members are configured to contact one of the tubes of the heat exchanger to align the tube.
10 more elements
A system for aligning tubes of a heat exchanger, comprising:
- a tube bundle including a plurality of rows of heat exchanger tubes;
- and
- an alignment apparatus received between two rows of the heat exchanger tubes, the apparatus including:
- a generally planar body having an insertion end operative to be inserted between adjacent tubes of the heat exchanger and an actuator end, the body defining a first aperture therethrough between the insertion end and the actuator end;
- a first longitudinal bore extending through the body from the actuator end towards the insertion end;
- a first driving member received within the first longitudinal bore and extending through the first aperture, the first driving member being movable axially within the first longitudinal bore;
- and
- a first biasing member received within the first aperture and coupled to the first driving member;
- wherein the first driving member is actuatable to move the first biasing member between a clearance position in which the first biasing member lays flat within the first aperture and is generally coplanar with a surface of the body, and an extended position in which the first biasing member extends generally perpendicular from the body;
- and
- wherein the first aperture is sized to receive the first biasing member therein;
- the alignment apparatus further including:
- a second aperture formed in the body between the insertion end and the actuator end, and positioned generally below the first aperture with respect to a latitudinal axis of the body;
- a second longitudinal bore extending through the body from the actuator end towards the insertion end;
- a second driving member received within the second longitudinal bore and extending through the second aperture, the second driving member being movable axially within the second longitudinal bore;
- and
- a second biasing member received within the second aperture and operatively connected to the second driving member;
- wherein the second driving member is actuatable to move the second biasing member between a clearance position in which the second driving member lays flat within the second aperture and is generally coplanar with the surface of the body, and an extended position in which the second biasing member extends generally perpendicular from the body;
- wherein the first and second biasing members define a first space therebetween configured to receive a first heat exchanger tube.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.