System for controlling thermal expansion in a tube heater

A system for securing a tube heater with a longitudinal axis to a structure, the tube heater having a burner with a radiant tube extending therefrom to an exhaust outlet, the system comprising:

• an elongate canopy coupled to the tube heater and extending along the longitudinal axis, the canopy comprising a reflector extending between the exhaust outlet and the burner and having:
• an exhaust end securable to the tube heater adjacent the exhaust outlet, and
• an opposed burner end securable to the tube heater adjacent to the burner;
• an exhaust hanger rigidly coupled to the canopy proximate the exhaust end and configured to be rigidly coupled to the structure, the exhaust hanger rigidly coupled to the exhaust outlet of the tube heater to hang the exhaust outlet and the exhaust end from the structure;
• a burner hanger coupled to the canopy proximate the burner end and configured to be slidably coupled to the structure, the burner hanger configured to secure the radiant tube at a position adjacent to the burner, the burner hanger hanging the burner end and the radiant tube that is adjacent to the burner from the structure;
• a first fixed bracket securable to the structure, wherein the exhaust hanger is rigidly secured to the first fixed bracket;
• and
• a first free bracket securable to the structure, the first free bracket having a support member orientated parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube heater, wherein the burner hanger is slidably coupled to the support member of the first free bracket,
• wherein the burner hanger slides along the support member to allow the burner and the burner end of the canopy to slide relative to the structure when undergoing thermal expansion or contraction, and
• wherein the burner hanger allows the radiant tube adjacent to the burner and the burner end of the canopy to slide relative to the structure, and permits the radiant tube adjacent to the burner to slide relative to the burner end of the canopy, to accommodate independent thermal expansion of the radiant tube and the canopy from the exhaust end toward the burner end and to accommodate independent thermal contraction of the radiant tube and the canopy from the burner end toward the exhaust end.