Methods for attaching a wick plug to a wick
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsChristopher M. Nestor, III, Tyler Imprescia, John Lojek, III, Michael A LaPresti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of attaching a wick plug to an annular wick with the annular wick defining an outside diameter. The method includes positioning the wick plug at least partially within the annular wick; placing a clamp over the outside diameter of the annular wick; and heating the clamp, the annular wick, and the wick plug to a temperature sufficient to thermally expand the wick plug and the annular wick to exert a compressive force onto the wick plug and the annular wick by the clamp to compress the wick plug and the annular wick together.
Claims16
A method of attaching a wick plug to an annular wick, the annular wick defining an outside diameter, the method comprising:
- positioning the wick plug at least partially within the annular wick;
- placing a clamp over the outside diameter of the annular wick;
- and
- heating the clamp, the annular wick, and the wick plug to a temperature sufficient to thermally expand the wick plug and the annular wick to exert a compressive force onto the wick plug and the annular wick by the clamp to compress the wick plug and the annular wick together, wherein the clamp comprises a first clamp portion and a second clamp portion, and wherein placing the clamp over the outside diameter of the annular wick comprises positioning the first clamp portion and the second clamp portion around the outside diameter of the annular wick and attaching the first clamp portion and the second clamp portion to each other.
A method of attaching a wick plug to an annular wick, the annular wick defining an outside diameter, the method comprising:
- positioning the wick plug at least partially within the annular wick;
- placing a clamp over the outside diameter of the annular wick;
- and
- heating the clamp, the annular wick, and the wick plug to thermally expand the wick plug and the annular wick at a greater rate than the clamp such that the clamp exerts a compressive force onto the wick plug and the annular wick to compress the wick plug and the annular wick together, wherein the clamp comprises a first clamp portion and a second clamp portion, and wherein placing the clamp over the outside diameter of the annular wick comprises positioning the first clamp portion and the second clamp portion around the outside diameter of the annular wick and attaching the first clamp portion and the second clamp portion to each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.