System, method and apparatus for aligning tubes of a heat exchanger
AssigneeGeneral Electric Technology GmbH
InventorsJOHN SEBASTIAN GIULIANO, MICHELLE GIGLIO YORK
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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 driving 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.
Claims22
An apparatus for aligning tubes of a heat exchanger, comprising:
- 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;
- wherein the first driving member is actuatable to move the first biasing member between a clearance position in which the first driving 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.
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 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, a second driving member received by the body and extending between the insertion end and the actuator end, the second driving member being movable axially with respect to the body, a first biasing member operatively connected to the first driving member, and a second biasing member operatively connected to the second driving member;
- inserting the insertion end of the apparatus between rows of tubes of a 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.
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 and an actuator end;
- a first window formed in the body 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 first longitudinal bore and extending through the first window, the first driving member being movable axially within the first longitudinal bore;
- and
- a first biasing member received within the first window and operatively connected 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 driving member lays flat within the first window 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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.