Method of attaching a tube to a wall

Abstract

A method of attaching a tube to a wall and particularly to an automotive radiator tank wall in a fluid tight seal in which the tube is provided with inner and outer end flanges on the end that is to be attached to the wall with these flanges spaced apart to define a groove between them substantially equal in width to the thickness of the wall so as to snugly receive the wall therein, providing a slit in the end flange extending for a distance substantially coinciding with the bottom of the groove, arranging at least one of the flange end portions on opposite sides of the slit at an outward angle to provide thereby an angled tab, providing a tube receiving opening in the wall with a slit also defining adjacent wall ends one of which is arranged at an outward angle similar to the angled flange tab, aligning the tube and the opening in the wall coaxially with the outer tube flange in contact with the tank wall at the outer surface thereof, rotating the tube and wall relative to each other thereby causing the tube outer flange tab to slide over the wall tab and pass inwardly of the wall and engage the wall and the tab groove followed by compressing the two flanges toward each other to grip tightly the wall surrounding the wall opening and then joining the tank wall as by soldering, brazing or the like to the flanges to form a fluid tight seal.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.