Heat exchanger tube support
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorsBen P. Dimarco, Ralph J. Tolone, Lester N. Miller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Support for the heat exchanger tubes of a gas-fired, year round air conditioning unit are provided by a pair of interlocking, wire frame elements that sandwich the tubes therebetween and are, in turn, securely attached to the frame structure. The two elements are biasingly interlocked in a safety pin fashion, with the combination providing adequate support while, at the same time, offering little resistance to the flow of air over the supported tubes.
Claims13
An improved support structure for a heater of the type having a heat exchanger with a plurality of parallel tubes over the outer side of which air is caused to flow for transferring heat to the air, wherein the improvement comprises:
- a first wire-formed bracket member for extending across one side of the plurality of parallel tubes, said member being secured to a frame member of the heater and functioning to locate and support the tubes in their installed positions;
- and
- a second wire-formed bracket member for extending across the other side of the plurality of parallel tubes, said first and second members being connectable on at least one end thereof by the interlocking of a hook member on one bracket member with an open-ended slot on the other bracket member to secure said second bracket member and thereby sandwich said tubes between said first and second bracket members.
An improved heat exchanger support apparatus for heaters of the type having plurality of heat exchanger tubes aligned in side-by-side relationship within a chamber through which air is caused by flow for the purpose of heating the air comprising;
- a support member extending transversely across, and in direct supporting contact with, one side of said plurality of tubes, with the ends of said support member being supportably connected to a supporting structure in said heater, said support member including open-ended notches formed near either end thereof;
- and
- a securing member extending transversely across, and in direct supporting contact with the other side of said plurality of tubes, with the ends of said securing member being connected without fasteners in a spring loaded fashion to associated end portions of said support member so as to spring load said plurality of heat exchanger tubes between said support and securing members, said securing member including a hook near each end thereof;
- and
- portions of said respective hooks engaging portions of said open-ended notches.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.