Compressive brazing fixture
AssigneeFord Motor Company
InventorsAndrew D. Crosier, Mark R. Nock, Josef Hirmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A brazing fixture apparatus is disclosed for holding a heat exchanger core during a brazing operation. The fixture includes a generally rectangular frame including a contact member disposed on one side of the frame and a single lever extending axially along the length of the frame. The lever pivots from a first position to allow placement of the core onto the frame to a second position, in response to gravity, such that in the second position, the lever applies a constant compressive force on the core to hold the core together during the brazing operation.
Claims18
An apparatus for holding an article during a brazing process, comprising:
- a generally rectangular frame including an article contact member disposed on one side thereof and ribs for supporting said article thereon;
- and
- a single lever extending axially along the length of said frame and being pivotally mounted to said frame opposite said contact member, said lever being operative to pivot from a first position to allow placement of said article onto said frame to a second position in contact with said article in response to gravity such that in the second position, said lever applies a constant compressive force to said article during the brazing process.
An apparatus for holding a heat exchanger having a core during a brazing process, the core including a first and second side support members disposed on opposite sides of an assembly of a plurality of interleaved tubes and fins, said apparatus comprising:
- a generally rectangular frame including at least one contact member disposed on one side thereof for engagement with said first side support member and further including ribs for supporting said core thereon;
- and
- a single lever extending axially along the length of said frame and being pivotally mounted to said frame opposite said contact member, said lever being operative to pivot from a first position to allow placement of said core onto said frame to a second position in contact with said second side support member of said core in response to gravity such that in the second position, said lever applies a constant compressive force acting on said side support members to hold said plurality of tube and fins together during the brazing process.
An apparatus for holding a radiator core during a brazing process, the core including a first and second side support members disposed on opposite sides of an assembly of a plurality of tubes interleaved with fins, said apparatus comprising:
- a generally rectangular frame including:
- a pair of contact members disposed on one side thereof for engagement with said first side support member;
- a pair of ribs having a graphite layer thereon for supporting said radiator core thereon;
- and
- a pair of flange members secured to said frame and projecting generally perpendicularly from the plane of said frame, each of said pair of flanges includes a pin secured thereto which defines a pivot axis thereabout and a plurality of apertures therein;
- a single lever extending axially along the length of said frame and being pivotally mounted to said frame opposite said contact members, said lever being operative to pivot from a first position to allow placement of said radiator core onto said frame to a second position in contact with said second side support member of said radiator core in response to gravity such that in the second position, said lever applies a constant compressive force acting on said side support members to hold said plurality of tube and fins together during the brazing process, said lever comprising:
- a pair of triangularly shaped support arms having a plurality of apertures therein for receiving said pin therethrough to pivotally secure said lever to said flanges;
- an elongate contact beam disposed between said support arms and operative to contact said second side support member when said lever is pivoted into said second position;
- and
- an elongate bar having a predetermined weight interposed between said support arms and operative to pivot said lever from said first position to said second position in response to gravity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.