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US 6,581,273 B1Granted
Heat exchanger tube weaving apparatus and method
AssigneeFAFCO, Inc.
InventorRichard O. Rhodes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A weaving apparatus used to separate the tubes of a heat exchanger so that spacers that hold the tubes apart can be inserted between the tubes to increase thermal efficiency. The weaving apparatus includes a frame assembly and a weaving mechanism contained within the frame assembly. The weaving mechanism includes an alignment plate to align the tubes and separation plates to separate the tubes after they have been aligned. The weaving apparatus thus automates the step of separating the tubes of the heat exchanger so that the spacer can ready inserted between the tubes.
Claims18
An apparatus comprising:
- a weaving mechanism configured to accept a heat exchanger comprising a plurality of connected parallel tubes, the weaving mechanism including:
- a first separator plate having a first set of receptacles arranged in a first staggered pattern, the first set of receptacles configured to engage one of the connected parallel tubes respectively;
- and
- a second separator plate having a second set of receptacles arranged in a second staggered pattern, the second staggered pattern arranged in the complement of the first staggered pattern the second set of receptacles configured to engage one of the connected parallel tubes respectively,
- wherein the first separator plate and the second separator plate act to separate the connected tubes into a staggered arrangement.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a weaving mechanism configured to accept a heat exchanger comprising a plurality of parallel tubes and to separate the tubes of the heat exchanger simultaneously so that a spacer can be inserted between the tubes of the heat exchanger, the weaving mechanism comprising
- a first separator plate with a first plurality of tube positioning members, wherein each of the first plurality of tube positioning members includes a first set of N receptacles each configured to receive one of the tubes of the heat exchanger, the first set of N receptacles of the first plurality of tube positioning members arranged in a first staggered pattern;
- a second separator plate with a second plurality of tube positioning members, each of the second plurality of tube positioning members having a second set of N receptacles arranged in a second staggered pattern which is the complement of the first staggered pattern of the first separator plate, wherein the first set of N receptacles of the first plurality of tube positioning members of the first separator plate correspond to the second set of N receptacles of the second plurality of tube positioning members of the second separator plate respectively and wherein the first set of N receptacles of the first plurality of tube positioning members and the second set of N receptacles of the second plurality of tube positioning members are positioned adjacent one another in N substantially parallel planes when the first separator plate and the second separator plate are both in a tube separation position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.