Maximum expansion plug for heat exchanger tubes
AssigneeJNT Technical Services, Inc.
InventorGlenn F. Jorgensen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plug for sealing the end of a tube including a cylindrical housing member having longitudinal bore that communicates with a threaded portion. An insert post having a threaded body is received within the threaded portion of the bore and supports a frustroconical member that deflects at least a portion of the wall of the housing member that is highly ductile when a rear nut is threaded onto the body of the insert post. The frustroconical member has a correspondingly large angle of taper to deflect the wall of the housing member outwardly as much as possible without causing fracturing of the wall.
Claims14
A plug for sealing the end of a tube, comprising:
- a tubular housing having an outer diameter and a wall of annealed material having a modulus of elasticity of between 10,000 ksi to 30,000 ksi that extends from a first thickness that is between about three percent and about eight percent of said outer diameter to a second thickness that is that is between about five percent and about eleven percent of said outer diameter, wherein said wall is deformable by said ferrule to expand to a new outer diameter that is up to ten percent of said outer diameter;
- an insert post extending along a longitudinal axis from a first, free end to a second end that is positioned within said tubular housing;
- a ferrule having a taper of at least four degrees relative to said longitudinal axis positioned about said post;
- and
- a nut positioned on said post, wherein movement of said nut along said post will cause said ferrule to engage said wall of said tubular housing.
A plug for sealing the end of a tube, comprising:
- a tubular housing having an outer diameter and a wall of annealed material having a modulus of elasticity of between 10,000 ksi to 30,000 ksi that extends from a first thickness that is between about three percent and about eight percent of said outer diameter to a second thickness that is between about five percent and about eleven percent of said outer diameter, wherein said wall is deformable by said ferrule to expand to a new outer diameter that is up to ten percent of said outer diameter;
- an insert post extending along a longitudinal axis within a portion of said tubular housing and supporting a ferrule having a taper of at least four degrees relative to said longitudinal axis;
- and
- wherein said wall includes an outer surface having a series of grooves formed therein.
A method of plugging a tube having an inner bore, comprising the steps of:
- providing a plug having a tubular housing with an outer diameter and a wall of annealed material having a modulus of elasticity of between 10,000 ksi to 30,000 ksi that extends from a first thickness that is between about three percent and about eight percent of said outer diameter to a second thickness that is between about five percent and about eleven percent of said outer diameter, an insert post extending along a longitudinal axis within the housing, a ferrule having a taper of at least four degrees relative to said longitudinal axis positioned on the insert post, and a nut position on the insert post behind the ferrule;
- and
- advancing said nut onto said insert post so that said nut advances said ferrule and said ferrule deforms said wall up to ten percent of said outer diameter into engagement with the inner bore of said tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.