Distributor for heat exchange apparatus

Claim 1

IN A DISTRIBUTOR FOR A HEAT EXCHANGER, THE COMBINATION OF A HORIZONTAL CASING HAVING AN INLET CONNECTION THEREIN THROUGH WHICH A FLUID ENTERS AND A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS OPPOSITE TO SAID INLET CONNECTION ADAPTED TO RECEIVE HEAT EXCHANGE TUBES, AND A HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING BAFFLE PLATE HAVING DEPENDING ENDS SECURED WITHIN SAID CASING LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF BETWEEN SAID INLET CONNECTION AND A GROUP ONLY OF THOSE OPENINGS GENERALLY OPPOSITE SAID INLET CONNECTION, THE DEPENDING ENDS OF SAID PLATE BEING SECURED TO THE POWER PORTION OF SAID CASING THE NUMBER OF SAID OPENINGS IN SAID GROUP BEING SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF THE OPENINGS IN SAID CASING, SAID BAFFLE PLATE WITH SAID DEPENDING ENDS DEFINING AN INTERIOR ZONE ENCOMPASSING SAID GROUP OF SAID OPENINGS, SAID BAFFLE PLATE HAVING A APERTURE THEREIN SUBSTANTIALY LESS IN AREA THAN THE AREA OF THE PLATE SITUATED BETWEEN TWO OF THE OPENINGS TO PERMIT FLOW OF FLUID THROUGH THE PLATE WHILE PREVENTING DIRECT DISCHARGE OF FLUID INTO ANY OF THE OPENINGS IN THE LOWER PORTION OF THE CASING.