US3672035A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of fabricating a tube sheet assembly
Assignee: Whittaker Corp
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Filing: 1970-03-20
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Granted: 1972-06-27
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Expires: 1990-03-20
Abstract
Abstract A tube sheet assembly has tube sheets with a plurality of orifices formed therein with an enlarged bore inner portion extending partially through the thickness of the sheet for slidably receiving the tube ends intersecting with a coaxial smaller outer bore portion extending through the rest of the sheet thickness corresponding to the inner diameter of the tube. With the ends of each tube positioned in the enlarged inner bore portion of the respective orifices, an explosive welding charge is inserted through the smaller outer bore portion to be positioned within the end of each tube. The charges may then be detonated simultaneously to weld the outer surfaces of the tube ends to the surrounding inner tube sheet surfaces within the enlarged bore portion of the orifices, thus providing an essentially uniform fluid flow path free of discontinuities from the tube sheet into the tubes.
Inventors
- 👤 Irving Lieberman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 18:56
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K20/00; B23K20/06; B23K20/08; B23K20/085; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49805
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of forming a tube sheet assembly having a plurality of tubes extending therefrom comprising: forming a tube sheet with a plurality of orifices extending therethrough each having an enlarged inner counterbore portion and a smaller outer bore portion; inserting one end of each of the plurAlity of tubes into the enlarged counterbore portion of a respective one of the orifices of the tube sheet. positioning an explosive welding charge within said one end of each tube and within said counterbore portion of each said orifice; and simultaneously detonating each of a plurality of said explosive welding charges to weld the outer surfaces of each tube at its end to the interior tube sheet surfaces within said counterbore portion.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of forming a tube sheet assembly having a plurality of tubes extending therefrom comprising: forming a tube sheet with a plurality of orifices extending therethrough each having an enlarged inner counterbore portion and a smaller outer bore portion; inserting one end of each of the plurAlity of tubes into the enlarged counterbore portion of a respective one of the orifices of the tube sheet. positioning an explosive welding charge within said one end of each tube and within said counterbore portion of each said orifice; and simultaneously detonating each of a plurality of said explosive welding charges to weld the outer surfaces of each tube at its end to the interior tube sheet surfaces within said counterbore portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 1 wherein: the diameter of each smaller outer bore portion is formed to correspond to the inner diameter of the end of the tube inserted therein, and the diameter of said enlarged counterbore portion is formed to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the end of the tube inserted therein.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1 wherein: the explosive welding charge comprises an annular shaped cylinder of explosive material positioned concentrically within the end of each tube to extend longitudinally wholly within the enlarged counterbore portion of the respective orifice in the surrounding tube sheet.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of forming a tube sheet assembly comprising: forming opposing tube sheets each having inner and outer surfaces with a plurality of cylindrical orifices extending between said surfaces in each said tube sheet, each orifice having an enlarged counterbore portion extending from said inner surface and intersecting with a coaxial smaller bore portion extending from the outer surface; inserting the ends of each of a plurality of tubes into the enlarged counterbore portion of each of the corresponding orifices in the opposing tube sheets to extend therebetween with each tube having an annular end surface abutting an annular shoulder within its orifice at the intersection of said portions; positioning an annular shaped explosive charge coaxially within each tube end and recessed from said inner surface within the surrounding counterbore portion; and simultaneously detonating the explosive charge within each of a plurality of tube ends to form a metallurgical bond between the outer tube surfaces and the abutting tube sheet surfaces within the corresponding ones of said orifices.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of forming a tube sheet assembly comprising: forming opposing tube sheets each having inner and outer surfaces with a plurality of cylindrical orifices extending between said surfaces in each said tube sheet, each orifice having an enlarged counterbore portion extending from said inner surface and intersecting with a coaxial smaller bore portion extending from the outer surface; inserting the ends of each of a plurality of tubes into the enlarged counterbore portion of each of the corresponding orifices in the opposing tube sheets to extend therebetween with each tube having an annular end surface abutting an annular shoulder within its orifice at the intersection of said portions; positioning an annular shaped explosive charge coaxially within each tube end and recessed from said inner surface within the surrounding counterbore portion; and simultaneously detonating the explosive charge within each of a plurality of tube ends to form a metallurgical bond between the outer tube surfaces and the abutting tube sheet surfaces within the corresponding ones of said orifices.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said enlarged inner counterbore extends into said tube sheet from an inner surface of said tube sheet and wherein said explosive welding charge is recessed from said inner surface.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-27 | 1975-12-27 | 1976-06-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-27 | 1979-12-27 | 1980-06-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-27 | 1983-12-27 | 1984-06-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |