US3708098A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Assembly for plugging heat exchanger tubes
Assignee: Waagner Biro AG
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Filing: 1969-06-25
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Granted: 1973-01-02
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Expires: 1989-06-25
Abstract
Abstract An assembly for plugging defective heat exchanger tubes. A plug which has a closed end and a deformable tubular wall extending therefrom surrounds with its tubular wall a deforming member which spreads the wall of the plug against an inner surface of a defective heat exchanger tube during withdrawal of the deforming member from the interior of the plug. A holding element holds the plug in position during withdrawal of the deforming member, and the latter is withdrawn by a pulling structure actuated through a transmission which is remotely operable from the exterior of the heat exchanger so that by guiding the assembly into the heat exchanger and positioning the plug in a defective tube it is possible to carry out the exterior of the heat exchanger operations which will fix the plug to the defective tube.
Inventors
- 👤 W Roznovsky
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 08:55
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21D; G21D1/00; G21D1/02; F; F28; F28D; F28D7/00; F28D7/10; F28F; F28F11/00; F28F11/02; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
242 words
In an assembly for plugging a defective heat exchanger tube, a plug having a closed end and a deformable tubular wall fixed to and extending from said closed end to be expanded and deformed against an inner surface of a defective heat exchanger tube, deforming means situated within and surrounded by said wall of said plug for expanding and deforming said plug wall against an inner surface of a defective tube during complete withdrawal of said deforming means from the interior of said tubular plug wall, holding means coacting with said plug for holding the latter in a defective heat exchanger tube during withdrawal of said deforming means from the plug, operating means distant from said plug, deforming means, and holding means, pulling means coacting with said deforming means for pulling the latter completely out of a plug held by said holding means, and transmission means extending between and operatively connected with said pulling means and operating means for transmitting movement of said operating means to said pulling means to actuate the latter, whereby when said pulling means, deforming means, holding means, and a plug carried by said deforming means are situated in the interior of a heat exchanger with the plug introduced into an end of a defective tube and with said operating means accessible at the exterior, it is possible upon operation of said operating means to weld or otherwise fix the plug to the interior of the defective tube.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
242 words
In an assembly for plugging a defective heat exchanger tube, a plug having a closed end and a deformable tubular wall fixed to and extending from said closed end to be expanded and deformed against an inner surface of a defective heat exchanger tube, deforming means situated within and surrounded by said wall of said plug for expanding and deforming said plug wall against an inner surface of a defective tube during complete withdrawal of said deforming means from the interior of said tubular plug wall, holding means coacting with said plug for holding the latter in a defective heat exchanger tube during withdrawal of said deforming means from the plug, operating means distant from said plug, deforming means, and holding means, pulling means coacting with said deforming means for pulling the latter completely out of a plug held by said holding means, and transmission means extending between and operatively connected with said pulling means and operating means for transmitting movement of said operating means to said pulling means to actuate the latter, whereby when said pulling means, deforming means, holding means, and a plug carried by said deforming means are situated in the interior of a heat exchanger with the plug introduced into an end of a defective tube and with said operating means accessible at the exterior, it is possible upon operation of said operating means to weld or otherwise fix the plug to the interior of the defective tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
89 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein a positioning and guide means coacts with said transmission means extending between said operating means and pulling means for guiding said transmission means along the interior of a fluid-collecting pipe which carries a transverse tube sheet from which said defective tube extends, said positioning and guide means guiding the remainder of assembly into the collecting pipe to a location where said plug carried by said deforming means will be precisely situated with respect to the defective tube for entering into the latter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
96 words
The combination of claim 2 and wherein said positioning and guide means includes at an exterior end of said collecting pipe a template covering the open end of the collecting pipe and formed with a series of openings corresponding to the location of the tubes which extend from the tube sheet, and a locating pin interconnected with the plug and deforming means for indicating the location thereof at the exterior of the template so that by introducing said pin into a selected one of the template openings the plug will be introduced into the corresponding tube.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein said operating means, deforming means, holding means, transmission means, and pulling means are replaceable by a welding means which can be operated to act on said plug differently from said deforming means to weld the plug to the tube after the plug has been inserted into and deformed against the inner surface of the tube upon withdrawal of the deforming means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein said deforming means has a tapered configuration and said wall of said plug being correspondingly tapered so as to be expanded upon withdrawal of the tapered portion of said deforming mean.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The combination of claim 4 and wherein said wall of said plug is made of an easily deformable and weldable material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination of claim 5 and wherein said plug is provided at the exterior surface of its tubular wall with cutouts to facilitate deformation of said wall.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination of claim 5 and wherein said closed end of said plug is formed by a body which is welded to said tubular wall.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
117 words
The combination of claim 2 and wherein said transmission means includes an elongated straight rod which extends axially along the interior of said collecting pipe and which is guided for rotary movement by said positioning and guide means, a positioning pin coaxial with said rod and extending into a tube which is adjacent the defective tube for positioning the rod in the interior of the collecting pipe, and said locating pin being connected by a crank arm to said rod so that the latter will turn during location of the locating pin in a selected template opening, turning the plug and deforming means also around the rod axis to properly situate the plug in the defective tube.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
85 words
The combination of claim 9 and wherein said operating means is a rotary handwheel, said rod forming part of said transmission means and the latter including a gear train tranSmitting rotary movement of said rod to said pulling means, said pulling means including a threaded portion of said deforming means and a rotary threaded member surrounding an engaging said threaded portion and turned by said transmission means for displacing said deforming means out of said plug while the latter is held by said holding means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-01-02 | 1976-07-03 | 1977-01-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-01-02 | 1980-07-03 | 1981-01-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-01-02 | 1984-07-03 | 1985-01-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |