Aftercooler

Claim 2

An aftercooler for cooling and cleaning compressed air, comprising: housing having an inlet and an outlet and means therebetween for cooling air passing from the inlet through the outlet; and a header juxtaposed to the inlet comprising a body defining a cavity therein communicating with the inlet having a port therein communicating with a passage through said header to permit fluid flow communication with a source of compressed air; said header having a second passage therein containing discharge valve means to permit the discharge of fluid from said second passage; said header having a port communicating with said second passage from said cavity to permit the flow of liquid from said cavity into said second passage through said port; said valve means being completely disposed within the body of said header and being separated from said first mentioned passage by a wall integrally formed in said header in direct heat transfer relation to said first passage and said cavity in sufficient proximity to said first mentioned passage to prevent freezing of said fluid on the surfaces of said valve means.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 wherein a perforated plate is disposed between said header and said housing.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 2 wherein said housing contains a cylindrical baffle disposed in spaced relation to the inner walls of said housing which form a bore; and said perforations in said plate are annularly disposed to permit fluid flow communication between said cavity and the space between said baffle and the walls forming said bore.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 3 wherein said baffle is fixedly connected to said plate.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 1 wherein a second header is juxTaposed to the outlet of said housing; said second header having a chamber therein and a check valve means within said chamber for permitting air to pass from said outlet and preventing its return.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 5 wherein said check valve means comprises a seat formed in said cavity and a movable member having a plurality of guide means thereon engaging the walls forming said cavity, to guide said movable member toward and away from said seat.

Claim 8

An aftercooler for cooling and cleaning compressed air, comprising: a housing having an inlet and an outlet and means therebetween for cooling air passing from the inlet through the outlet; and a header juxtaposed to the inlet comprising a body defining a cavity therein communicating with the inlet having a port therein communicating with a passage through said header to permit fluid flow communication with a source of compressed air; said header having a second passage therein containing discharge valve means to permit the discharge of fluid from said second passage; said header having a port communicating with said second passage from said cavity to permit the flow of liquid from said cavity into said second passage through said port; said valve means being completely disposed within the body of said header and being separated from said first mentioned passage by a wall integrally formed in said header in direct heat transfer relation to said first passage and said cavity; said housing having a cylindrical baffle disposed within said housing in spaced relation to the walls of said housing which form a bore; and said walls are sloped inwardly from the inlet toward the longitudinal center of said bore and then outwardly toward the outlet of said housing.

Claim 9

An aftercooler for cooling and cleaning compressed air, comprising: a housing having an inlet and an outlet and means therebetween for cooling air passing from the inlet through the outlet; and a header juxtaposed to the inlet comprising a body defining a cavity therein communicating with the inlet having a port therein communicating with a passage through said header to permit fluid flow communication with a source of compressed air; said header having a second passage therein containing discharge valve means to permit the discharge of fluid from said second passage; said header having a port communicating with said second passage from said cavity to permit the flow of liquid from said cavity into said second passage through said port; said valve means being completely disposed within the body of said header and being separated from said first mentioned passage by a wall integrally formed in said header in direct heat transfer relation to said first passage and said cavity; said housing having a cylindrical baffle disposed within said housing in spaced relation to the walls of said housing which form a bore; and said walls are sloped inwardly from the inlet toward the longitudinal center of said bore and then outwardly toward the outlet of said housing.