Finned tube protector

Claim 1

In combination with a finned tube including a central tube having a plurality of radially extending fins on the outer periphery thereof, a protector device comprising a pair of substantially identical independent half sections adapted for disposition on the central tube for encasing a plurality of adjacent fins, each of said half sections comprising mutually parallel spaced sidewall means of a substantially rectangular configuration and having a substantially semi-circular recess provided on one edge thereof for engaging the outer periphery of the central tube, outer band means spanning the distance between the sidewall means and disposed at the edge thereof opposite the recess means, first flap means conterminous with one end of the band means and extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom between the sidewall means, second flap means conterminous with the opposite end of the band means and extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom between the sidewall means, an elongated arm member extending outwardly from said first flap means and of a width less than the width of said first flap means, said arm member being engagable with the second flap means of the other half section, and complementary locking means provided on said arm member and second flap means and slidably interengagable for securely snap locking the half sections around the outer periphery of the finned tube as the half sections are moved in directions toward one another with the outer ends of said flap means being spaced apart for providing openings at each end of the protector device installed on the finned tube, said locking means comprising recessed slit means provided on said second flap member for receiving the end of said elongated arm therethrough in a manner substantially precluding accidental seperation of the assembled half-sections.