Heat exchange apparatus

Claim 2

In a heat exchange apparatus of the type having a support member, at least one heat exchange tube having two ends and a central portion, and means for securing the tube at each of its ends within the support member, said heat exchange tube having at least one heat exchange fin means attached to the outer periphery of the central portion and outwardly extending therefrom, the improvement comprising: an elongated heat exchange tube retainer having an internal cross-section and an axial length, said cross-section defining means for attaching to one end of said heat exchange tube along the entire axial length of said retainer, the elongated tube retainer being mounted on an end of said heat exchange tube to provide means for securing the heat exchange tube within the support member and being of sufficient length to prevent longitudinal movement of the heat exchange tube within the support member.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heat exchange tube retainer has a body and at least one protruding portion, said body having an internal cross-section defining means for removably attaching to one end of said heat exchange tube and said protruding portion defining means for the deflection of air towards said heat exchange fin means.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heat exchange tube retainer also has a middle protruding portion providing means for grasping and positioning said retainer when mounting said retainer on said tube or removing said retainer from said tube.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heat exchange tube retainer has first and second protruding portions extending in substantially opposite directions from the periphery of said arcuate body and providing a surface for the deflection of air towards the heat exchange fin means.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said heat exchange tube retainer also has a planar middle protruding portion located on said arcuate body between said first and second protruding portions and providing means for grasping and positioning said retainer when mounting said retainer on said heat exchange tube or removing said retainer from said tube.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said heat exchange tube retainer also provides means for maintaining bias on said end of said heat exchange tube.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heat exchange tube retainer has an arcuate body with a channel of substantially uniform width providing means for removably mounting said arcuate body on said end of said heat exchange tube.

Claim 9

In a heat exchange apparatus of the type having a support member, at least one heat exchange tube having two ends and a central portion, and means for securing the tube at each of its ends within the support member, said heat exchange tube having at least one heat exchange fin means attached to the outer periphery of the central portion and outwardly extending therefrom, the improvement comprising: an elongated heat exchange tube retainer having an internal cross-section defining means for attaching to one end of said heat exchange tube, the elongated tube retainer being mounted on an end of said heat exchange tube to provide means for securing the heat exchange tube within the support member and being of sufficient length to prevent longitudinal movement of the heat exchange tube within the support member; said heat exchange tube retainer having an arcuate body with a channel of substantially uniform width providing means for removably mounting said arcuate body on said end of said heat exchange tube.

Claim 10

In a heat exchange apparatus of the type having a support member, at least one heat exchange tube having two ends and a central portion, and means for securing the tube at each of its ends within the support member, said heat exchange tube having at least one heat exchange fin means attached to the outer periphery of the central portion and outwardly extending therefrom, the improvement comprising: an elongated heat exchange tube retainer having an internal cross-section defining means for attaching to one end of said heat exchange tube, the elongated tube retainer being mounted on an end of said heat exchange tube to provide means for securing the heat exchange tube within the support member and being of sufficient length to prevent longitudinal movement of the heat exchange tube within the support member; said heat exchange tube retainer having an arcuate body with a channel of substantially uniform width providing means for removably mounting said arcuate body on said end of said heat exchange tube.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said heat exchange tube retainer also has a middle protruding portion providing means for grasping and positioning said retainer when mounting said retainer on said tube or removing said retainer from said tube.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said heat exchange tube retainer also has at least one protruding portion extending outwardly from the periphery of said arcuate body and defining means for the deflection of air towards said heat exchange fin means.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said heat exchange tube retainer has first and second protruding portions extending in substantially opposite directions from the periphery of said arcuate body and providing a surface for the deflection of air towards the heat exchange fin means.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said heat exchange tube retainer also provides means for maintaining bias on said end of said heat exchange tube.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said heat exchange tube retainer also has a middle protruding portion located on said arcuate body between said first and second protruding portions and providing means for grasping and positioning said retainer when mounting said retainer on said tube or removing said retainer from said tube.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said arcuate body has a first and a second lip bordering said channel, said first and second lips providing means for engaging the outer periphery of said end portion on said heat exchange tube when mounting said heat exchange tube retainer on said heat exchange tube.

Claim 17

In a heat exchange apparatus of the type having a support member, at least one removable heat exchange tube having two ends and a central portion, and means for securing the tube at each of the ends within the support member, said heat exchange tube being circular in cross-section and having at least one heat exchange fin means attached to the outer periphery of the central portion and extending outwardly therefrom, the improvement comprising: a removable heat exchange tube retainer made of resilient, heat resistant material and having an arcuate body, a first, a second, and a third planar protruding portion, and a first and a second lip portion, said arcuate body having a circular internal cross-section and an axial channel of substantially uniform width, said internal cross-section having an internal diameter slightly less than the outer diameter of a heat exchange tube end portion, said first, second, and third protruding portions, and said first and second portions extending radially along the axial length of said arcuate body, said second protruding portion being located on said arcuate body substantially midway between said first and second protruding portions and diametrically opposite the center of said axial channel, said first and second lip portions bordering said channel to provide means for engaging the outer periphery of said end portion on said heat exchange tube when mounting said tube retainer on said tube, said heat exchange retainer being mounted on an end of said heat exchange tube to secure the heat exchange tube within the support member and deflect air towards said heat exchange fin means on said heat exchange tube.

Claim 18

In a heat exchange apparatus of the type having a support member, at least one removable heat exchange tube having two ends and a central portion, and means for securing the tube at each of the ends within the support member, said heat exchange tube being circular in cross-section and having at least one heat exchange fin means attached to the outer periphery of the central portion and extending outwardly therefrom, the improvement comprising: a removable heat exchange tube retainer made of resilient, heat resistant material and having an arcuate body, a first, a second, and a third planar protruding portion, and a first and a second lip portion, said arcuate body having a circular internal cross-section and an axial channel of substantially uniform width, said internal cross-section having an internal diameter slightly less than the outer diameter of a heat exchange tube end portion, said first, second, and third protruding portions, and said first and second portions extending radially along the axial length of said arcuate body, said second protruding portion being located on said arcuate body substantially midway between said first and second protruding portions and diametrically opposite the center of said axial channel, said first and second lip portions bordering said channel to provide means for engaging the outer periphery of said end portion on said heat exchange tube when mounting said tube retainer on said tube, said heat exchange retainer being mounted on an end of said heat exchange tube to secure the heat exchange tube within the support member and deflect air towards said heat exchange fin means on said heat exchange tube.

Claim 19

In a heat exchange apparatus of the type having a support member, at least one heat exchange tube with two ends and a central portion, and means for securing the tube at each of the ends to the support member, said heat exchange tube having at least one heat exchange fin means attached to the outer periphery of the central portion and outwardly extending therefrom, said securing means including an aperture passing through the support member and a grommet mounted within the aperture, said grommet being comprised of pliable, heat resistant material and having a middle section passing through the aperture, an inner facing section extending substantially beyond the aperture within the inside perimeter of the support member, an outer facing section extending substantially beyond the outer perimeter of the support member, and an internal passage extending through the middle and facing sections, said passage in the grommet defining means for firmly retaining the end of the heat exchange tube, the improvement comprising, in combination: an elongated heat exchange tube retainer having an internal cross-section defining means for attaching to one end of said heat exchange tube, the retainer being mounted on an end of said heat exchange tube to provide means for securing the heat exchange tube within the support member and being of sufficient length to prevent longitudinal movement of the heat exchange tube within the support member; a protective cap washer having a cap and a flat portion with an opening therein, said opening having a cross-section defining means for mounting said cap washer on the end of the heat exchange tube between the heat exchange tube retainer and the grommet and said cap on the cap washer defining means for covering and protecting the inner facing section of the grommet.

Claim 20

In a heat exchange apparatus of the type having a support member, at least one heat exchange tube with two ends and a central portion, and means for securing the tube at each of the ends to the support member, said heat exchange tube having at least one heat exchange fin means attached to the outer periphery of the central portion and outwardly extending therefrom, said securing means including an aperture passing through the support member and a grommet mounted within the aperture, said grommet being comprised of pliable, heat resistant material and having a middle section passing through the aperture, an inner facing section extending substantially beyond the aperture within the inside perimeter of the support member, an outer facing section extending substantially beyond the outer perimeter of the support member, and an internal passage extending through the middle and facing sections, said passage in the grommet defining means for firmly retaining the end of the heat exchange tube, the improvement comprising, in combination: an elongated heat exchange tube retainer having an internal cross-section defining means for attaching to one end of said heat exchange tube, the retainer being mounted on an end of said heat exchange tube to provide means for securing the heat exchange tube within the support member and being of sufficient length to prevent longitudinal movement of the heat exchange tube within the support member; a protective cap washer having a cap and a flat portion with an opening therein, said opening having a cross-section defining means for mounting said cap washer on the end of the heat exchange tube between the heat exchange tube retainer and the grommet and said cap on the cap washer defining means for covering and protecting the inner facing section of the grommet.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said heat exchange tube retainer also has a middle protruding portion providing means for grasping and positioning said retainer on said tube or removing said retainer from said tube.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 16 or 17 wherein said heat exchange tube retainer also has first and second protruding portions extending in substantially opposite directions from the periphery of said arcuate body and providing a surface for the deflection of air towards the heat exchange fin means.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said heat exchange tube retainer also has at least one protruding portion extending outwardly from the periphery of said arcuate body and defining means for the deflection of air towards said heat exchange fin means.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 16 or 19 wherein said heat exchange tube retainer has an arcuate body with a channel of substantially uniform width providing means for removably mounting said arcuate body on said end of said heat exchange tube.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the improvement further comprises a second protective cap washer also having a cap and a flat portion with an opening therein, said opening in said second cap washer defining means for mounting said second cap washer on the end of the heat exchange tube opposite the end on which the retainer is mounted and between said heat exchange tube central portion and the grommet on said opposite end and said cap on said second cap washer defining means for covering and protecting the inner facing of the grommet on said opposite end.