Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
145 words
In combination in a heat exchanger having a housing, and having a plurality of longitudinally extending fluid flow tubes disposed within said housing and having tube sheets disposed within said housing and with said tube sheets having openings in communication with the ends of said tubes: (a) a retaining plate, (b) means fixedly mounting said plate in spaced relationship to the outer face of a said tube sheet, (c) and a plurality of baskets for receiving shuttling tube cleaning elements, with each of said plurality of baskets being mounted coaxially with a respective tube sheet opening and having longitudinally extending walls with fluid flow openings therein, (d) the outer end portion of each said basket being confiningly engaged by said retaining plate, (e) each said basket extending between said plate and said tube sheet with its said fluid flow openings disposed in the space therebetween.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
145 words
In combination in a heat exchanger having a housing, and having a plurality of longitudinally extending fluid flow tubes disposed within said housing and having tube sheets disposed within said housing and with said tube sheets having openings in communication with the ends of said tubes: (a) a retaining plate, (b) means fixedly mounting said plate in spaced relationship to the outer face of a said tube sheet, (c) and a plurality of baskets for receiving shuttling tube cleaning elements, with each of said plurality of baskets being mounted coaxially with a respective tube sheet opening and having longitudinally extending walls with fluid flow openings therein, (d) the outer end portion of each said basket being confiningly engaged by said retaining plate, (e) each said basket extending between said plate and said tube sheet with its said fluid flow openings disposed in the space therebetween.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The combination of claim 1: (a) in which said retaining plate is provided with a plurality of spaced fluid flow openings, (b) said plate openings being in axial alignment with said tube sheet openings.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination of claim 2 in which: (a) said baskets have open outer ends, (b) and said plate openings are in axial registry with said outer ends of said baskets.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination of claim 3 in which the outer ends of said baskets are confiningly engaged by the portions of said plate which peripherally surround said plate openings.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The combination of claim 3 in which the outer end portions of said basket walls provide abutment means confiningly engaged by the portions of said plate which peripherally surround said plate openings.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The combination of claim 1 in which said retaining plate is provided with a plurality of spaced fluid flow openings disposed in a random pattern generally out of axial alignment with said tube sheet openings.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination of claim 6 in which the portions of said retainer plate between said random openings confiningly engage the outer ends of said baskets.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination of claim 7 in which said random plate openings are smaller in diameter than the outer ends of said baskets.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The combination of claim 8 in which said retainer plate also serves as a stop for cleaning elements entering said baskets.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
The combination of claim 6, 7, 8 or 9 in which the number and size of said random plate openings is such that the total cross-sectional area thereof in said plate is at least equal to the sum of the internal cross-sectional areas of said heat exchanger tubes.