Self-adjusting mounting-band assembly

Claim 1

A mounting band assembly comprising: a. a filter housing constructed of a material having a first rate of thermal expansion; b. a band encircling the exterior of the filter housing, the band constructed of a material having a second rate of thermal expansion that is different from said first rate of thermal expansion; c. securing means for securing the band to a support structure; and d. self-adjusting means for enabling the band to maintain a constant pressure on the filter housing as the housing and the band expand and contract during heating and cooling, thereby allowing the housing to return to its original configuration upon each return to a cool condition; wherein the pressure that is applied by the band and maintained by the self-adjusting means has been calculated to minimize the permanent deformation of the filter housing; and wherein the mounting band is discontinuous, thereby defining two ends, and wherein the self-adjusting means draws the two ends of the band together with a constant force throughout a range of relative positions of the ends; and wherein the self-adjusting means is a spring with two ends, each end of the spring being secured to one of the ends of the band, such that different thermal expansion of the band material and the housing material results in the spring progressively extending and contracting.