Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Kenneth J Miller

Donald G Zook

Eugene K Patton

Ervin E Mangus

Billy J Davis

Ronald R Robinson

Harry J Dawson

Charles W Bucey

Prior art exchanger cores (10) have been expensive to produce and have too often had poorly heat conductive joining of the liquid circulating tubes (12) to the cooling fins (14). Herein, the tube (12) is fitted into holes (28) in the fins (14) with a small gap (42 or 44) between a portion (20,22) of the tube (12) and the hole (28). Solder sources (38) e.g., sheets (38) having holes (40) therethrough which generally match the holes (28) in the fins (14), are positioned between some of the fins (14) with the tubes (12) fitting in the holes (40) in the solder sheets (38). The entire assembly (50) is heated with the tubes (12) being held generally vertically. As the solder sheets (38) melt, solder flows through the gap (42 or 44) wetting not only the fin (14) above which it sits, but also lower fins (14). Capillary action leads to solder wetting the entire junction between each fin (14) and each tube (12). Good solder joints having excellent heat conducting properties are produced.

Method of manufacturing heat exchanger core and assembly therefor

An apparatus (40) and method for increasing the fin density of a serpentine sheet (10) having a plurality of fins (14a, 14b, 14c), each fin having two sides (16, 18) coupled together at one end (20) with a space (22) between the sides. Blocks (30, 32) having receptacles (30a, 32a) for receiving the ends (20, 24) of one side (16) of a fin (14a) and being near opposite surfaces (A, B) of the sheet (10) are moved vertically into contact with such ends. Simultaneously, blades (34, 36), being near the opposite surfaces (A, B) of the sheet (10) are moved vertically into position at the other side (18) of the fin (14a). Then, the blades (34, 36) are moved horizontally towards the blocks (30, 32), which are now held stationary, to compress the fin (14a) a predetermined amount by moving the other fin side towards the one fin side. The blocks and blades are then withdrawn from the sheet to move another fin (14b) into position for another compressing operation. The apparatus (40) includes a mechanism (70) to prevent the sheet from fishtailing when a fin is being compressed.

Method for increasing the fin density of a heat exchanger

A heat exchanger tube has a first asymmetrically corrugated sheet portion having an opposite pair of longitudinally extending side edge portions, a plurality of substantially transversely extending ribs and a substantially uninterrupted inner surface, a second asymmetrically corrugated sheet portion having an opposite pair of longitudinally extending side edge portions, a plurality of substantially transversely extending ribs and a substantially uninterrupted inner surface, and at least one joint for connecting side edge portions of the first and second corrugated sheet portions forming a tube and providing an internal flow path for a first fluid and a plurality of external flow paths for a second fluid.

Heat exchanger tube and method of making same

A method of making a heat exchanger sheet is disclosed including progressively forming an elongated flat sheet of metal into a continuously corrugated sheet having a plurality of deeply drawn convolutions which extend across the sheet, and compressing the periphery of the corrugated sheet to provide a substantially flattened edge portion while retaining a centrally disposed corrugated portion with minimal cold working thereof. Preferably, the sheet made thereby has convolutions with slightly sloping walls to better provide a geometrically uniform overlapped pattern in the flattened edge portion thereof.

Method of manufacturing a heat exchanger steel

Method and apparatus for filling viscous dampers in which the method comprises assembling a damper housing with an inertia weight placed loosely therewithin and a housing top having a single aperture therein and adapted to provide a complete closure for the inertia weight, placing the assembly in a vacuum chamber equipped with an electron beam welding device and means for effecting relative movement between the assembly and the electron beam welding device, and inserting a valve and fitting sealingly within said aperture with the valve in an open position, evacuating the vacuum chamber to provide a vacuum within the chamber and within the damper assembly, effecting movement between the assembly and the device to sealingly weld the top to the damper housing, closing the valve, attaching means for supplying a viscous fluid under pressure to said valve, removing the valve from the damper assembly, and welding a plug within the aperture to sealingly retain the fluid within. The apparatus comprises a vacuum chamber, an electron beam welding device mounted for welding within said chamber, means for positioning a viscous damper assembly within said chamber, said damper assembly comprising a damper housing and a cover therefor with an inertia weight disposed therewithin, said damper assembly also comprising a single aperture for filling the damper with a viscous fluid, means for evacuating the vacuum chamber and damper assembly disposed within, means for providing a relative movement between said assembly and said welding device for effecting a complete weld between the housing and cover, and means for filling the welded assembly through said aperture.

Vacuum pressure fill of viscous dampers

Method and apparatus for filling viscous dampers in which the method comprises assembling a damper housing with an inertia weight placed loosely therewithin and a housing top having a single aperture therein and adapted to provide a complete closure for the inertia weight, placing the assembly in a vacuum chamber equipped with an electron beam welding device and means for effecting relative movement between the assembly and the electron beam welding device, and inserting a valve and fitting sealingly within said aperture with the valve in an open position, evacuating the vacuum chamber to provide a vacuum within the chamber and within the damper assembly, effecting movement between the assembly and the device to sealingly weld the top to the damper housing, closing the valve, attaching means for supplying a viscous fluid under pressure to said valve, removing the valve from the damper assembly, and welding a plug within the aperture to sealingly retain the fluid within. In its apparatus form, the invention comprises a vacuum chamber, an electron beam welding device mounted for welding within said chamber, means for positioning a viscous damper assembly within said chamber, said damper assembly comprising a damper housing and a cover therefor with an inertia weight disposed therewithin, said damper assembly also comprising a single aperture for filling the damper with a viscous fluid, means for evacuating the vacuum chamber and damper assembly disposed within, means for providing a relative movement between said assembly and said welding device for effecting a complete weld between the housing and cover, and means for filling the welded assembly through said aperture. In its preferred form, the apparatus also comprises a valve having a fitting adapted to sealingly fit in the aperture and provide communication from within the damper assembly to the vacuum chamber whereby evacuation of the chamber also evacuates a space within the assembly, and in which the valve has a closure means positioned to be actuated by the welding device upon completion of the welding operation.

Growing community of inventors

Peoria, IL, United States of America

Kenneth J Miller