Parker-hannifin Corporation

Walter S Crothers

Cary Haramoto

Gary E Griffin

An accumulator for a refrigeration system includes a housing having a cylindrical sidewall, a lower end wall, and an upper end cap. Inlet and outlet passages are provided in the upper end cap for directing refrigerant into and out of the accumulator. A U-shaped return conduit is provided in the accumulator for directing vapor or gaseous refrigerant out of the accumulator. A baffle having a central circular opening is retained between a circular bead on the return conduit and the upper end cap. The circular bead surrounds the conduit toward the outlet end of the conduit. The return conduit is introduced through the central opening in the baffle until the bead contacts the inside surface of the baffle around the central opening. The outlet end of the return conduit is then introduced into the outlet passage in the upper end cap and secured therein such as by mechanically deforming (e.g., burnishing) the conduit outwardly against the inner wall of the passage. The baffle is trapped between the bead on the return conduit and the inside surface of the upper end cap in a secure and fluid-tight manner.

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Farmington, NY, United States of America

Walter S Crothers