Boiler tube clamp assembly

Abstract

A boiler tube clamp assembly and a method of forming the clamp assembly. The clamp assembly includes two identical elongated clamp halves which coact in their assembled relation to define a series of axially spaced openings to pass respective tubes and further define first and second passages extending axially along the respective side edges of the assembled clamp halves. The assembly further includes first and second locking rods respectively slidably received in the first and second passages and acting to maintain the clamp halves in their assembled relation. Each clamp half includes an axially spaced series of first slots opening in one side edge of the clamp half with a series of first land portions positioned respectively between the slots and further includes a series of second axially spaced slots opening the other side edge of the clamp half with a series of second land portions positioned respectively therebetween. The clamp halves are positioned in superimposed relation with the first land portions of one clamp half received in the second slots in the other clamp half, the first land portions of the other clamp half received in the second slots of the one clamp half, the first slots in the clamp halves coacting to define a series of axially spaced openings sized to pass the tubes, and the internested land portions coacting to define the first and second passages along longitudinal side edges of the clamp assembly for slidable receipt of the first and second rods.