US1744850A

US1744850A - Tube and flue expander

Info

Publication number: US1744850A
Application number: US311042A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wiedeke Gustav
Original assignee: GUSTAV WIEDEKE Co
Current assignee: GUSTAV WIEDEKE Co
Priority date: 1928-10-08
Filing date: 1928-10-08
Publication date: 1930-01-28
Anticipated expiration: 1947-01-28

Description

Jan.'28, 1930. G. WIEDEKE TUBE AND FLUE EXPANDER Filed Oct. 8, 1928 I A L ,4 TTOENEX GUSTAV WIEDEKE, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO GUSTAV WIEDEKE COMPANY,2OE

Fatentecl Jan. 28, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT omen DAYTON, OI-IIO, A COIPARTNERSHIP CONSISTING OF GUSTAV WIEDEKE, OTTO WIEDEKE, AND ROBERT WIEDEKE TUBE AND FLUE EXPANDER Application filed October 8, 1928. Serial No. 311,042.

This invention relates to a tube and flue expander, and one object of the invention is to provide such an expander adapted to re ceive interchangeable sets of expanding rollers, the rollers of the several sets having expanding portions of different lengths, there by enabling the expander to be accommodated to tube sheets of different thicknesses.

as the device is described in detail.

- a transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a detail View of an ex-' which may be expanded after the mannerof a boiler tube. The expanding device comprises a body portion or frame 7 preferably cylindrical in shape and adapted to be inserted in the tube which is to be expanded. This frame has a longitudinal bore to receive a mandrel and is provided with a plurality of, in the present instance three, longitudinal slots or cavities 8 which are spaced circumferentially about the same and are of such a length and so arranged that they will extend beyond the inner surface of the tube sheet when the frame is in operative position in the tube. Mounted in the cavities 8 are expanding rollers which may be of the shape shown at 9 and 10 in Fig. 1,'or of the shape shown at 11 in Fig. 3. These rollers are removably mounted in the cavities and a mandrel 12 extends through the bore of the frame and engages the rollers to press the same radially into contact with the inner surface of the tube and to rotate the frame and thus expand the tube into firm engagement with the wall of the opening in the tube sheet as the frame is rotated. v

The tube sheets of different boilers are'of different. thicknesses andvit is desirable that the tube should be expanded throughout the thickness of the sheet and for a. short distance, usually about. one-eighth of an inch, beyond the inner surface of the tube sheet. The ordinary tube expander is provided with a straight cylindrical roll, such as is shown 7 in Fig. 3, of such a length that it will expand the tube throughout the thickness of any ordinary tube sheet. When such an expand ing rollei'is used for expanding a tube in a relatively thin tube sheet the tube is expanded fora considerable distance beyond the inner surface of the tube sheet, which is objectionable because it injures the tube and not infrequently results in the job being eondeinned by the inspector. 'In order that a single tube expander may be utilized for the purpose of expanding tubes in tube sheets of different thicknesses without expanding the tube for an objectionable distance beyond the tube'sheet, Ipropose to provide the expander with two ormore sets of expanding rollers, which will be interchangeable. The ordinary cylindrical roll of Fig. 3 will be used with tube sheets of the greatest thickness When the expander is used on a thinner tube sheet, rollers such as are shown at 9 and 10 in Fig. 1 are employed. It will be noted that each of these rollers comprises an operative or expanding portion of a length less than the length of the cavity and'that means are provided at the inner end of the operative portion of the roller for properly positioning the same with relation to the tube sheet.

Preferably this positioning means comprises an end portion 13'of reduced diameter which is adapted to engage the inner end wall of the cavity, and thereby position the operative portion of the roller, but is of such a diameter that it will not engage the surface of the tube. It will be obvious that by withdrawing the mandrel and removing the retaining devices 14 the one set of expanding rollers may be removed from the cavities and another set substituted therefor, thus enabling the expander to be quickly adapted for use in connection with tube sheets of different thicknesses.

It is also customary to provide an expander Of hi kind with one or more flaring rollers which serve to flare that portion-of the tube which projects beyond the outer surface of the tube sheet, as shown at 15 in Fig; 1. These flaring rollers are usually frusto-conical in shape, as shown at 16, and are. loosely mound ed in the roller receiving cavities 8, beyond the. outer end of the expanding roller. Usually only one flaring roller is employed, and in the present instance, I havev shown a single flaring roller and have made the expanding rollers in the other cavities of a length substantially equal to the length of the cavities, thereby causing them to. overlap the joint between the flaring roller and the expanding roller with which the flaring roller is associated and thus prevent the forming of a ridge or bead on thetube between the points of contact of these two rollers. The flaring roller 16' is. loosely mounted in the cavity and when the mandrel is inserted: it will be forced outward to the position shown in. Fig. 1, in-

flanges terminate at the ends of the roller receiving cavities and when. the flaring roller has been moved to..its inclined position it will be s need some distance from the inner edges of t e flanges, thereby permitting. theendt of the tube to extend beyond the flaring roller. Consequently the extreme end portion ofthe tube will not be flared and when. it is turned or beaded there is danger of its cracking and ruining the tube.

To insure the flaring of the projecting. end of the tube throughout its length. I haveprovided an arrangement in which the guard flanges 18 will overhang the outer portions of the cavities and will have their edges arranged; close to the flaring roller so.as to prevent the tube projecting beyond the flaring roller. In thepresent construction, the cavity 8 in which the flaring roller is mounted:

has its end wall inclined; with relation to the axis of the frame, as. shown. at 19, the inclination being such that this wallv will be parallel with the outer end of the flaring roller when the latter is in its operative position. The inner edge of the guard flange is also preferably inclined and 18 arranged substantially in the plane of the flared end wall 19 and parallel with the outer end of the flaring roller. With this arrangement the flange will slightly overhang that portion of the cavity adjacent to the tube and will overhang that portion of the cavity adjacent to the mandrel to a considerable extent. lVhen the expander is inserted in the tube, before the end has been flared, the flaring roller is in its inner inoperative position and after the expander has been inserted in the tube the mandrel is inserted in. the frame and rotated, thus forcing the flaring roller outwardly to the position shownin Fig. 1. It will be noted that the arrangement of the guard flange is such that the. end of thetube cannot project beyond the outer edge of the flaring roller and the guard flange is not in the path of the flaring roller and consequently will not interfere with its radial movement.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I donot desire to be limited to the details thereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device for expanding a tube in a tube sheet, a frame adapted to enter the tube and having longitudinal cavities to extend beyond the inner surface of said tube sheet, expanding rollers mounted in the respective cavities and each having an expanding portion. of a length. corresponding to the portion of the tube which is to be expanded and having anon-expanding portion at the inner end ofsaid expanding portion to position the latter with relation to said tube sheet, said rollers being removable topermit said frame to be equipped. with. rollers, the expanding portions of which correspond to the thickness of the tube sheet, and means for rotating said frame and moving said rollers radially.

2. In a device for expanding a tube in a tubesheet, a frame adapted to enter the tube and having longitudinal cavities to extend beyond the inner surface of the tube sheet, expanding rollers mounted in the respective cavities and each having an expanding portion of'a length corresponding to the portion of the tube which is to be expanded and having a non-expanding portion of reduced diameter at the inner end of said corresponding portion to engage the rear end of the cavity and position the expanding portion with relation tothe tube sheet, said rollers being removable to permit said frame to be equipped with rollers having expanding portions which correspond to the thickness of the tube sheet, and means for rotating said frame and moving said rollers radially.

3. In a tube expander, a frame adapted to enter a tube and having a roller-receiving cavity, an expanding roller mounted in said cavity, a flaring roller mounted in said cavity beyond the outer end of said expanding roller, means for rotating said frame and moving said rollers radially, and a guard mounted on said frame to engage the end of said tube and position said frame with relation thereto, said guard comprising a tube-engaging part overhanging the outer end of said cavity and having its inner edge arranged close to the outer end of said flaringroller.

4. In a tube expander, a frame adapted to enter a tube and having a longitudinal bore and a roller-receiving cavity, an expanding roller mounted in said cavity, a flaring roller mounted in said cavity beyond the outer end of said expanding roller and having its outer surface in a plane oblique to the axis of said frame, a mandrel extending through said frame and engaging said rollers, and a guard mounted on said frame to engage the end of the tube and position said frame with relation thereto, said guard comprising a flange spaced from the bore of said frame and having its inner edge close to the plane of the outer end of said flaring roller when the latter is in operative position.

5. In a tube expander, a frame adapted to enter a tube and having a roller-receiving cavity the outer end wall of which is inclined with relation to the axis of'said frame, an expanding roller mounted in said cavity, a frusto-conical flaring roller mounted in said cavity beyond the outer end of said expanding roller, a mandrel extending through said frame and engaging said rollers, and a guard mounted on said frame and having a flange extending inwardly to engage the end of a tube and position said frame with relation thereto, said flange having its inner edge substantially in the plane of the inclined end wall of said cavity.

6. In a tube expander, a frame adapted to enter a tube and having a roller-receiving cavity the outer end wall of which is inclined with relation to the axis of said frame, an expanding roller mounted in said cavity, a frusto-conical flaring roller mounted in said cavity beyond the outer end of said expanding roller, a mandrel extending through said 7 frame and engaging said rollers, and a guard mounted on said frame and having a flange extending inwardly to engage the end of a tube and position saidframe with relation thereto, said flange having its inner edge substantially parallel with the outer end of said flaring roller when the latter is in engagement with said mandrel.

7 In a tube expander, a frame having a roller-receiving cavity, a frusto-conical flaring roller mounted in said cavity and rotatable about an axis oblique to the axis of said frame,

means for rotating said frame andv moving said roller radially, and a guard mounted on hereto.

GUSTAV WIEDEKE.