US2187431A

US2187431A - Method of assembling mufflers

Info

Publication number: US2187431A
Application number: US188587A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert S Powell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-02-03
Filing date: 1938-02-03
Publication date: 1940-01-16
Anticipated expiration: 1957-01-16

Description

Jan. 16, H s ELL METHOD OF ASSEMBLING MUFFLERS F iled Feb 1938 ,6 "x? 6 J 3 a r I ;oooo6 o 6 0 0000000 00000 0 o 0 0000000 9,. L 00 0 o o 0 0000000 0000000 0 0 0000 3 I 0000000 0 m 0 00000 i 0000000 0 o o ovooo 0000000 qq q Patented Jan. 16, 1940 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF ASSEMBLING MUFFLERS Herbert s. Powell, Utica, N. Y.

Application February 3, 1938, Serial No. 188,587

2 Claims.

The invention relates generally to the art of manufacturing internal combustion engine exhaust quieting mufilers and has for an object to provide a novel and advantageous method of assembling the parts embodied in such mufilers.

I Mufilers of the character stated comprise an outer casing or shell, end closures or headers, and intermediate baffle elements usually assembled with one or both headers and designed to control the direction of movement and the rapidity of expansion of the exhaust gases so as to reduce to a minimum noise incident to the exhausting of the gases. It is customary to assemble the outer shell and the intermediate elements and header separately, and then to push the header and baiile assembly into the outer shell. This method of assembly is objectionable because of the amount of time necessary to be consumed in effecting the assembly, and the difiiculties encountered in attempting to obtain an assembly proof against vibration and rattling.

The invention therefore seeks to provide a novel method of assembling mufllers which includes the steps of first assembling the baffle or ballle and header unit, then placing the shell forming sheeting about the unit with the edges thereof overlapped to form a longitudinal seam, then subjecting the shell and the included unit to pressure so as to tightly grip the unit within the shell and hold the edges in overlapped relation, and while maintaining said pressure, securing said seam to permanently retain the as sembly of shell and the encased bafile and header unit.

36 Another object of the invention is to include in the method, the steps of securing the shell seam by welding, and thereafter weld-securing the headers at the respective ends of the muffler.

With the above and other objects in view that 49 will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by following the description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a face view illustrating the step of separate assembly of the baflie or ballle and header unit;

50 Fig. 2 is an end view illustrating the step of placing the shell sheeting about the baffle or bafile and header unit;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section illustrating the step of subjecting the shell and the included 55 battle or baille and header unit to pressure;

Fig. 4 is. a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 on Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, and illustrates the step of securing the shell seam by welding;

lg. 6 is a detail perspective view diagram- 6 matically illustrating the step of weld-securing the headers in the shell.

My improved method may be practiced in the assembly of mufflers of various types and shapes, and with the aid of various forms of apparatus. 10

In Fig. 1 of the drawing I have generally indicated the step of assembling the bafile or baflle and header unit. This unit may be formed and fabricated or assembled in any suitable manner, and since the particular manner of assembling this unit, in itself, forms no part of my present invention I have deemed it sufficient to illustrate the unit in the assembled state. The particular unit shown includes intermediate wall members 5 in which are supported the gas course directing 20 or battle tubes 6, and the unit may include one or both headers or end closure members 1 through which project the inlet and

discharge pipes

8 and 9.

After the unit exemplified in Fig. 1 has been 25 assembled, a sheet of metal is placed about it, as shown in Fig. 2, with the longitudinal edges of the sheet overlapping as at It], thus forming a unit encasing shell I l. While I have herein disclosed a muffler oval in transverse section, it 80 is to be understood that mulilers which are round or otherwise shaped may be assembled by my improved method.

When the muffler has been temporarily assembled as shown in Fig. 2, it is placed in a press 86 of suitable form and herein disclosed as comprising a stationary jaw l2 and a movable jaw 13, and subjected to external pressure so as to tightly grip the bailie or baflle and header unit Within the shell H and hold the edges ill in 40 overlapped relation. An air cylinder I4 or other suitable mechanical means may be employed to force the jaws I2 and I3 together for applying and holding the desired pressure. See Fig. 3.

While the baille or bafile and header unit is 5 being held tightly gripped within the shell II, by application of external pressure as above described, the seam formed by the overlapped edges Ill is permanently secured, preferably by welding, as indicated at iii. For this purpose the jaw !2 may be equipped with equidistantly spaced openings It through which the weld stick or electrode diagrammatically indicated at H can be applied to the seam. See Figs. 3 and 4. It is preferred that the securing of the seam shall be 2.0-

by the jaws i2 and t3, the assembling of the mufiler can be completed by weld-securing the headers or end closures 'l as indicated at I8 in Fig. 6.

By practicing the improved method hereinde scribed, mufiiers can be assembled more rapidly,

more economically, and more efliciently than by the previously known methods in which the shell and baflle and header units were individually assembled and the inner units forced into the encasing shells. I

What I claim is: I i

l. The herein described method of assembling mufflers which comprises, forming a vbafile and header unit including two headers and at least one wall therebetween, placing sheeting about the two headers and wall to form an encasing shell with edges of the sheeting overlapped to form a full length longitudinal seam, subjecting the shell and the encased unit to pressure-f such degree as to tightly grip the unit within the shell and hold the edges in overlapped relation and to retain the aforesaid wall inplace without the necessity of welding same to the shell to prevent rattling of the wall in use, while maintaining said pressure application, weld-securing said seam to permanently retain the assembly of the shell and encased unit, and welding said headers and shell together.

2. The herein described method of assembling inufilers which comprises, forming a bafile and header unit including two headers and at least one wall therebetween, placing sheeting about the "two headers and wall to form a full length longitudinal seam, subjecting the shell and the encased unit to pressure of such degree as to tightly grip the unit within the shell and hold the edges in overlapped relation and to retain the aforesaid wall in place without the necessity of welding same to the shell to prevent rattling of the wall in use, while maintaining said pressure application, Weld-securing said seam to permanently retain the assembly of the shell and encased unit, relaxing said pressure application, and thereafter Weld-securing the shell to the unit header portions.

HERBERT S POWELL.