US2791402A - Heat exchanger of the plate-pile type - Google Patents

Description

May 7, 1957 G C. EG ENWALL HEAT EXCHANGER OF THE PLATE-FILE TYPE Filed June 2, 1955 lam]. 3 x 1 v my. a

, IINVENTCYJR 0-105 TA F Co/v/v 0 EGf/V WA LIL ATTORNEY llite HEAT EXCHANGER UP THE PLATE-FILE TYPE Gustaf Conrad Egenwall, Stockholm, Sweden, assignor to Aktieholaget Rosenhlads Patenter, Stockholm, Sweden The present invention relates to heat exchangers of the so-ealled plate-pile type comprising heat transferring plates of thin-gage sheet metal individually suspended from a carrier bar extending transversely to the lateral faces of the plates, by means of catche individually provided one for each plate and extending across the upper portion of the carrier bar, the two ends of each of said catch being attached to the corresponding plate on both sides of the bar.

It is common practice, in such apparatus, to arrange the plates so that they may be separated by being displaced along the carrier bar to enable their lateral faces to be cleaned when in situ, and also so that the plates may be removed individually from the carrier bar. In order to provide for the latter possibility, the attachment of the catch to the plate will have to be releasable in some way or other. it is true that several arrangements to this effect have been proposed in the past but as a rule, these known arrangements leave a great deal to be desired in various respects. Thus, for instance, they may be attained only as a result of a comparatively costly special construction of the catch proper and/or of the plate. On the other hand, plate attachments which for their safe retentive action depend on the gravity loading from the plate proper and which are releasable in conjunction with a slight lifting movement of the plate, may tend to be released inadvertently, for instance when, after having been moved apart, the plates are subjected to cleaning action by being scrubbed, or for some other reason they are subject to vibrations r shocks so that the plates may drop out and get damaged.

Plate attachments of the known types being releasable only by using tools and/or possibly being of multi-part construction, are not readily handled.

This invention has for its object to avoid all the inconveniences and drawbacks now referred to and to provide a novel plate attachment construction which combines all advantages inherent in a simple and cheap method of production, full safety against inadvertent release of the attachment, an easy and convenient releasability of the plate from its carrier bar without the use of tools and without the necessity of removing the catch or any other part from the plate. However, the catch may be removed from the plate if desired.

For the objects stated, the invention is mainly characterized in that the catch is provided at both its ends with two resiliently separable legs of thin-gage sheet metal adapted to grip an adjacent edge portion of the plate between their opposed fiat faces, each catch end being adapted to be positively engaged with the plate in a manner only to be releasable therefrom by resiliently spreading said legs apart.

The invention will now be described more in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawing illustrating, by way of example only, a few embodiments thereof, and in which:

Fig. l is a lateral elevation, partly in cross-section and tatfis Patent partly fragmentary, of a portion of the top part of a heat exchanging plate with a suspension attachment according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows the arrangement of Fig. 1 in a horizontal section taken along the line Illl in this figure.

Fig. 3 shows the same arrangement in the same section but with the attachment in a position for enabling removal of the plate.

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary horizontal sections illustrating two modified embodiments of the catch attachment, respectively.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a further modified catch as seen from one lateral face and from above, respectively.

Fig. 8 is a lateral elevation of a further modification of the catch.

Identical parts in the various representations have been allotted the same reference numerals.

Referring now to the drawings, and more specifically to Fig. 1 thereof, a heat transferring ormatrix plate 1 has provided therein a slot 2 embracing a carrier rod 01' bar 3 from which the plate is suspended by means of a catch 4 which at each end is attached to the plate on either side of the carrier bar. According to the present invention the catch consists of two thin-gage sheet metal strips 5a and 5b, respectively, which are interconnected intermediate their ends, for instance by rivets 6. Instead of being riveted together the strips could, for instance, be spot welded together. At their ends 7a, 7b and 3a, 81), respectively, at the points of attachment the strips embrace an edge portion of the plate It. In addition, each end of the strip 5b is provided with a hollow boss 9a and 9b, respectively, made by stamping out material from the strip and adapted in the operative position of the catch to engage corresponding holes it and ii in the plate 1 and in the other strip 5a, respectively. To remove the plate 1 from the carrier bar 3, as seen in Fig. 3, the two strips are resiliently separated at one end of the catch so as to withdraw the boss 9a from the holes it) and 11 after which the catch, being still in positive engagement with the plate 1 by its boss 91;, is swung outwards pivoting about the latter boss into the position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1. Then the plate can be removed with the catch still remaining connected thereto. Of course, it is possible alternatively to release the catch at its boss 9b and then to swing it open about the pivot boss 9a. In addition, the catch is readily removable completely from the plate 1, for replacement, for instance by releasing the catch in the manner described at both ends. To mount the plate 1 on the carrier bar 3 again the catch is simply folded down causing the relevant boss to snap into the corresponding hole in the plate, and a loose catch will be mounted in place therefore in a corresponding manner. The attachment legs, being of thin-gage sheet metal, preferably of a thickness not exceeding 0.4 inch, can be resiliently spread apart manually without using any tool. Yet, the attachment will remain quite secure in the course of all kinds of regular handling of the plate on its carrier bar since the spreading movement of the legs of the forked catch necessary for releasing the attachment cannot happen to be eiiected inadvertently.

Fig. 4 of the drawing illustrates a modified form of attachment in which the strip in of the catch has no holes provided therein for the bosses which latter will thus only engage the holes, respectively, made in the plate 1. This modified embodiment may be used to provide a cheaper catch in cases where the plates 1 have a comparatively small size and light weight so that there will be no high requirement for the carrying strength of the attachments. Particularly in such cases, and where, in addition, the plates are very thin, the attachment may be still further modified according to Fig. 5 in which the plate 1 instead of the strip 7b is provided with a hollow boss 90 adapted to engage a hole made in said strip.

In cases where greater stress is laid upon the possibility of handling the plates with their catches remaining in situ, than upon the catches being readily removable, for instance when transporting the plates to and from storage places for such plates, without the risk of the catches going astray, it is possible by slightly upsetting one of the bosses in a rivet-like manner, such as shown at 12. in Fig. 3, to obtain this effect while maintaining the possibility of rotating the catch about this pivot boss or rivet.

It will also be possible to give the catch a shape other than the straight one exemplified in Fig. l, for instance an arcuate shape fitting onto the top portion of the carrier rod 3, thus enabling the slot 2 in the plate 1 to be made of less depth. Fig. 8 illustrates a constructional form in which the catch 4a, in other respects shaped in the man ner now described, is curved in a manner to enable said slot to be omitted altogether. This involves a simplification of the plate 1, it being only necessary to provide the latter with the small holes 10 or, alternately, with bosses or projections 9c.

The punched-out or upset bosses as shown involve a particularly cheap and mechanically strong embodiment due to the fact that the elements from which these bosses are to project consist of thin-gage sheet metal.

Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawing illustrate a modified form of the catch of the present invention. In this case the catch consists of an initially flat sheet metal blank having two oppositely disposed recesses or slots 13a and 13b, respectively, aligned with each other and extending from the respective ends of the blank, after which the blank has been doubled along the lateral edges of these recesses or slots so as to cause the laterally spaced bent-over portions 50 and d to form strips corresponding to the strips 5a and 5b, respectively, these strips thus being interconnected intermediate their ends through a back portion 14. The bosses 9a and 9b are suitably formed from the blank prior to the doubling operation.

It should be understood that the embodiments hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing are to be considerd merely as given by way of example, and that persons skilled in the art guided by these examples will be able to make further modifications thereof without departing from the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A heat exchanger of the plate-pile type comprising heat transferring plates of thin-gage sheet metal individually suspended from a carrier bar extending transversely to the faces of the plates, by means of catches individually provided one for each plate and extending across the top portion of the carrier bar, each said catch being attached at its two ends on both sides of the bar to the corresponding plate, said catch being provided at both its ends with two resiliently separable legs of thin-gage sheet metal adapted to grip an edge portion of the plate between their opposed fiat faces, each catch end being adapted to releasably engage the plate only by resiliently spreading said legs apart.

2. A heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the portion of said heat transferring plate disposed between said catch legs is provided with a projection adapted to be passed through an opening in one of said legs, said legs being adapted, suitably manually and without using any tool, to be separated resiliently to an extent such as to cause said opening in said leg to be disengaged by said projection.

3. A heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein one of said legs is provided with a projection directed towards the other leg and adapted to be passed through a hole made in the portion of said heat transferring plate embraced by said legs which are adapted, suitably manually and without using any tool, to be spread apart resiliently to an extent such as to cause said projection to be withdrawn from said hole in said heat transferring plate.

4. A heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein one of said legs is provided with a projection directed towards the other leg and adapted to be passed through a hole made in the portion of said heat transferring plate embraced by said legs and through a hole made in the opposite leg, said legs being adapted, suitably manually and without using any tool, to be spread apart resiliently to an extent such as to cause said projection to be withdrawn from said hole in said opposite leg and from said hole in said heat transferring plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,601,974 Hytte July 1, 1952

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