US3531975A

US3531975A - Heat exchanger fin straightening device

Info

Publication number: US3531975A
Application number: US754541A
Authority: US
Inventors: General Walter Ace Lance
Original assignee: GEN WALTER ACE LANCE
Current assignee: GEN WALTER ACE LANCE
Priority date: 1968-08-22
Filing date: 1968-08-22
Publication date: 1970-10-06
Anticipated expiration: 1987-10-06

Description

Oct. 6, 1970 G. w. A. LANCE 3,531,975

INVENTOR gala a L WALT R 405 [AA/c5 A T TOR/V5 V United States Patent O US. Cl. 72-457 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A manually operated combing device for straightening bent and deformed fins of heat, exchanger coils such as used in refrigeration systems for air conditioning.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) This invention lies in the field hand operated sheet metal working tools and is particularly directed to fin straightening tools for removing the dented and bent edges from fins of heat exchangers such as air conditioning condensers and the like so as to allow free passage of air through the fins.

(2) Heretofore, it has been a tedious and time consuming job to utilize a thin screwdriver or putty knife to straighten one fin at a time in dented and damaged condenser fins. Further, exact parallelism of the fins when straightened could not be obtained even with stiff brush and comb devices used in the past because of lack of lateral positional control and proper stiffness of the fin engaging elements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One of the objects of this invention is to provide a hand tool having members adapted to be drawn between the fins to straighten out any deformed r bent portions of the heat transfer fins.

Another object is to provide a fin straightener for condensers and the like taking the form of a brush-like device having means for regulating the lateral stiffness and lateral spacing of the active members engaging between and traveling along the edges of the fins to be straightened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the fin straightening device of this invention in actual use.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the fin straightening device.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the fin straightening device.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the device in use indicated by the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view indicated by the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a modification of the tip structure of the straightening elements of the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As an example of one embodiment of this invention there is shown a device for straightening the fins 10 of heat exchanger coils 11 comprising a handle 12 having a flattened base portion 13 in which is secured one end of 3,531,975 Patented Oct. 6, 1970 pairs of work engaging elements 14, preferably taking the form of spring wire or equivalent material.

Each pair of work engaging elements 14 are positioned in normal lateral abutting contact at 15 as they issue from the flattened securing base portion 13. A tension adjusting slide member 16 closely slidingly engages its

inside surfaces

17 and 18 with the members 14 in the same cross-sectional configuration as the members 14 issue from the base portion 13 of the handle. By sliding the tension or stiffeners adjust member 16 between position 16 and 16a the desired lateral pressure at the contact area 15 may be varied so as to accommodate the device to variations in thickness and stiffness of the fins 10.

With the tension adjusting member set to desired position, the device is presented to the fins 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 and moved longitudinally up and down the fins to straighten out the deformed portions 19 of the fins as the fins slide relatively between the abutting contact surfaces 15 of the device.

In certain instances where the fins are more widely spaced, two or more pairs of work engaging elements 14 may be presented between the fins 10 as in FIG. 5 with appropriate adjustment of the tension member 16. The pairs of wire may also take the form single doubled over looped members 20 as shown in FIG. 6 and are preferably bent at an obtuse angle as shown at 21 for easy initial entrance of the elements 14 between the fins and smooth operation of the device in either direction along the fins during the straightening operations.

What is claimed is:

1. A fin straightening device comprising in combination:

(A) a handle,

(B) a base portion on the handle,

(C) elongated work engaging elements fixed at one end in the flattened base portion of the handle,

(D) a tension adjusting -member surrounding the Work engaging elements and slidable longitudinally thereon between the base portion of the handle and the outer ends of the work engaging members.

2. A fin straightening device as in claim 1 wherein the work engaging elements comprise pairs of flexible Wire members mounted in the base in normal lateral abutting Contact.

3. A fin straightening device as in claim 1 wherein the work engaging elements have open free ends.

4. A fin straightening device as in claim 1 wherein the work engaging elements take the form of single doubled over looped members.

5. A fin straightening device as in claim 1 wherein the work engaging elements are bent at an obtuse angle at a {point between the outer ends thereof and the tension adjusting member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,339,958 6/1958 Bundy 72-457 2,818,757 1/1958 Pille 72-457 2,912,888 11/1959 Webb 72-457 3,041,900 7/ 1962 Wagner 72-457 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner G. P. CROSBY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.