US1719420A - Tube-packing apparatus for condensers - Google Patents

Description

July 2, 1929. s. F. BLAIN 1.719.420

TUBE PACKING APPARATUS FOR CONDENSERS Filed Nov. 25, 1925 Patented July 2, 1929. i

SEVERIN IE. BIiAIN, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

TUBE-(PACKING APPARATUS FOR CONDENSERS.

My present inv mtion relates primarily to methods and implements for-applying pacifing strand or thread to seal the joints between the tubes and the tube sheets of steam condensers.

It is an object of the invention to provide a method and an implement of the above type by which the packing strand can be applied in position with the utmostspeed and with the utmost tightness or security of pack ing, yet without binding, jamming or fraying the strand in the courseof application A more specific object is to provide an implement of the above type by which the first loop or turn of the strand is reliably and speedily positioned. against the inner end of the cavity tobe packed without binding, doubling or catching in the process of application. a

Another object is to provide an implement of the above type by which the ordinary packing strand can be used in the absence of any paral'lin or other binding. material, the force applied by the packing implement alone bein g suihcient to render the packing secure.

Another object is to provide animplement of the above type of rugged construction, the use of which shall require a minimum of skill and practice. i

It is a feature of. my invention to assr'ieiate with a strand packing tube of familiar construction provided with the usual oblique strand positioning end, a novel strand guiding member displaceable. longitudinally of said tube. Said guiding member which is preferably a tube, encircling the packing tube,

affords a notch for releasably retaining the i extremity of the strand. A centering shaft preferably protrudes from the packing tube about which the end of the strand is looped once, preparatory for use. The centering shaft'and the packing tube above described are mounted so that they may have substantially independent rotaryn'iovement.

The strand guiding tube serves to retain the extremity of the strand until the packing tube has reached and closed the outer end of the cavity to be packed. The packing tube, after taking up the slack in the packing strand, releases the extremity thereof from the guiding tube, and pushesthefirst or initial turn of the strand against the inner end of the cavity to be packed. This action is pro d 61 in a'preterred arrangenimt by causing an aiucmatic limited reverse in action at at Application filed November 25, 1925. Serial No. 71,421.

guiding tube at the beginning of the advance of the packing tube. Thus, the notch in the guiding tube is caused to pass over the extremity of the strand and thereby to hold it against the centering shaft, at the same time drawing the extremity of the strand out of the notch, whereupon the forward thrust of the packing tube correctly advances said strand extremity and loop into and against the inner end of the cavity therefor, and out of engagement with the guiding tube. Preferably the guiding tube affords second notch through which the strand is fed after release of the extremity thereof from the first notch.

My invention finally has for its object to provide a centering shaft which is free to rotate inside the strand packing tube, so that any tending of loosening and turning the tubes in the tube sheet will be eliminated.

In the drawing, Fig. l shows my preferred apparatus completely assembled and ready for attachment to the turning brace.

Figs. 2, 3 and l show in a diagrammatical way the different working phases of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawing in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts, 1 represents the tube thread packing apparatus comprising the hollow handle bar 2, one end of which is adapted to be held by the operator, the centering shaft 3 and the thread guide 4 all assembled as shown in Fig. 1 and held in proper relative positions by means of the spiral springs 5 and 6 between the centering shaft and the thread packing tube and between the packing tube and the thread guide respectively.

The spring 5 is placed around the centering shaft 3 and is housed and retained by the thread packing tube 9 surrounding said shaft so as to cause the centering end 7 and part of the head 8 of said shaft to project beyond. tube 9. Said shaft and packingtube, while concentrically assentibled, shown on the drawings, are however arranged so that rotary movement of one member will not, during use of the device in the manner described, cause the rotation of the other member.

The thread packing tube 9 has its end obliquely cutso that a loop of packing thread can readily be held tightly in place around the centering shaft head 8.

lIhe illorward spring motion of the camer trip; shaft it arrested by the tie it) which is prevented fromslipping off the shaft end by means of the ring 11 which fits tightly in thegroove 12 of the shaft end.

The packing tube 9 is part of the handle bar 7 2, being connected thereto at the end so as to leave an annular space 13 in which the tubular thread guide 4 slides back and forth.

The handle bar 2 has a screw 15 extending into a groove or slot 14 longitudinally of the strand guide tube 4:, said groove or slot being curved at its inner'end, as shown, in a counterclockwise,direction when viewed from the operators end.. The spring 6 which is housed between the strand guide tube 4 and the thread packing tube, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2', normally presses the guiding tube 4- forward' until the curved extremity of slot 14 is ing thread 23.

'Ihecente'ring shaft end? has a diameter equal to the inside diameter of the condenser tube and the centering shaft head 8 has a "diameter equal to the outside diameter of the tube and the spring 5'keeps 'the shaft head 8 normally extending beyond both the strand guide 4 and the packing tube 9, thus facilitating the placing of a loop around the shaft and through the notches in the, outer end of the strand guide.

Theop'eration of the apparatus is as follows:

The operator first inserts the packing strand'23 into the slot 21 of the thread guiding tube and loops the strand end around the centering shaft 8 and into the shorter slot 22. One wall of slot 22 may be formed with an j inturned tongue to restrict the entrance to the slot and thereby more securely retain the strand end in position before commencing the packing operation. He then draws upon the strand untilonly the, very extremity thereof is retained by notch 22. The centering head 7 1 is then inserted into the tube end.

It is to be noted that the outer endof the packing tube has a cutaway portion 25, reg istering'with both the slots in the slidable strand guide when the packing tube is being pressed intothe'cavity to be packed;

With the tube end so out, the packing strand will not jamb between the packing tube and the tube sheet and the, packing strand will be readily pressed home into the cavity.

It is also important to keep the slot which retainsthe strand extremity as close to the tube sheet as possible so that the relative release movements of the thread guide around and over the packing tube will be kept as small as possible.

Therefore, it is important to have the thread guide to bear against the tube sheet whenthe strand end release takes place.

Also the simultaneous bearing of the centering shaft against the tube end prevents the release strand end from catching between the condenser tube and the packing tube.

It is evident that the compressible springs 5 and 6 positioned between the centeri ug shaft and the packing tube, and the packing lube and the strand guide respectively, insure proper bearing of the centering shaft against the tube end and of the strand guide against the tube sheet.

By thrust upon the implement the strand loop is readily pushed over the condenser tube end by the packing tube 9 which has a diameter nearly equal to that of the annular packing space 20, all as illustrated in Fig. 2. This operation naturally compresses the spring 5.

Pressing the handle bar 2 further forward, theoperator will. cause the thread guide 4- to fetch up against the tube sheet 19 whereby the springti will be pressed back and be compressed and the thread guide 4 will be pushed back and turn clockwise, as viewed from the tube end of the device, and as indicated in Fig. 3, causing the loose end of the packing thread to wind up around the tube end in an opposite direction to the winding proper.

The packing strand extremity thus passes out of slot 22 and under the. tongue formed by the extremity of said slot. The further advance of the packing tube 9, as it is pushed into the cavity to be packed, will then cause the loop of packing strand to be completely disengaged from the notch 22 and to be accurately laid in posit-ion, pre niraiory to coiling the packing strand in place. liy rotation of brace 16, while maintaining pressure against the implement, the strand is securely coiled around the tube end 19 into the packing space 20, notch 21 guiding the strand throughout this operation.

lVhen the in'iplement is removed from the tube-sheet, the springs 5 and 6 expand, automatically restoring the parts to their initial relative position shown in llig. 1.

After removal of the apparatus a. ferrule (not shown) is screwed into the threaded packing space con'ipressing the packing in the conventional manner.

During the operation the operator has to manipulate the thread as it is being payed outbut a clip (not shown) may be furnished under which the thread will pass so as to keep it in proper tension at all times.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the specific details of construction as it is manifest that variations and modilllfi llll fication may be made in the adaptation of the device to various conditions without departing from the spirit and scope of my inven ti on.

By the construction described, an ordinary operator after but a short period of practice :an pack condenser tubes at the rate of 6 to 10 per minute and effect a result equal to the best that can be accomplished by the much slower and fatiguing hand packing methods in'common use.

I claim:

1. In a tube packing device, adapted to wind a packing strand around the end of a tube, the combination of a hollow handle bar, provided with a strand packing tube, a slidable centering shaft which is free to rotate in the strand packing tube, a spring between the centering shaft and the packing tube, a

slidable strand guide around the packing a tube, a spring between the packing tube and the thread guide and means to give to the strand guide a rotative motion around the packing tube in a direction opposite to the winding proper when the spring between the packing tube and the strand guide is being compressed.

2. In a tube packing device, adapted to wind a packing strand around the end of a tube, the combination of a hollow handle bar, provided with a strand packing tube the end of which is obliquely cut off, a slidable centering shaft which is free to rotate in the strand packing tube, a spring between the centering shaft and the strand packing tube, a slidable thread guide around the packing tube, a spring between the packing tube and the strand guide and means to give to the thread guide a rotative motion around the packing tube in a direction opposite to the winding proper when the spring between the packing tube and the strand guide is being compressed.

3. In a tube packing device, adapted to wind a packing strand around the end of a tube, the combination of a hollow handle bar, provided with a strand packing tube, a slidable centering shaft which is free to rotate in the strand packing tube, a spring between the centering shaft and the strand packing tube, a slidable strand guide around the packing tube, a spring between the packing tube and the guide and a curved slot in said strand guide whereby a rotative motion is imparted to the strand guide around the packing tube when the spring between the packing tube and the strand guide is being compressed.

4. A tube packing device, adapted to wind a packing strand around the end of a tube, having in combination a tubular handle bar provided with a strand packing tube, a slid able strand guide around the strand packing tube, a spring between the packing tube and the strand guide and means for imparting to the strand guide a rotative motion around the packing tube in a direction opposite to the Winding proper when said spring is being compressed.

5. A packing implement comprising a strand packing tube, a strand guiding member exteriorly of said tube, a centering shaft through said tube, said guiding member having a feed slot for the packing strand and a notch for releasably retaining the extremity of said strand looped once about the centering shaft, and means for imparting to the guiding member, a limited rotative motion around the packing tube in a direction to draw the extremity of the loop against the shaft and out of the notch, whereby the packing tube in its subsequent advance relative to the guiding member into the cavity to be packed will disengage the strand extremity from the holding notch therefor.

6. In a tube packing device, a strand packing tube. and a slidable strand guide surrounding said tube, said guide having a pair of slots in its outer end, one of said slots being adapted to lead a strand into the cavity to be packed, and the other of said slots being adapted to retain the extremity of the strand in position prior to its insertion into said cavity, the outer end of said tube having a cut away portion registering with both of said slots when said tube is being pressed into the cavity to be packed.

SEVERIN F. BLAIN.

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