Patent ID: 6253426
Filing Date: 2001-07-03
Classification: B23P,B25B,Y10T

Abstract:
A clamp for repairing a leak in a radiator that has a metallic core with a terminal flange sealed to a non-metailic portion that has a circumferential lip, with a resilient seal between the lip and the flange, and the flange folded over and crimped on the lip to compress the seal, and in which the leak develops at the resilient seal, the clamp comprising:a) a substantially rectangular, metal sheet having two opposed first edges, each of the first edges provided with a series of cuts orthogonal to the edge that thereby generate a plurality of teeth or terminal projections, the sheet being folded into a clamp shape by;i) two spaced-apart first folds parallel to the first edges to thereby define a back portion therebetween;ii) two spaced-apart second folds parallel to the first edges, each second fold positioned between a first fold and one of the first edges, to thereby provide a planar jaw portion defined by each second fold and each first edge, the jaw portions opposing the back portion and to also thereby provide a pair of opposed spaced-apart intermediate portions between the first and second folds that are substantially orthogonal to the back portion and the jaw portions;b) at least one screw fastener means operatively connecting the intermediate portions and disposed in a direction orthogonal to the folds for drawing the jaw portions toward one another by rotation of the fastener means, the terminal projections disposed beyond the at least one fastener means a first distance that is sufficient to enable the terminal projections to engage the opposed sides of the flange at or beyond the resilient seal, when the clamp is positioned on the flange, and the terminal projections extending along the first edges a distance of at least 2 centimeters; andc) the at least one screw fastener means being spaced apart from the back portion by a distance less than the first distance to thereby enable the clamp to be positioned on the flange while the radiator is in position in the vehicle.