Patent ID: 6067704
Filing Date: 2000-05-30
Classification: B23P,Y10T

Abstract:
A heat exchanger core assembly mechanism comprising:an elongated table;a magazine of folded tubes attached to one end of the table;a tube indexing device disposed downstream of the magazine, the device receiving and transporting the tubes from the magazine along a predetermined length of the table, the tubes being oriented orthogonally to the length of the table so that the tubes are spaced from each other;a fin insertion mechanism provided adjacent the table for inserting precut lengths of serpentine fins between adjacent tubes during momentary cessation of the indexing device;a fin compression device comprising an outer surface of the tube indexing device for compressing the fins, the outer surface serving to distribute the pitch of the fins uniformly between the tubes, thereby centering the fins relative to the tubes to form an intermediate assembly;a transport mechanism for transporting the intermediate assembly along the table;a core compressor to which the intermediate assembly is transported, the core compressor being attached to the table downstream from the tube indexing device to compress the intermediate assembly of tubes and fins received from the transport mechanism to form a compressed intermediate assembly; anda header attachment mechanism disposed on opposite sides of the table adjacent to the core compressor, the header attachment mechanism pressing headers onto the ends of the compressed intermediate assembly to form an assembled heat exchanger core.