FAN SHROUD FOR AN AUTOMOBILE RADIATOR

Abstract: A cowl 7 is attached to an automobile radiator by means of channel members 8,9 which fit over side pieces 5, 6 of the radiator. The cowl and channel members each have push-­ engage parts, lugs 10, 11 on one part and slots 12, 13 on the other part so that the cowl assembly can be push-engaged. A second set of slots 14, 15 is provided for fitment to a radiator of different size. The invention is particularly applicable for fitting to a range of radiator sizes, since it is merely necessary to provide channel members 8, 9 having lugs 10, 11 at different distances from the bottom of the channel members.

Description: COWL ASSEMBLY FOR AUTOMOBILE RADIATOR FAN This invention relates to cowl assemblies for automobile radiator fans. Hitherto, such cowls have been secured to radiators by means of bolts passing through the cowls, which bolts screw into nuts welded to the radiator casing. Alternatively, if the radiators had header tanks of plastics material, the header tanks carried special mouldings which could be attached to the cowls. The present invention provides a cowl assembly for an automobile radiator fan, which comprises a fan cowl, a pair of channel members for fitting over opposite ends of the radiator, parts on the cowl and on each channel member being so push-engageable that the cowl can be secured by push-engagement to the channels when the channels have been fitted over the opposite ends of the radiator, in order to attach the cowl to the radiator, The arrangement of the invention eliminates the need for nuts to be welded to the radiator, or for plastics header tanks to have special mouldings. Advantageously the push-engagement parts are lugs which push-engage into slots. The lugs may be bifurcated, being resiliently forced together on entering the slot and resiliently springing back when reaching the end of the slots, in order to engage. Advantageously the cowl assembly and/or the channel members are made of plastics material, and the pushengagement parts are formed intergrally therewith. The cowl may be provided with an additional set of push-engagement parts arranged on an axis at right angles to the first mentioned set, and spaced apart by a different amount to that of the first mentioned set. With this arrangement the same cowl and same channel members can be used-on radiators of different height, the first mentioned set of push-engagement parts being appropriate for one radiator height and the differently spaced set being appropriate for a radiator of a different height. In any case, the arrangement of the invention is particularly suited to fitment to a range of radiator sizes, since it is only necessary to provide channel menbers where the push-engagement parts are spaced from the bottom of the channel members by varying depths, so that whatever radiator size the channel members are fitted over, the push-engagement parts lie at the same spacing from each other, corresponding to the corresponding parts on the cowl, which can therefore be common to the range of radiators. A cowl assembly for an automobile radiator fan, constructed in accordance with the invention, will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a perspective veiw of the cowl assembly on the radiator. The radiator forms part of the engine cooling system in the usual way, and comprises header tank 1, 2, tubes 3 extending between them, and corrugated finning 4 packed between the tubes. The sides of the radiator are defined by channel shaped side pieces 5, 6. The cowl assembly for the fan (not shown) consists of a cowl 7 of plastics material and channel members 8, 9, also of plastics material. The channel members 8, 9, are shaped to fit closely over the channel shaped side pieces 5, 6 of the radiator. The channel members 8, 9 are integrally formed each with a pair of bifurcated lugs 10, 11. The cowl has slots 12, 13 to receive the bifurcated lugs. The lugs 10, 11 and the slots 12, 13 are so located and dimensioned that, when the channel members 8, 9 have been fitted over the side pieces 5, 6 of the radiator, the vertical spacing between them (as seen in the drawing), corresponds exactly to the vertical spacing of the slots 12 and 13 in the cowl. Consequently, the cowl can simply be pushed so that the slots pass over the lugs in order to attach it to the radiator. As each lug enters its associated slot, the two parts of the lug are pushed towards each other, and then spring back when the ends of the lug have reached the other end of the slot. The channel members are now secured to the cowl, and the cowl is consequently secured to the radiator. Sideways movement of the channel members along the side pieces of the radiator is impossible due to friction between the parts. The cowl has a second set of slots 14, 15 arranged on a horizontal axis as seen in the drawing, and these lugs are faced apart by about two inches more than the slots 12, 13. the purpose of this is so that the same cowl can be used with the same channel members on another radiator which, in its vertical height, is about two inches bigger than the one illustrated in the drawing. It will be apparent that the method of attachment of the cowl to the radiator is in any case easily adaptable to radiators of different sizes, in that the cowl can remain the same but the channel members 8, 9 need only have a different depths between the position of the lugs 10, 11 and the base of the channel members. if desired, as an additional precaution for preventing movement of the channel members 8, 9 along the side pieces 5, 6 the side pieces could be formed with studs which engage the channel members, or the channel members could be provided with projections which engage the fins 3. If desired, the slots 12, 13 could be provided on the channel members 8, 9 and the lugs 10, 11 could be provided on the cowl. Also, the channel members 8, 9 could be shaped for fitting over the header tanks 1, 2 instead of over the side pieces 5, 6. Attention is drawn to the Applicants' co-pending patent application nos. 82 20954 and 82 25112 which also describe and claim an automobile radiator.

Claims: CLAIMS 1 Cowl assembly for fan for automobile radiator, which comprises a fan cowl, a pair of channel members for fitting over opposite ends of the radiator, parts on the cowl and on each channel member being so push-engageable that the cowl can be secured by push-engagement to the channels when the channels have been fitted over the opposite ends of the radiator, in order to attach the cowl to the radiator. 2 Cowl assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the push-engagement parts are lugs which push-engage into slots. 3 Cowl assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lugs are bifurcated, are resiliently forced together on entering the slot, and resilientlg spring back when reaching the end of the slot. 4 Cowl assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cowl assembly and/or the channel members, are made of plastics material, and the push-engagement parts are formed inte grally therewith. 5 Cowl assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cowl has an additional set of push-engagement parts arranged on an axis at right angles to the first-mentioned set, and spaced apart by a different amount to that of the first-mentioned set. 6 Cowl assembly substantially as hereinbefore des cribed with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing. 7 An automobile radiator having a cowl assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6. 8 An automobile having a radiator as claimed in claim 7.

Inventors: LARDNER, GRAHAM GERALD
Applicants: SU BUTEC LTD
Application year: 1983
Main classification: F01P5
IPC codes: F28F9, F01P11, F16B9