Abstract:
A collector for liquid cooled exhaust includes a retention member, a coolant transfer plate and a collector housing. The retention member fits between at least two exhaust jacket pipes and is attached thereto. Holes are formed through the coolant transfer plate to receive the at least two exhaust jacket pipes and exhaust pipes. Such holes form respective sealing grooves therein, and respective sealing rings are received in such sealing grooves. The coolant transfer plate is secured to the retention member with welding or the like. At least one coolant opening is formed through each exhaust jacket pipe at substantially at end thereof, adjacent a coolant passage cavity in the coolant transfer plate. The collector housing is attached to the coolant transfer plate. Coolant flows between the exhaust pipes and exhaust jacket pipes; through the coolant transfer plate; and through the coolant housing.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation-in-part patent application taking priority from Ser. No. 10/644,691 filed on Aug. 20, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,013,565. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to exhaust systems and more specially to a removable collector for liquid cooled exhaust, which allows a collector to be removed from an end of a set of exhaust pipes without complicated disassembly. 
     2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
     It appears, the only prior art that exist for an exhaust collector is a weld-on design. An outer star is welded to an end of a set of exhaust jacket pipes and then an inner star is welded to an end of a set of exhaust pipes. Next, an inner collector housing is welded to the inner star and then an outer collector housing is welded to the outer star. Finally, an end of the outer collector housing is welded to a perimeter of the inner collector housing. Many of the welding operations are difficult and time consuming to perform. A major drawback to the welded exhaust collector is failure due to stress corrosion cracking. The first and second stars tend to fail due stress corrosion cracking from a combination of heat, residual tensile stresses, vibration and salt water. Sometimes the header (set of exhaust pipes with exhaust jacket pipe) can be repaired, but most of the time the header cannot be repaired. 
     Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a removable collector for liquid cooled exhaust, which may be removed from a header without cutting; is less prone to stress corrosion cracking; and may be more easily repaired, if a failure does occur. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a removable collector for liquid cooled exhaust, which is less prone to stress corrosion cracking than that of the prior art. The removable collector for liquid cooled exhaust (removable collector) includes a retention member, a coolant transfer plate and a collector housing. The retention member fits between at least two exhaust jacket pipes and is attached thereto. At least two fastener openings are formed through the retention member to receive at least two fasteners. The coolant transfer plate includes a fastener plate and a coolant passage plate. At least two jacket openings are formed through the fastener plate, which are each sized to receive a single exhaust jacket pipe. At least two tapped holes are preferably formed in the fastener plate to receive the at least two fasteners. 
     At least two pipe openings are formed through the coolant passage plate, which are each sized to receive a single exhaust pipe. At least one coolant passage opening is formed through the coolant passage plate at substantially a perimeter thereof. A coolant passage cavity is formed on one side of the coolant passage plate. The coolant passage plate is attached to the fastener plate on a perimeter thereof, with the coolant passage cavity adjacent the fastener plate. 
     An end of each exhaust jacket pipe is preferably rolled over such that the opening is sized to receive an exhaust pipe, but other methods of sealing each exhaust jacket pipe to a single exhaust pipe may also be used. At least one coolant opening is formed through each exhaust jacket pipe at substantially an end thereof. The coolant transfer plate is slipped over the exhaust jacket pipe, until thereof contacts the retention member. The retention member is attached to the at least two exhaust jacket pipes, such that the coolant passage cavity is adjacent each coolant opening. The collector housing includes an inner collector housing, an outer collector housing, a clamping flange and a coolant outlet nipple. One end of the inner collector housing is attached to the coolant transfer plate. The inner collector housing could also be a tail pipe. The clamping flange is attached to one end of the outer collector housing. The other end of the outer collector housing is attached to the coolant transfer plate. The clamping flange is attached to substantially the other end of the inner collector housing. A coolant hole is formed through the outer collector housing and the coolant outlet nipple is attached to the outer collector housing, adjacent the coolant hole. 
     Coolant flows between each exhaust pipe and exhaust jacket pipe and exits through the coolant openings into the coolant passage cavity. The coolant in the coolant passage cavity flows through the at least one coolant passage opening into an area between the inner and outer collector housings and out through the coolant outlet nipple. 
     A second embodiment of a removable collector retains the exhaust pipes in a line. The second embodiment of the removable collector includes a retention member, a coolant transfer plate and a collector housing. The retention member is attached to at least two exhaust jacket pipes. At least two fastener openings are formed through the retention member to receive at least two fasteners. The coolant transfer plate includes a fastener plate, a spacer and a coolant passage plate. At least two jacket openings are formed through the fastener plate, which are each sized to receive a single exhaust jacket pipe. At least two tapped holes are preferably formed in the fastener plate to receive the at least two fasteners. 
     At least two pipe openings are formed through the coolant passage plate, which are each sized to receive a single exhaust pipe. At least one coolant passage opening is formed through the coolant passage plate at substantially a perimeter thereof. The spacer is retained between the fastener plate and the coolant passage plate. The perimeters of the fastener plate, the spacer and the coolant passage plate are attached to each other with any suitable process, such as welding. 
     An end of each exhaust jacket pipe is preferably rolled over such that the opening is sized to receive an exhaust pipe, but other methods of sealing each exhaust jacket pipe to a single exhaust pipe may also be used. At least one coolant opening is formed through each exhaust jacket pipe at substantially an end thereof. The coolant transfer plate is slipped over the at least two exhaust jacket pipes, until it contacts the retention member. The retention member is attached to the at least two exhaust jacket pipes, such that the spacer is adjacent each coolant opening. 
     The collector housing includes an inner collector housing, an outer collector housing, a clamping flange and a coolant outlet nipple. One edge of the inner collector housing is attached to the coolant transfer plate. The clamping flange is attached to one end of the outer collector housing. One edge of the outer collector housing is also attached to the coolant transfer plate. The clamping flange is attached to substantially the one end of the inner collector housing. A coolant hole is formed through the outer collector housing and the coolant outlet nipple is attached to the outer collector housing, adjacent the coolant hole. 
     Coolant flows between each exhaust pipe and exhaust jacket pipe and exits through the coolant openings into the inner perimeter of the spacer. The coolant in the inner perimeter of the spacer flows through the at least one coolant passage opening into an area between the inner and outer collector housings and out through the coolant outlet nipple. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a removable collector for liquid cooled exhaust, which may be removed from a header without cutting. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a removable collector for liquid cooled exhaust, which is less prone to failure. 
     Finally, it is another object of the present invention to provide a removable collector for liquid cooled exhaust, which may be more easily repaired, if a failure does occur. 
     These and additional objects, advantages, features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art collector. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of a prior art collector. 
         FIG. 2   a  is a side view of a prior art collector attached to a header. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a removable collector in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a partially exploded reverse perspective view of a removable collector in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a removable collector in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is an end view of a removable collector in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of a removable collector cut through two pipes thereof in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view of a removable collector cut through a center thereof in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view of a removable collector with a tail pipe attached thereto in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view of a combination removable collector/tail pipe in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a removable collector in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is an end view of a second embodiment of a removable collector in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross sectional view of a second embodiment of a removable collector in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a removable collector in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference now to the drawings, and particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a perspective view of a prior art collector  100 . With reference to  FIG. 2 , the prior art collector  100  includes at least two exhaust pipes  102 , at least two exhaust jacket pipes  104 , an outer flange  106 , an inner flange  108 , an inner collector housing  110 , an outer collector housing  112  and a clamping flange  114 . The outer flange  106  is welded to an end of the at least two exhaust jacket pipes  104  and the inner flange  108  is welded to an end of the at least two exhaust pipes  102 . Next, the inner collector housing  110  is welded to the inner flange  108  and the outer collector housing  112  is welded to the outer flange  106 . Finally, the clamping flange  114  is welded to a perimeter of the inner collector housing  110  and to an end of the outer collector housing  112 . 
     Coolant flows between the at least two exhaust pipes  102  and the exhaust jacket pipes  104  into the area between the inner and outer collector housings and through an output nipple  116 . The inner and outer flanges tend to fail, due to stress corrosion cracking from a combination of heat, residual tensile stresses, vibration and salt water. With reference to  FIG. 2   a , the prior art collector  100  is attached to an end of a header  101 . The header  101  includes the at least two exhaust jacket pipes  104  and the at least two exhaust pipes  102 . Coolant flows into the at least two exhaust jacket pipes  104  through a coolant lead pipe  103 . When a failure occurs, sometimes the header  101  can be repaired, but usually the header  101  cannot be repaired, because the cost is prohibitive. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3-5 , the removable collector  1  includes a retention member  10 , a coolant transfer plate  12  and a collector housing  14 . The retention member  10  includes at least two partially curved openings  16 , which are each sized to receive a single exhaust jacket pipe  18 . At least two fastener holes  20  are formed through the retention member  10 ; each fastener hole is preferably formed between two adjacent partially curved openings  16 . Each fastener hole  20  is sized to receive a fastener  22 . The retention member  10  is preferably secured to the at least two exhaust jacket pipes  18  with welding, but other attachment methods may also be used. However, other configurations of retention members may be used instead of the retention member  10 . 
     The coolant transfer plate  12  includes a fastener plate  24  and a coolant passage plate  26 . However, the coolant transfer plate  12  could be fabricated from a single casting. At least two jacket openings  28  are formed through the fastener plate, which are each sized to receive a single exhaust jacket pipe  18 . At least two tapped holes  30  are formed in the fastener plate  24  to receive the at least two fasteners  22 . With reference to  FIGS. 6-8 , at least one sealing groove  32  is formed in each jacket pipe opening  28 . Each sealing groove  32  is sized to receive a sealing ring  34 . The sealing ring  34  provides a seal between the fastener plate  24  and the outer perimeter of the exhaust jacket pipe  18 . 
     At least two pipe openings  36  are formed through the coolant passage plate  26 , which are each sized to receive at least two exhaust pipes  19 . Each exhaust jacket pipe  18  is formed over an outer perimeter of a single exhaust pipe  19  at substantially an end thereof, preferably with a rolling process. The junction of an end of the exhaust jacket pipe  18  and an outer perimeter of the exhaust pipe  19  is preferably welded. However, other methods of sealing an end of the jacket pipe  18  to the exhaust pipe  19  may also be used. A coolant passage cavity  38  is formed on an inside surface of the coolant passage plate  26 . At least one coolant passage opening  40  is formed through the coolant passage plate  26 ; each coolant passage opening  40  is formed in substantially a perimeter of the coolant passage plate  26 . 
     At least one coolant opening  42  is formed through each exhaust jacket pipe  18 , adjacent the coolant passage cavity  38 . At least one sealing groove  32  is formed in each pipe opening  36 . Each sealing groove  32  is sized to receive a sealing ring  34 . The sealing ring  34  provides a seal between the coolant passage plate  26  and an outer perimeter of the exhaust pipe  19 . The coolant passage plate  26  is attached to the fastener plate  24  on a perimeter thereof, preferably with welding. However, other attachment methods may also be used. A perimeter of the coolant passage plate  26  is attached to a perimeter of the fastener plate  24 ; such that the coolant passage cavity  38  is adjacent the fastener plate  24 . The coolant transfer plate  12  is slipped over the at least two exhaust jacket pipes  18  and exhaust pipes  19 , until thereof contacts the retention member  10 . The coolant transfer plate  12  is attached to the retention member  10  with the at least two fasteners  22 . However, coolant transfer plate  12  and the retention member  10  may be attached with other methods, such as welding. Welding the retention member  10  to the coolant transfer plate  12  would produce a nonremovable collector. The retention member  10  is attached to the at least two exhaust jacket pipes  18 , such that the coolant passage cavity  38  is adjacent each coolant opening  42 . 
     The collector housing  14  preferably includes an inner collector housing  44 , an outer collector housing  46 , a clamping flange  48  and a coolant outlet nipple  50 . However, the collector housing  14  could be fabricated from a single casting. Further, the collector housing  14  and the coolant transfer plate  12  could be fabricated from a single casting to form a collector assembly. One end of the inner collector housing  44  is preferably attached to the coolant passage plate  26  with welding or any other suitable attachment method. At least two bent passages  51  are formed in the one end of the inner collector housing  44 , adjacent each coolant passage opening  40 . The at least two bent passages  51  enable the flow of coolant from the coolant passage cavity  38  through the at least one coolant passage opening  40  to the area between the inner and outer collector housings. A collector coolant passage area  45  is formed between the inner and outer collector housings. 
     The inner collector housing  44  could also be a tail pipe. The clamping flange  48  is preferably attached to one end of the outer collector housing  46  with welding or any other suitable attachment method. The outer collector housing  46  and clamping flange  48  assembly are slipped over the other end of the inner collector housing  44 , until the other end of the outer collector housing  46  contacts the coolant passage plate  26 . The junction of the outer collector housing  46  and coolant passage plate  26  is preferably attached by welding, and the junction of the inner collector housing  44  and the clamping flange  48  are preferably attached by welding. 
     A coolant hole  52  is formed through the outer collector housing  46  and the coolant outlet nipple  50  is preferably attached to the outer collector housing  46 , adjacent the coolant hole  52  with welding. With reference to  FIG. 9 , a tail pipe assembly  120  is attached to the removable collector  1  with a V-band clamp  122  or the like. The cross section of the V-band clamp  122  captures the clamping flange  48  on the collector housing  14  and an end flange  124  disposed on an end of the tail pipe assembly  120 . One end of a coolant tube  126  is connected to the coolant outlet nipple  50  of the collector housing  14  and the other end of the coolant tube  126  is connected to an inlet tail nipple  128  of the tail pipe assembly  120 . 
     Coolant flows between each exhaust pipe  19  and each exhaust jacket pipe  18  and exits through the coolant openings  42  into the coolant passage cavity  38 . The coolant in the coolant passage cavity  38  flows through the at least one coolant passage opening  40  into an area between the inner and outer collector housings. The coolant then flows through the coolant hole  52  and through the coolant outlet nipple  50  into the coolant tube  126 . The coolant exits the coolant tube  126  into the inlet tail nipple  128 . The coolant flows through the tail pipe assembly  120  and exits through an end of the tail pipe assembly  120  and/or through an outlet tail nipple  130 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 10 , a combination collector/tail pipe  54  includes an exhaust tube  56  and a jacket tube  58 . One end of the exhaust tube  56  is attached to the coolant passage plate  26  with welding or any other suitable attachment method. One end of the jacket tube  58  is then attached to the coolant passage plate  26  substantially concentric with the exhaust tube  56 . Coolant flows between each exhaust pipe  19  and each exhaust jacket pipe  18  and exits into the coolant passage cavity  38 . The coolant in the coolant passage cavity  38  flows through the at least one coolant passage opening  40  into an area between the exhaust tube  56  and the jacket tube  58 . The coolant exits through an end of the jacket tube  58  and/or through an outlet tail nipple  60 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 11 , a second embodiment of a removable collector  2  includes a retention member  62 , a coolant transfer plate  64  and a collector housing  66 . The retention member  62  is attached to at least two exhaust jacket pipes  18 . At least two fastener openings  68  are formed through the retention member  62  to receive at least two fasteners (not shown). However, the retention member  62  may be secured to the fastener plate  70  with other methods, such as welding. Welding the retention member  62  to the fastener plate  70  would produce a nonremovable collector. The coolant transfer plate  64  includes a fastener plate  70 , a spacer  72  and a coolant passage plate  74 . At least two jacket openings  76  are formed through the fastener plate  70 , which are each sized to receive a single exhaust jacket pipe  18 . At least two tapped holes  78  are preferably formed in the fastener plate  70  to receive the at least two fasteners. With reference to  FIG. 13 , at least one sealing groove  75  and sealing ring  77  are used to seal the fastener plate to each exhaust jacket pipe  18 . 
     At least two jacket openings  80  are formed through the coolant passage plate  74 , which are each sized to receive a single exhaust jacket pipe  18 . The at least one sealing groove  75  and sealing ring  77  are used to seal the coolant passage plate  74  to each exhaust jacket pipe  18 . At least one coolant passage opening  82  is formed through the coolant passage plate  74  at substantially a perimeter thereof. The spacer  72  is retained between the fastener plate  70  and the coolant passage plate  74 . With reference to  FIG. 14 , the perimeters of the fastener plate  70 , the spacer  72  and the coolant passage plate  74  are attached to each other with any suitable process, such as welding. However, the spacer  72  could be replaced with an o-ring and the at least two tapped holes  78  formed in the coolant passage plate  74 . The coolant transfer plate  64  could also be fabricated from a single casting. 
     An end of each exhaust jacket pipe  18  is preferably rolled over such that the opening is sized to receive a single exhaust pipe  19 . However, other methods of sealing an end of the jacket pipe  18  to the exhaust pipe  19  may also be used. With reference to  FIG. 12 , at least one coolant opening  42  is formed through each exhaust jacket pipe  18  at substantially an end thereof. The coolant transfer plate  74  is slipped over the at least two exhaust jacket pipes  18 , until thereof contacts the retention member  62 . The retention member  62  is attached to the at least two exhaust jacket pipes  18 , such that the inner perimeter  73  of the spacer  72  is adjacent each coolant opening  42 . 
     The collector housing  66  includes an inner collector housing  84 , an outer collector housing  86 , a clamping flange  88  and a coolant outlet nipple  90 . The inner collector housing  84  includes an inner collector body  92  and an inner collector flange  94 . The inner collector flange  94  is attached to a perimeter of the inner collector body  92  to allow the inner collector housing  84  to make a water tight seal with the coolant passage plate  74 . The outer collector housing  86  includes an outer collector body  96  and an outer collector flange  98 . The outer collector flange  98  is attached to a perimeter of the outer collector body  96  to allow the outer collector housing  86  to make a water tight seal with the coolant passage plate  74 . 
     The clamping flange  88  is attached to one end of the outer collector housing  86 . The clamping flange  88  is attached to substantially the one end of the inner collector housing  84 . The collector housing  66  could be formed from a single casting. Further, the inner and outer collector housings could be combined into a combination collector/tail pipe, similar to that shown in  FIG. 10 . The clamping flange  88  would not be used with a combination collector/tail pipe. A coolant hole  99  is formed through the outer collector housing  86  and the coolant outlet nipple  90  is attached to the outer collector housing  86 , adjacent the coolant hole  99 . 
     Coolant flows between each exhaust pipe  19  and exhaust jacket pipe  18  and exits through the coolant openings  42  into the inner perimeter  73  of the spacer  72 . The coolant in the inner perimeter  73  of the spacer  72  flows through the at least one coolant passage opening  82  into an area between the inner and outer collector housings and out through the coolant outlet nipple  90 . 
     While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.