Abstract: A scroll compressor 10 includes a housing 12, a fixed scroll 26, an orbital scroll 48, a scroll drive assembly 74 and an axial thrust and anti-rotation assembly 108. The axial thrust and anti-rotation assembly includes a pair of scroll key ways 110 and 112, a pair of housing key ways 122 and 124 and an Oldham coupler 132 with key blocks 140 and 142 positioned in the scroll key ways and a pair of key blocks 148 and 150 positioned in the housing key ways. Axial loads exerted on the orbital scroll and end plate 50 by fluid under pressure are transferred from the end plate 50 to roller bearings 118 and 120 mounted in the scroll key ways 110 and 112, to the key blocks 140 and 142, to the ring 134 to thrust roller assemblies 156 and 158 in contact with a surface 136 of the Oldham coupler ring 134 and to the housing 12.

Abstract: A strap feed assembly has a drive wheel driven by a reversible electric motor to feed and tension a strap around an item and wherein a back-up wheel assembly imposes a tension force on the strap by use of multiple floating wheels which are arranged to spring bias and float with respect to a strap and apply a tension force thereto across an extended strap area to reduce pressure on the strap so as to prevent it from being bent or deformed whereby a consistent strap feed is maintained.

Abstract: A scroll type fluid compressor 10 has a housing 12 including a front section 14 and a rear section 16, an inlet port 112 and an outlet port 114. The rear section 16 of the housing includes an integral fixed scroll 18 with a discharge aperture 90 in the center and an integral exhaust cavity 88. A one way discharge valve 92 including a tubular valve body 95 is pressed into the scroll discharge aperture 90, extends across the exhaust cavity and has one end received in a recess 94 in a boss 96 on a wall of the exhaust cavity 88. An orbital scroll 24 is driven in an orbital path by a crank shaft 74 and cooperates with the fixed scroll 18 to compress fluid. An axial thrust and rotation prevention assembly 46 prevents rotation of the orbital scroll.

Abstract: A convection braze furnace for brazing aluminum heat exchangers in an inert gas rich atmosphere includes entrance and exit vestibules forming atmosphere barriers of suspended stainless steel strips. The interior of the braze furnace is divided into multiple zones for progressively heating the heat exchangers to a brazing temperature and then cooling the heat exchangers in the final zone. An impeller circulates the heated inert gas atmosphere within each zone to accelerate heat transfer. A chain type conveyor supports the heat exchangers as they are moved through the braze furnace. An isolated return tube surrounds the lower return side of the conveyor chain as it passes through the braze furnace. The braze furnace housing is comprised of inner and outer shells having an inert gas pressurized cavity interstitial therebetween. The inner shell includes a plurality of expansion strips having generally ellipsoidal corner expansion joints.

Abstract: A convection braze furnace for brazing aluminum heat exchangers in an inert gas rich atmosphere includes entrance and exit vestibules forming atmosphere barriers of suspended stainless steel strips. The interior of the braze furnace is divided into multiple zones for progressively heating the heat exchangers to a brazing temperature and then cooling the heat exchangers in the final zone. An impeller circulates the heated inert gas atmosphere within each zone to accelerate heat transfer. A chain type conveyor supports the heat exchangers as they are moved through the braze furnace. An isolated return tube surrounds the lower return side of the conveyor chain as it passes through the braze furnace. The braze furnace housing is comprised of inner and outer shells having an inert gas pressurized cavity interstitial therebetween. The inner shell includes a plurality of expansion strips having generally ellipsoidal corner expansion joints.

Abstract: A convection braze furnace for brazing aluminum heat exchangers in an inert gas rich atmosphere includes entrance and exit vestibules forming atmosphere barriers of suspended stainless steel strips. The interior of the braze furnace is divided into multiple zones for progressively heating the heat exchangers to a brazing temperature and then cooling the heat exchangers in the final zone. An impeller circulates the heated inert gas atmosphere within each zone to accelerate heat transfer. A chain type conveyor supports the heat exchangers as they are moved through the braze furnace. An isolated return tube surrounds the lower return side of the conveyor chain as it passes through the braze furnace. The braze furnace housing is comprised of inner and outer shells having an inert gas pressurized cavity interstitial therebetween. The inner shell includes a plurality of expansion strips having generally ellipsoidal corner expansion joints.

Abstract: An automobile heating system includes a turbocharger driven by the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine and a shaft of the turbocharger is coupled to a compressor for compressing and heating ambient air to provide a heated air source for supply into the passenger compartment of the vehicle and a source of air for turbocharging the intake manifold of the automobile.

Abstract: A fluid pumping assembly including a control valve mounted in a control valve boss having an inlet exposed to the elevated discharge pressure of the discharge chamber and an outlet exposed to the reduced pressure of the crank case. The control valve is responsive to pressure differentials between the crank case and the discharge chamber and provides a fluid path between the crank case and the discharge chamber to allow lubricating fluid from the discharge chamber to be injected into the crank case through the fluid path provided by the control valve under the influence of the pressure differential existing between the crank case and the discharge chamber. The control valve boss partially bifurcates the discharge chamber to form first and second reservoirs such that oil is disposed on either side of the control valve boss in the first and second reservoirs.

Abstract: A combination radiator and condenser apparatus has a pair of extruded tank and header assemblies adapted to be connected in both a coolant system for liquid cooled engine and a refrigerant system of an automobile air conditioning system. The assemblies each include an extruded tank with two compartments separated by an internal partition which extends the full height of the tank. Each extruded tank further includes a slotted wall for receiving the ends of a plurality of unitary extruded fluid flow tubes extending between each extruded tank. Each of the unitary extruded fluid flow tubes have first and second passages therein connected respectively to the coolant chamber and the high pressure refrigerant chamber of each of the extruded tanks. The partition includes an air space or alternatively a plurality of slits forming air spaces extending the length of the tank for reducing heat conduction between the coolant and refrigerant.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a connecting block and mating adapter for attaching an automotive refrigerant line to a condenser tank. A port/passageway is provided within the connecting block to receive a nipple on the adapter for communicating fluid from the refrigerant line to the condenser tank. The connecting block is securely welded or brazed to the side wall of the condenser tank providing a secure, leak-proof joint. A retaining bolt securely maintains the connection of the adapter to the connecting block.

Abstract: A swash plate compressor is disclosed having double acting pistons that reciprocate in aligned sets of horizontally extending bores of a cylinder block to compress gaseous refrigerant. An improved asymmetrical arrangement of suction or intake ports is provided in at least the bottommost piston. The ports extend longitudinally through the operating heads of the piston and are connected by an open channel so as to provide fluid communication through the piston. A matching valve disc with a flexible ring is included so as to provide unidirectional flow through the suction ports during the intake stroke. The suction ports are on a constant radius arc spaced 30.degree. apart and are excluded from the lower 120.degree. portion of the piston to form the asymmetrical arrangement. Liquid lubricant in the reservoir pool adjacent the bottom of the crankcase is sufficiently spaced from the ports so that it is prevented from being drawn through the suction ports and into the cylinder bore, thus eliminating slugging.

Abstract: A heater core is mounted over an opening in a wall of a heater and air conditioner case and secured by a single spring steel strap having a straight portion extending parallel to the tubes of the core and bearing on the header flanges. The strap has terminal hook portions which engage anchor apertures in the web outboard of the core. The apertures have flanged edges for engagement by the hook portions and the strap is manually flexed for engagement or disengagement of the hook portions during installation or removal of the strap so that no tools are required. One embodiment has a hook on one end of the strap and a snap fastener on the other end. Another embodiment has identical hooks on both ends of the strap.

Abstract: A fluid pumping assembly including a control valve mounted in a control valve boss having an inlet exposed to the elevated discharge pressure of the discharge chamber and an outlet exposed to the reduced pressure of the crank case. The control valve is responsive to pressure differentials between the crank case and the discharge chamber and provides a fluid path between the crank case and the discharge chamber to allow lubricating fluid from the discharge chamber to be injected into the crank case through the fluid path provided by the control valve under the influence of the pressure differential existing between the crank case and the discharge chamber. The control valve boss partially bifurcates the discharge chamber to form first and second reservoirs such that oil is disposed on either side of the control valve boss in the first and second reservoirs.

Abstract: A flat tube and fin heat exchanger comprises a plurality of tubes arranged in spaced parallelism and a plurality of louvered fins are located between each of the tubes in heat exchange relationship with the tubes. The fins are formed as a series of sinusoidal corrugations defining axial air flow passages in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axes of the tubes. A predetermined series of fin panels have louvers formed therein to create turbulence in the axial air flow through the fins. A second series of fin panels are dammed to channel air flow through the tubes so as to maximize heat transfer characteristics of the heat exchanger.

Abstract: An air/liquid heat exchanger having a refrigerant spray providing evaporative cooling.

Abstract: A method of locating a limit switch (10) on a compressor (12) utilizes thermography for determining the optimum location thereof. A thermograph is produced for normal and abnormal operating modes of the compressor (12). High temperature gradients in the thermograph indicate high rates of temperature increase during compressor failure modes for selecting an optimum location for the limit switch. A bimetal switch (10) is utilized to establish a cut-out temperature for preventing operation of the compressor (12) and a cut-in temperature lower than the cut-out temperature for automatically closing to resume operation of the compressor (12) when returned to normal temperatures.

Abstract: A strap feed assembly wraps a flexible strap around an item. A drive wheel is connected to a reversible drive motor for feeding and reversing the strap to wrap the strap around the item and to tension the strap once it is wrapped therearound. A controller operates the drive motor to control the speed, acceleration, direction of rotation, and tensioning of the strap. The velocity and acceleration of the drive motor are varied depending on the nearness of completion of the feeding and tensioning. Variable tension is achieved by monitoring the current drawn by the drive motor and comparing same to predetermined values to stop reversal and therefore tensioning.

Abstract: A convection braze furnace for brazing aluminum heat exchangers in an inert gas rich atmosphere includes entrance and exit vestibules forming atmosphere barriers of suspended stainless steel strips. The interior of the braze furnace is divided into multiple zones for progressively heating the heat exchangers to a brazing temperature and then cooling the heat exchangers in the final zone. An impeller circulates the heated intent gas atmosphere within each zone to accelerate heat transfer. A chain type conveyor supports the heat exchangers as they are moved through the braze furnace. An isolated return tube surrounds the lower return side of the conveyor chain as it passes through the braze furnace. The braze furnace housing is comprised of inner and outer shells having an inert gas pressurized cavity interstitial therebetween. The inner shell includes a plurality of expansion strips having generally ellipsoidal corner expansion joints.

Abstract: A valve system for a fluid pumping assembly including a valve plate having at least one intake port extending therethrough and at least one discharge port also extending therethrough. The discharge port includes a central axis extending through the discharge port and orthoginal to the valve plate. The intake port is a slot having a width less than its length and subscribing an arc radially spaced from the central axis of the discharge port. A suction reed valve has a valve member that is defined at its distal edge by an arcuate slot in the valve wherein the slot is disposed arcuately and radially spaced from a discharge aperture in the valve member and terminates at either end in inwardly extending lobe portions that define a neck portion in the valve member having an axis about which the valve member moves between open and closed positions.

Abstract: A condenser for a motor vehicle air conditioning system includes an inlet header and an outlet header with a plurality of baffles forming passages for connection to a plurality of parallel tubes to form a plurality of refrigerant flow passes through the condenser and a liquid refrigerant separator device, provided either as a refrigerant dehydrator receiver or as a subcooler tube, is connected across one of the baffles in the outlet header to direct high pressure liquid refrigerant in parallel flow relationship to the plurality of parallel tubes and wherein the separator device includes desiccant to dehydrate the refrigerant flowing through the condenser.