Tube bundle support

DETAILED DESCRIPTION This invention relates to supporting means for tube bundles of the type employed in surface condensers, heat exchangers and similar equipment.
In the use of tube bundles of the indicated type support plates are provided at longitudinally spaced intervals to provide support for the array of tubes forming the tube bundle.
The support plates in use today comprise metal plates provided with a plurality of drilled holes of a size and location to receive the tubing required to achieve the necessary heat exchange action desired of the tube bundle.
Since these support plates are an integral part of the supporting structure, they are designed to satisfy the mechanical loading requirements of the structure.
The result of this type of design was material thicknesses of the plates ranging from 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch depending upon the size and/or service requirements.
While this thickness range satisfied the structural requirements, it had, until recently, provided less than adequate support for the tubing.
In the mid-1970's the standards for fabrication of condensers, heat exchangers and the like were changed to reduce the recommended spacing between the support plates to thereby improve the tube support.
However, the drilled type of support plate is not entirely satisfactory and has many disadvantages.
For example, it is expensive to manufacture, cumbersome to handle and it is difficlut to assemble the tubes therein.
It is the general object of the invention to provide a supporting means for tube bundles or the like which is inexpensive and easy to manufacture, permits the easy assembly of the tubes therein, and provides better support for the tubes than the prior art drilled support plate design.
Briefly stated, the supporting means in accordance with the invention comprises a plurality of first and second strip members extending transversely to one another and being interlocked at cooperating slots formed therein to form a lattice structure of crossed strips with openings therebetween for receiving the tubes