Plate spacing fixture for electrostatic air cleaners

Claim 2

A fixture for holding a multiplicity of spaced, parallel plates comprising: a frame; at least two comb sets mounted to said frame, each of said comb sets including a plurality of combs at least one of which is movably mounted with respect to the remaining combs of said set, said comb sets being parallel and spaced apart along said frame, the combs within each comb set being aligned in at least one of two positions during operation of the fixture, said aligned position permitting insertion of said plates in said fixture; means for moving each of the movable combs of said comb sets simultaneously between at least a first position and a second position, the movable combs of each of said comb sets being aligned with the remaining combs of each set in one of said first and said second positions and disaligned with respect to the remaining combs of each set in the other of said first and said second positions, said moving means being carried by said frame; and means for biasing the movable comb of said comb set toward said disaligned position, said biasing means being carried by said comb set.

Claim 3

The fixture of claim 1 wherein each of said combs of said comb set comprises a base strip and a plurality of spaced teeth extending upwardly from said base strip.

Claim 4

The fixture of claim 2 wherein said movable comb of said set is further characterized by a roller mounted to said base strip on at least one end of said base strip.

Claim 5

The fixture of claim 2 wherein each of said comb sets comprises: a back structure; a first comb mounted to said back structure; a second comb mounted to said structure; and means for operatively connecting said first comb to said back structure so that said first comb may be moved reciprocally with respect to said second comb.

Claim 6

The fixture of claim 4 wherein said means for operatively connecting said first comb to said back structure includes a bridge member reciprocally mounted to said back structure, said first comb being mounted to said bridge structure.

Claim 7

The fixture of claim 5 wherein said biasing means comprises a spring biased between said bridge member and said back structure.

Claim 8

The fixture of claim 6 wherein said frame has a first and a second end, and said comb sets are mounted to said frame between said first and said second ends, said frame having a plurality of openings in it along said first and said second ends permitting a plurality of mounting positions for said comb sets.

Claim 9

A comb set, comprising: a back structure; a first comb mounted to said back structure, said comb having a plurality of spaced teeth defining grooves therebetween; a second comb mounted to said back structure, said comb having a plurality of spaced teeth defining grooves therebetween; means for movably mounting said first comb with respect to said second comb between a first position having the grooves of said combs aligned and a second position having the grooves of said combs disaligned; and means for biasing said first comb toward said second position, said biasing means being carried by said comb set.

Claim 10

A comb set, comprising: a back structure; a first comb mounted to said back structure, said comb having a plurality of spaced teeth defining grooves therebetween; a second comb mounted to said back structure, said comb having a plurality of spaced teeth defining grooves therebetween; means for movably mounting said first comb with respect to said second comb between a first position having the grooves of said combs aligned and a second position having the grooves of said combs disaligned; and means for biasing said first comb toward said second position, said biasing means being carried by said comb set.

Claim 11

The comb set of claim 1 wherein said back structure is generally rectangular in plan, said mounting means comprises a bridge member mounted to said back structure outboard of three peripheral dimensions of said back structure, and said biasing means comprises a spring biased to urge said bridge structure in a first direction, said movable comb being mounted to said bridge structure for movement therewith.

Claim 12

A plate receiving and spacing fixture, comprising: a frame; means for receiving a plurality of plates mounted to said frame, said receiving means comprising at least two comb sets mounted to said frame in spaced relationship to one another, each of said comb sets including a plurality of combs, said combs having a multiplicity of spaced teeth defining slots therebetween, at least one of said combs being movably mounted with respect to the remaining combs of said set, said combs defining a plurality of aligned grooves traversing said frame in a first position of said combs; means for moving said movable combs of said comb sets between a second disaligned position and said first aligned position, said last mentioned means being carried by said frame; and means for biasing the movable combs of said comb sets toward the disaligned position.

Claim 13

A plate receiving and spacing fixture, comprising: a frame; means for receiving a plurality of plates mounted to said frame, said receiving means comprising at least two comb sets mounted to said frame in spaced relationship to one another, each of said comb sets including a plurality of combs, said combs having a multiplicity of spaced teeth defining slots therebetween, at least one of said combs being movably mounted with respect to the remaining combs of said set, said combs defining a plurality of aligned grooves traversing said frame in a first position of said combs; means for moving said movable combs of said comb sets between a second disaligned position and said first aligned position, said last mentioned means being carried by said frame; and means for biasing the movable combs of said comb sets toward the disaligned position.

Claim 14

A fixture for releasably holding an article, comprising: a frame having a first end and a second end; a plurality of individual combs mounted to said frame, each of said combs having a plurality of spaced teeth defining slots therebetween, said comb plurality including a first comb movable in relationship to a second comb in said mounted position of said comb plurality, each of said combs being arranged parallel to and spaced from one another so that said teeth define a plurality of grooves extending across said frame in an aligned position of said combs, each of said grooves being designed for receiving an article; means for moving said movable combs into said aligned position from a disaligned position, said last mentioned means being carried by said frame; and means for biasing said movable comb toward said disaligned position of said comb.

Claim 15

A fixture for releasably holding an article, comprising: a frame having a first end and a second end; a plurality of individual combs mounted to said frame, each of said combs having a plurality of spaced teeth defining slots therebetween, said comb plurality including a first comb movable in relationship to a second comb in said mounted position of said comb plurality, each of said combs being arranged parallel to and spaced from one another so that said teeth define a plurality of grooves extending across said frame in an aligned position of said combs, each of said grooves being designed for receiving an article; means for moving said movable combs into said aligned position from a disaligned position, said last mentioned means being carried by said frame; and means for biasing said movable comb toward said disaligned position of said comb.

Claim 16

The fixture of claim 11 wherein said comb plurality is arranged in comb sets, at least two comb sets being mounted to said frame, each of said comb sets including a plurality of combs at least one of which is movably mounted with respect to the remaining combs of said set, said movably mounted comb being operatively connected to said moving means.

Claim 17

The fixture of claim 12 wherein at least one of said comb sets is movable laterally with respect to the other of said comb sets.

Claim 18

The fixture of claim 11 wherein said frame includes a front plate and a rear plate, said combs being mounted to said fixtures between said front plate and said rear plate.

Claim 19

THe fixture of claim 11 wherein said moving means comprises an actuator bar removably mounted to said front plate.

Claim 20

The fixture of claim 15 further characterized by a first cam plate and a second cam plate mounted between said actuator bar and said front plate.

Claim 21

The fixture of claim 16 wherein each of said cam plates have a pair of irregular shaped openings in them, said openings defining a first position and a second position for said actuator bar with respect to said front plate.

Claim 22

The fixture of claim 16 wherein said front plate has a central opening in it and said actuator bar includes a cam follower mounted to said bar on a first end of said actuator, said actuator having a second end extending through said central opening.

Claim 23

The fixture of claim 18 wherein said front plate and said rear plate have a plurality of openings defining a plurality of lateral positions for said comb sets.

Claim 24

A plate spacing fixture for holding and spacing a multiplicity of plates, comprising: a supporting structure; means mounted to said supporting structure for releasably holding a plurality of plates, said holding means including at least a first part and a second part movable relatively to one another so as to define an aligned first plate receiving position and a second disaligned plate holding position; first means for placing said holding means in said first plate receiving position, said first means including an actuator operatively connected to said holding means and adapted to drive the movable ones of said first and said second parts of said holding means from said second disaligned plate holding position to said first plate receiving position; and second means for placing said holding means in said second disaligned position upon deactivation of said first placing means, said second placing means including biasing means for maintaining said holding means in said second disaligned position under the influence of said second placing means until reactivation of said first placing means.

Claim 25

A plate spacing fixture for holding and spacing a multiplicity of plates, comprising: a supporting structure; means mounted to said supporting structure for releasably holding a plurality of plates, said holding means including at least a first part and a second part movable relatively to one another so as to define an aligned first plate receiving position and a second disaligned plate holding position; first means for placing said holding means in said first plate receiving position, said first means including an actuator operatively connected to said holding means and adapted to drive the movable ones of said first and said second parts of said holding means from said second disaligned plate holding position to said first plate receiving position; and second means for placing said holding means in said second disaligned position upon deactivation of said first placing means, said second placing means including biasing means for maintaining said holding means in said second disaligned position under the influence of said second placing means until reactivation of said first placing means.

Claim 26

The fixture of claim 20 wherein said holding means comprises at least one comb set, said comb set including: a back structure; a bridge member movably mounted to said back structure, said bridge member traversing the width of said back structure; a pair of combs mounted to said bridge member and movable therewith; and at least one stationary comb mounted to said back structure intermediate said movable comb pair.

Claim 27

The fixture of claim 2 wherein said holding means comprises at least two of said comb sets, at least one of said comb sets being adjustably mounted to said supporting structure.

Claim 28

The fixture of claim 21 wherein said second placing means comprises a spring biased between the bridge member and the back structure of said comb set.