Piping inspection instrument carriage with precise and repeatable position control and location determination

Patent · Fri Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:869154

Hapstack, Mark ^[1]; Talarek, Ted R ^[2]; Zollinger, W Thor ^[3]; Park, Larry R ^[1]

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1. North Augusta, SC
2. Augusta, GA
3. Martinez, GA

An instrument carriage for inspection of piping comprises front and rear leg assemblies for engaging the interior of the piping and supporting and centering the carriage therein, and an instrumentation arm carried by a shaft system running from the front to rear leg assemblies. The shaft system has a screw shaft for moving the arm axially and a spline gear for moving the arm azimuthally. The arm has a pair of air cylinders that raise and lower a plate in the radial direction. On the plate are probes including an eddy current probe and an ultrasonic testing probe. The ultrasonic testing probe is capable of spinning 360.degree. about its axis. The instrument carriage uses servo motors and pressurized air cylinders for precise actuation of instrument components and precise, repeatable actuation of position control mechanisms.

• Research Organization: WESTINGHOUSE SAVANNAH RIVER CO
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5285689
• OSTI ID: 869154
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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actuation
air
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air cylinders
arm
arm carried
assemblies
axially
axis
azimuthally
capable
carriage
carried
centering
components
comprises
control
control mechanism
control mechanisms
current
current probe
cylinders
degree
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direction
eddy
eddy current
engaging
front
gear
including
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inspection instrument
instrument
instrument carriage
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interior
leg
leg assemblies
location
mechanisms
motors
moving
pair
piping
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plate
position
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precise
pressurized
pressurized air
probe
probes
radial
radial direction
raise
rear
rear leg
repeatable
running
screw
servo
shaft
spinning
spline
supporting
testing
therein
ultrasonic
ultrasonic testing