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

Patent · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994

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: Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
• 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

piping
inspection
instrument
carriage
precise
repeatable
position
control
location
determination
comprises
front
rear
leg
assemblies
engaging
interior
supporting
centering
therein
instrumentation
arm
carried
shaft
running
screw
moving
axially
spline
gear
azimuthally
pair
air
cylinders
raise
plate
radial
direction
probes
including
eddy
current
probe
ultrasonic
testing
capable
spinning
360
degree
axis
servo
motors
pressurized
actuation
components
mechanisms
radial direction
air cylinders
rear leg
pressurized air
leg assemblies
eddy current
air cylinder
current probe
ultrasonic testing
position control
control mechanism
piping inspection
instrument carriage
control mechanisms
inspection instrument
arm carried
/73/324/