Non-destructive testing arrangements - movable reflectors

Claim 2

A non-destructive testing arrangement comprising a source of reflectable penetrative energy, a reflector structure, means for movably mounting said reflector structure at a position such that an energy envelope of said source is substantially intercepted by said reflector structure, means for moving said reflector structure through a predetermined path, reflective means mounted on said reflector structure and disposed for reflecting successive increments of an intercepted area of said envelope, as said structure is moved along said path, a relatively small receiver for said energy juxtaposed to said reflector structure for receiving said reflected increments, said receiver having about the same order of active area as that of one of said increments, and means for positioning a specimen to be tested between said reflective structure and one of said source and said receiver so as to intercept said energy.

Claim 3

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said reflector structure includes a rotatably mounted member and means for rotating said member, means for rotating said member envelope, an array of said reflective means being arranged generally longitudinally of a rotational axis of said member but at an angle to said area so that successive increments of said reflective means pass through said area.

Claim 4

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said reflective means include at least one relatively narrow strip of a material capable of reflecting said energy.

Claim 5

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said reflective means include a series of increments of reflective material, each of said increments being orientated so as to direct an increment of said energy toward a given point transversely of said envelope, said receiver being mounted at said point.

Claim 6

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said movable member is a rotatably mounted cylinder, said reflective strip is mounted on a rib structure formed on said cylinder, said rib structure being orientated with respect to said cylinder and said energy envelope as to reflect increments thereof axially of said cylinder, and means are provided for mounting said receiver axially of said cylinder.

Claim 7

The combination according to claim 4 wherein said movable member is a rotatably mounted cylinder, a series of circumferential ribs are formed on said cylinder, each of said ribs having an angularly disposed surface, and at least one of said increments being mounted on each of said surfaces.

Claim 8

The combination according to claim 6 wherein a central one of said ribs has such angularly disposed surface that the reflective segment thereon Reflect at an angle substantially normal to the rotative axis of said cylinder, and the ribs on either side of central rib have progressively steeper but opposing surface angles such that the reflected energy envelope increments thereof converge on said point.

Claim 9

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said reflective means are mounted substantially flush on said reflector structure, and a condensing lens for said energy is interposed between said reflector structure and said receiver.

Claim 10

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said specimen is mounted between said source and said reflector structure, and a condensing lens is mounted between said specimen and said reflective structure for focusing a shadow of said specimen on said reflector structure.

Claim 11

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said specimen is a moving sheet or strip or the like interposed between said reflector structure and said source, said source and said reflective structure being elongated in substantial conformance with the width of said strip, and a collimating slot structure is interposed between said source and said moving sheet or strip.

Claim 12

The combination according to claim 10 wherein a second elongated source is provided, said sources being spaced along the length of said sheet or strip such that energy envelopes therefrom impinge at spaced locations on said reflector structure, a second receiver is juxtaposed to said reflector structure, said reflective means being disposed to reflect increments of said energy envelopes to said receivers respectively.

Claim 13

The combination according to claim 1 wherein a second source and a second reflector structure are provided for inspecting a second specimen, said receiver being disposed laterally of said reflector structures and generally there between, and reflecting means on each of said structures are orientated so as to direct said energy increments to said receiver.

Claim 14

The combination according to claim 12 wherein said specimens and said reflector structures are elongated and are mounted for rotation about their respective long axes, and a transmission arrangement is provided for rotating said specimens and said reflector structures from common drive means.

Claim 15

The combination according to claim 2 wherein said receiver is mounted transversely of said rotatable member, a second energy source is spacedly and oppositely mounted relative to said first mentioned source, said rotatable member is positioned intermediately of said sources and disposed to intercept an energy envelope from each of said sources, said rotatable member having said reflective means further orientated thereon as to reflect energy increments from each of said envelopes to said receiver.

Claim 16

The combination according to claim 2 wherein means are provided for mounting a second specimen together with the first-mentioned specimen in a disposition extending transversely of said envelope but generally parallel to the rotational axis of said member, means are provided for mounting said receiver transversely of said member, said member having a first surface with said reflective means thereon, said first surface and said reflective means being orientated to direct reflected increments of that portion of said envelope passing through said first mentioned specimen to said receiver, said member having a second surface with additional reflective means thereon, said second surface and said additional reflective means being orientated for directing increments of that portion of said envelope passing through said second specimen to said receiver.

Claim 17

The combination according to claim 1 wherein a second source and a second receiver are provided, said second source being disposed for directing a second energy envelope onto said movable reflector structure, said reflective means being further disposed for reflecting increments of said second envelope at an angle thereto, said second receiver being positioned to receive said second envelope increments, and means arE provided for mounting a second test specimen between said reflector structure and one of said second source and said second receiver.

Claim 18

The combination according to claim 16 wherein said specimens are spacedly mounted on a common platform therefor, means are provided for moving said platform in one direction relative to said energy envelopes, a pair of specimen tables are movably mounted on said platform, and means are provided for moving said tables with said specimens positioned thereon respectively in another direction relative to said energy envelopes.

Claim 19

The combination according to claim 17 wherein said sources are disposed substantially in opposite directions from said reflector structure, said one platform moving direction is transverse to said envelopes, and said other platform moving direction is longitudinally of said envelopes along substantially a common axis thereof, and means are provided for moving said tables together with said specimens in through substantial equal and opposite distances along said axis.

Claim 20

The combination according to claim 2 wherein a second source and a second reflector structure are provided for inspecting said specimen, said specimen being disposed between said first-mentioned source and said first-mentioned reflector structure and also between said second source and said second reflector structure, a second receiver is juxtaposed to said second reflector structure for receiving envelope increments reflected therefrom, said sources and said reflector structures being disposed such that energy envelopes emitted from said sources intersect prior to reaching said reflector structures respectively, and means are provided for positioning said specimen at least partially within an intersecting region of said envelopes.

Claim 21

The combination according to claim 19 wherein a drive shaft is provided for each of said reflector structure at the axis of rotation thereof, said reflector structures being mounted at an angle at one another such that adjacent ends of said drive shafts are juxtaposed, and common drive and transmission means are coupled with shafts for rotating both of said reflector structures.

Claim 22

The combination according to claim 19 wherein a third source is mounted in juxtaposition to said first-mentioned reflector structure and generally opposite from said first-mentioned source, said first-mentioned reflector structure being mounted midway between said first mentioned source and said third source, a second specimen is mounted between said third source and said first-mentioned reflector structure, a third receiver is juxtaposed to said first-mentioned reflector structure, the reflective means on said first-mentioned reflector structure being further orientated so as to reflect energy increments from said third source to said third receiver, a fourth source positioned at an angle to said third source to emit an energy envelope intersecting the energy envelope of said third source, said second specimen being disposed at least partially within the intersecting region of said third and said fourth envelopes, a third reflector structure positioned oppositely from said second specimen relative to a fourth source for interception of the energy envelope from said fourth source, a fourth receiver juxtaposed to third reflector structure, and reflective means on said third reflector structure and orientated for reflecting energy segments from said fourth source to said fourth receiver.

Claim 23

The combination according to claim 21 wherein said third reflector structure is positioned for coupling to said drive and transmission means for rotation thereby.