Inspection instrument

Claim 2

A bore inspection instrument comprising: an inflatable base; means for anchoring the base to some stationary part adjacent the bore to be inspected; a cable held by the base, capable of sliding motion relative thereto, and including pneumatic tubes; inflatable braces attacHed to the cable, each being attached to a tube therein; means for controlling fluid flow, attached to the tubes of the cable and attachable to a source of gas, for controlling inflation of the base and of the inflatable braces; and observation means attached to the end of the cable opposite the end attached to a control means.

Claim 3

The inspection instrument of claim 1 wherein the base comprises: a hollow, inflatable cone made of two parallel sheets of thin, flexible nonelastic material, sealed at their edges, and fibers that extend from one sheet to the other, the ends of the fibers being embedded in the sheets; and a curved sleeve fixed in the cone and passing therethrough, one end of the sleeve penetrating the top of the cone and the other end extending from the bottom thereof.

Claim 4

The inspection instrument of claim 1 wherein the observation means is a television camera.

Claim 5

The inspection instrument of claim 1 wherein the means for controlling fluid flow comprises: a control box having a threaded cavity for receiving a threaded bottle of compressed gas, and a system of ducts having branch ducts leading from the gas bottle cavity wherein each branch duct is connectable to one of the tubes of the cable; and a valve in each branch duct capable of opening and closing its duct to the source of gas, and of opening the portion of its duct that lies adjacent the cable to the atmosphere.

Claim 6

The inspection instrument of claim 4 further including: a flow meter in each branch duct for determining when its associated inflatable device has been inflated; and a connector for connecting the branch ducts to the tubes of the cable.

Claim 7

The inspection instrument of claim 1 wherein the cable comprises an outside sheath and pneumatic tubes inside the sheath; and wherein the inflatable braces are disks concentric about the cable and attached thereto at intervals such that the segment of the cable between any two adjacent braces is resistant to bending.

Claim 8

The inspection instrument of claim 6 wherein the inflatable braces have fibers passing between opposite walls and embedded therein to maintain dimensional stability thereof when inflated.

Claim 9

The inspection instrument of claim 6 wherein the sheath of the cable is connectable to a source of gas and is inflatable, whereby stiffness may be imparted thereto to facilitate its extension into a cavity and whereby pressure outside and within the pneumatic tubes may be substantially equalized so that their walls may be of minimal thickness for compactness when collapsed and folded.

Claim 10

The inspection instrument of claim 8 wherein the cable includes electrical conductors connectable at one end to the television camera, and the instrument further includes electrical controls connected to the electrical conductors and also connectable to a source of power.

Claim 11

An instrument for inspecting elongated cavities comprising: an inflatable base comprising two annular, conical sheets of thin, flexible, nonelastic material, sealed at their edges, fibers having their ends embedded in the sheets to space them apart when the base is inflated, and a curbed sleeve fixed in the cone so that it penetrates the top of the cone and extends from the bottom thereof; a strap and fastening means attached to the inflatable base, for anchoring it to some fixed part adjacent the cavity being inspected; a cable having an outer sheath and tubes and electrical conductors inside the sheath, the cable being held by the base for sliding motion therein; a plurality of inflatable disks fixed concentrically on the cable, being spaced apart so that the segment of the cable between adjacent disks is bend resistant, and each disk being in sealed relationship with one of the tubes for inflation thereby; a control box having a threaded cavity to receive a threaded gas bottle, and having a main duct leading from the cavity to a plurality of branch ducts; a puncture point in the end of the cavity for opening a gAs bottle; a valve in each branch duct; a flow meter in each branch duct; a valve in the main duct; a connector for connecting each branch duct to one of the tubes of the cable; and electrical conductors attachable to a power source and to the electrical conductors of the cable; and a television camera on the end of the cable, opposite that which is attached to the control box, and two mutually perpendicular step motors attaching the camera to this cable end, for orienting the camera.

Claim 12

An instrument for inspecting elongated cavities comprising: an inflatable base comprising two annular, conical sheets of thin, flexible, nonelastic material, sealed at their edges, fibers having their ends embedded in the sheets to space them apart when the base is inflated, and a curbed sleeve fixed in the cone so that it penetrates the top of the cone and extends from the bottom thereof; a strap and fastening means attached to the inflatable base, for anchoring it to some fixed part adjacent the cavity being inspected; a cable having an outer sheath and tubes and electrical conductors inside the sheath, the cable being held by the base for sliding motion therein; a plurality of inflatable disks fixed concentrically on the cable, being spaced apart so that the segment of the cable between adjacent disks is bend resistant, and each disk being in sealed relationship with one of the tubes for inflation thereby; a control box having a threaded cavity to receive a threaded gas bottle, and having a main duct leading from the cavity to a plurality of branch ducts; a puncture point in the end of the cavity for opening a gAs bottle; a valve in each branch duct; a flow meter in each branch duct; a valve in the main duct; a connector for connecting each branch duct to one of the tubes of the cable; and electrical conductors attachable to a power source and to the electrical conductors of the cable; and a television camera on the end of the cable, opposite that which is attached to the control box, and two mutually perpendicular step motors attaching the camera to this cable end, for orienting the camera.