Articulate inspection instrument

Claim 2

An instrument for inspecting elongated cavities, comprising: a pedestal; an articulate arm having a plurality of segments hinged together in series, one end segment being hinged to the pedestal; an orifice member hinged to the free end of the articulate arm; a pair of long bands of spring material, biased to form tubes, threaded upwardly through the pedestal, the articulate arm, and extending through the orifice mEmber; means in the pedestal for anchoring and storing the lower end portion of the bands; means in the pedestal and in the articulate arm for maintaining the bands flat until they are released to form concentric tubes; means for extending and withdrawing the bands relative to the storage place therefor; means for positioning the segments of the articulate arm as desired; and observation means attached to the upper end of the concentric tubes formed by the bands.

Claim 3

The inspection instrument of claim 1 wherein the means for maintaining each of the bands in a flat position while in the pedestal and articulate arm is a series of pairs of rollers, the bands passing alternately between and around successive pairs of the rollers.

Claim 4

The inspection instrument of claim 1 wherein the means for anchoring and storing the lower end portion of the bands is a pair of spindles journaled in the sides of the pedestal, gears connecting the spindles so that they may move in counterrotation to one another, and a hand crank attached to one of the spindles, whereby the spindles may be rotated for withdrawing the bands for storage, each of the bands being anchored at its lower end portion to a separate one of the spindles so that it may be stored by being wound upon its spindle.

Claim 5

The instrument of claim 1 wherein the means of extending the bands comprises: a pair of rollers journaled in the orifice member at the orifice thereof, the bands being tightly confined between the rollers and extending through the orifice; gears connecting the rollers together so that they rotate in counterdirection to one another; a chain-and-sprocket train connected at one end to one of the rollers for rotating it; and a crank connected to the other end of the train for imparting motion to the rollers, whereby the bands may be moved through the orifice.

Claim 6

The inspection instrument of claim 1 wherein the means for positioning the segments of the articulate arm as desired comprises for each hinge: a pair of pivots, one fixed to a segment on each side of the hinge and each having a threaded eye; a lead screw spanning the hinge and passing through the eye of each pivot in threaded engagement; a flexible shaft attached at one end to an end of the lead screw and threaded downwardly through the articulate arm and pedestal; and means for rotating the flexible shaft.

Claim 7

The inspection instrument of claim 5 further including a counter attached to each flexible shaft for counting rotations thereof.

Claim 8

The inspection instrument of claim 1 wherein the observation device is a television camera and further includes means for orienting the camera as desired.

Claim 9

The inspection instrument of claim 7 wherein the means for orienting a television camera comprises: a first flexible shaft operatively attached to the camera for orienting it in a horizontal plane; means for rotating the first flexible shaft; a second flexible shaft operatively attached to the camera for rotating it in a vertical plane; and means for rotating the second flexible shaft.

Claim 10

An instrument for inspecting elongated cavities comprising: a pedestal; an articulate arm hinged at one end to the pedestal and having a plurality of segments hinged together; an orifice member hinged to the free end of the articulate arm; a pair of long bands, spring biased to form tubes, threaded upwardly through the pedestal, the articulate arm, and the orifice member; a pair of spindles journaled in the pedestal, gears connecting the spindles so that they may rotate in counterdirection to one another, each of the bands being attached to a spindle for storage thereon; a first crank attached to one of the spindles for rotating it; a series of pairs of rollers journaled in the pedestal and articulate arm for maintaining the bands flat until they emerge through the orifice member, the bands passing alternately between and around successive pairs of rollers; a pair of extending rollers in the upper end of the articulate arm, a chain-and-sprocket attached to one of the rollers, meshed gears connecting the rollers so that they may move in counterrotation, and a hand crank connected to the chain-and-sprocket train for rotating the rollers, whereby the bands may be extended through the orifice member by being passed between the rollers; means for positioning the members of the articulate arm and the orifice member as desired comprising: a lead screw spanning each hinge, a pivot on each member forming the hinge, having an internally threaded eye engaged by the lead screw, and a flexible shaft attached at one end to an end of the lead screw and means for rotating the flexible shaft attached to the other end thereof; a television camera mounted on the free end of the bands; and means for orienting and controlling the camera as desired.

Claim 11

An instrument for inspecting elongated cavities comprising: a pedestal; an articulate arm hinged at one end to the pedestal and having a plurality of segments hinged together; an orifice member hinged to the free end of the articulate arm; a pair of long bands, spring biased to form tubes, threaded upwardly through the pedestal, the articulate arm, and the orifice member; a pair of spindles journaled in the pedestal, gears connecting the spindles so that they may rotate in counterdirection to one another, each of the bands being attached to a spindle for storage thereon; a first crank attached to one of the spindles for rotating it; a series of pairs of rollers journaled in the pedestal and articulate arm for maintaining the bands flat until they emerge through the orifice member, the bands passing alternately between and around successive pairs of rollers; a pair of extending rollers in the upper end of the articulate arm, a chain-and-sprocket attached to one of the rollers, meshed gears connecting the rollers so that they may move in counterrotation, and a hand crank connected to the chain-and-sprocket train for rotating the rollers, whereby the bands may be extended through the orifice member by being passed between the rollers; means for positioning the members of the articulate arm and the orifice member as desired comprising: a lead screw spanning each hinge, a pivot on each member forming the hinge, having an internally threaded eye engaged by the lead screw, and a flexible shaft attached at one end to an end of the lead screw and means for rotating the flexible shaft attached to the other end thereof; a television camera mounted on the free end of the bands; and means for orienting and controlling the camera as desired.