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US4409549A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Carriage mounted apparatus for detecting surface defects in flat surfaced metallic objects

Assignee: British Steel Corp
•
Filing: 1981-01-21
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Granted: 1983-10-11
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Expires: 2001-01-21
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Abstract

Abstract The invention concerns apparatus for inspecting the flat surfaces of a metal billet and includes a carriage mounted scanning head having a high frequency eddy-current probe (21) mounted on the periphery of a disc (18) rotatable above the billet surface about an axis perpendicular to said surface. The carriage (1) is located in abroad of the rotating scanning head. The eddy-current probe is connected to transmit electrical signals representative of the condition of the billet surface under inspection to signal processing equipment remote from the apparatus.

Inventors

  • 👤 Henry C. Garner
  • 👤 Jack Broadbent
  • 👤 David H. Savidge
  • 👤 Eric Wadsworth

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 11:44
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N27/00; G01N27/72; G01N27/82; G01N27/90; G01N27/9013

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim 154 words
Apparatus for inspecting a flat surface of an elongate metallic object which comprises: (a) a carriage operable to traverse the object surface to be inspected; (b) a rotor rotatably mounted on the carriage and coupled to a flexible drive such that it rotates about an axis perpendicular to the object surface; (c) a scanning disc attached to the rotor so as to rotate about the periphery of the carriage about an axis perpendicular to the object surface; (d) high frequency energized eddy-current probes located within recesses in the periphery of the scanning disc so that the probes scan the object surface at locations outboard of the carriage; (e) a housing for the scanning disc supported on the carriage; and, (f) a gimbal device positioned about the circumference of the housing and operable in concert with the housing to position the scanning disc vertically above and substantially parallel to the object surface to be inspected.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 154 words
Apparatus for inspecting a flat surface of an elongate metallic object which comprises: (a) a carriage operable to traverse the object surface to be inspected; (b) a rotor rotatably mounted on the carriage and coupled to a flexible drive such that it rotates about an axis perpendicular to the object surface; (c) a scanning disc attached to the rotor so as to rotate about the periphery of the carriage about an axis perpendicular to the object surface; (d) high frequency energized eddy-current probes located within recesses in the periphery of the scanning disc so that the probes scan the object surface at locations outboard of the carriage; (e) a housing for the scanning disc supported on the carriage; and, (f) a gimbal device positioned about the circumference of the housing and operable in concert with the housing to position the scanning disc vertically above and substantially parallel to the object surface to be inspected.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 45 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an electronic module and transmitting aerial supported by and rotatable with the rotor, the electronic module and aerial operable to transmit signals representative of the surface under inspection to signal processing equipment remote from the scanning head.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3109139A Cited
US3449664A Cited
US3974442A Cited
GB2008259B Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-10-10 1987-04-11 1987-10-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-10-10 1991-04-11 1991-10-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-10-10 1995-04-11 1995-10-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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