US4476368A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Inner wall tube disintegrator
Assignee: CAMMANN MANUFACTURING Co Inc A CORP OF
•
Filing: 1981-11-12
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Granted: 1984-10-09
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Expires: 2001-11-12
Abstract
Abstract A metal tube wall disintegrator is convertible in being able to disintegrate an arcuate or annular portion on the inner wall of the metal tube or to disintegrate merely one longitudinally extending portion on the inner wall of the tube. In the arcuate disintegrating mode, the disintegrator uses an electrode which is rotated at the end of a flexible cable inside the tube at a selected longitudinal position to be able to disintegrate or cut partially or completely through the tube wall. A first drive means rotates the flexible cable and electrode, and a second drive means rotates an outer tubular sheath of the flexible cable. This tubular sheath rotates a guide tip at the forward end of the outer sheath and the guide tip has a radially elongated, eccentric slot through which the electrode shaft extends. This permits a slow rotation of the eccentric slot so that the electrode disintegrator arc moves in an arcuate path around the inner tube wall. In the second mode, control means stops the rotation of the guide tip and a longitudinally elongated electrode is used to disintegrate an area at only one peripheral position in the inner tube wall, this disintegrator area having a longitudinal length greater than the lateral dimension thereof. This permits a tube wall to be disintegrated completely through, or nearly through, at this one peripheral position so that the tube may be relaxed, and hence capable of being withdrawn from a boiler tube sheet in which the tube has been confined. The foregoing abstract is merely a resume of one general application, is not a complete discussion of all principles of operation or applications, and is not to be construed as a limitation on the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Inventors
- 👤 Fred W. Cammann
- 👤 John Nester
- 👤 Jere H. Roach
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 09:59
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K9/00; B23K9/013; B23K9/0135; B23H; B23H9/00; B23H9/001; F; F22; F22B; F22B37/00; F22B37/002; F22B37/003; B23H1/00; B23H2400/00; B23H2400/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 42
Claim 1
Independent Claim
187 words
An inner wall tube disintegrator comprising, in combination: a frame; support means on said frame adapted to be longitudinally fixed relative to a tube having a portion to be disintegrated; mounting means for mounting a disintegrator electrode relative to said support means and adapted to have the electrode positioned within the tube; means to relatively insulate said electrode mounting means from said tube; means to supply disintegrator current to said electrode mounting means relative to the tube for disintegrator arcing between the tube and the electrode; drive means to establish motion of the electrode laterally toward and away from the inner wall of the tube to intermittently draw disintegrator arcs between the electrode and the inner wall of the tube; means separate from said drive means to establish feed movement of the electrode, as the tube wall is disintegrated, toward the remaining portion of the tube wall; and means for restricting said intermittent motion to a given transverse path to have the electrode engage the inner wall of the tube at substantially only one arcuate disintegrator area less than 360° of the inner periphery of the tube.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
187 words
An inner wall tube disintegrator comprising, in combination: a frame; support means on said frame adapted to be longitudinally fixed relative to a tube having a portion to be disintegrated; mounting means for mounting a disintegrator electrode relative to said support means and adapted to have the electrode positioned within the tube; means to relatively insulate said electrode mounting means from said tube; means to supply disintegrator current to said electrode mounting means relative to the tube for disintegrator arcing between the tube and the electrode; drive means to establish motion of the electrode laterally toward and away from the inner wall of the tube to intermittently draw disintegrator arcs between the electrode and the inner wall of the tube; means separate from said drive means to establish feed movement of the electrode, as the tube wall is disintegrated, toward the remaining portion of the tube wall; and means for restricting said intermittent motion to a given transverse path to have the electrode engage the inner wall of the tube at substantially only one arcuate disintegrator area less than 360° of the inner periphery of the tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
258 words
A convertible type internal disintegrator for a metal tube inner wall comprising, in combination: a frame; support means on said frame adpated to be longitudinally fixed relative to a tube having a portion to be disintegrated; means for mounting a disintegrator electrode relative to said support means with the electrode adapted to be positioned within the tube; means to relatively insulate said electrode mounting means from the tube; means to supply disintegrator current to said electrode mounting means relative to the tube for disintegrator arcing between the electrode and the tube inner wall; first drive means to establish a first motion of said electrode mounting means relative to said support means whereby an electrode in said electrode mounting means has a first motion alternately toward and away from the inner wall of any said tube to draw disintegrator arcs between the electrode and the tube inner wall; second drive means cooperable with said first drive means to cause the electrode mounting means to have a second motion adapted to cause the disintegrator arcs to have an arcuate movement along the inner wall of the tube; and control means operable alternatively to one of said first and second drive means and cooperable with the other of said first and second drive means to cause the electrode mounting means to have a feed motion in one area on the tube inner wall periphery, whereby the electrode arc distintegrates an area on the tube inner wall which has a longitudinal length greater than the arcuate extent around the inner periphery thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
258 words
A convertible type internal disintegrator for a metal tube inner wall comprising, in combination: a frame; support means on said frame adpated to be longitudinally fixed relative to a tube having a portion to be disintegrated; means for mounting a disintegrator electrode relative to said support means with the electrode adapted to be positioned within the tube; means to relatively insulate said electrode mounting means from the tube; means to supply disintegrator current to said electrode mounting means relative to the tube for disintegrator arcing between the electrode and the tube inner wall; first drive means to establish a first motion of said electrode mounting means relative to said support means whereby an electrode in said electrode mounting means has a first motion alternately toward and away from the inner wall of any said tube to draw disintegrator arcs between the electrode and the tube inner wall; second drive means cooperable with said first drive means to cause the electrode mounting means to have a second motion adapted to cause the disintegrator arcs to have an arcuate movement along the inner wall of the tube; and control means operable alternatively to one of said first and second drive means and cooperable with the other of said first and second drive means to cause the electrode mounting means to have a feed motion in one area on the tube inner wall periphery, whereby the electrode arc distintegrates an area on the tube inner wall which has a longitudinal length greater than the arcuate extent around the inner periphery thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 2, wherein the electrode usable with said control means has a dimension in the longitudinal direction of the tube greater than its dimension radially of the tube.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 2, wherein said control means is operable alternatively to said second drive means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 4, wherein the electrode usable with said control means is different from the electrode usable with said second drive means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 4, wherein said control means cooperable with said first drive means establishes movement of the electrode in an arcuate path in a limited arcuate extent around the inner periphery of the tube inner wall.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 6, wherein said arcuate path establishes a wiping action to wipe disintegrated portions of metal from said disintegrator area to inhibit wear on the electrode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 6, wherein the electrode usable with said control means has a curved periphery with a radius less than half that of the tube inner wall, and said control means establishing said peripheral area with the contour transverse to the tube axis having a shape closely conforming to the radius of the curved periphery of the electrode.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 8, wherein said first drive means includes a guide having an elongated slot therein and said electrode mounting means extending through said slot.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 9, wherein said guide includes yielding means urging said electrode mounting means in a lateral direction relative to the axis of any said tube.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 4, wherein the electrode includes an eccentric portion adapted to contact the inner wall of any said tube.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 7, including a space between said electrode mounting means and said guide and another space between said guide and the tube to be disintegrated, and means to supply fluid coolant to one of said spaces.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 12, including suction means to withdraw fluid coolant from the other of said spaces.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
220 words
A disintegrator for an inner wall of a hollow workpiece comprising in combination: a frame; support means on said frame adapted to be longitudinally fixed relative to a workpiece having an inner wall portion to be removed; mounting means for mounting a disintegrator electrode relative to said support means and adapted to have the electrode positioned within the hollow workpiece; means to relatively insulate said electrode mounting means from said workpiece; means to supply disintegrator current to said electrode mounting means relative to the workpiece for disintegrator arcing between the workpiece and the electrode; first drive means to establish a first motion of the electrode mounting means laterally toward and away from the inner wall of any said workpiece to intermittently draw disintegrator arcs between the electrode and any said workpiece inner wall; second drive means to establish a second motion of the electrode superimposed on said first motion adapted to cause the disintegrator arcs to move in a given path having a length substantially longer than any one of the disintegrator arcs, means separate from said second drive means to establish feed movements of the electrode laterally toward the workpiece inner wall as the wall is disintegrated; and said second drive means establishing said given path as at least an arcuate path on the inner wall of the workpiece.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
220 words
A disintegrator for an inner wall of a hollow workpiece comprising in combination: a frame; support means on said frame adapted to be longitudinally fixed relative to a workpiece having an inner wall portion to be removed; mounting means for mounting a disintegrator electrode relative to said support means and adapted to have the electrode positioned within the hollow workpiece; means to relatively insulate said electrode mounting means from said workpiece; means to supply disintegrator current to said electrode mounting means relative to the workpiece for disintegrator arcing between the workpiece and the electrode; first drive means to establish a first motion of the electrode mounting means laterally toward and away from the inner wall of any said workpiece to intermittently draw disintegrator arcs between the electrode and any said workpiece inner wall; second drive means to establish a second motion of the electrode superimposed on said first motion adapted to cause the disintegrator arcs to move in a given path having a length substantially longer than any one of the disintegrator arcs, means separate from said second drive means to establish feed movements of the electrode laterally toward the workpiece inner wall as the wall is disintegrated; and said second drive means establishing said given path as at least an arcuate path on the inner wall of the workpiece.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 14, wherein one of said drive means includes a guide movable in a circular arc to guide the electrode in movement establishing said given path.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 15, wherein said guide has an elongated slot therein, and a holder for the electrode extending through said slot.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 15, wherein said guide includes yielding means urging the electrode in a lateral direction relative to the longitudinal axis of any said hollow workpiece.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
A disintegrator as set forth in cliam 14, wherein one of said drive means moves in a substantially circular arc in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hollow workpiece.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
A disintegrator as set forth in cliam 14, wherein one of said drive means moves in a substantially circular arc in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hollow workpiece.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 14, wherein each of said drive means moves in a substantially circular arc in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hollow workpiece.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 14, wherein one of said drive means rotates and the other of said drive means moves at least in a substantially circular arc.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
53 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 14, wherein said first drive means includes a first flexible cable having one end connected to be rotated at a location outside the workpiece to be cut and having a second end connected to the electrode to rotate the electrode inside the workpiece to be cut.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 21, wherein the electrode includes an eccentric portion adapted to contact the inner wall of any said workpiece.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
49 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 22, wherein said second drive means includes a second flexible cable having one end connected to be arcuately moved at a location outside the workpiece to be cut and having a second end connected to move the electrode in said second motion.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 23, including a guide positioned adjacent the electrode, and said second cable connected to rotate said guide.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 24, including a slot in said guide having an eccentric portion, and said first cable extending through said slot.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
22 words
A disintegrator as set forth in claim 25, including a spring urging said first cable toward the eccentric portion of said slot.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
192 words
An inner wall tube disintegrator comprising, in combination: a frame; support means on said frame adapted to be longitudinally fixed relative to a tube having a portion to be disintegrated; mounting means for mounting a disintegrator electrode relative to said support means and adapted to have the electrode positioned within the tube; means to relatively insulate said electrode mounting means from said tube; means to supply disintegrator current to said electrode mounting means relative to the tube for disintegrator arcing between the tube and the electrode; drive means to establish motion of the electrode laterally toward and away from the inner wall of the tube to intermittently draw disintegrator arcs between the electrode and the inner wall of the tube; and means for restricting said intermittent motion to a given transverse path to have the electrode engage the inner wall of the tube at substantially only one arcuate disintegrator area less than 360° of the inner periphery of the tube, said drive means and the length of the electrode establishing said disintegrator area on the inner wall of the tube with the longitudinal length exceeding the transverse dimension of said arcuate area.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
192 words
An inner wall tube disintegrator comprising, in combination: a frame; support means on said frame adapted to be longitudinally fixed relative to a tube having a portion to be disintegrated; mounting means for mounting a disintegrator electrode relative to said support means and adapted to have the electrode positioned within the tube; means to relatively insulate said electrode mounting means from said tube; means to supply disintegrator current to said electrode mounting means relative to the tube for disintegrator arcing between the tube and the electrode; drive means to establish motion of the electrode laterally toward and away from the inner wall of the tube to intermittently draw disintegrator arcs between the electrode and the inner wall of the tube; and means for restricting said intermittent motion to a given transverse path to have the electrode engage the inner wall of the tube at substantially only one arcuate disintegrator area less than 360° of the inner periphery of the tube, said drive means and the length of the electrode establishing said disintegrator area on the inner wall of the tube with the longitudinal length exceeding the transverse dimension of said arcuate area.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
37 words
A tube disintegrator as set forth in claim 27, wherein said disintegrator area is elongated longitudinally of the tube and the width thereof is an arc having a radius less than that of the tube inner wall.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
182 words
An inner wall tube disintegrator comprising, in combination: a frame; support means on said frame adapted to be longitudinally fixed relative to a tube having a portion to be disintegrated; mounting means for mounting a disintegrator electrode relative to said support means and adapted to have the electrode positioned within the tube; means to relatively insulate said electrode mounting means from said tube; means to supply disintegrator current to said electrode mounting means relative to the tube for disintegrator arcing between the tube and the electrode; drive means to establish motion of the electrode laterally toward and away from the inner wall of the tube to intermittently draw disintegrator arcs between the electrode and the inner wall of the tube; means for restricting said intermittent motion to a given transverse path to have the electrode engage the inner wall of the tube at substantially only one arcuate disintegrator area less than 360° of the inner periphery of the tube; and means to establish feed movements of said electrode mounting means laterally toward the tube inner wall as the tube wall is disintegrated.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
182 words
An inner wall tube disintegrator comprising, in combination: a frame; support means on said frame adapted to be longitudinally fixed relative to a tube having a portion to be disintegrated; mounting means for mounting a disintegrator electrode relative to said support means and adapted to have the electrode positioned within the tube; means to relatively insulate said electrode mounting means from said tube; means to supply disintegrator current to said electrode mounting means relative to the tube for disintegrator arcing between the tube and the electrode; drive means to establish motion of the electrode laterally toward and away from the inner wall of the tube to intermittently draw disintegrator arcs between the electrode and the inner wall of the tube; means for restricting said intermittent motion to a given transverse path to have the electrode engage the inner wall of the tube at substantially only one arcuate disintegrator area less than 360° of the inner periphery of the tube; and means to establish feed movements of said electrode mounting means laterally toward the tube inner wall as the tube wall is disintegrated.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
183 words
An inner wall tube disintegrator comprising, in combination: a frame; support means on said frame adapted to be longitudinally fixed relative to a tube having a portion to be disintegrated; mounting means for mounting a disintegrator electrode relative to said support means and adapted to have the electrode positioned within the tube; means to relatively insulate said electrode mounting means from said tube; means to supply disintegrator current to said electrode mounting means relative to the tube for disintegrator arcing between the tube and the electrode; drive means to establish motion of the electrode laterally toward and away from the inner wall of the tube to intermittently draw disintegrator arcs between the electrode and the inner wall of the tube; and means for restricting said intermittent motion to a given transverse path to have the electrode engage the inner wall of the tube at substantially only one arcuate disintegrator area less than 360° of the inner periphery of the tube, said drive means and the longitudinal length of the electrode establishing the effective arcing area longitudinal dimension greater than the transverse dimension thereof.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
183 words
An inner wall tube disintegrator comprising, in combination: a frame; support means on said frame adapted to be longitudinally fixed relative to a tube having a portion to be disintegrated; mounting means for mounting a disintegrator electrode relative to said support means and adapted to have the electrode positioned within the tube; means to relatively insulate said electrode mounting means from said tube; means to supply disintegrator current to said electrode mounting means relative to the tube for disintegrator arcing between the tube and the electrode; drive means to establish motion of the electrode laterally toward and away from the inner wall of the tube to intermittently draw disintegrator arcs between the electrode and the inner wall of the tube; and means for restricting said intermittent motion to a given transverse path to have the electrode engage the inner wall of the tube at substantially only one arcuate disintegrator area less than 360° of the inner periphery of the tube, said drive means and the longitudinal length of the electrode establishing the effective arcing area longitudinal dimension greater than the transverse dimension thereof.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
196 words
An inner wall tube disintegrator comprising, in combination: a frame; support means on said frame adapted to be longitudinally fixed relative to a tube having a portion to be disintegrated; mounting means for mounting a disintegrator electrode relative to said support means and adapted to have the electrode positioned within the tube; means to relatively insulate said electrode mounting means from said tube; means to supply disintegrator current to said electrode mounting means relative to the tube for disintegrator arcing between the tube and the electrode; drive means to establish motion of the electrode laterally toward and away from the inner wall of the tube to intermittently draw disintegrator arcs between the electrode and the inner wall of the tube; and means for restricting said intermittent motion to a given transverse path to have the electrode engage the inner wall of the tube at substantially only one arcuate disintegrator area less than 360° of the inner periphery of the tube, said given transverse path being essentially radial as a feed movement of the electrode to disintegrate a window in the wall of the tube at substantially only one area on the periphery of the inner wall.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
196 words
An inner wall tube disintegrator comprising, in combination: a frame; support means on said frame adapted to be longitudinally fixed relative to a tube having a portion to be disintegrated; mounting means for mounting a disintegrator electrode relative to said support means and adapted to have the electrode positioned within the tube; means to relatively insulate said electrode mounting means from said tube; means to supply disintegrator current to said electrode mounting means relative to the tube for disintegrator arcing between the tube and the electrode; drive means to establish motion of the electrode laterally toward and away from the inner wall of the tube to intermittently draw disintegrator arcs between the electrode and the inner wall of the tube; and means for restricting said intermittent motion to a given transverse path to have the electrode engage the inner wall of the tube at substantially only one arcuate disintegrator area less than 360° of the inner periphery of the tube, said given transverse path being essentially radial as a feed movement of the electrode to disintegrate a window in the wall of the tube at substantially only one area on the periphery of the inner wall.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
196 words
An inner wall tube disintegrator comprising, in combination: a frame; support means on said frame adapted to be longitudinally fixed relative to a tube having a portion to be disintegrated; mounting means for mounting a disintegrator electrode relative to said support means and adapted to have the electrode positioned within the tube; means to relatively insulate said electrode mounting means from said tube; means to supply disintegrator current to said electrode mounting means relative to the tube for disintegrator arcing between the tube and the electrode; drive means to establish motion of the electrode laterally toward and away from the inner wall of the tube to intermittently draw disintegrator arcs between the electrode and the inner wall of the tube; means separate from said drive means to establish feed movement of the electrode, as the tube wall is disintegrated, toward the remaining portion of the tube wall; means for restricting said intermittent motion to a given transverse path to have the electrode engage the inner wall of the tube at substantially only one arcuate disintegrator area less than 360° of the inner periphery of the tube; and means to supply fluid coolant to said disintegrator area.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
196 words
An inner wall tube disintegrator comprising, in combination: a frame; support means on said frame adapted to be longitudinally fixed relative to a tube having a portion to be disintegrated; mounting means for mounting a disintegrator electrode relative to said support means and adapted to have the electrode positioned within the tube; means to relatively insulate said electrode mounting means from said tube; means to supply disintegrator current to said electrode mounting means relative to the tube for disintegrator arcing between the tube and the electrode; drive means to establish motion of the electrode laterally toward and away from the inner wall of the tube to intermittently draw disintegrator arcs between the electrode and the inner wall of the tube; means separate from said drive means to establish feed movement of the electrode, as the tube wall is disintegrated, toward the remaining portion of the tube wall; means for restricting said intermittent motion to a given transverse path to have the electrode engage the inner wall of the tube at substantially only one arcuate disintegrator area less than 360° of the inner periphery of the tube; and means to supply fluid coolant to said disintegrator area.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
19 words
A tube disintegrator as set forth in claim 32, including means to drain fluid coolant from said disintegrator area.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-10-09 | 1988-04-09 | 1988-10-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-10-09 | 1992-04-09 | 1992-10-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-10-09 | 1996-04-09 | 1996-10-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |