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US4586379A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Ultrasonic pipe inspection system
Assignee: VIRGINIA Corp OF RICHMOND A CORP OF VIRGINIA
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Filing: 1984-09-28
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Granted: 1986-05-06
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Expires: 2004-09-28
Abstract
Abstract Remote-controlled system for moving an ultrasonic transducer assembly around a pipe where it has a welded joint between a straight pipe section and a curved or straight pipe section. The system includes a platform movable along an arm projecting from a carriage on a track around the pipe, and a pressure cylinder and universal joint connecting the platform to the transducer assembly. Couplant fluid is fed continuously to the surface of the assembly engaging the pipe as it slides over the pipe.
Inventors
- 👤 Frederick R. Burkhardt, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 17:22
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N29/00; G01N29/22; G01N29/26; G01N29/265
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
333 words
Apparatus for moving an ultrasonic transducer around a welded joint between two end-to-end portions of a pipe, comprising: (i) means having a surface slidable against a pipe wall and adapted to mount an ultrasonic transducer capable of transmitting and sensing at an angle through said surface for weld inspection; (ii) supporting means, and means connecting said supporting means to said mounting means so that said surface is tiltable to follow the contour of a pipe while pressure is transmitted through the connecting means to said surface; (iii) the connecting means being rotatable to cause rotation of said surface about itself while against a pipe and thereby change the direction of transmission to a transducer in the mounting means, such rotation being substantially independent of any sidewise movement of the surface; (iv) means to cause the connecting means to press said surface against a pipe; (v) means to slide said surface around and between both sides of a weld around a pipe, comprising an arcuate track mountable around a pipe, a carriage movable around the track, and an arm extending from the carriage generally parallel to the central axis through the track and secured to the carriage against endwise movement relative to the carriage, said supporting means being movable along the arm and carrying with it said connecting means and mounting means for movement toward and from the carriage when the supporting means moves along the arm, and for swinging movement around a pipe on which the track is mounted when the carriage moves around the track; and (vi) drive transmission means connected to the connection means to rotate the slidable surface, comprising a component mounted on and carried by the carriage, another component mounted on and carried by said supporting means for movement toward and from the carriage and the first-mentioned component, and means extending between and connecting said components for transmission of rotary drive from the first mentioned component to the other component while permitting said movement toward and from each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
333 words
Apparatus for moving an ultrasonic transducer around a welded joint between two end-to-end portions of a pipe, comprising: (i) means having a surface slidable against a pipe wall and adapted to mount an ultrasonic transducer capable of transmitting and sensing at an angle through said surface for weld inspection; (ii) supporting means, and means connecting said supporting means to said mounting means so that said surface is tiltable to follow the contour of a pipe while pressure is transmitted through the connecting means to said surface; (iii) the connecting means being rotatable to cause rotation of said surface about itself while against a pipe and thereby change the direction of transmission to a transducer in the mounting means, such rotation being substantially independent of any sidewise movement of the surface; (iv) means to cause the connecting means to press said surface against a pipe; (v) means to slide said surface around and between both sides of a weld around a pipe, comprising an arcuate track mountable around a pipe, a carriage movable around the track, and an arm extending from the carriage generally parallel to the central axis through the track and secured to the carriage against endwise movement relative to the carriage, said supporting means being movable along the arm and carrying with it said connecting means and mounting means for movement toward and from the carriage when the supporting means moves along the arm, and for swinging movement around a pipe on which the track is mounted when the carriage moves around the track; and (vi) drive transmission means connected to the connection means to rotate the slidable surface, comprising a component mounted on and carried by the carriage, another component mounted on and carried by said supporting means for movement toward and from the carriage and the first-mentioned component, and means extending between and connecting said components for transmission of rotary drive from the first mentioned component to the other component while permitting said movement toward and from each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the pressure causing means is a piston and cylinder in the connecting means between said support and the portion of the connecting means which permits said surface to tilt.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising independently operable motors mounted on the carriage, one of said motors being connected to drive the carriage around the track, a second one of said motors being connected to move the support along the arm, and a third one of said motors being connected to drive the rotatable means which is carried by the carriage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, comprising control means mountable in remote fixed positions for each of said motors, and flexible cables connecting said motors to said control means, said cables being long enough to wrap around a pipe on which the track is mounted as the carriage moves around the track at least once while the controls means are stationary,
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
77 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the track is of substantially H-shaped cross section, with the sides of the H extending parallel to the central axis around which the track means is curved, wherein the means supporting the carriage on the track comprises wheels rolling in the groove resulting from said cross section, each side of the groove having a wheel rolling against it, and wherein compression springs operating on said wheels oppose deflection of said arm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising means to transmit ultrasonic tranducer couplant fluid to said surface as it slides against a pipe during movement of the carriage around the track.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
77 words
Apparatus according to claim 6, comprising means to supply couplant fluid from a fixed position, means carried with the transducer mounting means for transmitting couplant fluid to said surface, and a flexible tube connecting said supply means and transmitting means to replenish the supply of couplant fluid in the transmitting means, said tube being long enough to wrap around a pipe on which said track is mounted as the carriage moves at least once around the track.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 7, in which the tube is long enough to permit the carriage to move at least twice around the track.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, comprising means to supply air under pressure to said cylinder from a fixed position, and a flexible tube connecting said supply means to the cylinder, said tube being long enough to wrap around a pipe on which the track is mounted as the carriage moves at least once around the track while the supply means remains stationary.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
119 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said track comprises a plurality of separate arcuate segments aligned end to end, each pair of adjacent ends having projections from one extending into close-fitting openings in the other for alignment, having an elongated member extending rotatably through an opening in either of said ends into a threaded opening in the other of said ends, and having means to restrain said member against endwise movement through said opening while permitting rotational movement, said member being threaded where it extends into said threaded opening, whereby the member may be rotated to pull together said ends and counter-rotated to force them apart against the frictional resistance of the aligning projections in their close-fitting openings.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, comprising uniformly spaced parallel pins projecting outwardly from one side of the track parallel to and equidistant from the axis of curvature of the track, and a gear driven by the said first one of said motors and meshing with said pins.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive transmission means component carried on the supporting means comprises a gear rotatable with said connecting means and a helical worm meshing with said gear and rotatable by and slidable along the connecting means between the transmission components.
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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) | 1989-05-05 | 1989-11-04 | 1990-05-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-05-05 | 1993-11-04 | 1994-05-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-05-05 | 1997-11-04 | 1998-05-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |