Ultrasonic inspection system

Claim 2

An ultrasonic inspection system including a holding device for an ultrasonic transducer, said holding device comprising an outer housing including a pair of rectangular-shaped sections including inner surfaces; a concave cylindrical recess on the inner surface of each section; means for adjoining said sections such that said concave recesses are in opposing relationship; a cylindrical shaped bore formed within said adjoined sections; an independently rotatable inner housing rotatably retained within said outer housing, said inner housing further comprising and outer cylindrical section rotatably mounted within said outer housing; an independently rotatable inner cylindrical section rotatably mounted within said outer cylindrical section; a recess within said inner cylindrical sections for receiving an ultrasonic transducer; an ultrasonic transducer retained within said inner housing; retention means for selectively positioning said transducer within said housing; and means for locking said ultrasonic transducer within said inner housing at a selected position.

Claim 3

An ultrasonic inspection system including a holding device for an ultrasonic transducer, said holding device comprising: an outer housing further comprising a pair of cube-shaped sections; a semi-circular channel in one of said sections; a hemispherical recess in said other section; means for adjoining said cube-shaped sections to form a semi-circular bore such that the interior of said hemishperical recess which communicates through said semi-circular bore to the exterior of said adjoined sections; an inner housing further comprising a ball-shaped section; a socket-shaped recess within said ball-shaped section for receiving an ultrasonic transducer; and means for selectively positioning said ultrasonic transducer comprising a removal toggle passing through said semi-circular bore and functional engagement with said socket-shaped recess.

Claim 4

An ultrasonic inspection system including a holding device for an ultrasonic transducer, said holding device comprising: an outer housing further comprising a pair of cube-shaped sections; a semi-circular channel in one of said sections; a hemispherical recess in said other section; means for adjoining said cube-shaped sections to form a semi-circular bore such that the interior of said hemishperical recess which communicates through said semi-circular bore to the exterior of said adjoined sections; an inner housing further comprising a ball-shaped section; a socket-shaped recess within said ball-shaped section for receiving an ultrasonic transducer; and means for selectively positioning said ultrasonic transducer comprising a removal toggle passing through said semi-circular bore and functional engagement with said socket-shaped recess.

Claim 5

An ultrasonic inspection system for performing in-service inspection of volume elements of a wall or other structural member comprising: (a) a remote inspector having a holding device for an ultrasonic transducer, said holding device comprising: (i) an outer housing further comprising a pair of rectangular-shaped sections including inner surfaces; a concave cylindrical recess on the inner surface of each section; means for adjoining said sections such that said concave recesses are in opposing relationship; a cylindrically-shaped bore formed within said adjoined sections; (ii) an inner housing rotatably retained within said outer housing further comprising an outer cylindrical section rotatably mounted within said outer housing; an inner cylindrical section rotatably mounted within said outer cylindrical section; a recess within said inner cylindrical section for receiving an ultrasonic transducer; (iii) an ultrasonic transducer retained within said inner housing; (iv) retention means for selectively positioning said ultrasonic transducer within said inner housing; (v) means for locking said transducer within said inner housing at a selected position; (b) positioning means for mounting said holding device on said member and making said holding device to successive positions along a predetermined inspection path on said member; (c) a control and data acquisition console including connecting means between said holding device and said console for transmitting voltage drive pulses from said console to said holding device and said transducer; and (d) means cooperating with said holding device and said console for obtaining inspection data of volume elements of said member along said predetermined inspection path.

Claim 6

An ultrasonic inspection system for performing in-service inspection of volume elements of a wall or other structural member comprising: (a) a remote inspector having a holding device for an ultrasonic transducer, said holding device comprising: (i) an outer housing further comprising a pair of rectangular-shaped sections including inner surfaces; a concave cylindrical recess on the inner surface of each section; means for adjoining said sections such that said concave recesses are in opposing relationship; a cylindrically-shaped bore formed within said adjoined sections; (ii) an inner housing rotatably retained within said outer housing further comprising an outer cylindrical section rotatably mounted within said outer housing; an inner cylindrical section rotatably mounted within said outer cylindrical section; a recess within said inner cylindrical section for receiving an ultrasonic transducer; (iii) an ultrasonic transducer retained within said inner housing; (iv) retention means for selectively positioning said ultrasonic transducer within said inner housing; (v) means for locking said transducer within said inner housing at a selected position; (b) positioning means for mounting said holding device on said member and making said holding device to successive positions along a predetermined inspection path on said member; (c) a control and data acquisition console including connecting means between said holding device and said console for transmitting voltage drive pulses from said console to said holding device and said transducer; and (d) means cooperating with said holding device and said console for obtaining inspection data of volume elements of said member along said predetermined inspection path.

Claim 7

(newly added). An ultrasonic inspection system for performing in-service service inspection of volume elements of a wall or other structural member comprising: (a) a remote inspector having a holding device for an ultrasonic transducer, said holding device comprising: (i) an outer housing further comprising a pair of tube-shaped sections; a semi-circular in one of said sections; a hemispherical recess in said other section; means for adjoining said tube-shaped sections to form a semi-circular bore such that the interior of said hemispherical recess communicates through said bore to the exterior of said adjoined sections; an inner housing rotatably retained within said outer housing said inner housing further comprising a rotatable ball-shaped section; a socket-shaped recess within said ball-shaped section for receiving an ultrasonic transducer; means for selectively positioning said ultrasonic transducer comprising a removable toggle passing through said semi-circular bore in functional engagement with said socket-shaped recess; (iii) an ultrasonic transducer retained within said inner housing; (iv) retention means for selectively positioning said ultrasonic transducer within said inner housing; (v) means for locking said transducer within said inner housing at a selected position; (b) positioning means for mounting said holding device on said member and mating said holding device to successive positions along a predetermined inspection path on said member; (c) a control and data acquisition console including connecting means between said holding device and said console for transmitting voltage drive pulses from said console to said holding device and said transducer; and (d) means cooperating with said holding device and said console for obtaining inspection data of volume elements of said member along said predetermined inspection path.

Claim 8

(newly added). An ultrasonic inspection system for performing in-service service inspection of volume elements of a wall or other structural member comprising: (a) a remote inspector having a holding device for an ultrasonic transducer, said holding device comprising: (i) an outer housing further comprising a pair of tube-shaped sections; a semi-circular in one of said sections; a hemispherical recess in said other section; means for adjoining said tube-shaped sections to form a semi-circular bore such that the interior of said hemispherical recess communicates through said bore to the exterior of said adjoined sections; an inner housing rotatably retained within said outer housing said inner housing further comprising a rotatable ball-shaped section; a socket-shaped recess within said ball-shaped section for receiving an ultrasonic transducer; means for selectively positioning said ultrasonic transducer comprising a removable toggle passing through said semi-circular bore in functional engagement with said socket-shaped recess; (iii) an ultrasonic transducer retained within said inner housing; (iv) retention means for selectively positioning said ultrasonic transducer within said inner housing; (v) means for locking said transducer within said inner housing at a selected position; (b) positioning means for mounting said holding device on said member and mating said holding device to successive positions along a predetermined inspection path on said member; (c) a control and data acquisition console including connecting means between said holding device and said console for transmitting voltage drive pulses from said console to said holding device and said transducer; and (d) means cooperating with said holding device and said console for obtaining inspection data of volume elements of said member along said predetermined inspection path.