Flow International Corporation

Chip Burnham

Glenn A Erichsen

John C Massenburg

Katherine J Zaring

Thomas Harry O'Connor

Robert P Many

Rhonda R Smith

An improved system for generating an abrasive fluid jet is shown and described. In a preferred embodiment, abrasive is fed from a bulk hopper into an air isolator having a baffle that limits the flow of air and abrasive through the air isolator, thereby venting air from the abrasive. An on/off device having a rod coupled to a stopper is provided within the air isolator, the rod being selectively raised and lowered in a vertical direction. A discharge orifice is provided in a bottom surface of the air isolator, the stopper covering the discharge orifice when the rod is in a lowered position, thereby preventing the discharge of abrasive from the air isolator. A metering disk is provided adjacent the discharge orifice, an orifice in the metering disk being aligned with the discharge orifice, such that abrasive exiting the air isolator flows through the metering disk. A vented adapter is coupled to the air isolator, which helps to control the flow of abrasive through the system and serves to eject any abrasive or fluid that may back up into the system due to a clog, thereby preventing fluid from backing up into the air isolator. Abrasive is then fed from the vented adapter through a feedline into a mixing chamber of a cutting head, the abrasive being entrained by a high-pressure fluid jet, such that the abrasive and high-pressure fluid jet mix and are ejected through a mixing tube coupled to the cutting head as an abrasive fluid jet. The high-pressure fluid jet is generated by forcing a volume of high-pressure fluid through an orifice that is set in a tapered mount, the tapered mount being seated in the cutting head and having shallowly tapered walls, such that the mount does not swage itself into the cutting head. The mixing tube is provided with a reference member on an outer surface of the mixing tube, thereby positioning the mixing tube in a simple and efficient manner. The cutting head is further provided with a second inlet port that may be coupled to any selected attachment, for example, an assembly for monitoring the performance of the system or a piercing attachment.

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Tukwila, WA, United States of America

Chip Burnham