The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 19, 1993
Filed:
Apr. 16, 1992
Randall A Holmes, Delmont, PA (US);
Michael D Coradi, Wilkinsburg, PA (US);
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
Inspection probe for inspecting a tubular member for anomalies, the tubular member having an inside surface that may be irregularly-shaped. The inspection probe includes an enclosure sized to be slidably received along the inside surface of the tubular member. The enclosure has a cavity therein and a housing disposed in the cavity. A spring is disposed in the cavity of the enclosure for outwardly biasing the housing toward the inside surface of the tube. A swivel body is pivotably mounted in the housing. The swivel body has a sensor pivotably mounted thereon for sensing anomalies (i.e., flaws and wall thinning) in the tube wall. Connected to the swivel body and to the sensor is a first pivot pin for pivoting the sensor about a first pivot point laying on a first axis extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member. In addition, connected to the housing and to the swivel body is a second pivot pin for pivoting the swivel body about a second pivot point laying on a second axis extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member. The sensor will continuously engage the inside surface of the tube, even though the inside surface may be irregularly-shaped, because the pivoting action of the housing and the sensor in combination with the biasing action of the spring on the housing will cause the sensor to precisely track the contour of the inside surface of the tubular member.