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:
Apr. 27, 1999
Filed:
Feb. 24, 1997
Bryan K Chavez, San Jose, CA (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for machining a pipe in a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) of a nuclear reactor are described. In one embodiment of the apparatus, a EDM tool facilitates machining an opening in a pipe from within the bore of the pipe. More particularly, and in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the EDM tool includes a housing, a linear motion guide, a cam, and an electrode. The housing is sized to fit within the pipe bore and includes a first end and a second end, and an electrode bore extends longitudinally through the housing and is sized to receive the electrode. The cam is slidably coupled to the housing so that the cam moves between the respective housing first and second ends. The electrode is positioned within the electrode bore of the housing and is coupled to the cam so that the electrode may move relative to the electrode bore. The linear motion guide drives the cam so that the cam moves between the housing first and second ends, and so that the electrode extends and retracts from the housing electrode bore.