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:
Mar. 18, 2003
Filed:
Dec. 19, 2000
Kenneth John Hatley, Madison, NJ (US);
Richard Michael Hatley, Madison, NJ (US);
Sean Michael McDonnell, Aberdeen, NJ (US);
Michael John Bousquet, West Milford, NJ (US);
Thomas Arthur Wagner, Troy, NY (US);
Sami Aslam, Clifton Park, NY (US);
Kathleen Lynne Bentzel, Scotia, NY (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
The method for in situ inspection includes providing a pair of adjacent impingement sleeves forming part of a combustor. A robotic inspection tool carrying an inspection head is inserted through an opening in the outer casing of the gas turbine and manipulated to locate the inspection head between the adjacent impingement sleeves. After inspecting the exterior surface of an impingement sleeve, the inspection tool is withdrawn from the casing. Additionally, a transition piece body forming part of a combustor is inspected by securing a robotic manipulator to an open end of the combustion casing, locating an inspection head on an inspection arm of the manipulator and manipulating the arm to locate the inspection head to inspect interior wall portions of the transition body by displacing the head axially and radially toward wall portions of the transition body. Side seam welds of the transition piece body are also inspected by providing a guide with a contoured surface corresponding to the contour of the side seam weld and displacing an inspection head along the guide through the transition piece body and impingement sleeve to inspect the weld of the transition piece body.