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. 14, 1999
Fred Charles Nopwaskey, San Jose, CA (US);
Hsueh-Wen Pao, Saratoga, CA (US);
Gary Allen Boortz, San Jose, CA (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
An ultra high pressure abrasive waterjet cutting apparatus for cutting nuclear reactor structural components is described. The cutting apparatus includes an ultra high pressure abrasive waterjet (UHP) cutting nozzle, movably coupled to a single axis manipulator, and a collection hood. The manipulator and the collection hood are coupled to a support frame and are configured to be positioned inside adjacent openings of a nuclear reactor top guide or core plate so that the cutting nozzle is in alignment with the collection hood. The manipulator includes a linear frame, a nozzle support plate movably coupled to the linear frame, and a motor operatively coupled to the nozzle support plate. The collection hood includes an elongate collection chamber having an elongate opening located so that the opening is in alignment with the cutting nozzle. The collection hood also includes at least one positioning cylinder coupled to the collection chamber and to the support frame which positions the collection chamber opening adjacent a top guide or core plate beam. The collection hood further includes an outlet port configured to be connected to a water filtration system.