Remote surface treatment systems and methods
AssigneeGE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC
InventorsJack T. Matsumoto, Nicholas F. Di Bari
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems remotely polish and compress surfaces for working, including surfaces created through electrical discharge machining. A bridge may secure about the surface and carry a spindle that rotatably extends downward and carries a polishing assembly. The polishing assembly can push against the surface while polishing the same with larger amounts of force. The polisher can be moved about a perimeter of the surface and vertically. Systems may be remotely operated with a pneumatic slide, hydraulic motor, and/or stepper motor. Spotfaces formed from electrical discharge machining, including those in nuclear facilities and deep underwater, may have recast layers removed with such systems without manual or direct operator interface.
Claims17
A system for polishing a remote surface, comprising:
- a bridge shaped to secure around the surface;
- a spindle coupled to the bridge and rotatable about a first axis;
- and
- a polishing assembly secured under the bridge to the spindle, wherein the polishing assembly includes a polishing surface rotatable about a second axis and the pneumatic slide configured to expand to force the polishing surface along the second axis.
A system for polishing a remote surface, comprising:
- a bridge;
- and
- a polishing assembly configured to secure relative to the surface under the bridge, wherein the polishing assembly includes a first pneumatic slide, a second pneumatic slide, a motor, and a polishing surface, wherein,
- the second pneumatic slide is configured to move the polishing surface across the remote surface in a first plane containing the polishing surface,
- the polishing surface is moveable in a first direction perpendicular to the first plane by expansion of the first pneumatic slide to bias against the remote surface while moving across the remote surface in the first plane, and
- the motor is configured to rotate the polishing surface about an axis internal to the polishing surface and passing through the bridge and polishing assembly to move across an entire perimeter of the remote surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.