Aircraft Skin Surface Planing
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsSean Benjamin Warner, Michael L. Hestness, Richard A. Luepke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A contoured surface planing apparatus for removing proud-standing material from a contoured surface without damaging the surface. The apparatus may include a tool comprising a motor-driven rotary cutter supported by a main body for rotation about a cutter axis, and orientation contact points spaced around the cutter and defining an orientation contact plane disposed parallel to the cutter axis.
Claims20
A contoured surface planing apparatus comprising a tool including:
- a main body;
- a rotary cutter supported by the main body for rotation about a cutter axis and comprising an abrasive outer circumferential cutter surface;
- a motor operatively engageable with the cutter and configured to drive the cutter in rotation about the cutter axis;
- and
- at least three orientation contact points spaced around the cutter and defining an orientation contact plane disposed parallel to the cutter axis.
A method for removing proud-standing material from a contoured surface without damaging the surface, the method including the steps of:
- adjusting to a desired cutter displacement value the distance between an orientation contact plane and a rotary abrasion contact region of a surface planing tool;
- positioning the planing tool on a working surface with orientation contact points of the tool resting on the working surface;
- and
- reducing the height of proud-standing material on the working surface by directing the tool along the working surface while maintaining the orientation contact points of the tool in contact with the working surface and while engaging the cutter with the proud-standing material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.