Apparatus and method to remotely inspect piping and piping attachment welds
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsKevin J. FOLEY, Nathan A. BROWN, Charles R. BARRETT
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method to remotely perform automated piping and piping attachment weld inspections. The apparatus has two spaced positioning arms that rotate out from one side of a frame structure and a kicker arm that rotates out from an opposite side of the frame structure at a location between the two positioning arms. The positioning arms and the kicker arm wedge the frame structure between an object to be scanned and an opposing structure. A scanning subassembly supported on the frame structure is configured to pivot and move in an appropriate direction and to pilot a transducer around the surface of the object to be scanned.
Claims4
1-17. (canceled)
A method of inspecting a pipe comprising the steps of:
- transporting a scanning assembly to the pipe;
- remotely wedging the scanning assembly between the pipe and an opposing surface to support the scanning assembly in a desired position employing at least one hydraulically operated wedge;
- and
- scanning a surface of the pipe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.