Method of removing fibers protruding into bores
AssigneeThe Dow Chemical Company
InventorsGeorge B. Clark, Clayton K. Maidre
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The walls of bores made in tubesheet/hollow fiber composite structures are trimmed, and the bores may be enlarged, by use of a rotating, generally tubular tool comprising a cutting head with outwardly extending portions of lands terminating in teeth having cutting edges generally parallel to the central axis of the tool. The lands are separated by ports in the tool wall which communicate with the hollow interior of the tool. The trimmings formed are deflected by the teeth into a flow of sweep gas passing through the interior of the tool. The operation is facilitated by flash-freezing of any portions of the generally softer fibers exposed and protruding into the bore or across the mouths of the fiber lumens.
Claims18
A method of trimming the wall surface of a generally cylindrical, first bore extending into a solid body, one or more portions of said surface being defined by appendages adhered to or integral with and extending from said body into said bore or across the mouths of one or more other bores intersecting said first bore, said method comprising:
- (1) hardening or embrittling said appendages,
- (2) advancing into said bore a rotating trimming tool having a generally tubular shank and a cutting head attached to an integral with said shank, said head having a cutting edge and being adapted to
- a. convert said appendages to cuttings,
- b. permit flow of a sweep fluid into said shank, and
- c. deflect said cuttings into said flow,
- (3) causing said fluid to flow into said tool and out through said shank at a sufficient velocity to carry out said cuttings.
A solid body into which extends a generally cylindrical first bore, the wall surfaces of which have been trimmed, to remove one or more portions of said surface defined by appendages adhered to or integral with and extending from said body into said bore or across the mouths of one or more other bores intersecting said first bore, by a trimming method which comprises:
- (1) hardening or embrittling said appendages,
- (2) advancing into said bore a rotating trimming tool having a generally tubular shank and a cutting head attached to an integral with said shank, said head having a cutting edge and being adapted to
- a. convert said appendages to cuttings,
- b. permit flow of a sweep fluid into said shank, and
- c. deflect said cuttings into said flow,
- (3) causing said fluid to flow into said tool and out through said shank at a sufficient velocity to carry out said cuttings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.