Method and cloth for detecting leaks in closed bodies
AssigneeLockheed Corporation
InventorJeffrey G. Wegrzyn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A reusable indicating material for detecting leaks in sealed structures and other closed bodies comprises a fabric saturated with an indicator solution containing an acid-base indicator, a surfactant, a buffering system and a humectant. The indicator solution remains reactive when the fabric is dry to the touch and will indicate the presence of leaks in the structure being tested by changing color when a reactive gas escapes from the structure being tested. Upon removal from the tested structure the indicator material reverts to its original color and is available for subsequent tests.
Claims10
A dry method of detecting leaks in aircraft structures and other closed bodies comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a dry-to-the-touch woven, natural fiber cloth impregnated with a solution containing an acid-base indicator, a surfactant, a buffering system and humectant, said impregnated woven natural fiber cloth being freely permeable to both gaseous acids and gaseous bases and being sufficiently absorbent to be dry to the touch while retaining sufficient water in contact with reactive constituents of said solution to allow the acid-base indicator to react with a reactive gas escaping from a structure being tested;
- (b) spreading said cloth on the surface of an aircraft or other closed body which has been pressurized with a mixture of air and a gaseous composition which will react with said solution and cause a distinctive color change in the color of said cloth;
- and
- (c) observing said cloth for a color change indicative of said reaction so that the location of leaks in said structure or closed body become visible.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.