Back to results
US 5,044,075 AGranted
Boiler repair
AssigneeSMA Controls, Inc.
InventorsMatthew T. Brennan, James A. Moruzzi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Boiler tube repair apparatus includes elongated guide rail structure for securing to a boiler tube panel adjacent a desired cut region, and three tool assemblies for mounting on the guide rail structure. Each tool assembly includes carriage structure with guide structure for engaging the guide rail structure and support structure on which a tube machining tool is mounted and that defines a tool movement axis dedicated to and coordinated with that tool. Each machining tool includes a drive motor, a manual motor control, a drive shaft and a machining member such as a cutter disc or head.
Claims21
A boiler repair system comprising
- elongated guide rail structure for securing to a boiler tube panel adjacent a region to be replaced,
- a first tool assembly for mounting on said guide rail structure, said first tool assembly including
- first carriage structure with guide structure for engaging said guide rail structure and enabling said first tool assembly to be stably moved along said guide rail structure and,
- first support structure secured to said first carriage structure and defining a plunge cutting axis extending transversely to said guide rail structure,
- a first cutting tool mounted on said first support structure for movement about said plunge cutting axis in plunge cutting action to cut through a series of boiler tubes, said first cutting tool including a tube cutter disc disposed for rotation about an axis parallel to said plunge cutting axis and a first motor for driving said tube cutter disc in rotation, and
- a second tool assembly for mounting on said guide rail structure, said second tool assembly including
- second carriage structure with guide structure for engaging said guide rail structure so that said second tool assembly may be stably moved along said guide rail structure, second support structure secured to said second carriage structure and defining a membrane cutting axis extending parallel to said guide rail structure, and
- a second cutting tool mounted on said second support structure that includes a membrane cutter disc disposed for rotation about an axis perpendicular to said membrane cutting axis, and a second motor for driving said membrane cutter disc in rotation for cutting membranes between boiler tubes cut by said first cutting tool;
- and
- a third tool assembly for mounting on said guide rail structure, said third tool assembly including
- third carriage structure with guide structure for engaging said guide rail structure so that said third tool assembly may be stably moved along said guide rail structure, third support structure secured to said third carriage structure and defining a reference axis extending perpendicularly to said guide rail structure,
- said third tool assembly including a tube end prepping tool mounted on said third support structure for swiveling movement about said reference axis and including a cutter head mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to said reference axis, and a drive motor for driving said cutter head in rotation for end prepping boiler tubes cut by said first cutting tool.
9 more elements
A boiler tube machining process comprising the steps of
- mounting elongated guide rail structure on a boiler tube panel adjacent a desired repair region,
- disposing a tube cutting tool assembly on said guide rail structure, said tube cutting tool assembly including a tube cutting disc disposed parallel to said guide rail structure,
- fixedly positioning said tube cutting tool assembly at a first location on said guide rail structure,
- moving said tube cutting disc about a fixed pivot axis that extends transversely to said guide rail structure to make a first plunge cut through the panel of boiler tubes,
- moving said tube cutting tool assembly along said guide rail structure from said first location to a second location on said guide rail structure while said tube cutting disc is spaced from said boiler tube panel,
- moving said tube cutting disc about a fixed pivot axis that extends transversely to said guide rail structure at said second location to make a second plunge cut through the panel of b oiler tubes in alignment with and as an extension of said first plunge cut, and
- repeating the steps of moving said tube cutting tool assembly along said guide rail assembly from location to location while said tube cutting disc is spaced from said boiler tube panel and moving said tube cutting disc at each such location about a fixed pivot axis t make a series of plunge cuts, the resulting series of plunge cuts being aligned with said first and second plunge cuts and providing an elongated cut through the panel of boiler tubes.
4 more elements
A boiler tube machining process comprising the steps of
- mounting elongated guide rail structure on a boiler tube panel adjacent a desired repair region,
- disposing a tube cutting tool assembly on said guide rail structure, said tube cutting tool assembly including a tube cutting disc disposed parallel to said guide rail structure,
- fixedly positioning said tube cutting tool assembly on said guide rail structure,
- moving said tube cutting disc about a fixed pivot axis in plunge cutting action to cut through the panel of boiler tubes,
- removing said tube cutting tool assembly from said guide rail structure,
- disposing a membrane cutting tool assembly on said guide rail structure, said membrane cutting tool assembly including a membrane cutting disc disposed perpendicularly to said guide rail structure,
- fixedly positioning said membrane cutting tool assembly on said guide rial structure, and
- moving said membrane cutting disc about a fixed pivot axis in membrane cutting action to cut through a boiler tube membrane immediately adjacent the end surfaces of boiler tubes cut by said tube cutting tool assembly.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.