Abrasive-waterjet nozzle for intelligent control
AssigneeNational Center for Manufacturing Sciences
InventorsMohamad Hashish, David Monserud, Steve Craigen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An abrasive waterjet nozzle for intelligent control is illustrated. The invention includes a nozzle cartridge dismountably attached to a holder allowing quick and automatic nozzle changes. Provisions are further included for sensing the condition of nozzle components.
Claims17
A cartridge for insertion into a nozzle assembly including;
- a body for housing wearable parts, and, a sealing surface attached to said body for sealing to a seal, and a jet forming orifice for forming a jet of liquid, and an alignable mounting attached to said orifice and said body for allowing movement of said orifice relative to said body, and, a mixing chamber downstream of said orifice for mixing liquid and abrasive, and, a port for introducing abrasive into said mixing chamber, and, a mixing tube directly downstream of said mixing chamber for mixing and accelerating abrasive into any jet emerging from said orifice and, wherein said sealing surface is located on said alignable mounting, and wherein said alignable mounting further comprises sensing means for sensing the health of said orifice.
An improved abrasive liquid jet system of the type which includes a liquid jet emerging from an orifice with means for mixing abrasive into said liquid jet and entrapping and accelerating said abrasive into said liquid jet in a mixing tube, the improvement comprising:
- housing said orifice and said mixing tube in a replaceable cartridge, and wherein said cartridge further comprises, means for aligning said orifice and said mixing tube into a collinear orientation, and wherein said aligning means includes a housing for housing said orifice, a holder for holding said mixing tube attached to said housing by a joint and means for fixing an attachment between said housing and said holder, and wherein said joint is a ball and socket joint, and wherein said means for fixing the attachment between said housing and said holder is at least one screw, and wherein said housing further includes, means for monitoring the condition of said orifice.
A nozzle assembly for an abrasive water jet machining tool comprising:
- coupling means for attaching said nozzle assembly to a source of high pressure liquid;
- and, a pressure body attached to said coupling for containing high pressure fluid and having a recess for receiving a cartridge;
- and, a seal attached to said pressure body for sealing to a surface;
- and, a cartridge for insertion into said pressure body including;
- a cartridge body for housing wearable parts, and, a sealing surface attached to said cartridge body for sealing to said seal, and a jet forming orifice for forming a jet of liquid, an alignable mounting attached to said orifice and said cartridge body for allowing movement of said orifice relative to said second body, and, a mixing chamber downstream of said orifice for mixing liquid and abrasive, and, a port for introducing abrasive into said mixing chamber, and, a mixing tube directly downstream of said chamber for mixing and accelerating abrasive into any jet emerging from said orifice.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.