# US 5,702,289 A · Anti-gravity blast cleaning > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,702,289 A - Document ID: US5702289A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/623,609 - Filed: 1996-03-28 - Granted: 1997-12-30 - Earliest claimed: 1994-09-20 - Assignees: Electronics, Inc. - Inventors: Jack M. Champaigne - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5702289A ## CPC - B24C 7/0053: {with control of feed parameters, e.g. feed rate of abrasive material or carrier} - B24C: ABRASIVE OR RELATED BLASTING WITH PARTICULATE MATERIAL ## Abstract A shot peening method and apparatus enables low intensity peening at a velocity which is equal to or less than the minimum velocity required to assure conveyance of the media through the transport hose in pneumatic systems or the minimum velocity necessary to project a coherent shot stream in the case of wheel systems. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Shot peening method comprising the steps of conveying media into a transport hose at a predetermined mass flow rate, supplying gas under pressure to said hose through an inlet opening for accelerating said media to a conveyance velocity sufficient to convey the media through the hose, aiming said hose at a target workpiece, and discharging said media from a terminal end of said hose toward the target workpiece, orienting said terminal end of the transport hose upwardly to discharge said media upwardly against the force of gravity to form a fountain of media rising toward an apex in which the velocity of said media is a maximum as it is discharged from the terminal end of the hose and decreases until the velocity of the media is zero at the apex, and positioning said workpiece in said fountain at a point where the velocity of the media is no greater than the conveyance velocity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Shot peening method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said terminal end of said hose is unobstructed, and said method includes the step of passing said media through said terminal end of the hose at a velocity which is substantially the same as the conveyance velocity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Shot peening method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said terminal end of said hose is a nozzle, said method including the step of accelerating said media to a velocity greater than the conveyance velocity by passing the media through said nozzle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) Method of treating material as claimed in claim 3, including the step of adjusting the distance between said target and said directing means to attain said desired velocity. ### Claim 5 Method of treating material comprising the steps of accelerating media to a desired velocity, directing said media after acceleration to said desired velocity through a directing means for directing said accelerated media upwardly against the force of gravity to form a fountain whereby said media travels upwardly to an apex in which the velocity of said media is a maximum as it leaves the directing means and decreases until the velocity of the shot is zero at said apex, and mounting a material target for treatment by said media within the fountain formed by said media at a point where the media has a predetermined desired velocity. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) Method of treating material as claimed in claim 5, including the step of adjusting the height of said apex by increasing the velocity of said shot to increase the height of the apex and reducing the velocity of said shot to decrease the height of the apex. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) Method of treating material as claimed in claim 6, including the step of adjusting the distance between the material target and the apex to thereby adjust the velocity of the media impacting the material target. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) Method of treating material as claimed in claim 5, including the step of adjusting the distance between the material target and the apex to thereby adjust the velocity of the media impacting the material target. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) Method of treating material as claimed in claim 5, wherein said media is selected from the group consisting of metal shot, sand, ceramic bead, plastic bead, nut shells, corn starch and garnet. ### Claim 10 A shot peening apparatus, comprising: a holder containing shot; acceleration means connected to said holder for receiving shot from said holder and for accelerating and discharging said shot from said acceleration means; directing means for directing said shot out of said acceleration means, said directing means being oriented to discharge said shot upwardly against the force of gravity to form a fountain of shot rising toward an apex in which the velocity of said shot is a maximum as it is discharged from the acceleration means and decreases until the velocity of the shot is zero at said apex, and mounting means for mounting a material target at a point within said fountain where the velocity of said shot is equal to a predetermined desired velocity. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said acceleration means is a rotating wheel, said shot being conveyed from said holder to said wheel and then accelerated by the rotation of said wheel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said directing means includes a hose connected to a source of fluid pressure and to said holder, at least a portion of said hose being oriented to direct said shot upwardly against the force of gravity and onto said target material, said target material being mounted above said portion of the hose. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a diffuser is mounted on the end of the hose through which said shot is discharged.