Apparatus and method for testing the hardness of a pipe
OwnerJack O. Hill, Leroy Fry, Jr.inventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for testing hardness of a pipe including a body having a longitudinal axis, a probe connected to the body and extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the body, a retaining mechanism connected to the probe and positioned within the body so as to maintain the probe in a fixed position relative to the pipe while the body is moving through the pipe, and a processor connected to the probe so as to convert a signal produced by the probe relative to the hardness of the pipe into a humanly perceivable indication of pipe hardness. The probe serves to contact a point along the inner surface of the pipe while the body is moving continuously through the pipe.
Claims18
An apparatus for testing hardness of a pipe comprising:
- a body having a longitudinal axis;
- a probe connected to said body and extending transverse to said longitudinal axis, said probe adapted to contact an inner surface of the pipe so as to produce a signal relative to a hardness of the pipe;
- a retainer means connected to said probe and positioned within said body, said retainer adapted to maintain said probe in a fixed position relative to the pipe while said body is moving in the pipe;
- and
- processor connected to said probe and adapted to convert said signal to a humanly perceivable indication of pipe hardness.
A method of testing the hardness of a pipe comprising the steps of:
- forming a body having a size suitable for fitting within the pipe;
- moving the body longitudinally through the pipe;
- extending a hardness probe outwardly of said body so as to contact a point on an inner surface of the pipe for a desired period of time while said body moves longitudinally through the pipe;
- and
- producing a signal relative to a hardness of the pipe at said point.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.