Apparatus and process for surface treating interior of workpiece

A process for treating the boundary walls of an interior chamber formed in a workpiece, comprising the steps of:

• providing a workpiece having a plurality of interior chambers which are sidewardly spaced apart and transversely interiorly interconnected, and first and second aligned access openings communicating with opposite ends of each respective interior chamber;
• providing first and second nozzle members with opposed discharge openings;
• aligning said first and second nozzles with opposite ends of a first one of said interior chambers and then inserting said nozzles into the chamber with a defined small gap between the opposed discharge openings thereof;
• synchronously moving the first and second nozzle members linearly along the chamber while supplying substantially equal streams of pressurized blasting media, as defined by a pressurized carrier fluid having solid abrasive particles entrained therein, to the discharge openings of said nozzle members to simultaneously discharge substantially equal and opposed high-velocity streams of blasting media from said discharge openings so that the discharged streams, almost immediately after discharge, directly impact one another to cause the blasting media to be deflected radially outwardly in a surrounding annular pattern for high energy impact with the boundary wall of the chamber;
• thereafter withdrawing the first and second nozzle members from said opposite ends of the first chamber and transversely displacing the first and second nozzle members relative to the workpiece so that the nozzle members align with opposite ends of a second one of said interior chamber;
• and
• thereafter inserting the nozzle members into the second interior chamber and effecting treatment of the boundary wall thereof in the same manner as with respect to the first chamber as defined above.

A process for treating the boundary walls of an interior chamber formed in a workpiece, comprising the steps of:

• providing a workpiece having an interior chamber with a radial outward enlargement along a part of the length thereof, and having first and second aligned access openings which communicate with opposite ends of the interior chamber;
• providing first and second substantially identical elongated nozzle members having discharge openings at tip ends thereof;
• inserting the first and second nozzle members into the interior chamber through the respective first and second access openings so that the nozzle members are substantially aligned and the discharge openings thereof are positioned in closely adjacent and directly opposed relationship to one another and define an unobstructed gap therebetween;
• simultaneously supplying substantially identical streams of pressurized blasting media, as defined by a pressurized high-velocity carrier fluid having solid abrasive particles entrained therein, to the discharge openings of said first and second nozzle members;
• simultaneously discharging substantially identical and substantially cylindrical opposed high-velocity streams of blasting media from said discharge openings of said first and second nozzle members so that the discharged cylindrical streams, almost immediately after discharge, directly impact one another within said gap and cause the blasting media of both streams to be deflected radially outwardly in substantially perpendicular relation to the flow direction of the discharged streams to define a surrounding annular pattern for high energy impact with the boundary wall of the chamber in surrounding relationship to the gap;
• and
• simultaneously moving the nozzle members, while maintaining them in stationary relationship to one another, lengthwise along the interior chamber parallel to the discharge direction first in one direction and then in the opposite direction while continuing to discharge opposed identical streams of blasting media therefrom so that the blasting media as deflected outwardly into the annular pattern progressively treats the boundary wall of the interior chamber and treats transitional surfaces which join radially between the enlargement and the interior chamber.

A process for treating the boundary walls of an interior chamber formed in a workpiece, comprising the steps of:

• providing a workpiece having an interior chamber, first and second aligned access openings which communicate with opposite ends of the interior chamber, and at least one passage which communicates with and extends transversely from said interior chamber;
• providing first and second substantially identical elongated nozzle members having discharge openings at tip ends thereof;
• inserting the first and second nozzle members into the interior chamber through the respective first and second access openings so that the nozzle members are substantially aligned and the discharge openings thereof are positioned in closely adjacent and directly opposed relationship to one another and define an unobstructed gap therebetween;
• simultaneously supplying substantially identical streams of pressurized blasting media, as defined by a pressurized high-velocity carrier fluid having solid abrasive particles entrained therein, to the discharge openings of said first and second nozzle members;
• simultaneously discharging substantially identical and substantially cylindrical opposed high-velocity streams of blasting media from said discharge openings of said first and second nozzle members so that the discharged cylindrical streams, almost immediately after discharge, directly impact one another within said gap and cause the blasting media of both streams to be deflected radially outwardly in substantially perpendicular relation to the flow direction of the discharged streams to define a surrounding annular pattern for high energy impact with the boundary wall of the chamber in surrounding relationship to the gap;
• and
• simultaneously moving the nozzle members, while maintaining them in stationary relationship to one another, lengthwise along the interior chamber parallel to the discharge direction first in one direction and then in the opposite direction while continuing to discharge opposed identical streams of blasting media therefrom so that the blasting media as deflected outwardly into the annular pattern progressively treats the boundary wall of the interior chamber and treats transitional surfaces which join radially between the enlargement and the interior chamber;
• and
• modifying the movement of the nozzle members when the gap is substantially aligned with the transverse passage so as to permit the deflected annular pattern of blasting media to enter into and effect surface treating of the transverse passage.

A process for treating the boundary walls of an interior chamber formed in a casting, comprising the steps of:

• providing a casting having an elongate interior chamber therein which is at least partially closed at opposite ends thereof by respective opposite walls of the casting and having first and second aligned access openings respectively formed in the opposite walls of the casting for respective communication with opposite ends of the interior chamber, said access openings being of smaller cross section than said interior chamber;
• providing first and second substantially identical elongate nozzle members having substantially identical discharge openings at tip ends thereof, the elongate nozzle members having a small exterior cross section which substantially uniformly extends from the tip ends of the nozzle members lengthwise thereof over a substantial lengthwise extent so as to permit the nozzle members to be inserted through the access openings;
• providing first and second movable supports which engagingly support the nozzle members at a location spaced remote from said tip ends so that the first and second elongated nozzle members are respectively cantilevered outwardly from the first and second supports in generally aligned, opposed and spaced relationship to one another;
• positioning said first and second supports on opposite sides of the casting so that the nozzle members are in opposed and aligned relationship with one another with the tip ends of the first and second nozzle members being respectively positioned adjacent and in generally aligned relationship with said first and second access openings;
• relatively moving the first and second support members toward one another so as to insert the first and second nozzle members into the interior chamber through the respective first and second access openings so that the nozzle members are substantially aligned and the discharge openings thereof are positioned closely adjacent and in directly opposed relationship to one another and define a small unobstructed gap therebetween, the nozzle members being entirely supported by and cantilevered from the respective supports when positioned within said interior chamber;
• simultaneously supplying substantially identical streams of pressurized blasting media, as defined by a pressurized high-velocity carrier fluid having solid abrasive particles entrained therein, to the discharge openings of said first and second nozzle members;
• simultaneously discharging substantially identical and opposed high velocity streams of blasting media from said discharge openings of said first and second nozzle members so that the discharged streams, almost immediately after discharge, directly impact one another within said small gap and cause the blasting media of both streams to be deflected outwardly in substantially perpendicular relationship to the flow direction of the discharged streams to define a surrounding annular pattern for high energy impact with a boundary wall of the interior chamber in surrounding relationship to the small gap;
• and
• simultaneously moving the nozzle members, while maintaining them in stationary relationship to one another, lengthwise along the interior chamber parallel to the discharge direction so that the blasting media as deflected outwardly into the annular pattern progressively treats the boundary wall of the interior chamber as defined in the casting.

A process for treating the boundary walls of an interior chamber formed in a workpiece, comprising the steps of:

• providing a workpiece with an interior chamber having first and second chamber portions in aligned communication with one another, said second chamber portion being of larger cross section than said first chamber portion, and having first and second aligned access openings which communicate with opposite ends of the interior chamber;
• providing first and second substantially identical elongated nozzle members having discharge openings at tip ends thereof;
• inserting the first and second nozzle members into the interior chamber through the respective first and second access openings so that the nozzle members are substantially aligned and the discharge openings thereof are positioned in closely adjacent and directly opposed relationship to one another and define an unobstructed gap therebetween;
• simultaneously supplying substantially identical streams of pressurized blasting media, as defined by a pressurized high-velocity carrier fluid having solid abrasive particles entrained therein, to the discharge openings of said first and second nozzle members;
• simultaneously discharging substantially identical and substantially cylindrical opposed high-velocity streams of blasting media from said discharge openings of said first and second nozzle members so that the discharged cylindrical streams, almost immediately after discharge, directly impact one another within said gap and cause the blasting media of both streams to be deflected radially outwardly in substantially perpendicular relation to the flow direction of the discharged streams to define a surrounding annular pattern for high energy impact with the boundary wall of the chamber in surrounding relationship to the gap;
• and
• simultaneously moving the nozzle members, while maintaining them in stationary relationship to one another, lengthwise along the interior chamber parallel to the discharge direction so that the blasting media as deflected outwardly into the annular pattern progressively treats the boundary wall of the interior chamber;
• and
• modifying the movement of the nozzle members when the gap therebetween moves from said first chamber section into said second chamber section so that the nozzle members move at a slower speed lengthwise of said second chamber section than when moving lengthwise through said first chamber section.

A process for treating the boundary walls of an interior chamber formed in a workpiece, comprising the steps of:

• providing a workpiece having an interior chamber, and first and second aligned access openings which communicate with opposite ends of the interior chamber;
• providing first and second substantially identical elongated nozzle members having discharge openings at tip ends thereof;
• inserting the first and second nozzle members into the interior chamber through the respective first and second access openings so that the nozzle members are substantially aligned and the discharge openings thereof are positioned in closely adjacent and directly opposed relationship to one another and define an unobstructed gap therebetween;
• simultaneously supplying substantially identical streams of pressurized blasting media, as defined by a pressurized high-velocity carrier fluid having solid abrasive particles entrained therein, to the discharge openings of said first and second nozzle members;
• simultaneously discharging substantially identical and substantially cylindrical opposed high-velocity streams of blasting media from said discharge openings of said first and second nozzle members so that the discharged cylindrical streams, almost immediately after discharge, directly impact one another within said gap and cause the blasting media of both streams to be deflected radially outwardly in substantially perpendicular relation to the flow direction of the discharged streams to define a surrounding annular pattern for high energy impact with the boundary wall of the chamber in surrounding relationship to the gap;
• and
• simultaneously moving the nozzle members, while maintaining them in substantially stationary lengthwise relationship to one another, lengthwise in one direction along the interior chamber parallel to the discharge direction so that the blasting media as deflected outwardly into the annular pattern progressively treats the boundary wall lengthwise of the interior chamber.

An apparatus for treating boundary walls of an interior chamber formed in a workpiece and which is accessible through first and second access openings which access opposite ends of the interior chamber, said apparatus comprising:

• a fixture for positioning the workpiece thereon;
• first and second nozzle assemblies positioned on opposite sides of the fixture and respectively including first and second elongate nozzle members which are disposed in generally aligned but opposed relationship, said first and second nozzle members being positioned for insertion through the respective first and second access openings associated with the workpiece when the workpiece is mounted on the fixture;
• first and second movable supports which respectively mount the first and second nozzle assemblies thereon;
• first and second drive devices interconnected to the respective first and second supports for effecting movement of the respective nozzle assembly from a retracted position wherein the respective nozzle member has a discharge end thereof spaced from the workpiece and an operational position wherein the respective nozzle member is inserted through the respective access opening so that the discharge opening of the nozzle member is positioned within the interior chamber;
• said first and second supports and the respective first and second nozzle assemblies mounted thereon being synchronously movable, while maintaining a substantially fixed spatial relationship between the opposed discharge openings of the nozzle members, to effect movement of the discharge openings within the interior chamber;
• and
• a supply source connected to each of the first and second nozzle members for simultaneously supplying substantially identical pressurized streams of carrier fluid and abrasive particles to both nozzle members for effecting simultaneous discharge from the nozzle members of opposed high-velocity streams of abrasive media defined by said carrier fluid having said abrasive particles entrained therein, whereby the opposed discharged streams directly impact one another within the interior chamber to cause the streams to be deflected radially outwardly in an annular pattern for high energy impact against the boundary walls of the interior chamber.

An apparatus for treating boundary walls of an interior chamber formed in a workpiece and which is accessible through first and second access openings which access opposite ends of the interior chamber, said apparatus comprising:

• a fixture for positioning the workpiece thereon;
• first and second nozzle assemblies positioned on opposite sides of the fixture and respectively including first and second elongate nozzle members which are disposed in generally aligned but opposed relationship, said first and second nozzle members being positioned for insertion through the respective first and second access openings associated with the workpiece when the workpiece is mounted on the fixture;
• first and second movable supports which respectively mount the first and second nozzle assemblies thereon;
• a drive arrangement interconnected to the respective first and second supports for effecting movement of the respective nozzle assembly from a retracted position wherein the respective nozzle member has a discharge end thereof spaced from the workpiece and an operational position wherein the respective nozzle member is inserted through the respective access opening so that the discharge opening of the nozzle member is positioned within the interior chamber;
• said first and second supports and the respective first and second nozzle assemblies mounted thereon being synchronously movable, while maintaining a substantially fixed spatial relationship between the opposed discharge openings of the nozzle members, to effect movement of the discharge openings within the interior chamber;
• and
• a supply source connected to each of the first and second nozzle members for simultaneously supplying substantially identical pressurized streams of carrier fluid and abrasive particles to both nozzle members for effecting simultaneous discharge from the nozzle members of substantially equal but opposed high-velocity streams of abrasive media defined by said carrier fluid having said abrasive particles entrained therein, whereby the opposed discharged streams directly impact one another within the interior chamber to cause the streams to be deflected radially outwardly for high energy impact against the boundary walls of the interior chamber.