Conduit grinding apparatus

• US 5,022,192 A
• Filed: 04/03/1990
• Issued: 06/11/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Department of Energy
• Original Assignee: United States Department of Energy
• Inventors: Korytkowski, Alfred S., Nachbar, Henry D.
• Primary Examiner(s): PARKER JR, ROSCOE
• Application Number:
  US07/504,152
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: 51/241 R, 51/241 S, 51/241 B, 51/241 X S, 51/241 A, 51/245
• US Class Current: 451/431
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 15/04 on valve members
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 23/08 Portable grinding machines designed for fastening on workpieces or other parts of particular section, e.g. for grinding commutators

Abstract

A grinding apparatus for grinding the interior portion of a valve stem receiving area of a valve. The apparatus comprises a faceplate, a plurality of cams mounted to an interior face of the faceplate, a locking bolt to lock the faceplate at a predetermined position on the valve, a movable grinder and a guide tube for positioning an optical viewer proximate the area to be grinded. The apparatus can either be rotated about the valve for grinding an area of the inner diameter of a valve stem receiving area or locked at a predetermined position to grind a specific point in the receiving area.

Claims

1. A grinding apparatus for grinding the interior of a conduit, the apparatus comprising:

faceplate means for positioning on a conduit aperture;

cam means on said faceplate means for rotatably mounting said faceplate means with said conduit aperture, said cam means being mounted on said faceplate means for contacting an interior portion of said conduit;

locking means for selectively locking said faceplate means in a predetermined position at said conduit aperture; and

grinding means movably mounted on said faceplate means for grinding an interior portion of said conduit;

said grinding means being movable in a substantially radial direction relative to said faceplate means whereby said grinding means can be fixed to said faceplate means at a predetermined position and said faceplate means can be rotated about said conduit aperture to rotate said grinding means about its axis to grind the inner circumference of said conduit, and said faceplate means can be locked at a second predetermined position at said conduit aperture and said grinding means can be radially moved relative to said faceplate means to grind an interior portion of a conduit.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said faceplate means comprises a handle for rotating said faceplate means relative to said conduit aperture.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said cam means comprises at least three cams on an interior side of said faceplate means and at least one of said cam means is adjustable relative to said faceplate means.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises a bolt mounted to an interior side of said faceplate for radial movement to clampingly engage an interior of said conduit.

5. An apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said faceplate comprises an aperture for accessing said bolt when the apparatus is connected to said conduit.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising means for positioning a instrument for viewing a target area, said positioning means comprising a tube passing through said faceplate means.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said grinding means at least partially passes through an aperture in said faceplate means.

8. An apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said grinding means comprises a pneumatic motor and a grinding wheel.

9. An apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said grinding means is movably mounted to said faceplate means by a pivotable motor mount.

10. An apparatus as in claim 9 further comprising means for limiting movement of said pivotable motor mount.

11. An apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said motor mount is pivotably connected to said faceplate means at a first position proximate said faceplate aperture and adjustably mounted at a second position proximate said faceplate aperture opposite said first position.

12. An apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said grinding wheel is longitudinally adjustable relative to said faceplate means for various depths of grinding inside said conduit.

13. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said faceplate means can rotate 360 degrees around an inner circumference of said conduit for grinding in a 360 degree path.

14. A weld grinding apparatus for grinding welds in an interior portion of a valve stem receiving area of a valve;

the apparatus comprising;

faceplate means for mounting over a valve stem receiving aperture;

means for mounting said faceplate means to said valve stem receiving aperture including cam means mounted on said faceplate means for contacting an interior portion of said valve stem receiving area, said cam means allowing said faceplate means to rotatably move at said valve stem receiving aperture, and locking means for selectively locking said faceplate means at a predetermined position at said valve stem receiving aperture;

grinding means movably mounted on said faceplate means for grinding an interior portion of said valve stem receiving area, said grinding means comprising a motor means, a grinding wheel and a pivoting motor mount for movably mounting said motor means and said grinding wheel relative to said faceplate means for substantially radial movement relative thereto; and

guide tube means for passage of an instrument for viewing a target area therethrough whereby said faceplate means can be rotatably mounted to said valve stem receiving aperture of said valve for axial rotation and radial movement of said grinding means relative to said valve stem receiving area to grind an interior portion of said receiving area as said faceplate means is rotated and said faceplate means can be locked to a predetermined position at said receiving aperture for moving said grinding means radially relative to said faceplate means for grinding a specific interior portion of said valve receiving area.