Remotely operated diagnostic tube sampling device and method of sampling
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A remotely operated diagnostic tube sampling device, movable within a metal tube to be sampled, comprising:
- (A) An emitter and a receiver of at least one of electromagnetic fields and ultrasonic waves, capable, when inserted in a metal tube to be sampled, of locating defects in the metal tube wall;
(B) a cutting head capable of cutting a hole completely through said metal tube to provide a sample;
(C) a retrieval assembly capable of engaging said sample portion and detaching it;
(D) a probing means extendable from the device, and capable of passing through the hole to be cut in the tube to be sampled, and probing the environment around the device;
(E) an instrumentation means to receive and interpret signals associated with the electromagnetic fields or ultrasonic waves; and
(F) an associated driving mechanism capable of moving the sampling device within the tube length.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A robotic sampling device (32) for cutting part of a tube wall (12) for sampling, containing a cutting head (36), a retrieval assembly (38) and a drive mechanism (40), is used to cut a window or hole (60) in the tube wall (12) and retrieve the tube wall sample (56), where the sample can be mounted onto a separate tube for testing the physical properties of the cut wall portion, and where a video probe (62) and the like can be passed through the window (60) to monitor conditions near the support plates (14) and tube sheets (16).
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A remotely operated diagnostic tube sampling device, movable within a metal tube to be sampled, comprising:
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(A) An emitter and a receiver of at least one of electromagnetic fields and ultrasonic waves, capable, when inserted in a metal tube to be sampled, of locating defects in the metal tube wall; (B) a cutting head capable of cutting a hole completely through said metal tube to provide a sample; (C) a retrieval assembly capable of engaging said sample portion and detaching it; (D) a probing means extendable from the device, and capable of passing through the hole to be cut in the tube to be sampled, and probing the environment around the device; (E) an instrumentation means to receive and interpret signals associated with the electromagnetic fields or ultrasonic waves; and (F) an associated driving mechanism capable of moving the sampling device within the tube length. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of removing, an interior portion of a metal tube, comprising the steps:
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(A) inserting into a metal tube to be sampled, a remotely operated diagnostic sampling device, for cutting through a portion of a metal tube wall for analysis, where the device contains an emitter and receiver of at least one of electromagnetic fields and ultrasonic waves, a cutting head, and a retrieval assembly to detach a cut wall portion; (B) moving the sampling device within the metal tube by a driving mechanism while selectively emitting and receiving at least one of electromagnetic fields and ultrasonic waves by the sampling device, to locate defects in a portion of the metal tube wall for analysis by means of an instrumentation means to receive and interpret signals associated with the electromagnetic fields or ultrasonic waves; (C) cutting a hole with the cutting head from the inside of the tube through the metal tube wall where defects were located to provide a cut, removable metal tube wall portion containing defects and engaging the removable wall portion with the retrieval assembly to detach the cut wall portion; (D) removing such cut metal wall portion to leave a hole through the tube wall; (E) examining the environment external to the cut tube by a probe through the hole; (F) inserting sleeving inside the tube to cover and close the hole through the tube wall; and (G) moving the sampling device with the cut metal wall portion out of the tube by the driving mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification