Railways – Tubular way – Internal service device
Patent
1993-09-20
1994-12-27
Butler, Douglas C.
Railways
Tubular way
Internal service device
1041381, B61B 1310
Patent
active
053755308
ABSTRACT:
A pipe crawler having a midsection that provides the stability and flexibty to allow the pipe crawler to negotiate curved and uneven segments of piping while traveling through piping systems. The pipe crawler comprises a front leg assembly, a rear leg assembly, a midsection with a gimbal at each end for connecting the midsection to the front and rear leg assemblies in a flexible manner, and an air cylinder for changing the distance between the front and rear leg assemblies. The pipe crawler moves in "inch worm" fashion with the front and rear leg assemblies alternating between an extended and a retracted position as the air cylinder moves the retracted leg assembly forward. The midsection has a plurality of legs extending radially for holding the midsection within a maximum displacement from the piping axis so that the gimbals are not pivoted to extreme angles where they might lock up or seize. When the midsection is displaced sufficiently, its legs with wheels on each end engage the interior surface of the piping and prevent further displacement. Using two gimbals divides the angle between the planes defined by the front and rear leg assemblies which also helps to prevent excessive gimbal pivoting.
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Treanor Richard C.
Zollinger William T.
Butler Douglas C.
Dixon Harold N.
Morano S. Joseph
Moser William R.
The United States of America as represented by the Department of
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