Abrading – Machine – Sandblast
Patent
1995-01-18
1996-07-16
Kisliuk, Bruce M.
Abrading
Machine
Sandblast
451354, 451456, 180164, 15 98, B24B 5506
Patent
active
055361994
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a traveling device capable of moving on the surface of an object having curved faces (hereinafter referred to as a travel surface), such as the inside or outside surface of a pipe or the surface of a ship hull, by means of a plurality of wheels as moving means, or a plurality of endless tracks, including a plurality of belt pulleys, as moving means, while performing work such as sandblasting.
The invention also relates to a traveling device capable of suction-adhering to a travel surface having curved faces, such as the inside or outside surface of a pipe or the surface of a ship hull, by the pressure of an ambient fluid such as air or water, and capable of moving along the travel surface by means of a plurality of wheels as moving means, or a plurality of endless tracks, including a plurality of belt pulleys, as moving means, while performing work such as sandblasting.
BACKGROUND ART
A typical example of a traveling device capable of suction-adhering to a travel surface having curved faces, such as the inside or outside surface of a pipe or the surface of a ship hull, by the pressure of an ambient fluid such as air or water, and of moving along the travel surface, while performing work such as sandblasting, is the device disclosed in the specification and drawings of U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,378. The device has a pressure reduction housing mounted on a frame, a moving means mounted on the frame, a suction-adhering seal mounted on the pressure reduction housing and defining a pressure reduction space in cooperation with the pressure reduction housing and the travel surface, and a pressure reducing means for discharging a fluid from the pressure reduction space to decrease the pressure inside the pressure reduction space. The moving means is composed of a plurality of wheels (e.g. 4 wheels), or a plurality of endless tracks including a plurality of belt pulleys (e.g. 2 endless tracks each with 2 belt pulleys). The traveling device is equipped with a working unit such as sandblasting equipment which directs a jet of a polishing and cleaning material at the transfer surface.
In the above-described conventional traveling device, when the pressure reducing means is actuated, fluid inside the pressure reduction space is discharged to the outside. Owing to the difference in fluid pressure between the inside and outside of the pressure reduction space, the fluid pressure acts on the pressure reduction housing, and is then transmitted to the travel surface via the wheels or belt pulleys. Under this fluid pressure, the device is caused to suction-adhere to the travel surface. In this state of suction-adhesion, when the wheels or belt pulleys are driven by a driving means such as an electric motor, the device moves along the travel surface by the action of the wheels or endless tracks.
In the foregoing traveling device which suction-adheres to a travel surface having curved faces, such as the inside or outside surface of a pipe or the surface of a ship hull, by the pressure of an ambient fluid, and moves along the travel surface, while performing work such as sandblasting, the frame on which the moving means is mounted has a rigid structure whose shape substantially does not change flexibly. Therefore, in the traveling device equipped with, say, 4 wheels as the moving means, i.e., the traveling device having 2 wheels on each side of the frame, one of the four wheels separates from the travel surface. More specifically, if the device sits on the outside surface of, say, a cylindrical pipe, and if the central axis in the traveling direction of the device is on a plane obliquely intersecting the central axis of the pipe, one of the four wheels departs from the travel surface. Owing to this departure, the posture of the device is always unstable. Not all of the four wheels being in contact with the travel surface results in an insufficient driving force. Such technical problems exist also with a conventional traveling device which moves while performing work such as sandblasting,
REFERENCES:
patent: 4271638 (1981-06-01), Creech
patent: 4688289 (1987-08-01), Urakami
patent: 4809383 (1989-03-01), Urakami
patent: 4860400 (1989-08-01), Urakami
patent: 4934475 (1990-06-01), Urakami
patent: 4997052 (1991-03-01), Urakami
patent: 5014803 (1991-05-01), Urakami
patent: 5084938 (1992-02-01), Khestele
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Kisliuk Bruce M.
Urakami Research & Development Co., Ltd.
Weinberg Andrew
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