Material or article handling – Article manipulator moves analogous with human hand – finger,... – Having flexible motion transmission means
Patent
1991-02-27
1994-02-15
Bucci, David A.
Material or article handling
Article manipulator moves analogous with human hand, finger,...
Having flexible motion transmission means
901 21, 901 28, 901 36, 294100, B25J 300
Patent
active
052861546
ABSTRACT:
An apparatus (10) for the location and removal of foreign objects from a difficult to access geometry utilizes a flexible lance (12) formed of individual hose bar segments (14) strung on cables (16) to give a structure that is flexible along its length and fairly rigid in a direction transverse to its length. Extending from working channels (18) of nozzle block (20) of the lance (12) are a pair of multi-prong retrievers (22). A miniaturized Videoprobe camera (24) is provided in the nozzle block (20) between the two retrievers (22). The retrievers are each connected to an actuating cable (26), which extends through the flexible lance (12) to a manual control (28). The camera (24) is connected by a cable (30) to suitable video processing circuits for generation of images on a video display (32). The cable (30) also houses a fiber optic bundle which conveys light to the area being serviced by the lance (12). The flexible lance (12 ) extends through a transporter (34), which positions the nozzle block end of the lance (12) opposite a portion of a steam generator or other difficult to access geometry. The transporter (34) moves along a transport rail (36) to move the nozzle block end of the lance (12) into position. The lance (12) is then advanced through the transporter (34) to move the nozzle block end into the difficult to access geometry and retracted to withdraw the nozzle block end from the difficult to access geometry.
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Athanassiu Christos
Jens Stephen C.
Lee Robert A. S.
Osborne Michael W.
Viola Paul F.
Bucci David A.
Electric Power Research Institute Inc.
Underwood Donald W.
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