A robot for servicing a tube has a chassis for supporting a servicing implement, the chassis having a longitudinal axis and front and rear support assemblies 14, 16 connected to the chassis at locations that are spaced from each other along the longitudinal axis, each support assembly 14, 16 has at least three traction devices 24, 24b, 26a, 26b urged into rolling contact with an inner wall of the tube, at least two of the traction devices 24, 24b, 26a, 26b are motor driven and configured to enable the robot both to advance along the tube in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the chassis and to rotate about the longitudinal axis. Each support assembly 14, 16 may comprise two individually powered mecanum wheels 24a, 26a and one omniwheel 24b, 26b. The traction devices 24, 24b, 26a, 26b may be mounted on the ends of independently adjustable arms. An attitude senor may determine the orientation of the chassis relative to the horizontal. The chassis may maintain a desired orientation relative to the horizontal and the robot may be centered within the tube. An arc spraying apparatus 18 may be mounted on the robot via an adjustable arm 36 to spray molten metal onto a predetermined part of the circumference of the tube.
Tube servicing robot
2024-01-31
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
MULTI-TUBE SERVICING TOOL AND METHOD OF SERVICING GAS TURBINE ENGINE COMPONENTS
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