Portable tool cleans and polishes the external surfaces of tubes and pipes without contaminating the interior areas with loose particles. The tool is driven by an electric drill and is connected to a vacuum source that removes debris resulting from the cleaning and polishing action

Headley, C. A.

Headley, R.

Jones, D. D.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

December 1965	 Brief 65-10375 
	
NASA TECH BRIEF	
A, 11 
NASA Tech Briefs are issued by the Technology Utilization Division to summarize specific 
technical innovations derived from the space program. Copies are available to the public from 
the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Springfield, Virginia, 22151. 
Portable Tool Cleans Pipes and Tubing
Drive Shaft 
Flexible Seal
--'s--,-	 - \' =
Ii • L 	 --	 - 
Operating Head	 - - - - - - -	
- - 
Front Cover	 Drill Chuck 
Handle Member Vacuum Connection 
Abrading Cylinder	 irtl	 - 
Gearbox 
Hollow 
The problem: To clean and polish an external cy-
lindrical surface such as the outer surface of a tube or 
pipe while keeping the interior of the pipe and adja-
cent areas free of loose particles or contaminants. 
The solution: A portable tool driven by a standard 
electric drill and connected to a vacuum source that 
acts to remove any debris resulting from the cleaning 
and polishing action. 
How it's done: The tool consists essentially of a 
handle member and an operating head. The handle 
member contains a driveshaft that extends out beyond 
the end of the handle so it can be engaged by the 
chuck of an electric drill to drive the operating head 
mechanism. A vacuum conduit in the handle member
terminates in a connection for attachment to a vacuum 
source. The vacuum conduit extends into the operat-
ing head in such a way that the applied vacuum re-
moves all debris and contaminants generated by the 
cleaning and polishing action. Gears in the operating 
head drive a hollow shaft on which an abrading cyl-
inder is mounted to do the actual cleaning and polish-
ing. The hollow shaft permits air to enter the work 
area within the abrading cylinder to enable the vac-
uum source to remove loose particles through the vac-
uum conduit. The operating head has a front cover 
that mounts a flexible circular seal through which the 
workpiece is fed into the abrading cylinder. This ef-
fectively seals the opening and assists the cleaning ac-
tion of the vacuum system. 
Idahk	 (continued overleaf) 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
will be free from privately owned rights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19650000372 2020-03-11T17:25:57+00:00Z
In operation, the vacuum connection is made, the 
driving device (usually an electric drill, although a 
flexible shaft driven by any suitable source may be 
used) is applied to the driveshaft and the workpiece is 
inserted through the operating head seal into the 
abrading cylinder. 
Notes: 
1. This invention provides an excellent cleaning and 
polishing force for easy application in confined 
areas.
2. The abrading cylinder may be equipped with a 
variety of grits to accomplish a wide range of jobs. 
Cutting faces may be employed to achieve a reduc-
tion in outside diameter of a workpiece, if desired. 
Patent status: Title to this invention, covered by 
U.S. Patent No. 3,137,975, has been waived under the 
provisions of the National Aeronautics and Space Act 
(42 U.S.C. 2457 (f)), to McDonnell Aircraft Corpora-
tion, Box 516, St. Louis, Missouri, 63166. 
Source: Donald D. Jones, Roxanna Headley, and

Charles A. Headley of McDonnell

Aircraft Corporation under contract 
to Manned Spacecraft Center

(MSC-238) 
Brief 65-10375	 Category 05


Portable tool cleans pipes and tubing

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