Specialized tool enables visual inspection of interior bore surfaces of pipe lines having sharp bends and blind runs. Adjustable, hinged optical head permits viewing of bore surfaces at angles from 0 deg to 115 deg to the principal axis of the sight tube

Mitchell, D. K.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

December 1971	 Brief 71-10513 
NASA TECH BRIEF 
Marshall Space Flight Center 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage 
commercial application. Tech Briefs are available on a aubscription basis from the National Technical Information 
Service, Springfield; Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the. Tech Brief program may 
be directed to the Technology Utilization Office, NASA, Code KT, Washington, D.C. 20546.
- - - 
Optical Inspection Tool for Interior Surfaces of Fluid Lines 
A specialized tool (see figure) enables the visual 
inspection of interior bore surfaces of pipe lines 
having sharp bends and blind runs. The tool is 
equipped with an adjustable, hinged optical head to 
permit viewing of the bore surfaces at angles from 
00 to 115° to the principal axis of the sight tube. An 
illumination-reflector assembly and a telescope at 
the end of the sight tube are included for magnifica-
tion of the bore surface details. 
Hinge Assembly Rear 
Support 
1 M7 
elSliiube	 \ Telescope 
Pipe Line 
ble Assembly
0 
Positioning of Tool for 90 Inspection 
The optical head incorporates an extendible as-
sembly consisting of a series of eight straight nesting 
tubes that slide within one another. At the end of the 
smallest-diameter tube is a light bulb illumination 
unit and a conical mirror for 360° scanning of cir-
cumferential strips of bore surface. The image of 
each surface strip is reflected by the mirror along 
the optical axis of the extendible assembly toward a 
flat mirror mounted on the hinge shaft inside the 
hinge assembly. The flat mirror is spring-loaded for 
clockwise rotation and can be positioned angularly 
by means of a draw wire leading back to the tele-
scope viewing end. A clamp on the draw wire lo-
cated on the rear support is tightened to lock the
flat mirror in the desired position, depending on the 
angular bend (60°, 90°, or 115°) of the line. In a 
blind run, the flat mirror picks up the image from 
the conical mirror and reflects it toward the viewing 
end. A length of flexible tubing runs across the top 
of the hinge assembly to convey a pressurized gas 
for expanding the extendible assembly to the far end 
of the blind run. Successive borestrips are scanned 
through the telescope by pulling on the draw wire 
to retract the extendible assembly to fixed incre-
mental positions. For 0° inspection, the latter as-
sembly is fully retracted and the inspection is per-
formed as the tool is slowly moved along the bore. 
Note: 
Requests for further information may be directed 
to:
Technology Utilization Officer 
Code A& TS-T1J 
Marshall Space Flight Center 
Huntsville, Alabama 35812 
Reference: TSP71-10513 
Patent status: 
This invention is owned by NASA, and a patent 
application has been filed. Royalty-free nonexclusive 
licenses for its commercial use will be granted by 
NASA. Inquiries concerning license rights should be 
made to: 
Patent Counsel 
Mail Code A & IS-PAT 
George C. Marshall Space Flight Center 
Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama 35812 
Source: D. K. Mitchell
Marshall Space Flight Center

(M FS- 15162) 
Category 06 
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 ownedrights.
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Optical inspection tool for interior surfaces of fluid lines

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