Patent ID: 9389150
Filing Date: 2016-07-12
CPC Classification: F17D,G01B,G01M,G01N

Claim Text:
1. An outer pipe surface inspection apparatus comprising: a base configured for mounting on the outer surface of the pipe; a carriage mounted on the base and configured to move with respect to the base generally along the circumference of the pipe; a carriage drive system connected to the carriage and configured to drive movement of the carriage on the base; a coating thickness inspection head mounted on the carriage configured to inspect a thickness of a coating on the outer pipe surface; a coating holiday inspection head mounted on the carriage, the coating holiday inspection head including a conductive tongue configured to wipe along the outer pipe surface as the carriage turns on the pipe; a circumferential position sensor mounted on the carriage configured to sense circumferential position of the carriage with respect to the pipe; a controller operatively connected to the carriage drive system, the coating thickness inspection head, the coating holiday inspection head, and the circumferential position sensor, the controller being programmed to control turning of the carriage on the pipe and control operation of the inspection heads.