Patent ID: 6699109
Filing Date: 2004-03-02
Classification: B24C

Abstract:
An apparatus (10) capable of removing abradable material from an interior surface (16) of a fan containment case (14) while the fan containment case (14) remains mounted to an engine (12), the apparatus (10) comprising:a frame (20); means (40,66) rotatably mounted to the frame (20) for spraying an erosion media in a radial direction relative to a horizontal axis of rotation of the spraying means (40,66) such that the erosion media impacts the abradable material on the interior surface (16) of the fan containment case (14) when the spraying means (40,66) is positioned within the fan containment case (14); means (40,64) rotatably mounted to the frame (20) with the spraying means (40,66) for retrieving the erosion media after the erosion media is sprayed from the spraying means (40,66) and has impacted the abradable material; means (48) mounted to the frame (20) for centering the horizontal axis of rotation of the spraying means (40,66) relative to the interior surface (16) of the fan containment case (14), the centering means (48) having a horizontal central axis that substantially coincides with the horizontal axis of rotation of the spraying means (40,66); means (28) for adjusting together the elevation of the horizontal central axis of the centering means (48) and the horizontal axis of rotation of the spraying means (40,66) relative to the frame (20); and means (42,44,46) for positioning a portion (66) of the spraying means (40,66) adjacent the interior surface (16) of the fan containment case (14).