Assembly for detecting and recording surface contour data

A surface examination assembly for examining surface contours by detecting nd recording surface contour data including profile data to determine the existence of variations of the surface from design specifications, and to determine the existence of structural degradation as indicated by surface contour changes includes a mounting frame for holding the assembly elements and for mounting the assembly on or near the surface to be examined, a probe arm adjustable mounted on the frame by means of a slide block, the slide block permitting movement of the probe arm in both a vertical and a horizontal position relative to the frame, a recording device for use with a recording medium mounted on the frame, the recording device being operatively engaged with the probe arm and moveable in response thereto to permit contour and profile data detected by the probe arm to be transmitted through the recording device to the recording medium. The assembly set includes alternate probe arms of differing shapes and sizes for use with different surface locations and contours and also includes alternative slide block extensions to permit adjustment of the assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to testing assemblies and more particularly to a 
test assembly for detecting and recording surface contour data including 
profile data relating to the surface being examined. 
In the periodic maintenance and repair of ships, particularly those 
employing nuclear power propulsion systems, there is frequently a 
requirement to inspect various surface contours and to detect, collect, 
and record various surface contour and profile data to determine whether 
the surface being inspected conforms to design specifications and to 
detect potential safety hazards such as structural degradation as 
indicated by surface contour or profile changes or pitting or deformation 
of surfaces such as weld joints and the like. The surfaces to be examined 
include interior and exterior hull sections, bulkhead, deck and other 
surfaces. In the past, such surface examination has required direct access 
to the surface by devices such as a hand-held or hand-operated linoleum 
gauge which is a device with multiple pins movably mounted in a holder. 
Application of the device to a surface sets the pins in a position 
reflecting a contour or profile of the surface being examined. Use of 
these types of devices required direct access to the surface being 
examined and frequently required human intervention at a location 
proximate to the surface. 
Frequently the surfaces to be examined reside in locations to which it is 
difficult or impossible to obtain access either because other structural 
elements are located so as to block such access to the surfaces to be 
examined or because the surfaces are in a difficult or hostile environment 
such as under water or other contaminated fluid or in an area subject to 
radiation or chemical contamination thus rendering direct access to such 
surfaces difficult and dangerous. Heretofore surface examination in such 
circumstances has been very expensive, requiring expensive disassembly of 
obstructing structures or requiring the provision of expensive systems for 
protection against hostile environments. 
It would be desirable to provide an assembly for examining surfaces which 
would be simple to operate, inexpensive to construct and which would 
obtain access to a surface to be examined to detect and record contour and 
profile data for surfaces to be examined without the need for human 
involvement in close proximity to such surfaces and without the need for 
expensive disassembly of obstructing structural elements. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a test assembly which is relatively 
inexpensive and which permits examination of surfaces located in remote or 
obstructed areas or in hostile environments to obtain contour and profile 
data and to record such data. The assembly includes a frame for mounting 
the assembly on a portion of the surface to be examined, or on a nearby 
support structure, a probe arm movably mounted on the frame by means of a 
slide block to permit scanning of the surface to be examined, a recording 
device connected to the probe arm though the slide block such that surface 
contour data detected by the probe arm is transmitted to the recording 
device, and a recording medium upon which the recording device makes a 
record of the surface contour data detected by the probe arm. The probe 
arm is actually one of a series of arms of different sizes and 
configurations which can be used alternatively depending upon the location 
and contour of the surface to be examined. In addition, the slide block 
provides vertical and horizontal movement of the probe arm and recording 
device and may include extension blocks to permit further adjustment and 
location of the probe arm relative to be surface to be examined. 
It will be seen that the object of providing a test assembly which is 
inexpensive, simple to operate, and which permits detection and recording 
of surface contour data from a remote location without the need for 
proximate human involvement when the surface is located in a remote, 
obstructed, inaccessible or hostile location is achieved. 
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent 
upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the 
preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the attached 
drawings. 
While the present invention is described in conjunction with a preferred 
embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to be limited to 
that embodiment only, but rather to cover all alternatives, modifications 
and equivalents as may reasonably be included within the scope of this 
invention as described in the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION 
Referring now to the drawings, a surface examination assembly is shown 
generally at 40. A portion of a ship's hull 41 includes a surface 42 to be 
examined. Surface 42 includes, inter alia, a tapered portion 50 and a weld 
joint 43. In contact with surface 42 is a probe arm 13 which is designed 
to scan surface 42 in order to detect the contour or profile of surface 
42. Scanning surface 42 provides data from which it can be determined 
whether the contour of surface of 42 meets design specifications as well 
as to detect deterioration or degradation of the surface or structure 
under the surface, for example pitting of the surface of weld joint 43 or 
bulging of the surface 42. Access to the surface 42 is obstructed by an 
additional portion of the ships structure 44 except for a narrow opening 
45. Previously, examination of surface 42 in such circumstances would 
require disassembly and removal of structural member 44 to permit direct 
access to surface 42 so that a device such as a hand-held linoleum gauge 
can be used to determine contour and profile data for surface 42. 
Employing assembly 40 permits examination of surface 42 from a remote 
location without the necessity of human intervention in close proximity to 
surface 42. 
Probe arm 13 is made of thin gauge steel and is one of a set or series of 
probe arms of differing sizes and configurations. The appropriate size and 
configuration of probe arm 13 is selected based on the location and access 
to the portion of surface 42 to be examined as well as the contour of 
surface 42. Determining this location and degree of access can be done by 
an alignment or sensing arm used in place of arm 13 to sense surface 
portion 42. Having selected the appropriate size probe arm, the probe arm 
13 is attached to a scribe arm 14 through block extensions 21 and 27 which 
are employed to permit adjustment of the location of probe arm 13 relative 
to the rest of assembly 40 and surface 42. Probe arm 13 is retained 
through lock plate 28 by means of screw 3a and wing nut 7a. If necessary 
an additional screw 12 can be employed for additional rigidity. It will be 
understood that block extensions 21 and 27 are selected from a series of 
such extensions of varying size to adjust the location of scribe arm 14 to 
a desired position. 
Scribe arm 14 has mounted at one end thereof, a writing instrument 46 which 
is attached to arm 14 by means of a holder 15, compression spring 16, 
bushing 17, and compression ring nut 18. Holder 15 is cylindrical with an 
internal diameter sized to accept a writing instrument and an external 
diameter sized to be received within spring 16 and bushing 17. A tapered 
end of holder 15 fits within an opening in the end of arm 14 and is 
retained therein by ring nut 18. 
The other end of scribe arm 14 is slidably mounted within a vertical slot 
47 in slide block 9 and is retained therein by a retainer cover plate 22 
held by screws 5a. Slide block 9 includes a horizontal slot 48 on the 
opposite side of block 9 from vertical slot 47 for slidably mounting block 
9 on a track in the form of a slide bar 1. Block 9 is retained on slide 
bar 1 by cover plate 10 secured by screws 5b. Slide bar 1 includes at each 
of its ends a travel limit stop discs 6a which are retained by screws 23 
and 23a, respectively. Slide block 9 is mounted on slide bar 1 to permit 
horizontal sliding movement in response to movement of arm 13. 
Scribe arm 14 moves vertically within slot 47 of block 9 in response to 
movement of arm 13 and is tension controlled by means of coil spring 20 
which has one end attached to the upper end of scribe arm 14 by means of 
screw 19 and has its other end attached to cover plate 22 at screw 49. 
Coil spring 20 thus operates to maintain pressure on scribe arm 14 and arm 
13 to insure good contact between arm 13 and surface 42. Movement of slide 
block 9 along slide bar 1 causes arm 13 to scan surface 42 to examine its 
contour or profile. 
A pair of block clamps 2 and 2a have upper U shaped slots 56, 57 and lower 
U shaped slots 54, 55 arranged transversely to each other. An image 
receiving board is mounted through brackets 4a and 4b and screws 5 and 5b 
on blocks 2 and 2a respectively. Each block 2 and 2a is secured to slide 
bar 1 which is seated in upper slots 56 and 57 and secured by screw and 
wing nut fasteners 3c and 7c. As shown in FIG. 1, the lower slots 54 and 
55 engage a portion of the ship hull structures 60 and 61 and are secured 
by screw and wing nut arrangement 3 and 7. 
An alternate mounting arrangement is shown in FIG. 2 in which blocks 2 and 
2a are mounted on offset bar 30 by screw and wing nut fasteners 3 and 7 
and offset bar 30 is in turn mounted on structure 60 and 61 by block 
clamps 29 and 29a which are similar to block clamps 2 and 2a. 
Board 8 is employed as a mounting for an image receiving and recording 
chart 76 with which writing device 46 is in contact in order to receive 
and record contour and profile data relating to surface 42. Board 8 
includes slots 71 and multiple mounting holes 70 located on a common line 
and arranged to permit adjustable mounting of the board 8 on brackets 4a 
and 4b. Thus the board 8 can be adjusted to a desired position to receive 
data from writing device 46. 
It can be seen that in operation, movement of arm 13 relative to surface 42 
is transmitted through slide block 9 to scribe arm 14 thru writing device 
46 where it is transmitted to and recorded on chart 76. In this manner a 
surface 42 which is to be examined can be scanned by a probe arm 13 from a 
location remote from surface 42. Contour and profile data relating to the 
surface 42 including indications of degradation of weld surface 43 or 
deviations from design specifications can be detected and transmitted 
through scribe arm 14 and writing device 46 to be recorded on chart 76. 
Adjustment of and location of arm 13 relative to surface 42 and opening 45 
can be achieved by selecting the appropriate size and configuration of arm 
13 and extension 21. Further adjustment can be made by adjusting the 
location of board 8 through slots 71 and mounting hole 70. Finally 
orientation of the assembly 40 relative to surface 42 can be achieved 
through the alternate mounting arrangement of FIG. 2 in which bar 30 and 
blocks 29 and 29a are employed to mount the device.