Patent Number: 061378534
Section: claims

1. An inspection apparatus comprising: a stationary frame having a cutaway section and a centerline axis;  a rotating frame having a cutaway section and rotatably mounted on said stationary frame, said rotating frame being rotatable about said centerline axis and comprising first and second linear rails arranged parallel to said centerline axis;  carriage means which are translatable along said first and second linear rails, respectively;  means for translating said carriage means along said first and second linear rails, respectively; and  ultrasonic transducer means mounted on said carriage means,  wherein said cutaway sections are aligned when said rotating frame is located in a predetermined angular position relative to said stationary frame.  a stationary frame having a centerline axis;  a rotating frame rotatably mounted on said stationary frame, said rotating frame being rotatable about said centerline axis;  carriage means translatably mounted on said rotating frame;  first pivotable means pivotably mounted on said carriage means, said first pivotable means being freely pivotable about a first pivot axis which lies in a generally radial direction;  second pivotable means pivotably mounted on said first pivotable means, said second pivotable means being freely pivotable about a second pivot axis which lies perpendicular to said first pivot axis; and  first ultrasonic transducer means coupled to said second pivotable means,  whereby said first ultrasonic transducer means are freely pivotable about said first and second pivot axes. 2. The inspection apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said rotating frame is rotatably mounted on said stationary frame via a plurality of rollers. 3. The inspection apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a section of a toothed ring gear which is securely mounted on said rotating frame, and first and second drive gears which are rotatably mounted on said stationary frame, each of said first and second drive gears having teeth which engage said toothed ring gear section when said cutaway sections are aligned, said rotating frame being rotatable 360.degree. around said centerline axis, the axes of rotation of said first and second drive gears being angularly spaced such that at least one of said first and second drive gears is in engagement with said toothed ring gear section at all times. 4. The inspection apparatus as defined in claim 3, further comprising an angular motion motor, an angular motion drive pulley coupled to said angular motion motor, first and second driven pulleys coupled to said first and second drive gears respectively, and first and second belts for coupling said first and second driven pulleys to said angular motion drive pulley, wherein said angular motion motor and said angular motion drive pulley are mounted on said stationary frame. 5. The inspection apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said carriage means comprise first and second linear carriages which are translatable along said first and second linear rails respectively. 6. The inspection apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising first hinge means coupled to said carriage means and having a first hinge axis which lies in a generally radial direction, said ultrasonic transducer means being freely pivotable about said first hinge axis. 7. The inspection apparatus as defined in claim 6, further comprising second hinge means having a second hinge axis which is perpendicular to said first hinge axis and to said centerline axis, and contour follower means coupled to said second hinge means, said contour follower means being freely pivotable about said second hinge axis and said second hinge axis being freely pivotable about said first hinge axis. 8. The inspection apparatus as defined in claim 7, further comprising third hinge means having a third hinge axis which is parallel to said second hinge axis, said third hinge means being pivotable about said second hinge axis and said ultrasonic transducer means being pivotable about said third hinge axis. 9. An inspection apparatus comprising: 10. The inspection apparatus as defined in claim 9, further comprising third pivotable means pivotably mounted on said second pivotable means, said third pivotable means being pivotable about a third pivot axis parallel to said second pivot axis, wherein said first ultrasonic transducer means are mounted on said third pivotable means and are pivotable about said third pivot axis. 11. The inspection apparatus as defined in claim 9, further comprising contour follower means pivotably mounted on said second pivotable means, said contour follower means being freely pivotable about said first and second pivot axes. 12. The inspection apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said contour follower means comprise a U-shaped frame pivotably mounted on said second pivotable means, and first and second rolling means rotatably mounted on said U-shaped frame. 13. The inspection apparatus as defined in claim 10, further comprising second ultrasonic transducer means mounted on said first pivotable means, whereby said second ultrasonic transducer means are pivotable about said first pivot axis but not said second pivot axis. 14. The inspection apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said rotating frame comprises first and second linear slide rails, and said carriage means comprise first and second linear slide carriages which are slidable along said first and second linear slide rails respectively. 15. The inspection apparatus as defined in claim 10, further comprising first drive means for rotating said rotating frame relative to said stationary frame, and second drive means for translating said carriage means relative to said rotating frame.