Patent ID: 7319738

Claim:
A mobile radiographic inspection device for collecting imaging information from piping systems, comprising: a radiation source for illuminating a piping system with radiation; a radiation detector for detecting radiation transmitted through said piping system; a positioning system for positioning said source and detector relative to said piping system, the positioning system comprising: a mobile carriage vehicle having an articulating boom configured for adjusting extension, lift, inclination, and pitch of a distal end of the boom; a rotating pivot mount pivotally coupled to the distal end of said boom; a platform operatively coupled to said pivot mount, said platform comprising a sliding rail disposed along a length of said platform; and at least one mounting fixture rotatably mounted to said sliding rail for rotatably mounting said source and detector relative to said piping system wherein the at least one mounting fixture is mounted to the sliding rail so that the radiation source and radiation detector move linearly along the sliding rail and linearly along a longitudinal axis of the piping system to be inspected; wherein said positioning system is configured to control the pitch, roll, and rotation of said source and detector in a coordinated manner relative to said piping system when said source is illuminating said piping system with radiation, wherein said device does not require a secondary support structure to prevent undesired movement of said device, and wherein said positioning system moves along a multiplicity of linear, orthogonal, and/or curvilinear surfaces of said piping system when said source is illuminating said piping system with radiation.