Patent ID: 8333116

Claim:
An inspection vehicle structured to inspect a turbine disk while said turbine disk is in situ, said inspection vehicle comprising: a body structured to support a plurality of components; a magnetic coupling assembly coupled to said body and structured to movably couple said body to said turbine disk; a drive assembly structured to move said body over said turbine disk; an inspection assembly structured to inspect said turbine disk said drive assembly includes a plurality of wheel assemblies, a plurality of wheel motor assemblies, and a plurality of turning assemblies; each said wheel assembly rotatably coupled to said body and having a housing, a wheel and a gear assembly; each turning assembly structured to rotate a wheel assembly housing relative to said body; each said gear assembly structured to rotate the associated wheel; each said wheel motor assembly includes an output shaft; each said wheel assembly gear assembly having a drive gear and a wheel gear; each said gear assembly wheel gear coupled to an associated wheel whereby said wheel rotates with said gear assembly wheel gear; each said gear assembly wheel gear operatively engaged to said gear assembly drive gear; each said gear assembly drive gear is fixed to one said wheel motor output shaft; whereby each wheel acts as a drive wheel; said body having a leading edge and a trailing edge; said plurality of wheel assemblies includes four wheel assemblies, two wheel assemblies being disposed near said leading edge and two wheel assemblies disposed near said trailing edge; each wheel assembly housing being generally cylindrical and having an outer gear structure, wherein when said body is coupled to said turbine disk, each said wheel assembly housing axis extending generally perpendicularly to the surface of said turbine disk; said plurality of turning assemblies includes two turning assemblies; each turning assembly includes a turning motor having an output shaft, a worm gear, and a central gear; one said central gear rotatably coupled to said body and disposed between, and in operational engagement with, said outer gear structure on both said leading edge wheel assemblies; the other said central gear rotatably coupled to said body and disposed between, and in operational engagement with, said outer gear structure on both said trailing edge wheel assemblies; and whereby said leading edge wheel assemblies turn in conjunction with each other and said trailing edge wheel assemblies turn in conjunction with each other.