Fluid jet cutting system

Abstract

A method and apparatus for preventing water from entering the abrasive port of an entrained high pressure fluid jet nozzle and a method and apparatus for attaching the high pressure fluid jet nozzle to a hazardous duty robot. The invention includes the application of a positive air pressure to an abrasive line preferably during those times when there is insufficient vacuum generate by high pressure fluid being sent through the restricted orifice in the high pressure nozzle. The invention prevents clogging of a fluid jet cutting system during operation. The invention includes mounting a nozzle and/or visualization system to an expandable and contactable component such as a grasping device that allows for continued use of the expandable and contractible grasping unit. This includes, for example, a grasping device that is provided out the end of a movable robot arm and that allows for rotation of the grasping device.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A fluid jet cutting system, comprising: 
 a nozzle;    a fluid communication line in fluid communication with said nozzle;    an abrasive feed line in communication with said nozzle; and    an abrasive purge gas line which is arranged so as to avoid fluid entry into the abrasive line.    
     
     
         2 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a hazardous duty robot and with a nozzle mount on which said nozzle is supported.  
     
     
         3 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 2  further comprising an abrasive hopper mount assembly comprising an abrasive supply container and an abrasive supply container robot mount.  
     
     
         4 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 3  further comprising a pressurizable enclosure which is positioned for providing pressurized purge gas to the abrasive feed line and is supported on said robot.  
     
     
         5 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 4  further comprising a pressurized gas source in communication with said pressurizable enclosure to pressurize said container when operating.  
     
     
         6 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 1  further comprising an abrasive hopper and an adjustable stop which is positioned between an output location of said hopper and an abrasive in feed location for said abrasive feed line feeding into said nozzle.  
     
     
         7 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 4  wherein said pressurizable enclosure includes a vacuum sensor.  
     
     
         8 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 7  wherein said vacuum sensor includes a seal member which moves into a first position which unseals said enclosure upon a predetermined vacuum level being present and moves into a seal enclosure position when there is present a more pressurized state than said vacuum level.  
     
     
         9 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 8  wherein said seal is a flap seal positioned relative to said enclosure so as to flap open upon said predetermined vacuum level being present in the enclosure and flap shut when a higher pressure environment level is reached in the enclosure.  
     
     
         10 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 1  further comprising purge gas line access means that is positioned in said abrasive line.  
     
     
         11 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 10  wherein said purge gas line access means is a fitting that has a gas reception component and abrasive flow component with the abrasive flow component provided in-line with said abrasive line and said branch component being in communication with a purge gas source.  
     
     
         12 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 1  further comprising an abrasive hopper and a manifold with said abrasive hopper supported on said manifold and said abrasive hopper feeding through said manifold and into said abrasive feed line, and said manifold supporting a pressurizable enclosure which is in communication with said abrasive feed line.  
     
     
         13 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 11  wherein said fitting is positioned closer to an inlet location for abrasive in said abrasive line than to an outlet opening into said nozzle.  
     
     
         14 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 1  further comprising an abrasive hopper and an adjustable stop which is positioned between an output location of said hopper and an in feed location for said abrasive feed line feeding into said nozzle and an air driven driver for adjusting said stop to different flow through settings.  
     
     
         15 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a hazardous duty robot with a nozzle mount on which said nozzle is supported, and said nozzle mount including a grasping member and a mounting assembly which is secured to an exterior section of said grasping member.  
     
     
         16 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 15  wherein said grasping member includes a multi-prong assembly with said prongs being supported in a fashion providing for expansion and contraction and said nozzle being mounted on one of said prongs.  
     
     
         17 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 16  further comprising control means for adjusting said prongs to different radial locations and initiating and discontinuing fluid jet cutting flow at different radial locations of said nozzle.  
     
     
         18 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 16  comprising rotating said grasping arm for greater than 360 degrees to repeat a cut over of a portion of a previously impacted cut path.  
     
     
         19 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a nozzle mount which orientates, during operation of said fluid jet cutting system, said nozzle at other than a vertical orientation.  
     
     
         20 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 19  wherein other than a vertical orientation includes an orientation more horizontal than vertical.  
     
     
         21 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 1  wherein said purge line has a pressure level of 10 to 20 psi.  
     
     
         22 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 1  wherein said nozzle is supported on a movable support.  
     
     
         23 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 22  wherein said movable support includes an autonomous or remotely operated hazardous duty robot with a manipulation arm on which said nozzle is supported.  
     
     
         24 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 23  further comprising a grasping device supported by said arm and attached to an outer portion of said grasping device so as to enable continued use of said grasping device for grasping functions.  
     
     
         25 . A fluid jet cutting system, comprising: 
 a nozzle;    a fluid communication line in fluid communication with said nozzle;    an abrasive feed line in communication with said nozzle; and    means for preventing fluid entry into the abrasive communication line at times when a sufficient vacuum level has not been generated by fluid flow exiting said nozzle.    
     
     
         26 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 25  further comprising a nozzle mount which orientates, during operation of said fluid jet cutting system, said nozzle at other than a vertical orientation.  
     
     
         27 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 26  wherein other than a vertical orientation includes an orientation more horizontal than vertical.  
     
     
         28 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 25  wherein said nozzle is supported on a movable support.  
     
     
         29 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 28  wherein said movable support includes an autonomous or remotely operated hazardous duty robot with a manipulation arm on which said nozzle is supported.  
     
     
         30 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 29  further comprising a grasping unit supported by said arm and said nozzle being attached to an outer portion of said grasping unit so as to enable continued use of said grasping unit for grasping functions.  
     
     
         31 . A fluid jet cutting system, comprising: 
 a nozzle;    a fluid communication line in fluid communication with said nozzle;    an abrasive feed line in communication with said nozzle; and    a movable support supporting said nozzle, said movable support including a grasping device and said grasping device supporting said nozzle at a location which provides for continued use of said grasper.    
     
     
         32 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 31  wherein said grasping device includes expandable and collapsible prongs and said nozzle is supported on an outer portion of one of said prongs.  
     
     
         33 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 32  wherein said movable support further comprises an autonomous or remote hazardous duty robot which supports said grasping device.  
     
     
         34 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 33  wherein said robot includes an adjustable arm on which is mounted said grasping device.  
     
     
         35 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 31  wherein said grasping device is rotatable around a pivot axis of said grasping device, and said nozzle has an outlet axis that rotates about said pivot axis at a distance defined by a spacing of said nozzle outward of said pivot axis.  
     
     
         36 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 35  further comprising control means for adjusting said prongs to different radial locations and initiating and discontinuing fluid jet cutting flow at different settings of said different radial locations.  
     
     
         37 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 36  wherein said prong adjustment and cutting fluid activation and deactivation is preprogrammed into said control means.  
     
     
         38 . A fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 1  including means for timing on/off states of fluid supply in said fluid communication line, abrasive flow in said abrasive feed line, and gas supply in said purge line which includes a delay in supply of abrasive until sufficient time has passed for vacuum generation by said fluid flow in said nozzle.  
     
     
         39 . A fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 1  including means for timing on/off states of fluid supply in said fluid communication line, abrasive flow in said abrasive feed line, and gas supply in said purge line which includes a shut down sequence of shutting off abrasive flow, subsequently shutting off purge air flow and then subsequently shutting off fluid flow to said nozzle.  
     
     
         40 . A method of preventing a wetting of abrasive in an abrasive feed line leading to and opening into a nozzle in a fluid jet cutting system, comprising providing a pressurized gas state in said abrasive feed line which precludes liquid in-flow into said abrasive feed line.  
     
     
         41 . A method of manipulating a nozzle in a fluid jet cutting system, comprising providing a nozzle on a grasping unit with expandable and retractable components which nozzle is positioned on an outer portion of said expandable and retractable components, and adjusting said components to achieve different radial locations in said nozzle and initiating and discontinuing fluid jet cutting flow at different radial locations.  
     
     
         42 . A fluid jet cutting system comprising: 
 a fluid jet nozzle which includes an inlet for fluid and an inlet for abrasive;    a visualization system;    a multi-prong grasping assembly having a first and a second prong and means for adjusting the relative position of said prongs, and said visualization system supported on a first of said prongs and said nozzle on a second of said prongs.    
     
     
         43 . The fluid jet cutting system as recited in  claim 41  wherein said visualization system is supported on an external side of said first prong and said nozzle on an external side of said second prong such that said prongs are placeable in a grasping state relative to an object positioned between said objects.