Flexible tube cleaning lance positioner frame apparatus

Abstract

A frame apparatus for holding a flexible lance positioning drive device adjacent to and spaced from a heat exchanger tube sheet includes an upper guide rail carrying a movable carriage supporting a drive positioner rail having a drive support carriage and an air motor drive assembly fastened to each of the carriages, each air motor drive assembly comprising an air motor having a shaft driving a spur gear through a worm gear reducer, wherein the spur gear is carried within a spur gear housing fastened to the worm gear reducer, and the air motor assembly is fastened to the carriage via the spur gear housing. The spur gear housing is selectively rotatable on the carriage between a locked position with the spur gear engaging the rail to which the carriage is mounted and an unlocked position with the spur gear disengaged with the rail to which the carriage is mounted.

1 .- 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A frame apparatus for fixing a position of a flexible lance drive device relative to a heat exchanger tube sheet, the frame apparatus comprising:
 a rail;   a carriage movably mounted to the rail;   a motor assembly fastened to the carriage, wherein the motor assembly includes a motor connected to a shaft driving a spur gear that can be locked into a first position that is engaged with the rail and a second position that is disengaged from the rail; and   a position sensor configured to sense movement of the carriage on the rail.   
     
     
         19 . The frame apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the spur gear rotates on a spur gear shaft,   the carriage includes a roller assembly configured to engage the rail, and   the position sensor senses movement of at least one of the shaft of the air motor, the spur gear shaft, or the roller assembly.   
     
     
         20 . The frame apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the position sensor is a rotational position sensor. 
     
     
         21 . The frame apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the rotational position sensor includes a multipole magnetic ring mounted on a step shaft rotated by the motor. 
     
     
         22 . The frame apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the rotational position sensor is configured to sense movement of the shaft of the air motor, and   the rotational position sensor is supported in a sensor housing between the motor and a worm gear reducer.   
     
     
         23 . The frame apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the rotational position sensor further includes a Hall Effect detector fastened to the sensor housing. 
     
     
         24 . The frame apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the rotational position sensor further includes a connector that transmits signals to a processor for calculating a position of the flexible lance drive device relative to the heat exchanger tube sheet. 
     
     
         25 . The frame apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a spur gear housing, wherein:   the spur gear is housed within the spur gear housing, and   the spur gear housing is selectively rotatable on the carriage between the first position and the second position.   
     
     
         26 . The frame apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the rail is a guide rail, and the carriage is a positioner support rail carriage movably mounted to the guide rail. 
     
     
         27 . The frame apparatus of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 a positioner support rail coupled to the guide rail; and   a flexible lance drive support carriage movably mounted to the positioner support rail, wherein:
 the flexible lance drive support carriage includes a second motor assembly fastened to the flexible lance drive support carriage, 
 the second motor assembly includes a second motor connected to a second shaft driving a second spur gear that can be locked into a first position that is engaged with the positioner support rail and a second position that is disengaged from the positioner support rail. 
   
     
     
         28 . A carriage mountable to a rail of an apparatus for fixing a position of a flexible lance drive device relative to a heat exchanger tube sheet, the carriage comprising:
 a base plate;   a spur gear movably attached to the base plate, wherein the spur gear can be locked into a first position that is engaged with the rail and a second position that is disengaged from the rail;   a motor assembly mounted to the base plate, wherein the motor assembly includes a motor connected to a shaft driving the spur gear; and   a position sensor configured to sense movement of the carriage on the rail.   
     
     
         29 . The carriage of  claim 28 , wherein:
 the spur gear rotates on a spur gear shaft,   the carriage includes a roller assembly configured to engage the rail, and   the position sensor senses movement of at least one of the shaft of the air motor, the spur gear shaft, or the roller assembly.   
     
     
         30 . The carriage of  claim 29 , wherein the position sensor is a rotational position sensor. 
     
     
         31 . The carriage of  claim 30 , wherein the rotational position sensor includes a multipole magnetic ring mounted on a step shaft rotated by the motor. 
     
     
         32 . The carriage of  claim 31 , wherein:
 the rotational position sensor is configured to sense movement of the shaft of the air motor, and   the rotational position sensor is supported in a sensor housing between the motor and a worm gear reducer.   
     
     
         33 . The carriage of  claim 32 , wherein the rotational position sensor further includes a Hall Effect detector fastened to the sensor housing. 
     
     
         34 . The carriage of  claim 31 , wherein the rotational position sensor further includes a connector that transmits signals to a processor for calculating a position of the flexible lance drive device relative to the heat exchanger tube sheet. 
     
     
         35 . The carriage of  claim 29 , wherein the roller assembly includes at least two guide rollers configured to engage opposite sides of the rail. 
     
     
         36 . The carriage of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 a spur gear housing, wherein:
 the spur gear is housed within the spur gear housing, and 
 the spur gear housing is selectively rotatable relative to the base plate between the first position and the second position.