Multi-Spindle Rotopeening Apparatus

Author:  Bevilacqua et al.
Source:  US Patent 4,616,498
Doc ID:  1985096
Year of Publication:  1985
Abstract:  
A rotopeening apparatus comprising a plurality of peening spindles, a rotary and orbital drive assembly coupled to the spindles, and an oscillatory drive means for reciprocating the spindles within the interior of an array of tubes is disclosed herein. Each peening spindle includes a rotatable mandrel connected to at least one peening flapper, as well as means for orbiting the mandrel peening flapper around the longitudinal axis of the tube. The rotary and orbital drive assembly includes an orbital driveshaft and a rotary driveshaft which are concentrically disposed with respect to one another and are detachably connectable to the rotatable and orbital mandrel of the peening spindle. Finally, the oscillatory drive assembly includes a frame having a translatable saddle plate for carrying and moving the rotary and orbital drive assembly within the frame, and four threaded rods, the saddle plate translates and reciprocates the peening spindle detachablyin "riding nut" fashion. The apparatus is particularly useful in simultaneously rotopeening a plurality of heat exchange tubes mounted within the tubesheet of a nuclear steam generator.