Richard S Chennell

6874365, Apr 5, 2005

Feb 8, 2002

09/683743

Kevin Paul Deveney - West Newbury MA, US
William Evan McCormack - West Chester OH, US
Richard Scott Chennell - Liberty Township OH, US

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G01N029/20

73600, 73599, 73602, 73646

A method of ultrasound inspection is provided. The method includes providing a composite first part, introducing ultrasound to the part, receiving reflections of the ultrasound introduced in the first part, and predicting a residual strength of the first part using an amplitude of the received reflections.

6484583, Nov 26, 2002

Sep 26, 2000

09/670190

Richard Scott Chennell - Liberty Township OH
Jon Russel Dierdorf - Okeana OH

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G01N 924

73623, 73660, 73666

A hollow composite structure is inspected using an ultrasonic inspection apparatus including a yoke having a base, a first arm extending from the base, and a second arm extending from the base parallel to the first arm. A first ultrasonic transducer is affixed to the first arm, and a second ultrasonic transducer is affixed by a spring mount to the second arm in facing relation to the first ultrasonic transducer. A retractor is affixed to the spring mount to permit the second ultrasonic transducer to be retracted away from the first ultrasonic transducer against a spring bias. The ultrasonic inspection apparatus is positioned by placing one of the arms adjacent to the interior surface, one of the arms adjacent to the exterior surface, and the base extending through the access opening. The retractor is operated to retract the second ultrasonic transducer so that the two ultrasonic transducers may be moved laterally across the interior surface and the exterior surface, and released so that the two ultrasonic transducers are in a facing relation to each other with the piece of composite material captured therebetween. The ultrasonic transducers are operated to achieve through-transmission testing of the wall of the hollow structure.