초록 ▼

A method and apparatus that allows the removal of solid material from a workpiece utilizes a high velocity stream of ice which is caused to impinge on the workpiece. A working liquid, such as water, is supplied at high pressure to a discharge nozzle with an orifice for forming the needle-like stream

A method and apparatus that allows the removal of solid material from a workpiece utilizes a high velocity stream of ice which is caused to impinge on the workpiece. A working liquid, such as water, is supplied at high pressure to a discharge nozzle with an orifice for forming the needle-like stream. The water is cooled before it reaches the nozzle to a temperature below its freezing point so that at least some of the stream is transformed to ice. Optionally, the stream is cooled after it is emitted from the orifice by flowing an envelope of cryogenic gas around the emitted stream. The apparatus includes an inner conduit that carries the working liquid through a cutting tool where the liquid is at least partially solidified by an evaporator that utilizes a cryogenic fluid to cool the working liquid. In a second embodiment, the inner conduit can be moved longitudinally through the cutting tool from a position in which the orifice is proximate the cutting tool to a position in which the orifice is located remotely of the cutting tool. This allows the inner conduit to be indexed into the workpiece to make deep cuts without having to make a wide cut to accept the cutting tool.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of cutting a solid workpiece, comprising the steps of: (a) forcing a stream of liquid working material through a conduit having an orifice for emitting the working material, (b) cooling a section of said conduit that extends through a heat exchanger having a cryogenic fluid in heat exchange

A method of cutting a solid workpiece, comprising the steps of: (a) forcing a stream of liquid working material through a conduit having an orifice for emitting the working material, (b) cooling a section of said conduit that extends through a heat exchanger having a cryogenic fluid in heat exchange relationship with said working material to thereby cause solidification of at least some of the working material emitted through said orifice, (c) impinging said working material on the workpiece to bore a hole that is dimensioned so as to accept said conduit therein, and (d) extending said conduit out of said heat exchanger and into the hole while maintaining said heat exchange relationship between said cryogenic fluid and said working material, and impinging said working material on the workpiece within the hole.