US 7,578,164 B2
Method and apparatus for inspecting turbine nozzle segments
Graham David Sherlock, Greenville, S.C. (US); Paul Lawrence Kalmar, Zirconia, N.C. (US); and Benjamin Erick Baker, Pelzer, S.C. (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, N.Y. (US)
Filed on Sep. 22, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/232,625.
Prior Publication US 2007/0231124 A1, Oct. 04, 2007
Int. Cl. G01B 3/30 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 73—1.79  [73/865.8; 33/549; 415/118] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tool for inspecting a turbine nozzle segment, the turbine nozzle segment comprising an outer wall having an axial length extending between an outer forward face and an outer aft face, and an opposing inner wall having an axial length extending between an inner forward face and an inner aft face, a leading edge defined between the outer forward face and the inner forward face and a trailing edge defined between the outer aft face and the inner aft face, the tool comprising:
a base having an outer rail corresponding to an outer surface of the outer wall, the outer rail concentric with an axis of a turbine engine shaft, and an inner rail parallel with an inner surface of the inner wall;
a first pedestal connected to the base and including an outer stand and a cooperating inner stand, each of the outer stand and the inner stand including at least one plate, wherein a first side edge of the turbine nozzle segment is positioned with respect to each of the outer stand and the inner stand; and
a second pedestal connected to the base and including an outer stand and a cooperating inner stand, each of the outer stand and the inner stand including at least one plate, wherein an opposing second side edge of the turbine nozzle segment is positioned with respect to each of the outer stand and the inner stand, the outer wall is positioned between the outer stand of the first pedestal and the outer stand of the second pedestal and the inner wall is positioned between the inner stand of the first pedestal and the inner stand of the second pedestal.