Patents Represented by Attorney Shelley J. Stafford
  • Patent number: 5497707
    Abstract: A robotic vehicle (10) for travel through an enclosed or partially enclosed conduit or pipe including vertical and/or horizontal conduit or pipe. The robotic vehicle (10) comprises forward and rear housings (32 and 12) each provided with a surface engaging mechanism for selectively engaging the walls of the conduit through which the vehicle is travelling, whereby the housings (32 and 12) are selectively held in a stationary position within the conduit. The vehicle (10) also includes at least three selectively extendable members (46), each of which defines a cavity (56) therein. The forward end portion (50) of each extendable member (46) is secured to the forward housing (32) and the rear end portion (48) of each housing is secured to the rear housing (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: W. Donald Box