Lock and pin combination for cold working cracks
A lock and pin for the structural and fluid tight repair of cracks not amenable to high temperature repairs or synthetic material patches. Fluid tight pins and locks seal the crack while one or more locks prevent the crack from growing. These repairs need to endure the remaining life cycle of the machinery part while withstanding all the strain, pressure, heat and expansion and contraction of the part before the crack(s) were formed. Often these cracks evolved due to engineering design flaws that will require even greater strength from these areas than when new.
1. A method for repairing a crack in material, the steps including:
drilling and tapping a plurality of bores along the crack, inserting a plurality of stitching pins in the bores in overlying relationship, providing a recess transverse to the crack, and forcing a slightly smaller lock than the recess into the recess.
2. The method of claim 1 including forming the stitching pins and complemental bores with radiused thread portions for fluid tightness.