APPARATUS FOR MOVING IN TUBES AND SOIL Russian patent published in 1999 - IPC

FIELD: transporting means moving in tubes for performing different manufacturing processes. SUBSTANCE: apparatus with cone nose portion includes expandable-compressible piezoelectric members with current conductive plates connected with alternating current source and jamming members in the form of torsion rings arranged between spherical piezoelectric members. Nose cone portion may be joined with tie rods for controlling motion in tubes. In second variant apparatus includes expandable-compressible member with cone nose portion in which jamming members are arranged and bellows joined with pressure source. Expandable-compressible member is in the form of corrugated rubber tube. Jamming members in the form of torsion rings are placed between corrugations of said tube. EFFECT: possibility of making apparatus for moving in straight and curvilinear tubes, for example in blood vessels and in soil according to earthworm motion. 3 cl, 2 dwg