Method and nozzle assembly for fluid jet penetration of a work material

Claim 1

A method of penetrating a work material with a high energy fluid jet ejected from a nozzle element comprising the steps of: (a) addressing the nozzle element to the work material through a chamber interpositioned between a fluid ejection point of the nozzle element and a surface of the work material; (b) forcing the chamber into a compressed engagement with said work material surface, to cause said chamber to be compressively and substantially sealed against said surface; and (c) ejecting a high energy fluid jet through the nozzle element, and in throughgoing traverse of said chamber, at a fluid pressure upstream of the nozzle element which develops to at least about 700 kilograms per square centimeter until the work surface is penetrated to the desired extent; wherein said through-chamber addressing step comprises disposing a deformable element having a tubular opening formed therein between the nozzle element and the surface of the work material.

Claim 2

A method of penetrating a work material with a high energy fluid jet ejected from a nozzle element comprising the steps of: (a) addressing the nozzle element to the work material through a chamber interpositioned between a fluid ejection point of the nozzle element and a surface of the work material; (b) forcing the chamber into a compressed engagement with said work material surface, to cause said chamber to be compressively and substantially sealed against said surface; and (c) ejecting a high energy fluid jet through the nozzle element, and in throughgoing traverse of said chamber, at a fluid pressure upstream of the nozzle element which develops to at least about 700 kilograms per square centimeter until the work surface is penetrated to the desired extent; wherein said through-chamber addressing step comprises disposing a deformable element having a tubular opening formed therein between the nozzle element and the surface of the work material.

Claim 7

A method of penetrating a work material with a high energy fluid jet ejected from a nozzle element comprising the steps of: (a) addressing the nozzle element to the work material through a chamber interpositioned between a fluid ejection point of the nozzle element and a surface of the work material; (b) forcing the chamber into a compressed engagement with said work material surface, to cause said chamber to be compressively and substantially sealed against said surface; and (c) ejecting a high energy fluid jet through the nozzle element, and in throughgoing traverse of said chamber, at a fluid pressure upstream of the nozzle element which develops to at least about 700 kilograms per square centimeter until the work surface is penetrated to the desired extent; wherein said through-chamber addressing step comprises providing a holder, having a tubular opening, for holding the nozzle element, and providing a deformable element also having a tubular opening formed therein; and interposing said deformable element between the work material and the holder, with the tubular opening in the deformable element aligned with the tubular opening in the holder so that both said tubular openings together define said chamber.

Claim 8

A method of penetrating a work material with a high energy fluid jet ejected from a nozzle element comprising the steps of: (a) addressing the nozzle element to the work material through a chamber interpositioned between a fluid ejection point of the nozzle element and a surface of the work material; (b) forcing the chamber into a compressed engagement with said work material surface, to cause said chamber to be compressively and substantially sealed against said surface; and (c) ejecting a high energy fluid jet through the nozzle element, and in throughgoing traverse of said chamber, at a fluid pressure upstream of the nozzle element which develops to at least about 700 kilograms per square centimeter until the work surface is penetrated to the desired extent; wherein said through-chamber addressing step comprises providing a holder, having a tubular opening, for holding the nozzle element, and providing a deformable element also having a tubular opening formed therein; and interposing said deformable element between the work material and the holder, with the tubular opening in the deformable element aligned with the tubular opening in the holder so that both said tubular openings together define said chamber.

Claim 9

A method of penetrating a work material with a high energy fluid jet ejected from a nozzle element comprising the steps of: (a) addressing the nozzle element to the work material through a chamber interpositioned between a fluid ejection point of the nozzle element and a surface of the work material; (b) forcing the chamber into a compressed engagement with said work material surface, to cause said chamber to be compressively and substantially sealed against said surface; and (c) ejecting a high energy fluid jet through the nozzle element, and in throughgoing traverse of said chamber, at a fluid pressure upstream of the nozzle element which develops to at least about 700 kilograms per square centimeter until the work surface is penetrated to the desired extent; wherein said through chamber addressing step comprises addressing the element, through the interpositioned chamber, to a smooth work material; and further including the step of effecting relative movement between said nozzle element and said work material, while maintaining the interpositioned chamber in forced, compressed engagement with the work material surface, following said desired-extent penetration of said surface; and said through-chamber addressing step further comprises disposing a deformable element, having a low coefficient of friction, between the nozzle element and the work material surface.

Claim 10

A method of penetrating a work material with a high energy fluid jet ejected from a nozzle element comprising the steps of: (a) addressing the nozzle element to the work material through a chamber interpositioned between a fluid ejection point of the nozzle element and a surface of the work material; (b) forcing the chamber into a compressed engagement with said work material surface, to cause said chamber to be compressively and substantially sealed against said surface; and (c) ejecting a high energy fluid jet through the nozzle element, and in throughgoing traverse of said chamber, at a fluid pressure upstream of the nozzle element which develops to at least about 700 kilograms per square centimeter until the work surface is penetrated to the desired extent; wherein said through chamber addressing step comprises addressing the element, through the interpositioned chamber, to a smooth work material; and further including the step of effecting relative movement between said nozzle element and said work material, while maintaining the interpositioned chamber in forced, compressed engagement with the work material surface, following said desired-extent penetration of said surface; and said through-chamber addressing step further comprises disposing a deformable element, having a low coefficient of friction, between the nozzle element and the work material surface.

Claim 11

A method of penetrating a work material with a high energy fluid jet ejected from a nozzle element comprising the steps of: (a) addressing the nozzle element to the work material through a chamber interpositioned between a fluid ejection point of the nozzle element and a surface of the work material; (b) forcing the chamber into a compressed engagement with said work material surface, to cause said chamber to be compressively and substantially sealed against said surface; and (c) ejecting a high energy fluid jet through the nozzle element, and in throughgoing traverse of said chamber, at a fluid pressure upstream of the nozzle element which develops to at least about 700 kilograms per square centimeter until the work surface is penetrated to the desired extent; wherein said through-chamber addressing step comprises addressing the element, through the interpositioned chamber, to a smooth work material; and further including the step of effecting relative movement between said nozzle element and said work material, while maintaining the interpositioned chamber in forced, compressed engagement with the work material surface, following said desired-extent penetration of said surface; and said through-chamber addressing step further comprises disposing a deformable element, composed of a tetrafluoroethylene polymer, between the nozzle element and the work material.

Claim 12

A method of penetrating a work material with a high energy fluid jet ejected from a nozzle element comprising the steps of: (a) addressing the nozzle element to the work material through a chamber interpositioned between a fluid ejection point of the nozzle element and a surface of the work material; (b) forcing the chamber into a compressed engagement with said work material surface, to cause said chamber to be compressively and substantially sealed against said surface; and (c) ejecting a high energy fluid jet through the nozzle element, and in throughgoing traverse of said chamber, at a fluid pressure upstream of the nozzle element which develops to at least about 700 kilograms per square centimeter until the work surface is penetrated to the desired extent; wherein said through-chamber addressing step comprises addressing the element, through the interpositioned chamber, to a smooth work material; and further including the step of effecting relative movement between said nozzle element and said work material, while maintaining the interpositioned chamber in forced, compressed engagement with the work material surface, following said desired-extent penetration of said surface; and said through-chamber addressing step further comprises disposing a deformable element, composed of a tetrafluoroethylene polymer, between the nozzle element and the work material.