EP0187651A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fixture for inserting locking tubes in reconstitutable nuclear fuel assemblies
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Filing: 1986-01-07
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-01-07
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a fixture for inserting locking tubes into control-rod guide-thimble extensions positioned in passageways through the adapter plate of a top nozzle of a reconstitutable nuclear-fuel assembly. The fixture comprises a tool guide (54), and an insertion tool (98.102). The tool guide (54) is adapted to be mounted upon, and to be releasably locked to, the top nozzle (20) and it has guide openings (68) arrayed such as to be axially aligned with the respective guide-thimble extensions (46) when the tool guide is in place, each of the guide openings (68) contaioning a resiliently deformable sleeve (72) for receiving and releasably retaining a locking tube (48). The insertion tool includes a plurality of rods (102) which are insertable through the respective guide openings (68) and into the guide-thimble extensions (46) aligned therewith, each rod having a leading portion (106) which is movable through and into the associated guide-opening and guide-thimble extension, respectively, and a trailing portion (104) which defines a shoulder (108) for transferring the locking tube (48) from the sleeve (72) into the aligned guide-thimble extension (46) upon operation of the insertion tool. The fixture permits a full complement of locking tubes to be inserted simultaneously while the resiliently deformable sleeves prevent escape and loss of the locking tubes.
Inventors
- 👤 John Milton Shallenberger
- 👤 Stephen Joseph Ferlan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 12:58
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C3/00; G21C3/30; G21C3/32; G21C3/33; G21C3/3315; G21C19/00; G21C19/26; G21C3/334; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/53; Y10T29/531
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
237 words
A fixture for inserting locking tubes into upper control-rod guide-thimble extensions positioned in passageways formed in an adapter plate of a top nozzle of a reconstitutable nuclear-fuel assembly, characterized by the combination comprising: (a) a tool guide (54) having at least one guide opening (68); (b) means (70) for mounting said tool guide (54) upon, and for releasably locking it to said top nozzle (20) so as to axially align said guide opening (68) with one of said passageways (38) of said top nozzle adapter plate (24); (c) means (72) disposed within said guide opening (68) for receiving one of the locking tubes (48) and for releasably retaining the locking tube in axial alignment with the upper guide-thimble extension (46) positioned within said passageway; (d) a tool holder (56); and (e) at least one locking-tube insertion tool (102) connected to said tool holder (56) and having first means (106) extendable through said guide opening (68) and the locking tube (48) therein and into said upper guide-thimble extension (46), and second means (104,108) engageable with the releasably retained locking tube (48) and effective, upon movement of the tool holder (56) toward the tool guide (54) on the top nozzle (20) and concurrent movement of the insertion tool (102) through said guide opening (68), to cause release of the locking tube from the retaining means (72) and to insert the released locking tube into said upper guide-thimble extension (46).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
237 words
A fixture for inserting locking tubes into upper control-rod guide-thimble extensions positioned in passageways formed in an adapter plate of a top nozzle of a reconstitutable nuclear-fuel assembly, characterized by the combination comprising: (a) a tool guide (54) having at least one guide opening (68); (b) means (70) for mounting said tool guide (54) upon, and for releasably locking it to said top nozzle (20) so as to axially align said guide opening (68) with one of said passageways (38) of said top nozzle adapter plate (24); (c) means (72) disposed within said guide opening (68) for receiving one of the locking tubes (48) and for releasably retaining the locking tube in axial alignment with the upper guide-thimble extension (46) positioned within said passageway; (d) a tool holder (56); and (e) at least one locking-tube insertion tool (102) connected to said tool holder (56) and having first means (106) extendable through said guide opening (68) and the locking tube (48) therein and into said upper guide-thimble extension (46), and second means (104,108) engageable with the releasably retained locking tube (48) and effective, upon movement of the tool holder (56) toward the tool guide (54) on the top nozzle (20) and concurrent movement of the insertion tool (102) through said guide opening (68), to cause release of the locking tube from the retaining means (72) and to insert the released locking tube into said upper guide-thimble extension (46).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that said retaining means (72) is a resiliently deformable sleeve substantially coaxial with said guide opening (68) and having an internal lower annular shoulder (94) for releasably supporting said locking tube (48).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A fixture according to claim 2, characterized in that said resiliently deformable sleeve (72) has an inside diameter sufficiently smaller than the outside diameter of the locking tube (40) to provide an interference fit between the sleeve (72) and the locking tube (48) received therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A fixture according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said sleeve (72) is made of a polyurethane elastomer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
165 words
A fixture according to any one of the preceding-claims, characterized in that said locking-tube insertion tool (102) is an elongate rod (102), said first means (106) comprising a lower portion of said rod (102) which has an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the locking tube (48), and said second means (104,108) comprising an upper portion (104) of said rod (102) which has an outside diameter smaller than the diameter of said guide opening (68) and larger than an outside diameter of the locking tube (48) and said outside diameter of said lower rod portion (106), thereby to form a shoulder (108) at a transition between the upper and lower rod portions (104,106), said lower rod portion (106) having a length sufficient to extend through the locking tube (48) in said retaining means (72) and to enter said upper guide-thimble extension (46) before said shoulder (108) engages the locking tube (48) during movement of the tool holder (56) toward said tool guide (54).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
109 words
A fixture according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the releasable locking means (70) comprise a pair of expandable split sleeves (76) affixed to the tool guide (54) and so disposed adjacent two diagonal corners thereof as to be insertable into corresponding bores (74) formed in said top nozzle (20), and a pair of wedge pins (78) extending through the respective split sleeves (76) and axially movable therein in opposite directions, one for expanding the associated split sleeves into frictional locking engagement with the walls of the associated bores (74), and the other for allowing the expanded split sleeves to contract from said locking engagement.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
99 words
A fixture according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said tool guide (54) has a plurality of guide openings (68) formed therethrough and arrayed such as to be axially aligned with the respective passageways (38) of the top nozzle (20) and the guide-thimble extensions (46) therein when the tool guide is mounted on the top nozzle, each of said guide openings (68) having therein one said means (72) for receiving and releasably retaining a locking tube, and said tool holder (56) having connected thereto one said locking-tube insertion tool (102) for each guide opening (68).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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