EP0189797A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Locking tube removal fixture for use with a reconstitutable fuel assembly
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Filing: 1986-01-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-01-17
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a fixture for simultaneously removing a plurality of locking tubes from locking positions within upper guide thimble extensions inserted in passageways formed through the adapter plate of a top nozzle of a reconstitutable nuclear fuel assembly. The fixture comprises a tool guide (52) with means (58, 60, 68) for mounting the fixture upon the top nozzle (20); a tool holder (54) supported on the tool guide and movable between two positions relative thereto; and a plurality of tube removal tools (94) each comprising a tubular member (96) with a radially expandable and collapsible tube gripping portion (100) inserted in the respective locking tube when the fixture is mounted on the top nozzle, and a rod member (98) which is affixed to the tool holder and movably extends through said tubular member (96), the rod member having a spreader portion (108) which cooperates with the gripping portion (100) of the associated tubular member such as to expand it into gripping relationship with the locking tube upon movement of the tool holder to one of its positions, and to allow it to collapse out of said gripping relationship upon movement of the tool holder to its other position. The fixture includes means (84) engageable with a tool for lifting the whole fixture off the top nozzle and thereby pulling all of the gripped locking tubes from their locking positions. The removal tools (94) with the gripping portions (100) of their tubular members (96) prevent accidental escape of any of the removed locking tubes.
Inventors
- 👤 John Milton Shallenberger
- 👤 Stephen Joseph Ferlan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 15:29
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C19/00; G21C19/02; G21C19/10; G21C3/00; G21C3/30; G21C3/32; G21C3/334; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49815; Y10T29/49822; Y10T29/53; Y10T29/531
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
388 words
A fixture for simultaneously removing a plurality of locking tubes from locking positions within upper end portions of guide thimbles inserted in passageways formed through a plate of a top nozzle of a reconstitutable nuclear fuel assembly, characterized by the combination comprising: (a) a tool guide (52) including means (58, 60, 68) for mounting and positioning the fixture upon said top nozzle (20), said tool guide having openings (66) which extend therethrough and which are arrayed in a pattern such as to be axially aligned with the respective passageways (38) in the top nozzle when the fixture is positioned thereon; (b) a tool holder (54) supported on the tool guide (52) adjacent one side thereof and guided for movement relative thereto in opposite directions corresponding to the axial directions of said openings (66); (c) actuating means (78) for moving the tool holder (54) in said opposite directions between two positions thereof; and (d) a plurality of locking-tube removal tools (96) each comprising - (i) an elongated tubular member (96) affixed to the tool guide (52) in axial alignment with one of said openings (66) and axially extending from the side of the tool guide opposite to said one side thereof, said tubular member (96) having a locking-tube gripping portion (100) adjacent the distal end thereof and having a length sufficient to place said gripping portion inside the locking tube (48) in the guide-thimble end portion (36) within the associated passageway (38) of the top nozzle when the fixture is positioned thereon, said gripping portion (100) being radially expandable and collapsible into and from, respectively, gripping relationship with respect to said locking tube; and (ii) a rod member (98) affixed at one end thereof to said tool holder (54) and extending therefrom movably through the associated opening (66) of the tool guide and through said tubular member (96) axially aligned therewith, said rod member (98) having a spreader portion (108) which cooperates with said gripping portion (100) of the tubular member (96) and is shaped such as to expand the gripping portion into gripping relationship with said locking tube upon movement of the tool holder (54) to one of said two positions thereof, and to enable said gripping portion to collapse out of said gripping relationship upon movement of the tool holder to the other of said two positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
388 words
A fixture for simultaneously removing a plurality of locking tubes from locking positions within upper end portions of guide thimbles inserted in passageways formed through a plate of a top nozzle of a reconstitutable nuclear fuel assembly, characterized by the combination comprising: (a) a tool guide (52) including means (58, 60, 68) for mounting and positioning the fixture upon said top nozzle (20), said tool guide having openings (66) which extend therethrough and which are arrayed in a pattern such as to be axially aligned with the respective passageways (38) in the top nozzle when the fixture is positioned thereon; (b) a tool holder (54) supported on the tool guide (52) adjacent one side thereof and guided for movement relative thereto in opposite directions corresponding to the axial directions of said openings (66); (c) actuating means (78) for moving the tool holder (54) in said opposite directions between two positions thereof; and (d) a plurality of locking-tube removal tools (96) each comprising - (i) an elongated tubular member (96) affixed to the tool guide (52) in axial alignment with one of said openings (66) and axially extending from the side of the tool guide opposite to said one side thereof, said tubular member (96) having a locking-tube gripping portion (100) adjacent the distal end thereof and having a length sufficient to place said gripping portion inside the locking tube (48) in the guide-thimble end portion (36) within the associated passageway (38) of the top nozzle when the fixture is positioned thereon, said gripping portion (100) being radially expandable and collapsible into and from, respectively, gripping relationship with respect to said locking tube; and (ii) a rod member (98) affixed at one end thereof to said tool holder (54) and extending therefrom movably through the associated opening (66) of the tool guide and through said tubular member (96) axially aligned therewith, said rod member (98) having a spreader portion (108) which cooperates with said gripping portion (100) of the tubular member (96) and is shaped such as to expand the gripping portion into gripping relationship with said locking tube upon movement of the tool holder (54) to one of said two positions thereof, and to enable said gripping portion to collapse out of said gripping relationship upon movement of the tool holder to the other of said two positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
84 words
A fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that said gripping portion (100) comprises a segmented sleeve having an out-turned radial rim (102) located to be positioned directly beneath said locking tube (48) when the fixture is positioned upon the top nozzle, said radial rim (102) having an outer diameter which is less than the inner diameter of said locking tube when the gripping portion is collapsed and is greater than the inner diameter of the locking tube when the gripping portion is expanded.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
99 words
A fixture according to claim 2, characterized in that said segmented sleeve (100) is tapered toward said distal end of the tubular member (96) and has said radial rim (102) disposed thereon adjacent its end with the lesser diameter, said spreader portion (108) of the rod member (98) being moved inwardly of the tapered segmented sleeve (100) and toward the lesser diameter-end thereof upon movement of said tool holder (54) to said one position, and being moved in the opposite direction and withdrawn from said tapered segmented sleeve upon movement of the tool holder to said other position thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A fixture according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said spreader portion (108) comprises a short tapered shoulder.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
111 words
A fixture according to claim 4, characterized in that said rod member (98) has two cylindrical portions (104, 106) of different diameters disposed axially adjacent each other and with said short tapered shoulder (108) formed therebetween, the cylindrical portion (104) with the smaller diameter being freely movable in and through said segmented tapered sleeve (100), its outer diameter being smaller than the least inner diameter of the sleeve, and the other cylindrical portion (106) having a diameter less than the inner diameter of the portion of the tubular member between the tool guide and said segmented tapered sleeve (100), and larger than any inner diameter of the tapered sleeve when collapsed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
A fixture according to any one of the preced - ing claims, characterized in that said actuating means (78) comprises a shaft rotatably connected to one, and threadedly engaged with the other, of said tool guide (52) and said tool holder (54).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
A fixture according to claim 6, characterized in that said shaft (78) has a pair of heads (82, 84), one (82) of which is engageable with a tool (88) for rotating the shaft, and the other (84) of which is engageable with a tool (86) for lifting and moving the fixture as a whole.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
59 words
A fixture according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that said tool holder (54) is supported on said tool guide (52) by means of said shaft (78) and is guided in its movements by means of pins (76) secured to one of the tool guide and tool holder and slidably extending through openings (76) formed in the other.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
A fixture according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said means (58, 60, 68) for mounting and positioning the fixture upon said top nozzle (20) include positioning pins (68) disposed on the tool guide (54) and extending therefrom, said positioning pins being insertable into corresponding bores (70) formed in the top nozzle.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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