Liquid moderator nuclear reactors

Claim 1

IN A LIQUID MODERATOR NUCLEAR REACTOR, A REACTOR VESSEL COMPRISING RIGID OUTER WALL MEANS SURROUNDING THE REACTION AREA, A PLURALITY OF FORCE TUBES MOUNTED WITHIN SAID VESSEL FOR MOUNTING FUEL CARTIDGES THEREIN AND FOR CIRCULATING COOLING FLUID OVER SAID CARTRIDGES, SAID FORCE TUBES BEING IMMERSED IN A LIQUID MODERATOR CONFINED IN A SPACE WITHIN SAID VESSEL, AND A DEFORMABLE MEANS MOUNTED BETWEEN SAID FORCE TUBES AND SAID RIGID OUTER WALL AND DEFINING A LINING FOR THE INTERNAL SURFACE OF AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID RIGID OUTER WALL, SAID DEFORMABLE MEANS BEING MADE UP OF A PLURALITY OF CLOSED, WATERTIGHT CUSHIONS COVERING A PORTION OF THE INTERNAL SURFACE OF THE VESSEL AND BEING SUBJECT TO DEFORMATION UNDER EXCESSIVE PRESSURES OCCURRING WITHIN SAID REACTOR UPON THE RUPTURE OF ONE OF SAID FORCE TUBES, DEFORMATION OF SAID DEFORMABLE MEANS ENLARGING THE SPACE NORMALLY OCCUPIED BY SAID LIQUID MODERATOR, WHEREBY AN EXCESS OF PRESSURE WITHIN SAID REACTOR VESSEL DUE TO SAID RUPTURE WILL BE AT LEAST PARTIALLY ABSORBED BY THE DEFORMATION OF SAID DEFORMABLE MEANS TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE REST OF THE REACTOR STRUCTURE.