Neutronic reactor with improved release mechanism between control rod and associated drive

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION WITH A NEUTRONIC REACTOR OF THE TYPE HAVING A PRESSURE VESSEL, A CORE WITHIN THE VESSEL INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY EXTENDING FUEL AND CONTROL ROD CHANNELS ARRANGED ABOUT THE REACTOR AXIS IN PARALLEL RELATION THERETO, PICK-UP MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING FUEL ELEMENTS AND CONTROL RODS FROM THE CORE TO A POSITION THEREABOVE WITHIN THE VESSEL, AND CONTROL ROD ACTUATING MEANS FOR EFFECTING VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF EACH OF SAID CONTROL RODS WITHIN SAID CORE INCLUDING AN AXIALLY MOVABLE, VERTICAL TUBULAR MEMBER POSITIONABLE WITHIN THE CONTROL ROD CHANNEL IN SUPPORTING RELATION TO ONE OF SAID CONTROL RODS MEANS FOR RELEASABLY LOCKING SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AND CONTROL ROD TOGETHER, SAID LOCKING MEANS COMPRISING AN EXTENDING AXIAL SECTION OF REDUCED DIAMETER ON THE END OF THE CONTROL ROD INCLUDING AN ANNULAR OUTER GROOVE THEREON, A SLEEVE MEMBER CARRIED AT THE UPPER END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER FOR AXIAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO IN ENCLOSING RELATION TO SAID ROD SECTION AND INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY DISPOSED TRANSVERSE RECESSES, A BALL CARRIED IN EACH OF SAID RECESS FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO A POSITION OF PARALLEL EXTENSION WITHIN THE INTERIOR OF SAID SLEEVE FOR LOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ANNULAR GROOVE PROVIDED IN SAID ROD SECTION, A COLLAR DISPOSED IN ENCIRCLING RELATION TO SAID SLEEVE MEMBER AND INCLUDING AN INTERNAL ANNULAR RECESS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID BALLS AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID COLLAR RELATIVE TO SAID SLEEVE TO EFFECT TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT OF SAID BALLS AND THEREBY SELECTIVELY LOCK AND RELEASE SAID CONTROL ROD RELATIVE TO SAID ACTUATING MEANS.