US3657793A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and device for reducing the spacing between the jacket tube of nuclear reactor fuel rods and the charge of fuel received therein
Assignee: Siemens AG
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Filing: 1968-11-21
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Granted: 1972-04-25
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Expires: 1988-11-21
Abstract
Abstract Method of reducing the spacing between the jacket tube of nuclear reactor fuel rods and the charge of fuel received therein includes pressing and permanently deforming by means of a ringshaped hydraulic pressure cushion a respective ring-shaped zone of the jacket tube onto a body disposed in the tube and having substantially the cross-sectional dimension of the charge of fuel to be received in the tube, and simultaneously advancing the jacket tube and the body stepwise through the pressure cushion, the length of each advancing step being adjusted to the width of the ring-shaped zone.
Inventors
- 👤 Hans Scharf
- 👤 Gerhard Boplat
- 👤 Eckhard Steinberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 03:03
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C21/00; G21C21/02; G21C21/08; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49826; Y10T29/49908; Y10T29/49924; Y10T29/49925; Y10T29/49927; Y10T29/49929
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
Method of reducing the spacing between a jacket tube of larger cross sectional dimension of a nuclear reactor fuel rod and a bOdy such as a charge of fuel of smaller cross sectional dimension receivable in the jacket tube or a mandrel of the same cross sectional dimension as the charge of fuel receivable in the jacket tube which comprises pressing and permanently deforming by means of a ring-shaped pressure cushion a respective ring-shaped zone of the jacket tube onto the body, and simultaneously advancing the jacket tube and the body stepwise through the pressure cushion, the length of each advancing step being adjusted to the width of the ring-shaped zone.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
111 words
Method of reducing the spacing between a jacket tube of larger cross sectional dimension of a nuclear reactor fuel rod and a bOdy such as a charge of fuel of smaller cross sectional dimension receivable in the jacket tube or a mandrel of the same cross sectional dimension as the charge of fuel receivable in the jacket tube which comprises pressing and permanently deforming by means of a ring-shaped pressure cushion a respective ring-shaped zone of the jacket tube onto the body, and simultaneously advancing the jacket tube and the body stepwise through the pressure cushion, the length of each advancing step being adjusted to the width of the ring-shaped zone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
Method according to claim 1, wherein the body is a floating mandrel, and the ring-shaped jacket tube zone is pressed and permanently deformed onto the floating mandrel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
Method according to claim 1, wherein the body is a charge of fuel, and the ring-shaped jacket tube zone is pressed and permanently deformed onto the charge of fuel received therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
124 words
Device for carrying out a method of reducing the spacing between a jacket tube of larger cross sectional dimension of a nuclear reactor fuel rod and a body such as a charge of fuel of smaller cross sectional dimension receivable therein or a mandrel of the same cross sectional dimension as the charge of fuel receivable in the jacket tube, comprising a ring-shaped hydraulic pressure cushion and means for stepwise advancing through the pressure cushion a jacket tube with the body disposed in the tube, said pressure cushion being actuable for pressing and permanently deforming a respective ring-shaped zone of the jacket tube onto said body, said ring-shaped zone having a width corresponding to the length of each advancing step of said jacket tube.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
124 words
Device for carrying out a method of reducing the spacing between a jacket tube of larger cross sectional dimension of a nuclear reactor fuel rod and a body such as a charge of fuel of smaller cross sectional dimension receivable therein or a mandrel of the same cross sectional dimension as the charge of fuel receivable in the jacket tube, comprising a ring-shaped hydraulic pressure cushion and means for stepwise advancing through the pressure cushion a jacket tube with the body disposed in the tube, said pressure cushion being actuable for pressing and permanently deforming a respective ring-shaped zone of the jacket tube onto said body, said ring-shaped zone having a width corresponding to the length of each advancing step of said jacket tube.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
Device according to claim 4, wherein said pressure cushion consists of oil-tight, elastic sealing material, and is disposed in a ring-shaped metallic pressure chamber for sealing said chamber from said jacket tube.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
Device according to claim 4, including means containing a substantially incompressible medium, said pressure cushion being connected to said means so as to be subjected to pressure exerted by said medium and means for varying said pressure in cadence with said stepwise advance for imparting a sequential compression action to the jacket tube.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
Device according to claim 6 including a high pressure pump, and control valve means connected therewith for pressurizing said medium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
Device according to claim 6 including an oil-filled cylinder connected to said medium-containing means and a magnetically actuable piston, displaceable in said cylinder for periodically pressurizing said pressure medium and said pressure cushion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
Device according to claim 4, wherein said means for advancing the jacket tube stepwise through said ring-shaped pressure cushion is a pair of clamping jaws, and an eccentric drive connected thereto for actuating the same.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
Method of claim 1 for reducing the spacing between a jacket tube having a wave-shaped surface and the body receivable therein which comprises adjusting the length of the advancing steps of the tube so that they are longer than the width of the ring-shaped pressure zones.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
63 words
Method of calibrating thin-walled tubes which comprises pressing and permanently deforming by means of a ring-shaped pressure cushion a respective ring-shaped zone of a tube onto a mandrel disposed in the tube and having a predetermined cross-sectional dimension and simultaneously advancing the tube stepwise through the pressure cushion, the length of each advancing step being adjusted to the width of the ring-shaped zone.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
63 words
Method of calibrating thin-walled tubes which comprises pressing and permanently deforming by means of a ring-shaped pressure cushion a respective ring-shaped zone of a tube onto a mandrel disposed in the tube and having a predetermined cross-sectional dimension and simultaneously advancing the tube stepwise through the pressure cushion, the length of each advancing step being adjusted to the width of the ring-shaped zone.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-04-25 | 1975-10-25 | 1976-04-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-04-25 | 1979-10-25 | 1980-04-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-04-25 | 1983-10-25 | 1984-04-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |