Patent US3663817A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3663817A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Radioactive waste storage system and method
Assignee: FMC Corp
•
Filing: 1969-07-28
•
Granted: 1972-05-16
•
Expires: 1989-07-28
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for storing radioactive waste, wherein the waste is placed in receptacles and the receptacles are moved selectively along a plurality of storage paths. The receptacles are retained selectively on said paths for periods of time dependent upon the periods required for the radioactivity of the waste therein to decay to predetermined levels.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert P Sayers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 23:08
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21F; G21F9/00; G21F9/04; G21F9/20; G21F9/22; B; B65; B65G; B65G1/00; B65G1/02; B65G1/04; B65G1/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
74 words
A system for storing radioactive waste comprising a plurality of carriers adapted to receive and temporarily store the waste, means defining a plurality of pathways inclined downwardly from an entrance end to a discharge end along which said carriers can move, each pathway having a predetermined length whereby movement of a carrier from one end of the pathway to the other at a particular speed involves a predetermined amount of decay of the waste.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
74 words
A system for storing radioactive waste comprising a plurality of carriers adapted to receive and temporarily store the waste, means defining a plurality of pathways inclined downwardly from an entrance end to a discharge end along which said carriers can move, each pathway having a predetermined length whereby movement of a carrier from one end of the pathway to the other at a particular speed involves a predetermined amount of decay of the waste.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 1 including means for recycling said carriers along said pathways as desired.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said recycling means includes tracks inclined in a direction to move carriers by gravity in a direction contra to the direction they move along said pathways.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
118 words
A system for storing radioactive waste comprising: a plurality of elongated storage racks; a plurality of carriages movable along said racks, said racks each having a carriage-receiving end and a carriage-discharge end; means for loading radioactive waste onto said carriages individually; means for selectively placing said carriages onto said carriage-receiving ends; said carriages being movable along said racks from the carriage-receiving to the carriage-discharge ends thereof, whereby the carriages may be retained selectively on the racks for predetermined periods of time dependent upon the periods required for the radioactivity of the waste thereon to decay to predetermined levels; means for selectively receiving said carriages from said carriage-discharge ends; and means for unloading radioactive waste from said carriages individually.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
118 words
A system for storing radioactive waste comprising: a plurality of elongated storage racks; a plurality of carriages movable along said racks, said racks each having a carriage-receiving end and a carriage-discharge end; means for loading radioactive waste onto said carriages individually; means for selectively placing said carriages onto said carriage-receiving ends; said carriages being movable along said racks from the carriage-receiving to the carriage-discharge ends thereof, whereby the carriages may be retained selectively on the racks for predetermined periods of time dependent upon the periods required for the radioactivity of the waste thereon to decay to predetermined levels; means for selectively receiving said carriages from said carriage-discharge ends; and means for unloading radioactive waste from said carriages individually.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system as recited in claim 4, wherein said loading and unloading means include a plurality of receptacles adapted to be filled with radioactive waste and a crane for individually loading said receptacles onto and unloading said receptacles from said carriages.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A system as recited in claim 5 wherein each of said carriages includes a plurality of wheels; and wherein said system further includes means mounted on each of said racks and engageable with said wheels for guiding the carriages along the racks.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
A system as recited in claim 6, wherein each of said carriages further includes means for holding one of said receptacles filled with waste with the gravitational center of the receptacle in proximity to or below a line extending longitudinally of the carriage and passing through the geometric center of a polygon formed by lines joining the gravitational centers of the wheels of the carriage.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system as recited in claim 4, wherein said racks are inclined downwardly from the carriage-receiving to the carriage-discharge ends thereof so that the carriages are moved along the racks by gravitational force.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as recited in claim 8, further comprising means for releasing only one carriage at a time from each of said carriage-discharge ends.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system as recited in claim 9, wherein said releasing means comprises an escapement mechanism associated wiTh each of said carriage-discharge ends.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
A system as recited in claim 4, wherein said placing means comprises; an elevator positioned adjacent said racks for individually positioning said carriages adjacent said carriage-receiving ends, and a carriage-shifting mechanism attached to said elevator for individually moving the carriages from the elevator onto the carriage-receiving ends.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A mechanism as recited in claim 4, wherein said receiving means comprises an elevator positioned adjacent said racks for individually receiving said carriages from said carriage-discharge ends.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
70 words
A system as recited in claim 12, wherein said means for moving said carriages from said carriage-discharge ends to said carriage-receiving ends includes at least one additional rack extending from adjacent said carriage-discharge ends to adjacent said carriage-receiving ends, a carriage-shifting mechanism mounted on said elevator for individually moving the carriages from the elevator onto said one additional rack, and means for moving the carriages along said one additional rack.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
53 words
A method for storing radioactive waste comprising the steps of placing said waste in receptacles; moving said receptacles selectively along a plurality of storage paths; and retaining said receptacles selectively on said paths for periods of time dependent upon the periods required for the radioactivity of said waste to decay to predetermined levels.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
53 words
A method for storing radioactive waste comprising the steps of placing said waste in receptacles; moving said receptacles selectively along a plurality of storage paths; and retaining said receptacles selectively on said paths for periods of time dependent upon the periods required for the radioactivity of said waste to decay to predetermined levels.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising the steps of moving a plurality of receptacles along each of said paths simultaneously.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as recited in claim 14, wherein said receptacles are intermittently moved along said paths.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said pathways include tracks which are horizontally disposed.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said recycling means include horizontally disposed tracks.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
108 words
A system for storing radioactive waste comprising: a plurality of elongated storage racks having two ends; a plurality of carriages movable along said racks; means for loading radioactive waste onto said carriages individually; means for selectively placing said carriages onto either end of said storage racks; means for moving said carriages along said racks whereby the carriages may be retained selectively on the racks for predetermined periods of time dependent upon the periods required for the radioactivity of the waste thereon to decay to predetermined levels; means for selectively receiving said carriages at either end of said racks; and means for unloading radioactive waste from said carriages individually.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
108 words
A system for storing radioactive waste comprising: a plurality of elongated storage racks having two ends; a plurality of carriages movable along said racks; means for loading radioactive waste onto said carriages individually; means for selectively placing said carriages onto either end of said storage racks; means for moving said carriages along said racks whereby the carriages may be retained selectively on the racks for predetermined periods of time dependent upon the periods required for the radioactivity of the waste thereon to decay to predetermined levels; means for selectively receiving said carriages at either end of said racks; and means for unloading radioactive waste from said carriages individually.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system as recited in claim 19, further comprising means at both ends of said racks for either releasing only one carriage at a time from said racks or for receiving only one carriage at a time onto said racks.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system are recited in claim 20, wherein said releasing and receiving means comprises an escapement mechanism associated with each end of said racks.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of storing radioactive waste in an enclosure having a plurality of storage paths arranged in side-by-side rows of vertically stacked groups and at least one return path, comprising the steps of placing said waste in receptacles; transporting said receptacles traversingly along said rows of storage paths at one end thereof to a preselected row; elevating said receptacles to a preselected storage path in said preselected row; placing said receptacles into said preselected storage path; and moving said receptacles selectively along said storage path until they reach the opposite ends of said paths.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of storing radioactive waste in an enclosure having a plurality of storage paths arranged in side-by-side rows of vertically stacked groups and at least one return path, comprising the steps of placing said waste in receptacles; transporting said receptacles traversingly along said rows of storage paths at one end thereof to a preselected row; elevating said receptacles to a preselected storage path in said preselected row; placing said receptacles into said preselected storage path; and moving said receptacles selectively along said storage path until they reach the opposite ends of said paths.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as recited in claim 22, further comprising the step of removing said receptacles from said enclosure after they have reached said opposite ends of said storage paths.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method as recited in claim 22, further comprising the steps of removing said receptacles from said opposite ends of said storage paths; transporting said receptacles to said return path; placing said receptacles on said return path aT said opposite end; and then recycling said receptacles by removing them from said return path at said one end and replacing them in said storage paths.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as recited in claim 23, further comprising the step of monitoring the radioactivity of said waste upon its reaching said opposite ends of said storage paths.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as recited in claim 24, further comprising the step of monitoring the radioactivity of said waste upon its reaching said opposite ends of said storage paths.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2751505A
Cited
US3257561A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-16 | 1975-11-15 | 1976-05-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-16 | 1979-11-15 | 1980-05-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-16 | 1983-11-15 | 1984-05-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |