Method of automatically packaging radio active sources and apparatus therefor

Claim 1

An apparatus for automatically packaging radioactive sources, comprising a frame, a tray provided on its periphery with equidistant perforations arranged in a circle and each containing a gripper, equidistant working stations rigidly secured to said frame and arranged in a circle, the number of said stations being equal to that of said perforations, so that, when any one of said stations is above one of said perforations, each other station is above another of said perforations, means for causing said tray to rotate around its axis relatively to said frame, said working stations including, in succession, at least a first station provided with first distributing means for supplying metal envelopes to said tray and positioning an envelope in one of said grippers, a second station provided with a first needle adapted to move towards said tray and carrying a first contact adapted to transmit a signal, a third station provided with second distributing means for supplying radioactive grains and filling said envelope with one grain, a fourth station for checking maximum grain heights, said fourth station being provided with a second needle adapted to move towards said tray and carrying a second contact adapted to transmit a signal, a fifth station for detecting the presence of a grain in said envelope and for detecting grain heights, said fifth station being provided with a third needle adapted to move towards said tray and to transmit a signal, a sixth station provided with third distributing means for supplying metal balls and placing a ball on said envelope, a seventh station for welding the ball to said envelope, said seventh station being adapted to transmit a signal and comprising a first electrode which is lowered onto said ball, and a second electrode which is disposed below said tray and which engages with the gripper located thereabove so as to become electrically connected thereto, an eighth station comprising a slider with at least two orifices for the ejection of finished sealed sources and faulty sources, respectively, said signals contingently transmitted by said second, fourth, fifth and seventh working stations determining the starting of the next working station upon the arrival thereat of a perforation of said tray.

Claim 2

An apparatus for automatically packaging radioactive sources, comprising a frame, a tray provided on its periphery with equidistant perforations arranged in a circle and each containing a gripper, equidistant working stations rigidly secured to said frame and arranged in a circle, the number of said stations being equal to that of said perforations, so that, when any one of said stations is above one of said perforations, each other station is above another of said perforations, means for causing said tray to rotate around its axis relatively to said frame, said working stations including, in succession, at least a first station provided with first distributing means for supplying metal envelopes to said tray and positioning an envelope in one of said grippers, a second station provided with a first needle adapted to move towards said tray and carrying a first contact adapted to transmit a signal, a third station provided with second distributing means for supplying radioactive grains and filling said envelope with one grain, a fourth station for checking maximum grain heights, said fourth station being provided with a second needle adapted to move towards said tray and carrying a second contact adapted to transmit a signal, a fifth station for detecting the presence of a grain in said envelope and for detecting grain heights, said fifth station being provided with a third needle adapted to move towards said tray and to transmit a signal, a sixth station provided with third distributing means for supplying metal balls and placing a ball on said envelope, a seventh station for welding the ball to said envelope, said seventh station being adapted to transmit a signal and comprising a first electrode which is lowered onto said ball, and a second electrode which is disposed below said tray and which engages with the gripper located thereabove so as to become electrically connected thereto, an eighth station comprising a slider with at least two orifices for the ejection of finished sealed sources and faulty sources, respectively, said signals contingently transmitted by said second, fourth, fifth and seventh working stations determining the starting of the next working station upon the arrival thereat of a perforation of said tray.