Apparatus for lowering and raising a shipping cask for spent nuclear fuel into a storage pool

Claim 2

Apparatus for supporting a nuclear fuel shipping cask during lowering into or raising from a storage pool, comprising a mechanical supporting structure at least partly immersed in and anchored to the pool, a cask support platform, fluid pressure responsive means supporting said platform and mounted on said supporting structure to provide vertical movement of the platform along a path from an upper position at the pool top to a lower position at the pool floor, means for controlling the fluid pressure means, mechanical stop means mounted on the supporting structure intermediate the pool top and floor and selectively movable into the vertical path of the platform for arresting downward motion of and supporting the arrested platform, in combination with independent hoist means mounted above the storage pool for engaging and lifting the cask, said mechanical stop being capable of fully supporting the loaded platform enabling disengagement of the hoist from the cask or of the fluid support for said platform.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fluid pressure responsive means comprises hydraulic cylinders supporting the platform, said hydraulic cylinders each containing a piston supported by the supporting structure.

Claim 4

Apparatus for supporting a nuclear fuel shipping cask during lowering into or raising from a storage pool, comprising a supporting structure at least partly immersed in and anchored to the pool, a cask support platform, fluid pressure responsive means supporting said platform and mounted on said supporting structure to provide vertical movement of the platform from an upper position at the pool top to a lower position at the pool floor, said fluid pressure responsive means comprising hydraulic cylinders supporting the platform, said hydraulic cylinders each containing a piston supported by the supporting structure, the hydraulic cylinders each having outwardly extending lugs at top and bottom with the bottom lugs oriented in a different direction than the top lugs, the platform comprising apertured projections for engagement by the lugs in a first orientation and for passing the cylinder and lugs in a second orientation, means for controlling the fluid pressure means, means on the supporting structure intermediate the pool top and floor for arresting downward motion of the platform, in combination with independent hoist means mounted above the storage pool for engaging and lifting the cask.

Claim 5

Apparatus for supporting a nuclear fuel shipping cask during lowering into or raising from a storage pool, comprising a supporting structure at least partly immersed in and anchored to the pool, a cask support platform, fluid pressure responsive means supporting said platform and mounted on said supporting structure to provide vertical movement of the platform from an upper position at the pool top to a lower position at the pool floor, said fluid pressure responsive means comprising hydraulic cylinders supporting the platform, said hydraulic cylinders each containing a piston supported by the supporting structure, the hydraulic cylinders each having outwardly extending lugs at top and bottom with the bottom lugs oriented in a different direction than the top lugs, the platform comprising apertured projections for engagement by the lugs in a first orientation and for passing the cylinder and lugs in a second orientation, means for controlling the fluid pressure means, means on the supporting structure intermediate the pool top and floor for arresting downward motion of the platform, in combination with independent hoist means mounted above the storage pool for engaging and lifting the cask.

Claim 6

Apparatus for supporting a nuclear fuel shipping cask during lowering into or raising from a storage pool, comprising a supporting structure at least partly immersed in and anchored to the pool, a cask support platform, fluid pressure responsive means supporting said platform and mounted on said supporting structure to provide vertical movement of the platform from an upper position at the pool top to a lower position at the pool floor, means for controlling the fluid pressure means, means on the supporting structure intermediate the pool top and floor for arresting downward motion of the platform, in combination with independent hoist means mounted above the storage pool for engaging and lifting the cask, a flanged base member having means for securing same to the cask bottom, and a flexiblE substantially water-tight shroud secured to the flanged base member and adapted to envelope the cask exterior.

Claim 7

Apparatus for supporting a nuclear fuel shipping cask during lowering into or raising from a storage pool, comprising a supporting structure at least partly immersed in and anchored to the pool, a cask support platform, fluid pressure responsive means supporting said platform and mounted on said supporting structure to provide vertical movement of the platform from an upper position at the pool top to a lower position at the pool floor, means for controlling the fluid pressure means, means on the supporting structure intermediate the pool top and floor for arresting downward motion of the platform, in combination with independent hoist means mounted above the storage pool for engaging and lifting the cask, a flanged base member having means for securing same to the cask bottom, and a flexiblE substantially water-tight shroud secured to the flanged base member and adapted to envelope the cask exterior.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in combination with channel members mounted at the pool top for guiding the flanged base member secured to the cask onto the platform.

Claim 9

Apparatus for supporting a nuclear fuel shipping cask during lowering into or raising from a storage pool, comprising a supporting structure at least partly immersed in and anchored to the pool, a cask support platform, fluid pressure responsive means supporting said platform and mounted on said supporting structure to provide vertical movement of the platform along a vertical path from an upper position at the pool top to a lower position at the pool floor, said fluid pressure responsive means comprising hydraulic cylinders supporting the platform with said hydraulic cylinders each containing a piston connected to and supported by the supporting structure, means for causing said hydraulic cylinders to be selectively movable with and without said platform along said vertical path, means for controlling the fluid pressure means, means on the supporting structure intermediate the pool top and floor for arresting downward motion of the platform, in combination with independent hoist means mounted above the storage pool for engaging and lifting the cask.

Claim 10

Apparatus for supporting a nuclear fuel shipping cask during lowering into or raising from a storage pool, comprising a supporting structure at least partly immersed in and anchored to the pool, a cask support platform, fluid pressure responsive means supporting said platform and mounted on said supporting structure to provide vertical movement of the platform along a vertical path from an upper position at the pool top to a lower position at the pool floor, said fluid pressure responsive means comprising hydraulic cylinders supporting the platform with said hydraulic cylinders each containing a piston connected to and supported by the supporting structure, means for causing said hydraulic cylinders to be selectively movable with and without said platform along said vertical path, means for controlling the fluid pressure means, means on the supporting structure intermediate the pool top and floor for arresting downward motion of the platform, in combination with independent hoist means mounted above the storage pool for engaging and lifting the cask.

Claim 11

Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein the selectively movable means comprises means for selectively supporting said platform at at least two different locations along the length of the hydraulic cylinders.

Claim 12

Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the cylinders have a length about one-half the pool depth.

Claim 13

Apparatus for supporting a nuclear fuel shipping cask as claimed in claim 1 comprising: a. a plurality of upright hollow posts; b. a cable with a run disposed in each of said posts and having a run extending out of its associated post; c. means for each of said posts around which is trained the associated cable; d. weight means disposed in each of said posts for up and down movement, each of said weight means being attached to the run of the cable disposed in its associated post, each of said weight means forming a fluid seal with its associated post; e. each of said posts is fluid sealed around its associated cable above its associated weight means, each of said posts having a supply of fluid therein between its fluid seal and its associated weight means; f. valve means on said posts disposed between the fluid seal of the associated post and its associated weight means for controlling the flow of fluid trapped between the fluid seal of the associated post and the associated weight means and escaping from its associated post; and g. a shipping cask support attached to the runs of said cables extending out of said posts to be supported thereby.

Claim 14

Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said shipping cask support is disposed between said posts for up and down movement, and further comprising a fuel shipping cask seated on said shipping cask support.

Claim 15

Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 and including means with a plunger on each of said posts disposed a predetermined distance from the top of its associated post, said plunger means being activated to move in the downward path of travel of said cask support holding the same against further downward movement within its associated post.

Claim 16

The combination as claimed in claim 10 wherein said fuel shipping cask includes means on the upper portion thereof adapted for engagement by the cable of a crane.