Nuclear reactor spacer device

Claim 2

A spacer device for maintaining the spatial integrity of fuel elements assembled in a nuclear reactor subassembly and having fuel element openings at least at the corners thereof which comprises: a. a peripheral support band comprising corner means haVing an open webbed configuration consisting of vertical and horizontal interconnected members and including spaced dimples which are open at the top and bottom thereof and extend into said openings in spaced relation relative to said members and side means adjacent thereto, said corner means being attached to said side means, said side means including an outward raised middle section having openings in the lower portion thereof leading to a cavity formed by said raised middle section; b. upper and lower support strips attached to said peripheral support band and intersected to form said fuel element openings within said peripheral support band; and c. elongated spring assemblies captured internally at opposite ends thereof by said upper and lower support strips respectively where at least some of said support strips intersect, said support strips located externally at opposite ends of said spring assemblies.

Claim 3

A spacer device according to claim 1 wherein each of said webbed corner means comprises upper and lower horizontal strips having laterally spaced inward extending dimples, and at least one vertical support member interconnecting said upper and lower strips.

Claim 4

A spacer device according to claim 2 wherein said upper strip dimples are in substantial vertical alignment with corresponding lower strip dimples.

Claim 5

A spacer device for maintaining the spatial integrity of fuel elements assembled in a nuclear reactor subassembly and having fuel element openings at least at the corners thereof which comprises: a. a peripheral support band comprising substantially open webbed corner means including interconnected horizontal and vertical members with spaced dimples open at the top and bottom thereof and side means secured adjacent to said corner means, wherein said side means comprises a lower section, an upper section having inward protruding dimples open at the top and bottom thereof and an outward raised middle section connected to said lower and upper sections extending for substantially the full length of said side means and having openings only in the lower portion of said middle section leading to a single cavity formed by said middle section''s raised portion; b. intersecting support strips attached to said peripheral support band forming said fuel element openings within said peripheral support band; and c. spring assemblies captured internally at opposite ends by said support strips where at least some of said support strips intersect, said support strips located externally at opposite ends of said spring assemblies.

Claim 6

A spacer device for maintaining the spatial integrity of fuel elements assembled in a nuclear reactor subassembly and having fuel element openings at least at the corners thereof which comprises: a. a peripheral support band comprising substantially open webbed corner means including interconnected horizontal and vertical members with spaced dimples open at the top and bottom thereof and side means secured adjacent to said corner means, wherein said side means comprises a lower section, an upper section having inward protruding dimples open at the top and bottom thereof and an outward raised middle section connected to said lower and upper sections extending for substantially the full length of said side means and having openings only in the lower portion of said middle section leading to a single cavity formed by said middle section''s raised portion; b. intersecting support strips attached to said peripheral support band forming said fuel element openings within said peripheral support band; and c. spring assemblies captured internally at opposite ends by said support strips where at least some of said support strips intersect, said support strips located externally at opposite ends of said spring assemblies.

Claim 7

A spacer device according to claim 4 wherein said lower section has dimples located below said openings in the lower portion of said middle section, corresponding ones of said upper and lower section dimples being vertically aligned and extending into said openings formed by said intersecting support strips adjacent said side means, and each of said dimples being open at the top and bottom thereof and extending inward relatively to said raised middle section.

Claim 8

A spacer device according to claim 4 wherein said lower section includes dimples adjacent and opening into said openings in said middle section.

Claim 9

A spacer device for maintaining the spatial integrity of fuel elements assembled in a nuclear reactor subassembly which comprises: a. a peripheral support band comprising corner means having an open webbed configuration consisting of verticle and horizontal interconnected members with spaced dimples open at the top and bottom thereof, said corner means being attached to side means, said side means comprising a lower section, an upper section and an outward raised middle section connected to said lower and upper sections extending for substantially the full length of said side means and having openings in the lower portion of said middLe section leading to a cavity formed by said raised middle section; b. webbed, slotted substantially open support strips attached and perpendicular to said peripheral support band, each of said support strips comprising an upper band member having spaced pairs of oppositely protruding vertically aligned dimples, a lower band member having spaced pairs of oppositely protruding vertically aligned dimples, corresponding pairs of said dimples on said lower and upper bands being vertically aligned, and column means interconnecting said upper band with said lower band; c. single separate band strips attached to said peripheral support band and intersected with predetermined slots in said support strips to form openings within said peripheral support band through which said fuel elements can pass; and d. spring assemblies captured for endwise restraint at predetermined ones of the intersections of said strips.

Claim 10

A spacer device for maintaining the spatial integrity of fuel elements assembled in a nuclear reactor subassembly which comprises: a. a peripheral support band comprising corner means having an open webbed configuration consisting of verticle and horizontal interconnected members with spaced dimples open at the top and bottom thereof, said corner means being attached to side means, said side means comprising a lower section, an upper section and an outward raised middle section connected to said lower and upper sections extending for substantially the full length of said side means and having openings in the lower portion of said middLe section leading to a cavity formed by said raised middle section; b. webbed, slotted substantially open support strips attached and perpendicular to said peripheral support band, each of said support strips comprising an upper band member having spaced pairs of oppositely protruding vertically aligned dimples, a lower band member having spaced pairs of oppositely protruding vertically aligned dimples, corresponding pairs of said dimples on said lower and upper bands being vertically aligned, and column means interconnecting said upper band with said lower band; c. single separate band strips attached to said peripheral support band and intersected with predetermined slots in said support strips to form openings within said peripheral support band through which said fuel elements can pass; and d. spring assemblies captured for endwise restraint at predetermined ones of the intersections of said strips.

Claim 11

A spacer device according to claim 7 wherein said dimples extend into said openings and have rounded protrusions at their outermost extended portion to provide for point contact with an adjacent one of the fuel elements when it is located in said opening.

Claim 12

A spacer device according to claim 1 wherein each of said spring assemblies comprises at least one resilient means extending into said opening so as to contact said fuel element when it is located in said opening and selected ones of said spring assemblies include only one resilient means extending into an adjacent opening and said dimples adjacent to said resilient means and extending into said adjacent opening are constructed and arranged to limit the amount of depression of said resilient means.

Claim 13

A spacer device for maintaining the spatial integrity of fuel elements assembled in a nuclear reactor subassembly which comprises: a. a continuous peripheral support band, comprising corner means having an open webbed configuration consisting of verticle and horizontal interconnected members with spaced dimples open at the top and bottom thereof, said corner means being attached to side means, said side means including an outward raised middle section having openings in the lower portion thereof leading to a cavity formed by said raised middle section; b. intersecting support strips attached to said peripheral support band forming openings within said peripheral support band through which said fuel elements can pass; and c. spring assemblies captured internally for endwise restraint by said support strips and held in position where at least some of said support strips intersect, said support strips being located externally at opposite ends of said spring assemblies, predetermined ones of said spring assemblies comprising four resilient spring means attached to upper and lower relatively rigid means in a position where each of said resilient spring means will be opposite another of said resilient spring means in different openings, and wherein only those resilient means that contact said fuel elements when located in said openings extend therein.

Claim 14

A spacer device for maintaining the spatial integrity of fuel elements assembled in a nuclear reactor subassembly which comprises: a. a continuous peripheral support band, comprising corner means having an open webbed configuration consisting of verticle and horizontal interconnected members with spaced dimples open at the top and bottom thereof, said corner means being attached to side means, said side means including an outward raised middle section having openings in the lower portion thereof leading to a cavity formed by said raised middle section; b. intersecting support strips attached to said peripheral support band forming openings within said peripheral support band through which said fuel elements can pass; and c. spring assemblies captured internally for endwise restraint by said support strips and held in position where at least some of said support strips intersect, said support strips being located externally at opposite ends of said spring assemblies, predetermined ones of said spring assemblies comprising four resilient spring means attached to upper and lower relatively rigid means in a position where each of said resilient spring means will be opposite another of said resilient spring means in different openings, and wherein only those resilient means that contact said fuel elements when located in said openings extend therein.

Claim 15

A spacer device according to claim 9 wherein further selected ones of said spring assemblies include only two resilient means extending into adjacent openings.

Claim 16

A spacer device according to claim 9 wherein further selected ones of said resilient means include four resilient means extending into adjacent openings.

Claim 17

A spacer device according to claim 9 wherein first ones of said resilient means include only one resilient means extending into adjacent openings, second ones of said spring assemblies include only two resilient means extending into adjacent openings, and third ones of said spring assemblies include four resilient means extending into adjacent openings.