Gripper device

Claim 2

A gripper device for remotely coupling a linearly moving drive member to a member to be driven, said gripper device comprising: longitudinally extending gripping means movable into and out of gripping engagement with the member to be driven, said gripping means having mutually opposed, longitudinally spaced upper and lower gripping surfaces defined therealong, said upper and lower gripping surfaces each being obliquely disposed relative to the longitudinal direction and being the sole surfaces of said gripping means to engage the member to be driven; a gripper support member supporting said gripping means and connected to the drive member; a gripper operating member relatively longitudinally movable between a first position and a second position relative to said gripping means, said gripper operating member when in said first position continuously applying an obliquely oriented force relative to said gripping means to force said gripping means into gripping engagement with the member to be driven, and said gripper operating member when in said second position releasing the obliquely oriented force; means for moving said gripper operating member between said first and second positions; and means for locking said gripper operating member in said first position.

Claim 3

The gripper device of claim 1 wherein said gripper support member comprises a tubular member connected to and extending upward from said gripping means; wherein said means for moving said gripper operating member comprises a rod extending axially upward through and relatively longitudinally movable relative to said tubular member, said rod being connected at its lower end to said gripper operating member so that relative longitudinal movement of said rod within said tubular member causes similar relative longitudinal movement of said gripper operating member; and wherein said locking means comprises: a slot in said tubular member, said slot having a longitudinal shank portion and a hooked return portion at the upper end of said longitudinal shank portion, and a pin fixed to said rod and extending outwardly into said slot, said pin being oriented relative to said slot such that said pin is positioned in the lower end of said longitudinal shank portion of said slot when said gripper operating member is in said second position and said pin is positiOned in said hooked return portion of said slot when said gripper operating member is in said first position, and further such that said rod is placed in tension when said pin is in said hooked return position of said slot.

Claim 4

The gripper device of claim 2 wherein said gripping means comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending radially flexible gripping fingers arranged about a longitudinal axis to provide inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces at one end, said flexible fingers having defined on one of said inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces said upper and lower gripping surfaces and having defined on the other of said inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces cam faces obliquely oriented relative to said longitudinal axis; and wherein said gripper operating member comprises a longitudinally extending member disposed coaxially with said plurality of gripping fingers, said member having defined thereon a complementary cam surface for engaging said cam faces upon longitudinal movement of said coaxial member upward relative to said flexible fingers.

Claim 5

The gripper device of claim 3 wherein said upper and lower gripping surfaces are defined on said inwardly facing surfaces of said flexible fingers and said cam faces are defined on said outwardly facing surfaces; and wherein said longitudinally extending member is a tubular sleeve surrounding said flexible fingers, said tubular sleeve having an obliquely oriented complementary cam surface on its inner surface.

Claim 6

The gripper device of claim 4 wherein said plurality of flexible fingers are cylindrically arranged about said longitudinal axis; wherein said tubular sleeve is a cylindrical tube having a first portion of a first inner diameter which is greater than the mean diameter of said cylindrically arranged flexible fingers and a second portion of a second inner diameter which is smaller than said first diameter; and wherein said complementary cam surface is a shoulder defined on the inner surface of said cylindrical tube between said first and second portions, said shoulder being obliquely oriented upward relative to said longitudinal axis so that upon upward movement of said cylindrical tube relative to said flexible fingers, said shoulder engages said cam faces of said flexible fingers to force said flexible fingers inwardly to engage the member to be driven.

Claim 7

In a control element drive assembly for a nuclear reactor, the combination comprising: at least one longitudinally extending control element vertically movable within said nuclear reactor; a coupling head connected at one end to said control element, said coupling head having upper and lower engagement faces each of which is obliquely disposed relative to the longitudinal direction; a drive means spaced from said control element for driving said control element into and out of the reactor; and a coupling assembly connected to said drive means for coupling said coupling head to said drive means, said coupling assembly comprising: a. longitudinally extending gripping means having mutually opposed, longitudinally spaced upper and lower gripping surfaces defined therealong for releasably engaging said upper and lower engagement faces respectively of said coupling head, said upper and lower gripping surfaces each being obliquely disposed relative to the longitudinal direction and being the sole surfaces of said gripping means to engage said coupling head, b. a gripper support member supporting said gripping means and connected to said drive means, c. a gripper operating member relatively longitudinally movable between a first position and a second position relative to said gripping means, said gripper operating member when in said first position continuously applying an obliquely oriented force relative to said gripping means to force said upper and lower gripping surfaces of said gripping means into engagement with said upper and lower engagement faces respectively of said coupling member, and said gripper Operating member when in said second position releasing the obliquely oriented force, d. means for moving said gripper operating member between said first and second positions, and e. means for locking said gripper operating member in said first position.

Claim 8

In a control element drive assembly for a nuclear reactor, the combination comprising: at least one longitudinally extending control element vertically movable within said nuclear reactor; a coupling head connected at one end to said control element, said coupling head having upper and lower engagement faces each of which is obliquely disposed relative to the longitudinal direction; a drive means spaced from said control element for driving said control element into and out of the reactor; and a coupling assembly connected to said drive means for coupling said coupling head to said drive means, said coupling assembly comprising: a. longitudinally extending gripping means having mutually opposed, longitudinally spaced upper and lower gripping surfaces defined therealong for releasably engaging said upper and lower engagement faces respectively of said coupling head, said upper and lower gripping surfaces each being obliquely disposed relative to the longitudinal direction and being the sole surfaces of said gripping means to engage said coupling head, b. a gripper support member supporting said gripping means and connected to said drive means, c. a gripper operating member relatively longitudinally movable between a first position and a second position relative to said gripping means, said gripper operating member when in said first position continuously applying an obliquely oriented force relative to said gripping means to force said upper and lower gripping surfaces of said gripping means into engagement with said upper and lower engagement faces respectively of said coupling member, and said gripper Operating member when in said second position releasing the obliquely oriented force, d. means for moving said gripper operating member between said first and second positions, and e. means for locking said gripper operating member in said first position.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 6 wherein there are a plurality of said longitudinally extending control elements each of which is vertically movable within the nuclear reactor and each of which is laterally spaced from one another; wherein there are a plurality of said coupling heads connected to said plurality of control elements; and wherein said coupling assembly further comprises: a plurality of said longitudinally extending gripping means each of which is supported by said gripper support member; a plurality of said gripper operating members each of which is relatively longitudinally movable between said first position and said second position relative to said gripping means; said means for moving said gripper operating member includes means for moving said plurality of gripper operating members; and said means for locking said gripper operating member in said first position includes means for locking said plurality of gripper operating members in said first position.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 7 wherein said gripper support member comprises a first yoke positioned above and connected to each of said gripping means and a longitudinally extending tubular member connected to said first yoke and extending upward therefrom, said tubular member being connected above said first yoke to said drive means; and wherein said means for moving said plurality of gripper operating members comprises a second yoke positioned above and connected to each of said gripper operating members, said second yoke being spaced from said first yoke, and a rod connected to said second yoke and extending upward through said tubular member, said rod being relatively longitudinally movable relative to said tubular member so that relative longitudinal movement therebetween causes similar relative longitudinal movement between said gripper operating members and said gripping means.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 8 wherein said means for locking said plurality of gripper operating members in said first position includes means for locking said gripper operating members in said second position.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 9 wherein said means for locking said plurality of gripping means in said first and said second positions comprises: a slot in said tubular member, said slot having a longitudinal shank portion, a first hooked return portion at the upper end of said longitudinal shank portion and a second hooked return portion at the lower end of said longitudinal shank portion; and a pin fixed to said rod and extending outwardly into said slot, said pin being oriented relative to said slot such that said pin is positioned in said second hooked return portion of said slot when said gripper operating members are in said second position, and said pin is in said first hooked return portion of said slot when said gripper operating members are in said first position, and further such that said rod is placed in tension when said pin is in said first hooked return portion of said slot, said rod is placed in a first amount of torsion when said pin is in either of said hooked return portions of said slot, and said rod is placed in a second amount of torsion greater than said first amount when said pin is in said longitudinal shank portion of said slot.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 8 wherein each of said gripping means comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending radially flexible gripping fingers cylindrically arranged about a longitudinal axis to provide inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces at one end, said flexible fingers having said upper and lower gripping surfaces defined on said inwardly facing surfaces and cam faces defined on said outwardly facing surfaces, said cam faces being obliquely orIented relative to said longitudinal axis; and wherein each of said gripper operating members comprises a longitudinally extending tubular sleeve coaxially disposed with and surrounding said flexible fingers, said tubular sleeve having defined on its inner surface an obliquely oriented complementary cam surface for engaging said cam faces upon longitudinal movement of said sleeve upward relative to said flexible fingers.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 11 wherein each of said coupling heads is longitudinally movable relative to its respective control element and wherein there are provided means for biasing each of said movable coupling heads away from the end of its respective control element.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 12 wherein each of said coupling heads have a plurality of longitudinally extending slots in their uppermost end to provide radial flexibility of said coupling heads at said uppermost ends.