US3878042A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Spring and stop assembly for nuclear fuel bundle
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1973-09-12
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Granted: 1975-04-15
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Expires: 1993-09-12
Abstract
Abstract A removable spring and stop assembly for use with a nuclear fuel bundle in a nuclear reactor core, said assembly including a bolt threaded through a top section of a stop member by which said assembly (and a flow channel) is secured to the fuel bundle, the adjacent end threads of the bolt and the stop member being upset or deformed by which the bolt is captured in the assembly.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael V Curulla
- 👤 Bart A Smith
- 👤 John A Ashton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 06:14
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C3/00; G21C3/02; G21C3/04; G21C3/06; G21C3/12; G21C3/30; G21C3/32; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30; Y10; Y10S; Y10S411/00; Y10S411/999; Y10T; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/16; Y10T403/1608
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
271 words
A fuel bundle comprising a plurality of nuclear fuel elements maintained in an array by means including an upper tie plate; an upwardly extending extension of said tie plate at an upper corner of said fuel bundle, said extension having a threaded hole in its upper end; a removable elongated tubular flow channel surrounding said array of fuel elements; a corner member fixed to said channel and overlying said extension and formed with a clearance hole aligned with the hole in said extension; a stop member including a top section overlying said corner member and formed with a threaded hole aligned with the hole in said corner member; a spring member including a top section overlying said top section of said stop member and formed with a hole aligned with said threaded hole in said top section of said stop member; a bolt having a threaded portion at one end, a head of larger diameter than said threaded portion at the other end of said bolt, and a smooth shank portion of smaller diameter than said threaded portion between said threaded portion and said head, said bolt being threaDed through said holes in said spring, stop and corner members and into said threaded hole in said extension whereby said spring member, said stop member and said flow channel are secured to said fuel bundle, the adjacent end threads of said threaded end portion of said bolt and in said threaded hole of said top section of said stop member being mutually deformed and upset whereby said spring member and said stop member are captured on said shank portion of said bolt.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
271 words
A fuel bundle comprising a plurality of nuclear fuel elements maintained in an array by means including an upper tie plate; an upwardly extending extension of said tie plate at an upper corner of said fuel bundle, said extension having a threaded hole in its upper end; a removable elongated tubular flow channel surrounding said array of fuel elements; a corner member fixed to said channel and overlying said extension and formed with a clearance hole aligned with the hole in said extension; a stop member including a top section overlying said corner member and formed with a threaded hole aligned with the hole in said corner member; a spring member including a top section overlying said top section of said stop member and formed with a hole aligned with said threaded hole in said top section of said stop member; a bolt having a threaded portion at one end, a head of larger diameter than said threaded portion at the other end of said bolt, and a smooth shank portion of smaller diameter than said threaded portion between said threaded portion and said head, said bolt being threaDed through said holes in said spring, stop and corner members and into said threaded hole in said extension whereby said spring member, said stop member and said flow channel are secured to said fuel bundle, the adjacent end threads of said threaded end portion of said bolt and in said threaded hole of said top section of said stop member being mutually deformed and upset whereby said spring member and said stop member are captured on said shank portion of said bolt.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
The fuel bundle of claim 1 wherein said adjacent end threads are mutually deformed and upset by inserting said bolt through said holes in said top sections of said spring and said stop members and then applying a tension between said bolt and said stop member while rotating said bolt with respect to said stop member in a forward direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
threading said end portion of said bolt through a mating threaded hole in said stop member;
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
threading said end portion of said bolt through a mating threaded hole in said stop member;
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
applying a tension between said bolt and said stop member to create a pressure between the adjacent end threads of said threaded end portion of said bolt and the threaded hole of said stop member; and
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
applying a tension between said bolt and said stop member to create a pressure between the adjacent end threads of said threaded end portion of said bolt and the threaded hole of said stop member; and
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
143 words
A spring and stop assembly for a nuclear fuel assembly comprising: a spring member including at least one leaf member and a top section having a clearance hole formed therein; a stop member including at least one side section and a top section having a threaded hole formed therein; a bolt having an enlarged head at one end, an intermediate shank portion, and a threaded end portion of larger diameter than said shank portion, the male threads on said end portion matching the female threads in said hole of said top section of said stop member, said spring member and said stop member being captured on said shank portion to prevent removal from said bolt by deformation of the adjacent end threads of said threaded end portion of said bolt and in said threaded hole of said top section of said stop member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
143 words
A spring and stop assembly for a nuclear fuel assembly comprising: a spring member including at least one leaf member and a top section having a clearance hole formed therein; a stop member including at least one side section and a top section having a threaded hole formed therein; a bolt having an enlarged head at one end, an intermediate shank portion, and a threaded end portion of larger diameter than said shank portion, the male threads on said end portion matching the female threads in said hole of said top section of said stop member, said spring member and said stop member being captured on said shank portion to prevent removal from said bolt by deformation of the adjacent end threads of said threaded end portion of said bolt and in said threaded hole of said top section of said stop member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The spring and stop assembly of claim 3 wherein said adjacent end threads are deformed by applying a tension between said bolt and said stop member while causing rotation therebetween in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation required for engagement of said threads.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
64 words
simultaneous with said tension, causing relative rotation between said bolt and said stop member in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation required for engagement of said adjacent end threads whereby said adjacent end threads are evenly upset and deformed to prevent subsequent engagement thereof so that said spring member and said stop member are captured on said shank portion of said bolt.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
simultaneous with said tension, causing relative rotation between said bolt and said stop member in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation required for engagement of said adjacent end threads whereby said adjacent end threads are evenly upset and deformed to prevent subsequent engagement thereof so that said spring member and said stop member are captured on said shank portion of said bolt.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
47 words
A method of assembling a spring member and a stop member on a headed retaining bolt having a threaded end portion and a smooth shank portion of diameter less than said end portion between said end portion and the head of said bolt, comprising the steps of:
Claim 14
Independent Claim
47 words
A method of assembling a spring member and a stop member on a headed retaining bolt having a threaded end portion and a smooth shank portion of diameter less than said end portion between said end portion and the head of said bolt, comprising the steps of:
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3775249A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-14 | 1978-10-14 | 1979-04-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-14 | 1982-10-14 | 1983-04-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-14 | 1986-10-14 | 1987-04-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |