US3898126A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Reactor pressure tank
Assignee: Siemens AG
•
Filing: 1972-12-18
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Granted: 1975-08-05
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Expires: 1992-12-18
Abstract
Abstract In a reactor pressure tank for a nuclear reactor, self-locking hooks engage a steel ring disposed over the removable cover of the steel vessel. The hooks exert force upon the cover to maintain the cover in a closed position during operation of the reactor pressure tank. The force upon the removal cover is partly the result of the increasing temperature and thermal expansion of the steel vessel during operation. The steel vessel is surrounded by a reinforced-concrete tank.
Inventors
- 👤 Heinrich Dorner
- 👤 Manfred Scholz
- 👤 Axel Jungmann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 09:55
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C15/00; G21C15/02; G21C15/12; G21C13/00; G21C13/02; G21C13/06; G21C13/073; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
225 words
A NUCLEAR EACTOR PRESSURE-RESISTANT VESSEL COMPRISING A VERTICAL METAL TANK HAVING AN OPEN TOP PROVIDED WITH A REMOVABLE METAL COVER SAID METAL TANK BEING POSITIONED IN AND SURROUNDED BY A VERTICAL REINFORCED CONCRETE TANK HAVING AN OPEN TOP AND CONTAINING MEANS BELOW ITS TOP FOR SUPPORTING SAID METAL TANK THEREIN AGAINST DOWNWARD MOVEMENT AND AN INTERCEPT STRUCTUR FOR RESTRAINING SAID METAL TANK AND ITS COVER FROM DISPLACEMENT UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID CONCRETE TANK''S OPEN TOP WHEREIN THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISES SAID STRUCTURE BEING IN THE FORM OF A METAL RING REMOVABLY POSITIONED ON SAID COVER AND RESTING ON THE COVERS PERIPHERAL PORTION THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID RING BEING ADJACENT TO SAID CONCRETE TANKS OPEN TOP AND THE LATTER HAVING HOOKS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED THERETO TO SWING RADIALLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID RING SAID HOOKS HAVING DECLINING END SURFACES WHICH OVERLAP SAID RING WHEN THE HOOKS ARE SWUNG THEREOVER THE PERIPHERY OF SAID RING HAVING A RADIALLY INWARDLY INCLINING SURFACE POSITIONED FOR ENGAGEMENT BY SAID HOOKS SAID END SURFACES UPON UPWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID RING AND PROVIDING A SELF-LOCKING ACTION HOLDING THE HOOKS AGAINST OUTWARD SWINING DURING SAID ENGAGEMENT SAID METAL TANK SUPPORTING MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID METAL TANK AND SAID CONCRETE TANK AT A POSITION SPACED BELOW THE TOPS OF THE METAL TANK AND CONCRETE TANK A DISTANCE CAUSING SAID END SURFACES OF SAID HOOKS AND SAID DECLINING
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
225 words
A NUCLEAR EACTOR PRESSURE-RESISTANT VESSEL COMPRISING A VERTICAL METAL TANK HAVING AN OPEN TOP PROVIDED WITH A REMOVABLE METAL COVER SAID METAL TANK BEING POSITIONED IN AND SURROUNDED BY A VERTICAL REINFORCED CONCRETE TANK HAVING AN OPEN TOP AND CONTAINING MEANS BELOW ITS TOP FOR SUPPORTING SAID METAL TANK THEREIN AGAINST DOWNWARD MOVEMENT AND AN INTERCEPT STRUCTUR FOR RESTRAINING SAID METAL TANK AND ITS COVER FROM DISPLACEMENT UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID CONCRETE TANK''S OPEN TOP WHEREIN THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISES SAID STRUCTURE BEING IN THE FORM OF A METAL RING REMOVABLY POSITIONED ON SAID COVER AND RESTING ON THE COVERS PERIPHERAL PORTION THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID RING BEING ADJACENT TO SAID CONCRETE TANKS OPEN TOP AND THE LATTER HAVING HOOKS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED THERETO TO SWING RADIALLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID RING SAID HOOKS HAVING DECLINING END SURFACES WHICH OVERLAP SAID RING WHEN THE HOOKS ARE SWUNG THEREOVER THE PERIPHERY OF SAID RING HAVING A RADIALLY INWARDLY INCLINING SURFACE POSITIONED FOR ENGAGEMENT BY SAID HOOKS SAID END SURFACES UPON UPWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID RING AND PROVIDING A SELF-LOCKING ACTION HOLDING THE HOOKS AGAINST OUTWARD SWINING DURING SAID ENGAGEMENT SAID METAL TANK SUPPORTING MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID METAL TANK AND SAID CONCRETE TANK AT A POSITION SPACED BELOW THE TOPS OF THE METAL TANK AND CONCRETE TANK A DISTANCE CAUSING SAID END SURFACES OF SAID HOOKS AND SAID DECLINING
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The vessel of claim 1 in which at least said portion of said concrete tank is provided with cooling means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The vessel of claim 1 in which thermal insulation is interposed between said metal tank and at least said portion of said concrete tank.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The vessel of claim 1 in which at least said portion of said concrete tank includes metal bars reinforcing it against tensile stress when tensioned by holding said hooks downwardly.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The vessel of claim 1 in which said concrete tank has an annular metal beam anchored to its upper edge and to which said hooks are pivoted.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The vessel of claim 1 in which said interconnecting position is adjacent to the bottom of said metal tank.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
88 words
The vessel of claim 6 in which said concrete tank contains a second means for supporting said metal tank therein against downward movement and interconnecting said metal tank and said concrete tank at a second position spaced below the tops of the metal tank and concrete tank, the two said positions being vertically interspaced a distance greater than the length of said metal tank between them when said tank is at said lower temperature and so that said metal tank is then supported by said second supporting means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The vessel of claim 1 in which rolling bearing elements are interposed between said portion of said metal tank and said concrete tank.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The vessel of claim 1 in which said vertical compression applied to said metal tank is at least equal to the stress on the metal tank exerted by the internal pressure said vessel is designed to contain.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3389516A
Cited
US3583429A
Cited
US3416701A
Cited
US3633784A
Cited
US3549493A
Cited
US3694145A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-04 | 1979-02-03 | 1979-08-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-04 | 1983-02-03 | 1983-08-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-04 | 1987-02-03 | 1987-08-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |