Patent US4003787A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4003787A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Device for supporting a fuel-pin cluster within a nuclear reactor fuel assembly wrapper
Assignee: Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et Aux Énergies Alternatives
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Filing: 1975-03-11
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Granted: 1977-01-18
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Expires: 1995-03-11
Abstract
Abstract A supporting member for an array of parallel rails each carrying one row of slidably mounted pins of a fuel clister is placed coaxially at the lower end of a vertical fuel assembly wrapper. The ends of the rails are engaged in vertical slots formed in the supporting member and are secured by locking-rods mounted in open grooves located transversely to the slots in the outer faces of the supporting member.
Inventors
- 👤 Pierre Marmonier
- 👤 Bernard Mesnage
- 👤 Jean Teulon
- 👤 Jean-Pierre Simonneau
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 07:45
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C3/00; G21C3/30; G21C3/32; G21C3/33; G21C3/3305; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
A device for supporting a cluster of fuel pins having lower end-caps within the wrapper of a nuclear reactor fuel assembly comprising a coaxial supporting member at the lower end of the vertically disposed fuel assembly wrapper, a series of parallel rails, grooves in said lower end-caps engaging on the upper extremities of said rails, vertical parallel slots in said supporting member engaging lateral extremities of said rails, locking means securing said rails in said slots including open grooves in the sides of said supporting member extending along said vertical slots, and said locking means annularly engaging portions of said rails in said grooves and within said vertical slots.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
109 words
A device for supporting a cluster of fuel pins having lower end-caps within the wrapper of a nuclear reactor fuel assembly comprising a coaxial supporting member at the lower end of the vertically disposed fuel assembly wrapper, a series of parallel rails, grooves in said lower end-caps engaging on the upper extremities of said rails, vertical parallel slots in said supporting member engaging lateral extremities of said rails, locking means securing said rails in said slots including open grooves in the sides of said supporting member extending along said vertical slots, and said locking means annularly engaging portions of said rails in said grooves and within said vertical slots.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device according to claim 1, said locking means including locking-rods engaged within said open grooves in notches in said rails at the level of said grooves.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device according to claim 1, said locking means being cross-pins passing through said parallel rails at the level of said open grooves.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device according to claim 1, including a transverse comb extending at right angles to the plane of said rails in the central plane of said supporting member, and teeth in said comb being separated by said slots.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
A supporting device according to claim 1, including means for spacing the fuel pins in the cluster directly connected to the fuel pins to ensure a constant spacing between a row of fuel pins on one of said rails and a row of fuel pins carried by an adjacent one of said parallel rails.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
A supporting device according to claim 5, said spacing means including a helical wire wound in a helix of constant pitch on the external surface of each fuel pin and secured at one end to and at the level of the lower end-cap of said fuel pin, the point of attachment of said wire of each fuel pin being displaced by 60° about the axis of said pin.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
A supporting device according to claim 5, said spacing means including an overthickness of said lower end-cap so that the end-caps of one row of fuel pins are in contact with the end-caps of an adjacent row of fuel pins.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A supporting device according to claim 7, wherein said overthicknesses of the end-caps each have a cylindrical profile.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A supporting device according to claim 7, the overthickness of said end-caps each have a prismatic profile.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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Cited
US3890197A
Cited
US3158549A
Cited
US3755077A
Cited
US3743578A
Cited
US3862884A
Cited
US3764471A
Cited
US3795579A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-01-18 | 1980-07-19 | 1981-01-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-01-18 | 1984-07-19 | 1985-01-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-01-18 | 1988-07-19 | 1989-01-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |