Nuclear fuel element spacer means

Claim 1

A fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor comprising: (a) a plurality of elongated elements including fuel elements supported between upper and lower tie plates, (b) a plurality of axially-spaced element spacers positioned between said upper and lower tie plates to retain said elements in laterally spaced relation to one another, said spacers including a plurality of intersecting members forming passages for said elements, (c) at least one of said elements serving as a spacer retaining element and being formed with a plurality of laterally extending lugs secured thereto and individually engaging one of said members of respective ones of said spacers to retain said spacers in spaced axial position, (d) each of said one of said members being formed with a vertically extending slot therethrough to removably receive one of said lugs, said slot having an open end and a closed end, (e) whereby said one element is prevented by said one of said members of said spacers from rotation about its own axis when said one lug is received within said slot, (f) said open end of said slot facing downwardly whereby said lugs engage the closed upper ends of said slots to prevent downward movement of said spacers.