Press apparatus enclosure arrangement

Claim 1

An arrangement for enclosing vertically oriented press apparatus within an environment exposed to nuclear fuel material, said apparatus including a die set and an upper and lower punch block respectively above and below said die set each reciprocatingly movable into a preselected position with respect to said die set respectively from above and below said die set, so as to compress nuclear fuel material disposed within said die set, said arrangement comprising: (a) an elongated vertical lower shaft affixed to said lower punch block; (b) an elongated vertical upper shaft affixed to said upper punch block; (c) upper hydraulic means disposed above said upper punch block for reciprocatingly driving said upper shaft; (d) lower hydraulic means disposed below said lower punch block for reciprocatingly driving said lower shaft, said lower drive being disposed externally of and sealed from said environment; (e) means sealingly bounding said environment so as to surround the upper hydraulic means and further including a lower section having an aperture therethrough for slidingly and sealingly receiving said lower shaft; and (f) an access area extending into and sealed from said environment, said access area sealingly enclosing said upper hydraulic drive means and having an aperture therethrough for slidingly and sealingly receiving said upper shaft.