Connecting apparatus for limited rotary or rectilinear motion

Claim 1

A nuclear reactor including substantially stationary members, a horizontally rotatable vessel head plug mounted above a nuclear core, and apparatus for providing connection between one of said members and said plug comprising: a. a first plurality of affixed horizontal surfaces spaced one above another, each having an upwardly extending restraint; b. a second plurality of affixed horizontal surfaces spaced one above another, each having an upwardly extending restraint; c. structure for affixing said first surfaces to said one member and said second surfaces to said rotatable plug such that said first surfaces are vertically aligned with said second surfaces and are spaced therefrom a preselected distance; d. a first plurality of flexible cables, each said cable being stationary at one portion with respect to said one member and stationary at another portion with respect to said rotatable plug and positioned partially upon one of said first surfaces and partially upon the respective aligned second surface, between their respective restraints, so as to form a generally U-shaped loop in a first horizontal plane which slidingly moves with respect to both of said surfaces upon rotation of said plug; and e. a second plurality of flexible cables, each said cable of said second plurality being stationary at one portion with respect to said one member and stationary at another portion with respect to said rotatable plug and positioned partially upon another one of said first surfaces and partially upon a respective aligned another second surface, between their respective restraints, so as to form a generally U-shaped loop in a second horizontal plane displaced from said first horizontal plane which loop slidingly moves with respect to both of said another surfaces upon rotation of said plug.