US4382060A — Radioactive fuel cell storage rack

Claim 1

Independent Claim 118 words

A structural element for defining walls of cells in a radioactive fuel storage rack comprising a hollow metal element which is cruciform in section so as to have four legs of uniform length, said element being defined by a plurality of sheet metal members welded together and defining a hollow interior space of cruciform shape which extends into said legs, each leg of said element being adapted to be a dividing wall between two adjacent cells, a neutron absorbing shield of cruciform shape, said shield filling said hollow interior, each end of each leg being configured to mate with a leg on a mating structural element which is adapted to define at least one wall of a cell.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 118 words

A structural element for defining walls of cells in a radioactive fuel storage rack comprising a hollow metal element which is cruciform in section so as to have four legs of uniform length, said element being defined by a plurality of sheet metal members welded together and defining a hollow interior space of cruciform shape which extends into said legs, each leg of said element being adapted to be a dividing wall between two adjacent cells, a neutron absorbing shield of cruciform shape, said shield filling said hollow interior, each end of each leg being configured to mate with a leg on a mating structural element which is adapted to define at least one wall of a cell.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 26 words

A structural element in accordance with claim 1 wherein said legs are configured at the free ends in converging surfaces whose included angle is approximately 90°.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 37 words

An article of manufacture in accordance with claim 2 wherein said structural element is comprised of four L-shaped metal members having their free ends bent so as to provide one half of one of said converging surfaces.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 41 words

An article in accordance with claim 3 wherein each L-shaped member is hollow and has a portion of said neutron shield therein, said element having a central space which is cruciform in shape and containing a liquid providing a flux trap.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 102 words

A fuel cell storage rack comprised of three different types of structural elements, the first structural element being cruciform in section and defining a wall of four cells, the second element being T-shaped in section and defining a wall of two cells, the third element being L-shaped in section, each element being hollow and having a neutron shield therewithin, each leg of each element being of uniform length, the number of said first elements exceeding the number of said second elements, the number of said second and third elements being sufficient to provide the desired outline of the periphery of the rack.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 102 words

A fuel cell storage rack comprised of three different types of structural elements, the first structural element being cruciform in section and defining a wall of four cells, the second element being T-shaped in section and defining a wall of two cells, the third element being L-shaped in section, each element being hollow and having a neutron shield therewithin, each leg of each element being of uniform length, the number of said first elements exceeding the number of said second elements, the number of said second and third elements being sufficient to provide the desired outline of the periphery of the rack.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 28 words

A rack in accordance with claim 5 wherein each leg of each element terminates at a free end thereof in converging surfaces whose included angle is approximately 90°.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 18 words

A rack in accordance with claim 5 wherein a leg of four adjacent first elements are welded together.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 26 words

An article in accordance with claim 3 wherein said shield is comprised of four L-shaped shields each being in two adjacent legs of said cruciform element.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 106 words

A fuel cell storage rack comprised of a plurality of different types of structural elements, the first structural element being cruciform in section so that each leg thereof defines a wall of four adjacent cells, the second element being T-shaped in section so as to define a wall of two adjacent cells, each element being hollow and having a neutron shield within each leg, each leg of each element being of uniform length, the number of said first elements exceeding the number of said second elements, each leg of each element terminating at a free end thereof in converging surfaces whose included angle is approximately 90°.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 106 words

A fuel cell storage rack comprised of a plurality of different types of structural elements, the first structural element being cruciform in section so that each leg thereof defines a wall of four adjacent cells, the second element being T-shaped in section so as to define a wall of two adjacent cells, each element being hollow and having a neutron shield within each leg, each leg of each element being of uniform length, the number of said first elements exceeding the number of said second elements, each leg of each element terminating at a free end thereof in converging surfaces whose included angle is approximately 90°.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1986-05-02	1986-11-01	1987-05-03	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1990-05-02	1990-11-01	1991-05-03	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1994-05-02	1994-11-01	1995-05-03	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Radioactive fuel cell storage rack

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