Patent Number: 051732491
Section: claims

1. A tool for removing a detector thimble from a reactor vessel, comprising: (a) first pulling means for extracting said thimble from said reactor vessel;  (b) cutting means for severing portions of said thimble, said cutting means adapted to sever successive portions of said thimble as said is extracted from the reactor vessel; and  (c) second pulling means for receiving said thimble after said thimble is partially extracted by said first pulling means and thereafter further extracting said thimble, second pulling means disposed on a side of said cutting means opposite said first pulling means.  (i) a first drive shaft;  (ii) means for rotating said first drive shaft; and  (iii) first gripper means, coupled to said first drive shaft, for gripping said thimble, said first gripper means adapted to grip and extract said thimble upon rotation of said drive shaft in a first predefined direction.  (i) a second drive shaft coupled to said first drive shaft; and  (ii) second gripper means, coupled to said second drive shaft, for gripping said thimble, said second gripper means adapted to grip and extract said thimble upon rotation of said first and second drive shafts in a second direction opposite said first direction.  (a) first pulling means for extracting said thimble, through said seal table, from said reactor vessel;  (b) cutting means for severing portions of said thimble, said cutting means adapted to sever successive portions of said thimble as said thimble is extracted from the reactor vessel; and  (c) second pulling means for receiving said thimble after said thimble is partially extracted by said first pulling means and thereafter further extracting said thimble, said second pulling means disposed on a side of said cutting means opposite said first pulling means.  (i) a first drive shaft;  (ii) means for rotating said first drive shaft; and  (iii) first gripper means, coupled to said first drive shaft, for gripping said thimble, said first gripper means adapted to grip and extract said thimble upon rotation of said first drive shaft in a first predefined direction.  (i) a second drive shaft coupled to said first drive shaft; and  (ii) second gripper means, coupled to said second drive shaft, for gripping said thimble, said second gripper means adapted to grip and extract said thimble upon rotation of said first and second drive shafts in a second direction opposite said first direction. 2. The tool recited in claim 1, wherein said first pulling means comprises: 3. The tool recited in claim 2, wherein said second pulling means comprises: 4. A pressurized water nuclear reactor (PWR), having a reactor vessel, a core, a seal table and at least one detector thimble slidably inserted through said reactor vessel and into said core, in combination with a thimble removal tool disposed externally to said reactor vessel, said tool comprising: 5. The combination PWR and thimble removal tool recited in claim 4, wherein said first pulling means comprises: 6. The combination PWR and thimble removal tool recited in claim 5, wherein said second pulling means comprises: 7. The combination PWR and thimble removal tool recited in claim 5, further comprising a turbine generator operatively coupled to said PWR. 8. The combination PWR and thimble removal tool recited in claim 6, further comprising a turbine generator operative coupled to said PWR.