Patent Number: 042882923
Section: summary

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION Reference is made to U.S. patent application filed concurrently herewith in the name of R. T. Hardin, entitled "Connecting Apparatus For Limited Rotary Or Rectilinear Motion", assigned to the Westinghouse Electric Corporation, and hereby incorporated by reference. That application discloses apparatus providing an alternative to that disclosed herein, particularly where lateral spatial limitations are not as severe. 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to apparatus for providing connection between two members having relative motion in a horizontal plane, especially members having limited lateral space therebetween, particularly adaptable to the rotating plugs of the reactor vessel head of a nuclear reactor. 2. Description of the Prior Art Certain types of nuclear reactors require that refueling and maintenance operations be performed remotely, that is, without removal of the reactor vessel head. A plurality of rotating plugs have been provided for these operations which, through controlled rotation, allow remote access to core locations. It is important, however, that electrical and other connections be maintained to the various plugs and reactor components during relative motion. This requirement is complicated by the large number of connections and further by spatial limitations in the reactor head vicinity. This is particularly a concern with respect to the small rotating plug through which an in-vessel transfer machine must operate to shuffle fuel between the core and storage locations without removal of the reactor vessel head. Further, it is desirable that electrical signal level separation be provided among the various cables. In the prior art, reactor designers faced with these limitations have utilized apparatus similar to a split tank-type track having a fixed end and a movable end. The cables are contained within supporting plates or carriers, having openings bored to the size of the cable diameters, which are positioned between a plurality of chain links. The links are assembled to a close tolerance, allowing bending of the apparatus as necessary during motion. Although such apparatus properly perform the cable connection function, they are not without deficiencies. The tracks require a significant amount of space, which can affect the design of the connected components or limit the number of cables utilized. Further, the track system requires a large number of individual interlocking components. The large number of pins and sliding joints adds a potential for failure and a significant cost to the reactor systems. In other applications where it is desirable to provide electrical connections between movable components, systems have been proposed which have similar deficiencies, particularly in the complexity and relatively large number of components required. Two such applications are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,612 in the name of R. L. Guntner, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,059 in the name of E. W. Howe. It therefore is desirable to provide apparatus which allows continuous connection of the large number of cables or hoses during rotation and refueling operations which also minimizes interference with personnel and other equipment while additionally providing electrical signal separation. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention discloses apparatus for providing connection between two members movable with respect to each other in a horizontal plane in a limited rectilinear or rotary fashion. The apparatus is particularly adaptable to the small rotating plug of a nuclear reactor, and offers high reliability as a result of the relatively few moving components. In a preferred embodiment the invention includes a number of upper vertically oriented plates or surfaces, laterally spaced from one another, each having a laterally extending upper restraint. It further includes a second set of lower vertical plates or surfaces, also laterally spaced from one another, and each having a laterally extending lower restraint. Each of these sets of vertical surfaces is affixed to one of the movable members, so that the vertical surfaces or plates are aligned at common lateral positions. The aligned sets are also vertically spaced from one another so as to provide a gap therebetween. A number of flexible connecting conduits, or cables or hoses, are positioned so that a portion of each conduit is oriented between consecutive upper surfaces and a portion is positioned between consecutive lower surfaces, in a C-shaped traveling loop bounded above by the upper restraints and below by the lower restraints. The singular C-shaped loop of each cable passes across the gap between the aligned vertical surfaces upon relative motion of the two members. The cables are substantially stationary at opposite portions with respect to each of the respective members, either terminating at a junction or affixed to the surfaces. By forming the surfaces of suitable metallic or other material, structural integrity and electrical separation is provided by the surfaces. A number of spring type devices are affixed to the upper surfaces so as to support the upper portion of each looped cable. The cables between any two consecutive aligned surfaces are preferably of substantially the same diameter and the spring device has an upper section and a crimped lower segment. The lower segment is spaced from one of the vertical surfaces a distance less than the diameter of the cables, while the upper section is spaced therefrom a distance greater than the common diameter. The upper portion of the cables can therefore be supported above the crimped section between the spring device and a mating vertical surface. On relative motion of the members, a portion of the cables slide from between one pair of vertical surfaces to between the mating pair of surfaces, the C-shaped loop sliding with respect to both members. Where one member is fixed and the other moves, the moving vertical surfaces acquire additional cable as motion is in the direction which appears to pull cable from the stationary surfaces. Conversely, the stationary surfaces acquire cable as the moving surfaces rotate or move rectilinearly in the opposite direction. The spring device flexes laterally during these motions so that the cables pass freely into and out of contact with the springs. The apparatus can advantageously include a number of cables between the same vertical surfaces, each cable being positioned within the vertical area enclosed by an adjacent outer cable. With cables of similar diameter, the lateral spacing between adjacent vertical surfaces is then slightly larger than this diameter, and the vertical gap between sets of surfaces is smaller than the diameter to alleviate the potential for cable binding upon motion.