Patent Number: 047611073
Section: abstract

Apparatus for transferring components, particularly rod control cluster elements for a nuclear reactor, to and from containers, particularly fuel assemblies, with the aid of a movable carriage containing compartments for receiving at least one fuel assembly and at least one rod control cluster element. The carriage is mounted on tracks and carries an abutment member arranged to cooperate with stops which delimit respective positions of the carriage along the tracks. When the carriage is at least in some of its positions, a respective compartment is located directly below a vertically movable gripper which is operable for gripping a rod control cluster element. In order to allow the carriage to have more than two positions, there is provided a movable stop which can be lowered to permit the carriage abutment member to move therepast and raised to be contacted by the abutment member. Movements of the carriage and gripper are controlled by means of pushbuttons located at a station accessible to an operator and via a data processing system which is responsive to actuation of the pushbuttons to effect the indicated operation.