Patent Number: 048470368
Section: description

Referring now to the single FIGURE of the drawing in detail, it is seen that the apparatus is disposed on a non-illustrated support in a water-filled pool or pit 1. A fuel assembly 2, which is indicated by phantom lines and is formed of a plurality of longitudinally extending fuel rods, is held in a precise position relative to the apparatus, as a rule on the same support. A water-tight encapsulated housing 3 contains a lever drive mechanism known from German Published, Non-Prosected Application DE-OS No. 33 37 084. A rotary transmission 4, which ensures the translation of the movement of the lever drive mechanism to a lever linkage disposed outside the housing 3, extends through a wall 7 of the housing 3 opposite the bottom 6 of the pool 1. The region of the rotary transmission 4 protruding out of the housing is approximately four meters long and is approximately as long as a fuel assembly to be tested. Mirror-symmetrical lever linkages 5, 26 are disposed on the rotary transmission 4, both in the vicinity of the wall 7 and in the vicinity of the free end of the rotary transmission. In order to stabilize the rotary transmission, the free end thereof is guided in a cover plate 8 which is connected to the housing 3 by three struts 9, 10 and 11. Each respective lever linkage 5, 26 has bars 12, 13 which articulate with the rotary linkage, bars 16, 17, hinge joints 14, 15 connecting the bars 12, 13 to the bars 16, 17 and a pivot point 18 of the bars 16, 17. The movement of the bars 12, 13 is transferred through the hinge joints 14, 15 and the bars 16, 17 to the pivot point 18. A bolt 19 passing through the pivot point 18 is rotatably mounted in carrying plates 20 which are connected to the lever linkage 5, 26. A tie bar 21 extends between and is fixed to the carrying plates 20 and thus follows the movement of the lever linkages 5, 6. The tie bar 21 carries probes 22 at various levels, which jut out approximately at right angles from the tie bar. A probe 22 is formed of a holder 23 detachably fixed to the tie bar 21 and two fingers 24 which carry an ultrasonic test head 25 at the free ends thereof. The use of a tie bar permits the apparatus to operate with only two lever linkages, although the tie bar can carry more than two probes. According to another embodiment of the invention, a quantity of lever linkages equal to the required number of probes can jut out from the rotary transmission 4. Each lever linkage then carries a probe, so that the tie bar 21 can be eliminated. The fuel rods are tested simultaneously on three levels by a single traveling movement into the spaces between the fuel rods. Therefore, a probe movement in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the fuel assembly is not necessary. The foregoing is a description corresponding in substance to German Application P No. 36 32 061.7, dated Sept. 20, 1986, the International priority of which is being claimed for the instant application, and which is hereby made part of this application. Any material discrepancies between the foregoing specification and the aforementioned corresponding German application are to be resolved in favor of the latter.