Patent Number: 050193244
Section: summary

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a centering arrangement for aligning the mutually adjacent openings of a lock of a nuclear facility and a container for holding radioactive waste. The container has at least one opening having a cross-sectional center point which is displaced with respect to the cross-sectional center point of the container per se. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a centering arrangement which eliminates centering operations at the lock of a nuclear facility. The centering arrangement of the invention is for aligning a lock opening in a lock of a nuclear facility with a loading opening in the base wall of a container for holding radioactive materials passed through the two openings when the container is docked at the lock. The centering arrangement includes: a guided vehicle movable in a horizontal direction; a carrier pivotally mounted on the vehicle for pivotal movement between a vertical position and a horizontal position; the lock having a fixed point thereon; the carrier having a carrier longitudinal axis and disposed on the vehicle so as to cause the axis to be in alignment with the fixed point when the carrier is in the horizontal position; the carrier having an upper region defining an opening through which the container is lowered when loaded into the carrier while the carrier is in the vertical position; the carrier and the container conjointly defining first, second and third contact engaging interfaces as the container is lowered into the carrier; first centering means at the first interface for adjusting the rotational position of the container about the longitudinal axis thereof to precenter the loading opening with respect to the lock opening; second centering means at the second interface for positioning the container so as to cause the longitudinal axis thereof to be centered on the carrier longitudinal axis with a first degree of accuracy; third centering means at the third interface for further positioning the container so as to cause the longitudinal axis thereof to be centered to the carrier longitudinal axis with a second degree of accuracy greater than the first degree of accuracy thereby providing a precise alignment of the loading opening with the lock opening when the container is docked at the lock; and, holding means for securing the container in the carrier after the container is completely lowered and centered in the carrier. With the arrangement according to the invention, centering takes place exclusively at the container and at a location remote from the lock. This reduces the danger of damage to the lock when docking the container at the lock. In addition, the arrangement according to the invention carries out the above object with simple mechanical means which function without difficulty. Electronic components are not required which would otherwise be subjected to a high failure rate and have a short service life in a nuclear environment.