Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A low profile transport apparatus for transporting radioactive waste, the apparatus comprising:a cylindrical annular body comprising a vertical axis, an open top end, an open bottom end, and a circumferentially-extending sidewall defining a cavity configured for holding a cask containing radioactive waste;a top plate attached proximate to the top end of the annular body;a bottom plate attached proximate to the bottom end of the annular body;the top and bottom plates each extending perimetrically around the annular body and projecting laterally outwards therefrom;a plurality of support assemblies spaced circumferentially apart on the annular body, the support assemblies configured for supporting the cask in the cavity;a front roller housing extending forward from a front end of the annular body; anda rear roller housing extending rearward from a rear end of the annular body,wherein each of the front and rear roller housings comprise a pair of vertically extensible and retractable roller assemblies configured for rolling engagement with a horizontal transport surface. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the top and bottom plates each include a front extension protruding forward from a front end of the annular body and a rear extension protruding rearward from a diametrically opposite rear end of the annular body, the front and rear extensions defining top and bottom walls of the front and rear roller housings. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the front and rear extensions protrude outwards farther from the annular body than the laterally projecting portions of the top and bottom plates. 4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each roller housing includes a first and second pair of horizontally spaced apart inner and outer side plates each extending vertically between the top and bottom walls, each pair of inner and outer side plates defining a roller assembly compartment holding one of the roller assemblies. 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the roller assembly compartments are disposed at opposite lateral side ends of the front and rear roller housings. 6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a plurality of reinforcement plates extending vertically between the top and bottom walls, the reinforcement plates spaced apart between the roller assembly compartments in each roller housing. 7. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each roller assembly includes a jack operably coupled to a roller at a first end and supported at a second end from one of the first or second pairs of inner and outer plates, each jack configured to move its respective roller into and out of one of the roller compartments. 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each jack is attached to a horizontal support member having ends attached to one of the first or second pairs of inner and outer plates. 9. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each roller assembly includes a roller attached to a horizontal base plate and a pair of horizontally spaced apart low-friction plates disposed perpendicularly on the base plate and having a vertical orientation, the low-friction plates formed of a low-friction material. 10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the low-friction plates are movable along and engage the inner and outer plates of each roller assembly compartment when the roller assemblies are retracted or extended, the low-friction plates configured to prevent the rollers from supinating or pronating. 11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each pair of low-friction plates is attached to a vertical beam mounted to the base plate, one of the low-friction plates being attached to each of two opposing sides of the vertical beam. 12. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each roller includes a plurality of axially aligned wheels supported between a pair of inner and outer wheel plates configured to prevent the wheels from supinating or pronating. 13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each support assembly comprises a plurality of vertically elongated support plates attached along their inner sides to the annular body and projecting radially outwards therefrom. 14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the support plates extend vertically from the top plate through the bottom plate and form downward projections that extend beneath the bottom plate for engaging the transport surface. 15. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a plurality of cover plates extending vertically between the top and bottom plates along, outer sides of the support plates. 16. A low profile transport system for transporting nuclear waste, the apparatus comprising:a cask containing nuclear waste;a cylindrical annular body comprising a vertical axis, an open top end, an open bottom end, and a circumferentially-extending sidewall defining a cavity;a plurality of support assemblies spaced circumferentially apart on the annular body, the support assemblies configured to provide cantilevered support for the cask in the cavity;a top plate attached proximate to the top end of the annular body and including cantilevered front and rear extensions protruding from the annular body;a bottom plate attached proximate to the bottom end of the annular body and including cantilevered front and rear extensions protruding from the annular body;a front roller assembly housing formed from the front extension of the top plate and the front extension of the bottom plate; anda rear roller assembly housing formed from the rear extension of the top plate and the rear extension of the bottom plate;the roller assembly housings disposed on diametrically opposite front and rear portions of the annular body;each roller assembly housing comprising two roller assemblies, each roller assembly disposed between a pair of vertical inner and outer plates attached to the top and bottom plates at their ends;each roller assembly including a roller attached to a bottom of a base plate and laterally spaced apart low-friction plates extending upwards from the base plate;the roller assemblies being vertically movable between a retracted position in which the rollers are at least partially retracted into their respective roller housing and an extended position in which the rollers are at least partially projected from their respective roller housing; andwherein the low-friction plates slide along the inner and outer plates when the rollers move between the retracted and extended positions and prevent supination or pronation of the rollers assemblies. 17. The system according to claim 16, wherein each roller assembly further comprises a hydraulic jack coupled to the base plate and operably coupled to the roller to move the roller between the retracted and extended positions. 18. The system according to claim 16, wherein bottom ends of the support assemblies contact a support surface when the roller assemblies are in the retracted position, and the bottom ends of the support assemblies do not contact the support surface when the roller assemblies are in the extended position. 19. The system according to claim 16, wherein a lower portion of the cask nests within the cavity of the annular body and an upper portion of the cask that comprises a majority of a height of the cask protrudes upwards from the open top end of the cavity. 20. A low profile transport system for transporting nuclear waste, the apparatus comprising:a cask containing nuclear waste;a cylindrical annular body comprising a vertical axis, an open top end, an open bottom end, and a circumferentially-extending sidewall defining a cavity;a plurality of support assemblies spaced circumferentially apart on the annular body, the support assemblies configured to support the cask in the cavity in a cantilevered manner;a top plate attached proximate to the top end of the annular body and including cantilevered front and rear extensions protruding from the annular body;a bottom plate attached proximate to the bottom end of the annular body and including cantilevered front and rear extensions protruding from the annular body;a pair of front roller assemblies supported between the front extensions of the top and bottom plates, each front roller assembly including a vertically movable roller operably coupled to a hydraulic jack arranged in a compartment formed by a pair of vertical compartment side plates attached to the front extensions; anda pair of rear roller assemblies supported between the rear extensions of the top and bottom plates; each rear roller assembly including a vertically movable roller operably coupled to a hydraulic jack arranged in a compartment formed by a pair of vertical compartment side plates attached to the rear extensions;each roller assembly further including a base plate and a laterally spaced apart pair of low-friction plates extending upwards from the base plate, each low-friction plate disposed between the jack and one of the compartment side plates;each roller assembly being vertically movable between a retracted position in which the rollers are at least partially retracted into their respective compartment, and an extended position in which the rollers are at least partially projected downwards beyond their respective compartment;wherein the low-friction plates slide along the compartment side plates when the rollers move between the retracted and extended positions and prevent supination or pronation of the rollers assemblies.