Patent Number: 047298677
Section: abstract

A spring retainer apparatus includes a pair of assemblies adapted to engage and retain pairs of back-to-back springs of a fuel assembly grid in retracted positions for facilitating the loading of fuel rods into cells of the grid in a scratch-free manner. Each spring retainer assembly has elongated holder bars and a handle bar interconnecting the holder bars together at the same ends thereof so that the holder bars can be concurrently extended along and aligned with the straps of the grid which define the pairs of springs. Also, members are supported by each holder bar which correspond in number to the pairs of springs defined by the straps aligned with the holder bar. Each member has a terminal end configured to engage and retain the springs in their retracted positions when the respective holder bar supporting the member is aligned with and moved toward the springs. The terminal end of each member is bifuracted to define a pocket adapted to receive a pair of springs and retain them in their retracted position and a tapered entrance to the pocket for facilitating insertion of the springs into the pocket.