Patent Number: 048204757
Section: abstract

A burnable absorber cluster assembly includes a support plate, a plurality of burnable absorber rods, and an improved attachment joint for detachably connecting an upper end of each of the absorber rods to the support plate. The attachment joint includes a plug insert defined on the end of each of the rods, a hollow annular wall extending outwardly from each plug insert, holes defined through the support plate for receiving the plug inserts, and recesses formed in the support plate and connected with the holes therein. Each recess is conical-shaped and extends in flared fashion outwardly from one hole to a maximum diameter greater than the diameter of the hole. The annular wall on each plug insert is deformed into conformity with the shape of one of the recesses for providing an interengaging connection between the insert plug and the support plate in which the plug insert is disposed within the support plate hole. The annular wall is also redeformable upon application of a predetermined axially-directed force on the plug insert so as to remove the plug insert from the support plate hole and thereby detach the rod from the support plate. Also, each recess and annular wall have respective interengaging eccentric portions which prevents the plug insert on each rod end from rotating in its corresponding hole.