Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A fuel transfer system for transporting spent fuel from a first room to a second room, the system comprising:a carriage configured for travel between the first room and the second room;a boom assembly that extends and retracts between the first room and the second room; anda hoist system positioned in the first room, the hoist system including at least one boom cable interconnected with the boom assembly to extend and retract the boom assembly and the hoist assembly including at least one carriage cable interconnected with the carriage to move the carriage. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the carriage includes a container, the container pivotably mounted to the carriage and rotatable between an up-ended position and a down-ended position. 3. The system of claim 2 wherein the container includes a cover, the cover pivotable between a closed position and an open position to allow rotation of the container. 4. The system of claim 3 wherein the container includes a spring for biasing the cover to the closed position. 5. The system of claim 3, and further comprising at least one actuator positioned in the first room, wherein actuation of the at least one actuator engages a portion of the cover to pivot the cover to the open position. 6. The system of claim 3, and further comprising at least one stop positioned in the second room, the at least one stop configured to engage a portion of the cover to pivot the cover to the open position. 7. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one carriage cable facilitates rotation of the container between the up-ended position and the down-ended position. 8. The system of claim 1 wherein the boom assembly includes a first boom and a second boom slidably received by the first boom. 9. The system of claim 8 wherein the second boom includes a carriage pulley, the carriage pulley positioned to engage the at least one carriage cable to facilitate travel of the carriage. 10. The system of claim 1, and further comprising a track assembly, wherein the carriage is configured to travel along the track assembly. 11. The system of claim 1, and further comprising at least one pin wherein the at least one pin is positioned in the first room, and further wherein the carriage includes a bracket configured to engage the at least one first pin to hold the carriage in the first room. 12. The system of claim 1, and further comprising at least one pin wherein the at least one pin is positioned in the second room, and further wherein the carriage includes a bracket configured to engage the at least one first pin to hold the carriage in the second room. 13. A fuel transfer system for transporting spent fuel from a first room to a second room, the system comprising:a carriage configured for travel between the first room and the second room, the carriage including a container pivotably mounted to the carriage;a boom assembly that extends and retracts between the first room and the second room, wherein the boom assembly facilitates travel of the carriage; anda hoist system positioned in the first room, the hoist system including at least one boom cable interconnected with the boom assembly to extend and retract the boom assembly, and the hoist assembly including at least one carriage cable interconnected with the carriage to extend and retract the carriage and to up-end and down-end the container relative to the carriage. 14. The system of claim 13 wherein the boom assembly includes a first boom and a second boom, the second boom slidably received by the first boom. 15. The system of claim 14 wherein second boom includes a carriage pulley, the carriage pulley positioned to engage the at least one carriage cable to facilitate travel of the carriage. 16. The system of claim 13, and further comprising a track assembly, wherein the carriage is configured to travel along the track assembly. 17. A fuel transfer system for transporting spent fuel from a first room to a second room, the system comprising:a carriage configured for travel between the first room and the second room;a first boom configured to extend from the first room to the second room;a second boom slidably received by the first boom and configured to extend into the second room, wherein extension of the first boom and the second boom facilitates travel of the carriage; anda hoist system positioned in the first room, the hoist system including a boom cable interconnected with the first boom and the second boom to extend and retract the first boom and the second boom, and at least one carriage cable interconnected with the carriage to move the carriage. 18. The system of claim 17 wherein the carriage includes a container, the container pivotably mounted to the carriage and rotatable between an up-ended position and a down-ended position. 19. The system of claim 18 wherein the at least one carriage cable facilitates rotation of the container between the up-ended position and the down-ended position. 20. The system of claim 17 wherein the second boom includes a carriage pulley, the carriage pulley positioned to engage the at least one carriage cable to facilitate travel of the carriage. 21. The system of claim 17, and further comprising a track assembly, wherein the carriage is configured to travel along the track assembly. 22. The system of claim 17, and further comprising at least one extend sheave positioned in the first room, at least one retract sheave positioned in the first room, at least one track sheave positioned in the first room, and at least one boom sheave positioned on the first boom, wherein the boom cable engages the sheaves to facilitate extension and retraction of the first boom and the second boom. 23. The system of claim 22 wherein the boom cable includes a first section and a second section, the first section of the boom cable engages the at least one retract sheave and couples to a termination point on the second boom to facilitate retraction of the first boom and the second boom, and the second section of the boom cable engages the at least one extend sheave and the at least one boom sheave and couples to the termination point to facilitate extension and retraction of the first boom and the second boom. 24. The system of claim 17, and further comprising a first carriage sheave positioned in the first room, a second carriage sheave positioned in the first room, and a pulley positioned on the second boom, wherein the at least one carriage cable includes a first carriage cable and a second carriage cable, and further wherein the first carriage cable engages the first carriage sheave and the pulley and couples to the carriage to facilitate travel of the carriage toward the second room, and the second carriage cable engages the second carriage sheave and couples to the carriage to facilitate travel of the carriage toward the first room.