Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A shipping container system for a first nuclear fuel product comprising:an elongated tubular container having an axis extending along the container's elongated dimension, the container being designed to receive and support the first nuclear fuel product therein, an exterior of the tubular container having at least two substantially flat walls, with at least one circumferential end of at least one of the walls having a hinged interface with a stationary wall of the container to provide access to the interior thereof, the hinged wall extending axially in the direction of one end of the container and terminating a pre-selected distance short of the corresponding end of the stationary wall, the stationary wall having a lateral groove on an interior surface thereof extending in an orthogonal direction to the axis of the container at an elevation starting substantially at an elevation of the one end of the hinged wall, an access cover slidable in the groove in the stationary wall to close off the one end of the container so that the interior of the container may be accessed either through the one end by sliding out the access cover or from the side by rotating the hinged wall, the access cover having a means for locking the hinged wall in a closed position when the access cover is fully inserted in the groove and means for locking the access cover in a closed position to the stationary wall;an elongated, tubular overpack having an axial dimension at least as long as the tubular container, an internal cross-section larger than the tubular container and an interior tubular channel having an axially extending lower support section supporting a plurality of shock mounts, with at least one of said plurality of shock mounts positioned on either radial side of the lower support section, the shock mounts support at least one of the flat walls of the tubular container in spaced relationship with the lower support section when the overpack is supported in a horizontal position, with at least one circumferential end of the lower support section having a clamped interface substantially along the axial dimension thereof to provide access to the interior of the overpack; andmeans for supporting the overpack in the horizontal position. 2. The shipping container system of claim 1 wherein the means for locking the access cover in a closed position is a pair of radially extending arms that pivot proximate one end on each of the radially extending arms that faces towards the center of the access cover, the pivot enabling a distal end of the radially extending arms to rotate upwardly from a position orthogonal to the axis of the elongated tubular container towards the axis, each of the radially extending arms extending at the distal end into a vertical slot in the stationary wall that extends axially to the one end of the stationary wall so that when the radially extending arm is rotated into a horizontal position and engages the slot in the stationary wall the access cover can not slide in the groove and when the radially extending arm is rotated towards the axis, out of engagement with the slot, the access cover can slide in the groove. 3. The shipping container system of claim 2 wherein the radially extending arms are laterally restrained in a slot in an outwardly projecting face of the access cover. 4. The shipping container system of claim 3 wherein the slot in the outwardly projecting face of the access cover is formed from a raised fork having two spaced prongs of a given width that form walls of the slot in the outwardly projecting face of the access cover. 5. The shipping container system of claim 4 wherein a hole is formed in the width of the wall of each prong that is aligned with a hole in the corresponding radially extending arm when the radially extending arm is rotated in the horizontal position to engage the slot in the stationary wall so that when a pin is inserted through the holes when the radially extending arm is in the horizontal position the radially extending arms are locked in engagement with the slot in the stationary wall. 6. The shipping container system of claim 1 wherein the means for locking the hinged wall comprises a lip on the access cover extending axially in the direction of the hinged wall over an outer surface of the hinged wall at the one end when the access cover is fully seated in the groove so as to prevent the hinged wall from rotating toward an open position. 7. The shipping container system of claim 1 having at least two hinged walls that interface at their non-hinged circumferential ends in a closed position with one of the non-hinged circumferential ends having an axially extending tongue and the other of the non-hinged circumferential ends having an axially extending groove that mates with the tongue when the at least two hinged walls are in the closed position. 8. The shipping container system of claim 1 wherein the stationary and hinged walls of the elongated tubular container are constructed from three extruded sections. 9. The shipping container system of claim 1 wherein the access cover includes a hold down plate supported and centered on an underside of the access cover, the hold down plate being adjustable in the axial direction to bring pressure on the first nuclear product to secure the first nuclear product against a bottom member of the elongated tubular container. 10. The shipping container system of claim 9 including a recess in the underside of the access cover in which the hold down plate can be withdrawn. 11. The shipping container system of claim 9 wherein an axial elevation of the hold down plate is adjusted from a top of the access cover. 12. The shipping container system of claim 1 wherein the access cover has a thickness substantially equal to the width of the groove in the stationary wall. 13. The shipping container system of claim 1 wherein the first nuclear fuel product comprises a fuel assembly having a hexagonal cross-section and the stationary walls and hinged walls of the tubular member are configured in a hexagon when in a closed position to closely match the contour of the fuel assembly. 14. The shipping container system of claim 1 wherein the hinged wall interface with the stationary wall is coupled by a single hinge pin. 15. An elongated tubular shipping container designed to receive and support a first nuclear fuel product therein, comprising:an exterior of the tubular container having at least two substantially flat walls, with at least one circumferential end of at least one of the walls having a hinged interface with a stationary wall of the container to provide access to the interior thereof, the hinged wall extending axially in the direction of one end of the container and terminating a pre-selected distance short of the corresponding end of the stationary wall, the stationary wall having a lateral groove on an interior surface thereof at an elevation starting substantially at an elevation of the one end of the hinged wall;an access cover slidable in the groove in the stationary wall to close off the one end of the container, the access cover having a means for locking the hinged wall in a closed position when the access cover is fully inserted in the groove and means for locking the access cover in a closed position to the stationary wall; andwherein the interior of the container may be accessed either through the one end by sliding out the access cover or from the side by rotating the hinged wall.