Patent Number: 
Section: description

Referring now to the drawings, particularly of FIGS. 1 and 3, there is illustrated a container, generally designated 10, for shipping unclear fuel assemblies. Container 10 includes a container body 11 containing an interior metal box, not shown, in which a pair of fuel assemblies (also not shown), each including fuel rods and mechanical hardware, are disposed in side-by-side relation to one another. The inner metal box is confined within container 10. The top and sides of the container body 11 include panels 12 and 14, preferably formed of plywood, and a bottom 16 (FIG. 3). The top, bottom and sides are lined along the interior of container 10 by honeycomb structures 18 and foam pads 20 to confine the inner metal box within container 10. Container 10 also includes exterior structural wooden framing elements. For example, elongated wooden 2xc3x974s 22 and 24 are provided along the top and sides, respectively, of the container. Wooden planks 26 preferably form the bottom 16 of the container. Skids 27 (FIGS. 2 and 3) are also located below the container bottom to facilitate lifting the container, e.g., by a forklift. The ends of container 10 also include rectilinear end frames 29 (FIG. 3) formed of wooden framing elements. For example, each rectilinear end frame 29 is preferably formed of a pair of vertical wooden 2xc3x974s 30 spaced from one another and a pair of horizontal 2xc3x974s 32 forming the top and bottom framing elements of the wooden end frame. Additionally, a panel, for example, a plywood panel 34 is secured to the wooden end frame 29 along the inside end surface of the wooden elements 30 and 32. The construction of the container 10 as illustrated including the wooden framing elements, plywood panels, strapping, honeycomb and foam panels and wooden end frames is conventional except for the container end support system which will now be described. An end support system, generally designated 36, is applied in accordance with the present invention to the opposite ends of the container 10 to reinforce the container ends and to ensure sufficient structural integrity to meet the required drop tests of the licensing regulations. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, each end support system 36 comprises a metal end member or frame 38 including first and second metal plates 40 and 42 extending generally parallel to and spaced from one another. Each metal end frame 38 also includes third and fourth metal plates 44 and 46 which are generally parallel to and spaced from one another. Plates 44 and 46 are secured at their opposite ends to the metal plates 40 and 42. For example, the third plate 44 may be welded at its ends to the ends of the first and second plates 40 and 42, respectively. The fourth plate 46 may be welded to the opposite ends of the first and second plates 40 and 42, respectively, forming a generally rectilinear end frame lying in a plane. As illustrated, the plates 40 and 42 are horizontal for extending along the top of the container at its end face, while plates 44 and 46 are vertical for extending along the opposite sides of the container 10 at its end face. A metal crosspiece 48 also extends between the two side plates 44 and 46. The metal crosspiece 48 overlies the side plates 44 and 46 and is preferably welded thereto. A reinforcing member 50, preferably in the form of a channel, is secured along the inside face of crosspiece 48 and terminates short of the ends of crosspiece 46, for purposes described hereafter. Metal supports extend in a generally perpendicular direction to said metal end frame for securing said metal end frame to said container end. At least two supports extend along opposite sides of container 10 for this purpose and, preferably, each such support comprises a pair of support arms. For example, four support arms 52, 54, 56 and 58 extend from the corners of the metal end frame 36 in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the end support frame. The arms comprise metal plates for extending along the sides of the container 10 in overlying relation to the wooden framing elements forming the sides of container 10. The arms lie in planes parallel to the container sides. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the metal plates 40, 42, 44 and 46 and arms 52, 54, 56 and 58 have a plurality of preformed holes, for example, holes 60, for receiving screws to screw the end support system 36 to the wooden end frames 24, 26, 29, 30 and 32 of the wooden container 10 as illustrated in FIG. 3. To apply an end support system 36 to an end of the container 10, the system 36 is disposed on the container end with the plates 40 and 42 overlying the wooden top and bottom framing elements 32 and plates 44 and 46 overlying the wooden side framing elements 30. The arms 52, 54, 56 and 58 extend along opposite sides of the container overlying portions of the elongated wooden framing elements 16 and 24. Note (in FIG. 2) that the upper edge of the end support assembly 36, i.e., the metal plate 40, lies below the cover for the outer container 10. Additionally, it will be appreciated that the arms 52, 54, 56 and 58 straddle the sides of container 10. With the end support assembly 36 applied to the end of the container, a series of screws are passed through the openings 60 of the metal end support 36 to secure it to the container end. The screws are preferably flathead 8xc3x9780 mm screws with ribs under the screw head. It will be appreciated that the screw openings 60, as illustrated in FIG. 4, along arms 52, 54, 56 and 58, are formed in an alternating pattern of a pair of openings followed by a single opening along the lengths of the arms. This minimizes any tendency to split the wooden framing elements and affords a securement to the wood. Upon review of FIG. 2, it will be appreciated that, in final securement, the reinforcing member 50, i.e., the channel, is disposed between the wooden side framing elements 30 with its opposite ends butting against the inside edges of framing elements 30 to reinforce elements 30. Additionally, the channel has a depth, in the longitudinally direction of the container, the bear against the end panel 34. The channel thus affords reinforcement to both the side wooden framing elements 30 and to the panel 34. Because of the structural relationship of the plates, crosspeice and arms and the plurality of metal screws used to secure the plates and arms of the metal end frame to the end of the container, structural integrity of the end of the container is maintained and assured within the requirements of the drop tests mandated by nuclear regulatory licensing requirements. As illustrated, container 10 not only has the end support assemblies at opposite ends but is banded, e.g., by bands 28, at longitudinally spaced intervals which also assists in maintaining the integrity of the outer container. While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.