Patent GB-958921-A (GB)
Title: Fuel element loading and unloading device for nuclear reactor
Inventor: COFFIN LUCIEN
IPC: G21C19/16
Filed: 1962-10-23
Abstract: 958, 921. Fuelling reactors; servicing reactors. ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE, SERVICE NATIONAL. Oct. 23,1962 [Nov. 15, 1961], No. 40110/62. Heading G6C. A shoot for use with a reactor in which the fuel channels accessible through a given standpipe are arranged on concentric circles comprises telescopic tubes 10,12 keyed for rotation with one another, the inner tube 10 having a groove 20 for engagement by the grab of a servicing machine (not shown). When the shoot is lowered through a standpipe by the grab a flange 16 on the outer tube 12 is arrested by a lifting and lowering device 17 and the tube 10 becomes supported by the tube 12 through the engagement of a flange 22 on the tube 10 with a collar 14 on the tube 12 so that the grab may then be released. A support 26 of U-shaped cross-section is axially slidable on the tube 10 by a pin and slot connection 28, 30, this support receiving a tube 40 pivotally connected at 41 to the tube 10. The lower end of the support 26 consists of a hollow spigot 32 which enters a locating skirt 58 welded to a plate 54 extending above the reactor core, the spigot thus serving as a pivot for the shoot. A casing 34 surrounding the spigot 32 is biased by a spring 36 so that its lower end tends to be held against an abutment 38 of the spigot. A sleeve 44 slidable in the spigot 32 is pivotally connected to the tube 40 by links 42. The lifting and lowering device 17 is in its uppermost position when the servicing machine is replaced by a fuel element charging machine (not shown) and an upper collar 35 of the casing 34 engages the plate 54, Fig. 5. An oblique shoulder 24 on the tube 12 indexes the shoot angularly with respect to a key (not shown) carried by the device 17 during downward movement of the shoot, the device 17 having first been turned so that when the key enters a slot 25 the shoot is in the desired angular position. The device 17 lowered in two stages couple the lower end of the tube 40 to the end 70 of a fuel channel, the first stage causing angular outward movement of the tube through a distance corresponding to the particular circle on which the channel is situated and the second stage causing downward movement of the tube to engage the end 70, Fig. 2. The angular outward movement of the tube 40 is variable to correspond to circles of different diameter. As shown, the tube 40 may be aligned with an inner and with an outer fuel element circle and when the outer circle is to be fuelled a removable stop 50 having an upper end for engagement by a grab is inserted in the spigot 32. The stop 50 is retained by a shoulder 52 of the spigot and co-operates with catches 48 carried by the sleeve 44. In order to fuel the inner circle the stop 50 is omitted and as the device 17 is lowered the sleeve 44 is arrested by a shoulder 46 in the spigot 32, the support 26 being supported by the spring 36, whereby the links 42 rotate the tube 40. The axial play in the slot 30 is taken up so that on further lowering of the device 17 the flange 22 leaves the collar 14 so that the combined weight of the tube 10, support 26 and tube 40 causes compression of the spring 36 whereby the tube 40 engages the fuel channel end 70. When the stop 50 is in position to fuel the outer circle the sleeve 44 is arrested sooner in its downward movement by the catches 48 whereby the tube 40 is moved outwards through a greater extent.