Patent ID: 7905017

Claim:
Method for repairing the slides ( 27 ) of a radial support assembly ( 10 ) for a pressurized water reactor core support plate ( 5 ), each slide ( 27 ) of U-section being fixed in a housing formed in a side support ( 26 ) integral with a nuclear reactor vessel ( 1 ) and comprising two essentially parallel lateral branches ( 27 b ) equipped with opposing bearing surfaces ( 27 c ) designed to collaborate with the lateral faces of a radial support key ( 15 ) fixed to the core support plate ( 5 ), wherein: the separation between the bearing surfaces ( 27 c ) of the lateral branches ( 27 b ) of at least one slide ( 27 ) that is to be repaired is measured, a relative measurement of the position of the said at least one slide ( 27 ) that is to be repaired with respect to the other slides ( 27 ) of the support assembly ( 10 ) is taken, at least one lateral branch ( 27 b ) of the said at least one slide ( 27 ) that is to be repaired is cut off and removed, the dimensions of the said at least one lateral branch ( 27 b ) are measured and at least one replacement lateral branch ( 37 b ) is machined to identical dimensions, open-ended holes ( 43 ) intended to accept screw fasteners ( 44 ) for screw-fastening the said at least one replacement lateral branch ( 37 b ) are pierced in the solid support ( 26 ), holes ( 45 ) are pierced in the said at least one replacement lateral branch ( 37 b ) and these holes ( 45 ) are tapped to accept the screw fasteners ( 44 ), the said replacement lateral branch ( 37 b ) is fixed in the housing of the solid support ( 26 ) using the screw fasteners ( 44 ), the separation between the bearing surfaces ( 37 c ) of the lateral branches ( 37 b ) of at least one repaired slide ( 27 ) is measured, a relative measurement of the position of the said at least one repaired slide ( 27 ) with respect to the other slides ( 27 ) of the support assembly ( 10 ) is taken, holes ( 40 , 42 ) are pierced in the solid support ( 26 ) and in the said at least one replacement lateral branch ( 37 b ) for positioning and load-reacting pins ( 41 ), and the said pins ( 41 ) are fitted.