Patent ID: 8573921

Claim:
A method for moving a nuclear fuel rod storage cask having a longitudinal axis comprising the steps of: positioning a self-propelled vehicle adjacent the storage cask while the storage cask is in a first storage position where the longitudinal axis of the storage cask is in a horizontal orientation, wherein the vehicle has a base frame with a cradle rotatably secured to the base frame and the vehicle is positioned adjacent the storage cask with the base frame straddling the storage cask so that the base frame is located at opposite lateral sides of the storage cask and the cradle extending over the storage cask between the base frame at the opposite sides of the storage cask, wherein an adapter is secured to the cradle for movement therewith and is selectively movable relative to the cradle in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the cradle, and wherein the vehicle is positioned adjacent the storage cask with the adapter located directly above the storage cask; positioning the adapter relative to the storage cask so that a plurality of spaced-apart threaded fasteners can extend from the adapter to the storage cask to secure the adapter to the storage cask, wherein there are six degrees of freedom of movement between the adapter and the storage cask; connecting the adapter of the cradle to the storage cask with the plurality of spaced-apart threaded fasteners extending from the adapter to the storage cask and the longitudinal axis of the storage cask parallel with the longitudinal axis of the cradle while the storage cask is in the first storage position; lifting the cradle and the storage cask connected thereto to lift the entire storage cask vertically from the first storage position; pivoting the cradle with the storage cask connected thereto about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cradle to rotate the longitudinal axis of the storage cask about ninety degrees to a vertical orientation; after pivoting the cradle, lowering the rotated cradle and the storage cask secured thereto to lower the entire storage cask vertically to a second storage position where the longitudinal axis of the storage cask is in the vertical orientation; and disconnecting the storage cask from the adapter of the cradle by removing the threaded fasteners from the storage cask while the storage cask is in the second storage position.