The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 28, 2026
Filed:
Jul. 28, 2023
Terrapower, Llc, Bellevue, WA (US);
Daniel R. Althouse, Rochester, NY (US);
Nickolas Clark, Lake Stevens, WA (US);
Jeffrey Derenthal, Seattle, WA (US);
Thomas Ekstrom, Bothell, WA (US);
Victoria Graham, Kenmore, WA (US);
Joseph Heath, Lynnwood, WA (US);
Matthew M. Mareka, Mystic, CT (US);
Bryan W. Sardo, Old Lyme, CT (US);
Nathan Smith, Duvall, WA (US);
Zachariah Snyder, Seattle, WA (US);
Olivera Ulicevic, Chicago, IL (US);
TERRAPOWER, LLC, Bellevue, WA (US);
Abstract
An in-vessel fuel transfer machine may be permanently affixed to a nuclear reactor and remain in place during power operations. The in-vessel fuel transfer machine may include a pantograph machine that positions a grapple in order to access any fuel socket location within the core and move any of the core assemblies between the core, an in-vessel fuel storage area, and a fuel elevator. The grapple may be positioned through a combination of movements, such as, rotating a rotating plug assembly, rotating the in-vessel fuel transfer machine, extending the pantograph arms, and shuttling the grapple along a leg. The grapple may be compliant to accommodate deformed core assemblies and may be configured to pivot to more closely align to an eccentric core assembly handling socket or be moveable in a horizontal plane to accommodate a deformed core assembly during insertion or withdrawal.