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:
May. 30, 1978
Filed:
Sep. 08, 1976
Gilbert Chaze, Bourg-la-Reine, FR;
Guy Cherel, Le Vesinet, FR;
Rene Guilloteau, Verrieres-le-Buisson, FR;
Daniel Tucoulat, La Frette sur Seine, FR;
Saint-Gobain Techniques Nouvelles, Courbevoie, FR;
Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Paris, FR;
Abstract
The invention relates to a method and device for cutting a bundle of tubes containing a nuclear fuel into pieces having a preset length so that the fuel can be dissolved in a suitable solution. The bundle of tubes is introduced into a guide tube in a shearing machine and is clamped by two side clamps within the tube so as to limit the width of the bundle to the diameter of one tube of the bundle. The side clamps subject the bundle to a sideways thrust so that the tubes in the bundle are maintained contiguous without any excessive curvature. The bundle of tubes is then submitted to a cutting operation at right angles to its major dimension and after the blade has been returned to its inoperative position a safety plate is positioned near the cut section at a distance slightly greater than the forward movement of the bundle between two successive cutting operations. The side clamps are then withdrawn by a limited amount so that the resilience of the tubes causes them to remain in contact with the clamps. The bundle of tubes is then pushed forwardly after which the bundle is again clamped by the two side clamps prior to the next cutting operation.