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:
Dec. 29, 1987
Filed:
Jun. 20, 1985
Anoop Kapoor, Murrysville Boro, PA (US);
Edward J Choby, Irwin, PA (US);
Thomas J Kramer, Cincinnati, OH (US);
James E Ranieri, Jeannette, PA (US);
Charles H Roth, Jr, North Huntingdon, PA (US);
Donald E Scheffer, Washington Township, Westmoreland County, PA (US);
John E Spehar, Jr, Sewickley Township, Westmoreland County, PA (US);
Csaba Bessko, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Robert M Blumstein, Greensburg, PA (US);
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
A system for remotely repairing nuclear fuel rod assemblies is disclosed herein. Generally, the system comprises a rod handler for gripping, lifting, lowering and ungripping a selected fuel rod, a work station for securing the nuclear fuel rod assembly to be repaired into a desired location, and a positioner device for laterally positioning the rod handler over a selected rod in the fuel assembly secured within the work station. The rod handler includes a contractable collet for gripping and ungripping a desired fuel rod, and a rod sensor concentrically disposed within the collet for sensing when a rod is in a grippable position. The positioner includes a movable carriage which is slidably mounted onto a frame assembly by means of a pair of rail and bearing mechanisms. The system also includes a microcomputer for controlling the manner in which the positioner positions the rod handler, as well as gripping, lifting, lowering and ungripping motions of the handler itself. In order to maximize system safety, the microcomputer is programmed to deactuate the rod handler when it detects the handler is exerting an excessive amount of tensile force onto the rod.