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:
Aug. 29, 1989
Filed:
Feb. 10, 1988
David J Wozniak, Clementon, NJ (US);
Charles W Mallory, Severna Park, MD (US);
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
An improved tie-down assembly for connecting a transportation cask containing radioactive wastes to the trailer of a tractor-trailer as disclosed herein. Each of the lugs is characterized by a flat profile and is formed from steel which is less ductile than the steel forming the walls of the cask, yet having an ultimate stress which is higher than the ultimate stress of the steel forming the cask walls. Additionally, each of the lugs includes a reinforcing plate having substantially the same shape as the contour of the cask walls, as well as an elongated, flat lug member that terminates in an eyelet for attaching the lug member to a tensioned cable. The lower ductility of the lugs, coupled with the extremely flat profile made possible by the higher ultimate stress of the material that forms them, minimizes the moment forces that the tensioned cables apply to the cask walls, and minimizes the chance that the lugs will apply a rupturing or breaking force onto the cask walls in the event of a severe accident. Each of the lug members is colinearly aligned with its respective tensioned cable, and each cable is attached to the support beams of the vehicle. The lugs are welded around the circumference of the cask at the same height at 50 degree angles with respect to the longitudinal center line of the trailer, and the cables are arranged in front and rear x-shaped configurations that intersect the longitudinal center line of the trailer at 40 degree angles. The 'mechanical fuse' property of the lugs in combination with such cable geometry results in a safer and stronger tie-down assembly.