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. 14, 1993
Filed:
Jul. 02, 1992
William J Bryan, Granby, CT (US);
Combustion Engineering, Inc., Windsor, CT (US);
Abstract
A holddown leaf spring for a nuclear fuel assembly (10) with an upper end fitting (12) having spring retaining slots (30). Two spring stacks (20, 24 and 22, 26), respectively, are made up of unitary elongated metal bar springs having two substantially tapered width leg portions (20a, 20b, etc.) joined by an arcuate transition portion (28) therebetween. The wider opposite end portions (20c, 20d, etc.) are received in slots (30) of end fitting (12) and retained by welded pins (or capped screws) (not shown). The tapered width distributes localized stresses and may be horizontal or vertical. Less chance of debris exists due to retained spring ends. Flow at two opposite corners is opened up by the taper and by transition portion (28) being spaced from the nozzle openings (32 and 34). The assembly requires fewer parts and less machining.