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:
Sep. 23, 1997
Filed:
Jan. 11, 1996
Douglas J Attix, Lynchburg, VA (US);
Framatome Cogema Fuels, Lynchburg, VA (US);
Abstract
A rod connector assembly for removably securing a control rod to a spider structure and adapted for use in conjunction with a crimping tool. The rod connector assembly includes a tubular boss fixedly secured to the spider structure, the boss including at least one access hole and interior threads formed on an interior surface of the boss. A securement structure includes a coupling adapted to be fixedly secured to the control rod. The coupling includes a shaft having external threads, an upper end, and a lower end, the lower end of the shaft adapted to be fixedly secured to the control rod; a deformable collar projecting upwardly from the upper end of the shaft; and a cap adapted to be fixedly secured to an upper end of the boss and including at least one groove corresponding to the access hole(s). In use, when the external threads are engaged with the interior threads, the deformable collar is disposed within the boss and is accessible through the access hole(s) so that the deformable collar may be deformed using the crimping tool from exteriorly of the boss to form a crimped region. As a result the crimped region resists rotation of the external threads with respect to the internal threads unless it is overcome with a predetermined amount of torque to permit disassembly of the rod connector.