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:
Nov. 17, 1998
Filed:
Feb. 05, 1997
Jeffrey Lee Thompson, San Jose, CA (US);
Douglas Kevin Ethridge, San Jose, CA (US);
John Geddes Erbes, Mt. View, CA (US);
Martin Daniel Kaylor, Dayton, OH (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for repairing a core plate having a cracked support structure. The method entails the step of providing a vertical compression load path between the core plate and one or more control rod guide tubes. This is accomplished by installing a plurality of load-bearing wedges between the core plate and the step of each guide tube. Each load-bearing wedge is placed between the core plate and the guide tube machined step so that core plate pressure loads are reacted by the weight of the fuel rather than the core plate support structure. The load-bearing wedges can be installed without removing the guide tube or the fuel support casting.