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:
May. 22, 2001
Filed:
Feb. 18, 1999
John G. Erbes, Mt. View, CA (US);
David L. Rousar, San Jose, CA (US);
Michael R. Schrag, San Jose, CA (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
Downcommer coupling apparatus and methods for replacing a core spray line downcommer pipe coupled to a shroud T-box are described. In one embodiment, the coupling apparatus includes a wedge flange, a wedge, a wedge housing, a pipe seal, a cylindrical pipe, an elbow, a lower flange, and a shroud seal. The downcommer pipe is connected to the coupling apparatus by extending the pipe through the wedge flange, the wedge, and the wedge housing. The wedge has a plurality of flexible thinned segments that extend into the wedge housing to secure the downcommer pipe to the wedge housing. Wedge flange bolts extend through the wedge flange, the wedge, and the wedge housing to rigidly secure the downcommer pipe to the coupling apparatus. Dowel bolts extend through the wedge housing and the downcommer pipe to provide vertical and torsional load transfer from the downcommer pipe to the coupling apparatus. The lower flange is configured to receive the shroud T-box. In one embodiment two lower flange bolts extend through the shroud and into the nutbar to secure the coupling apparatus to the shroud. A third lower flange bolt extends through the shroud and secures the clamp to the t-box. The clamp prevents axial movement of the T-box.