In-vessel rod handling systems
AssigneeTerraPower, LLC
InventorsPeter W. Gibbons, Stephen W. Hiller, Calen Kaneko, Owen Dean Nelson, Ashok Odedra, P. Harley Park
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rod transfer assembly has an outer rotating plug. A pick-up arm assembly extends from the outer rotating plug and includes a pivoting arm. An inner rotating plug is disposed off-center from and within the outer rotating plug and is rotatable independent of a rotation of the outer rotating plug. An access port rotating plug is disposed off-center from and within the inner rotating plug and is rotatable independent of rotation of the outer and inner rotating plugs. A pull arm extends from the access port rotating plug.
Claims20
A rod transfer assembly, comprising:
- an outer rotating plug comprising an outer rotating plug axis;
- a pick-up arm assembly extending from the outer rotating plug and comprising a shaft having a shaft axis parallel to the outer rotating plug axis and a pivoting arm pivotable about the shaft axis and comprising a pick-up mechanism having a pick-up axis disposed proximate an end opposite the shaft of the pick-up arm, wherein the shaft axis is positioned a first radial distance from the outer rotating plug axis;
- an inner rotating plug disposed off-center from and within the outer rotating plug, the inner rotating plug comprising an inner rotating plug axis, wherein the inner rotating plug is rotatable independent of a rotation of the outer rotating plug;
- an access port rotating plug disposed off-center from and within the inner rotating plug, wherein the access port rotating plug is rotatable independent of a rotation of the outer rotating plug and the inner rotating plug;
- and
- a pull arm extending from the access port rotating plug and comprising a pull arm axis.
A rod transfer assembly, comprising:
- an outer rotating plug comprising an outer rotating plug axis;
- a pick-up arm assembly extending from the outer rotating plug and comprising a shaft having a shaft axis parallel to the outer rotating plug axis and a pivoting arm pivotable about the shaft axis, wherein the shaft axis is positioned a first radial distance from the outer rotating plug axis;
- an inner rotating plug disposed off-center from and within the outer rotating plug, the inner rotating plug comprising an inner rotating plug axis, wherein the inner rotating plug is rotatable independent of a rotation of the outer rotating plug, and wherein a radius of pivoting for the pivoting arm is less than a reference diameter of the inner rotating plug;
- an access port rotating plug disposed off-center from and within the inner rotating plug, wherein the access port rotating plug is rotatable independent of a rotation of the outer rotating plug and the inner rotating plug;
- and
- a pull arm extending from the access port rotating plug and comprising a pull arm axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.