Holding fixture to assist in assembly of support grid for nuclear fuel rods and method for assembling support grid for nuclear fuel rods
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorLYMAN J. PETROSKY
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A holding fixture for assisting in assembly of a support grid for nuclear fuel rods and including a plurality of straps each having a plurality of slots extending approximately half a height of the straps and tabs formed beside or between the slots. The holding fixture includes an actuation plate, a support plate having a plurality of receiving members structured to receive therein straps of the support grid and having a plurality of cells, and a plurality of cam assemblies structured to move to deflect every other tab of the straps received in the plurality of receiving members. The cam assemblies are disposed in every other cell of the support plate.
Claims20
A holding fixture for assisting in assembly of a support grid for nuclear fuel rods and including a plurality of straps each having a plurality of slots extending approximately half a height of the straps and tabs formed beside or between the slots, the holding fixture comprising:
- an actuation plate;
- a support plate having a plurality of receiving members structured to receive therein straps of the support grid and having a plurality of cells;
- and
- a plurality of cam assemblies structured to move to deflect every other tab of the straps received in the plurality of receiving members,
- wherein the cam assemblies are disposed in every other cell of the support plate.
A holding fixture pair for assisting in assembly of a support grid for nuclear fuel rods and including a plurality of upper straps and a plurality of lower straps each having a plurality of slots extending approximately half a height of the upper or lower straps and tabs formed beside or between the slots, the holding fixture pair comprising:
- an upper holding fixture comprising:
- an upper actuation plate;
- an upper support plate having a plurality of stand-offs structured to receive therein upper straps of the support grid and having a plurality of upper cells;
- and
- a plurality of upper cam assemblies structured to move to deflect every other tab of the upper straps received in the plurality of stand-offs,
- wherein the upper cam assemblies are disposed in every other upper cell of the upper support plate, and
- a lower holding fixture comprising:
- a lower actuation plate;
- a lower support plate having a plurality of notches structured to receive therein lower straps of the support grid and having a plurality of lower cells;
- and
- a plurality of lower cam assemblies structured to move to deflect every other tab of the lower straps received in the plurality of notches,
- wherein the lower cam assemblies are disposed in every other lower cell of the lower support plate, and
- wherein the upper holding fixture is flipped with respect to the lower holding fixture.
A method for assembling a support grid for nuclear fuel rods, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of upper straps and a plurality of lower straps each having a plurality of slots extending approximately half a height of the upper or lower straps and tabs formed beside or between the slots;
- deflecting every other tab of the upper straps;
- deflecting every other tab of the lower straps;
- mating the upper straps and the lower straps;
- and
- releasing deflections of the tabs of the upper and lower straps.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.