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US 4,363,592 AGranted
Tool for remotely installing equipment through an access opening
AssigneeCombustion Engineering, Inc.
InventorJoseph A. Tedder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tool is essentially an extensible mechanical arm adapted on one end to support equipment in a hostile environment while the arm is manually manipulated from its second end in a benign environment. The arm is pivoted at the entrance to an area containing nuclear radiation with its end projected into the radiation area, and adapted to install and remove equipment.
Claims6
An apparatus with which to transport a unit from a first environment to a second environment, including,
- a vessel having a wall as a boundary between a hostile environment within the vessel and a benign environment outside the vessel,
- an access opening through the wall of the vessel,
- a support framework mounted on the wall from the benign environment outside the vessel and extensible through the access opening and into the vessel interior,
- a pivot structure mounted on that portion of the framework extended into the hostile environment within the vessel,
- a slider assembly supported at the pivot structure so that it may be pivoted from outside the vessel to within the vessel through the access opening,
- an elongated tubular structure mounted on the slider assembly in the arrangement which will permit the tubular structure to longitudinally shift relative to the slider assembly toward and away from the vessel interior,
- a carriage structure mounted in sliding engagement with the tubular structure,
- means for shifting the carriage to the upper end of the tubular member,
- a unit mounted on the carriage as the tubular structure extends into the benign environment outside the vessel,
- and means for pivoting the slider assembly and tubular structure through the access opening and into the vessel interior and establish the tubular member in an upright position,
- whereby the unit is carried to a desired position within the vessel as the carriage is shifted to the upper end of the tubular member.
8 more elements
An extensible structure adapted to mount equipment in a hostile environment, including,
- a first hostile environment;
- a wall containing the hostile environment;
- an access opening in the wall;
- and
- the extensible structure adapted to be mounted on the wall and at the access opening, including,
- a bracket structure bolted to the wall at the access opening and extending through the opening to the hostile environment,
- pivot structure on the bracket within the hostile environment,
- a slider assembly supported at the pivot structure and extending through the access opening when rotated to its extreme clockwise position,
- a first tubular structure slidingly mounted on the slider assembly and arranged to extend through the access opening and into the hostile environment from outside the wall,
- a carriage member mounted to slide the length of the first tubular structure,
- a second tubular structure within the first tubular structure,
- sprockets mounted at each end of the second tubular structure at a location beyond the end of the first tubular structure,
- a chain connected to the carriage member and led over the sprockets,
- a reversible motor connected to one of the sprockets with which the carriage is powered the length of the first tubular structure,
- and equipment mounted on the carriage member which is to be positioned at a station within the hostile environment,
- whereby the slider assembly and tubular structures and carriage are pivoted from the bracket into the hostile environment for subsequent placement of the equipment on the carriage at its final station.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.