System for performing remotely-controlled manual-like operations in large-area cell of a nuclear facility

A system for performing remotely-controlled manual-like operations in a hot cell of a facility for reprocessing irradiated nuclear fuel materials, the hot cell containing process equipment and being an enclosure with the process equipment disposed in racks along at least one longitudinally extending wall thereof whereby a canyon-like passageway is defined which extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the enclosure, at least some of the racks accommodating equipment in spatial regions therein which are only accessible from said passageway in a direction perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, the system comprising:

• a first overhead bridge crane having a first trolley movable thereon in a direction perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, said trolley including first hoist means for lowering and raising a device for engaging and moving a component of the process equipment in a first vertical plane perpendicular to said axis;
• a second overhead crane disposed beneath said first bridge crane and having a second trolley movable thereon in a direction perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, said second trolley including second hoist means for hoisting equipment within the hot cell;
• elevated track means for guiding said first and second bridge cranes in said enclosure in respective horizontal planes and in the direction of said longitudinal axis;
• said second overhead bridge crane including:
• an elongated supporting member arranged perpendicularly to said axis and above the passageway and engaging said track means for movement therealong;
• a manipulator assembly including:
• a mast defining a longitudinal mast axis and being connected to said elongated supporting member and extending downwardly into the canyon-like passageway from said supporting member, said supporting member and said mast conjointly defining a second vertical plane perpendicular to said axis;
• a support movably mounted on said mast for movement up and down the mast in the direction of said mast axis between a first position at the upper end of said mast and a second position downward of said first position;
• and, an extendable manipulator arm defining only a single longitudinal arm axis and being extendable only along said arm axis for performing manual-like operations on the process equipment, said manipulator arm being mounted on said support so as to be asymmetrically disposed on one side of said mast and in a third vertical plane perpendicular to said axis;
• and,
• means for moving said first bridge crane along said track means to bring said first vertical plane into coincidence with said third vertical plane so as to permit movement of said device in said vertical plane clear of said elongated supporting member and into one of said spatial regions whereby both said manipulator arm and said device can be brought simultaneously to said one spatial region in said third plane for working on process equipment disposed thereat;
• first rotating means for rotating said extendable manipulator arm directly on said support so as to permit said arm to clear and extend upwardly beyond said elongated supporting member for performing maintenance work on said second trolley and said second hoist means while said arm is in said third vertical plane;
• and,
• second rotating means for rotating said extendable manipulator arm about said mast axis and to bring the same into a fourth vertical plane directly next to said second vertical plane so as to be asymmetrically disposed on the other side of said mast and to permit said arm to clear and extend upwardly beyond said elongated supporting member for performing work on said second trolley and said second hoist means while said arm is in said fourth vertical plane.