Apparatus for handling control rod drive

An apparatus for handling a control rod driving mechanism (CRD), comprising:

• a turn carriage provided in a pedestal space below a pressure vessel of a nuclear reactor;
• a truck adapted to run along a rail arranged on said turn carriage;
• CRD conveyor means arranged for being transferred into and out of said pedestal space with said CRD contained therein from and to a space for at least one of inspection and maintenance of said CRD, said CRD conveyor means including lifter means movable therein in a longitudinal direction of said conveyor means with said CRD mounted thereon so as to shift said CRD to and from a CRD housing disposed under said pressure vessel;
• holding means for removably holding said conveyor means, said holding means being mounted on said truck and being rotatable between an upright position and a horizontal position in said pedestal space;
• CRD mounting/demounting means for enabling mounting of said CRD to said CRD housing and for enabling demounting of said CRD from said CRD housing, said mounting/demounting means including means fixedly attached to said holding means and means movable transversely of said holding means onto and from said lifter means, said mounting/demounting means being arranged for vertical shifting by said lifter means;
• and
• CRD supporting means arranged on said holding means for temporarily supporting said CRD during movement of said CRD between sid CRD conveyor means and said CRD mounting/demounting means.