Back to results
US 4,762,666 AGranted
Automatically closing swing gate closure assembly
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsShih-Chih Chang, William J. Schuck, Richard F. Gilmore
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A swing gate closure assembly for nuclear reactor tipoff assembly wherein the swing gate is cammed open by a fuel element or spacer but is reliably closed at a desired closing rate primarily by hydraulic forces in the absence of a fuel charge.
Claims13
A nuclear reactor tip off assembly, comprising:
- (a) a nozzle;
- (b) a closure assembly body connected to said nozzle and having an inlet adjacent said nozzle, an outlet adapted to receive a nozzle cap, and a through bore connecting said inlet and outlet, said inlet, outlet and through bore being dimensioned to permit passage of a fuel charge driven by fluid pressure in said nozzle from said nozzle through said inlet, through bore, and outlet;
- (c) a swing gate in said body and moveable between a first position in which said swing gate does not seal said through bore and a second position in which said swing gate seals said through bore, said swing gate being moved to said first position by said fuel charge during said passage;
- and
- (d) means in said body and in fluid communication with said inlet for hydraulically moving said swing gate to said second position in the absence of said fuel charge regardless of the presence of said fluid pressure in said closure assembly.
2 more elements
A nuclear reactor tip off assembly, comprising:
- (a) a nozzle;
- (b) a closure assembly body connected to said nozzle and having an inlet adjacent said nozzle, an outlet adapted to receive a nozzle cap, and a through bore connecting said inlet and outlet, said inlet, through bore, and outlet being dimensioned to permit passage of a fuel charge driven by fluid pressure in said nozzle from said nozzle through said inlet, through bore, and outlet;
- (c) an upper chamber in said closure assembly body, above said through bore;
- (d) a swing gate having an upper substantially planar surface defining a bottom surface of said upper chamber, an arcuate surface facing said outlet and having a first center of curvature, and a substantially concave surface facing said inlet, said swing gate being pivotable about a first horizontal axis perpendicular to said through bore, adjacent said inlet, and offset from said first center of curvature, and adapted to be movable by the passage of a fuel charge through said through bore to a first position in which said swing gate does not obstruct said through bore, and, in the absence of a fuel charge in said through bore regardless of the presence of said fluid pressure, to a second position sealing said through bore;
- (e) orifice means in said swing gate for providing fluid communication between said upper chamber and said inlet;
- and
- (f) a closure assembly seat in said closure assembly body adapted to form a seal with said swing gate.
4 more elements
A nuclear reactor tip off assembly, comprising:
- (a) a nozzle;
- (b) a closure assembly body connected to said nozzle and having an inlet adjacent said nozzle, an outlet adapted to receive a nozzle cap, and a through bore connecting said inlet and outlet, said inlet, through bore, and outlet being dimensioned to permit passage of a fuel charge driven by fluid pressure in said nozzle from said nozzle through said inlet, through bore, and outlet;
- (c) an upper chamber in said closure assembly body, above through bore;
- (d) a swing gate having an upper sustantially planar surface defining a bottom surface of said upper chamber, an arcuate surface facing said outlet and having a first center of curvature, and a substantially concave surface facing said inlet, said swing gate being pivotable about a first horizontal axis perpendicular to said through bore, adjacent said inlet, and offset from said first center of curvature, and adapted to be movable by the passage of a fuel charge through said through bore to a first position in which said swing gate does not obstruct said through bore, and, in the absence of a fuel charge in said through bore, and regardless of the presence of said fluid pressure, to a second position sealing said through bore;
- (e) orifice means in said body for providing fluid communication between said upper chamber and said inlet;
- and
- (f) a closure assembly seat in said closure assembly body adapted to form a seal with said swing gate.
4 more elements
A swing gate closure assembly for a nozzle of a nuclear reactor tip off assembly, comprising:
- (a) a closure assembly body connected to said nozzle and having an inlet adjacent said nozzle, an outlet adapted to receive a nozzle cap, and a through bore connecting said inlet and outlet, said inlet, through bore, and outlet being dimensioned to permit passage of a fuel charge driven by fluid pressure in said nozzle from said nozzle through said inlet, through bore, and outlet;
- (b) an upper chamber in said closure assembly body, above said through bore;
- (c) a swing gate having an upper substantially planar surface defining a bottom surface of said upper chamber, an arcuate surface facing said outlet and having a first center of curvature, and a substantially concave surface facing said inlet, said swing gate being pivotable about a first horizontal axis perpendicular to said through bore, adjacent said inlet, and offset from said first center of curvature, and adapted to be movable by the passage of a fuel charge through said through bore to a first position in which said swing gate does not obstruct said through bore, and, in the absence of a fuel charge in said through bore, to a second position sealing said through bore;
- (d) orifice means in said swing gate for providing fluid communication between said upper chamber and said inlet;
- (e) a closure assembly seat in said closure assembly body adapted to form a seal with said swing gate;
- and
- (f) plunger means received in said outlet for locking said swing gate in said second position.
4 more elements
A swing gate closure assembly for a nozzle of a nuclear reactor tip off assembly, comprising:
- (a) a closure assembly body connected to said nozzle and having an inlet adjacent said nozzle, an outlet adapted to receive a nozzle cap, and a through bore connecting said inlet and outlet, said inlet, through bore, and outlet being dimensioned to permit passage of a fuel charge driven by fluid pressure in said nozzle from said nozzle through said inlet, through bore, and outlet;
- (b) an upper chamber in said closure assembly body, above said through bore;
- (c) a swing gate having an upper substantially planar surface defining a bottom surface of said upper chamber, an arcuate surface facing said outlet and having a first center of curvature, and a substantially concave surface facing said inlet and being convoluted about a second horizontal axis perpendicular to said through bore to form an upward projection, said swing gate being pivotable about a first horizontal axis perpendicular to said through bore, adjacent said inlet, and offset from said first center of curvature, and adapted to be movable by the passage of a fuel charge through said through bore to a first position in which said swing gate does not obstruct said through bore, and, in the absence of a fuel charge in said through bore, to a second position sealing said through bore;
- (d) orifice means in said swing gate for providing fluid communication between said upper chamber and said inlet;
- and
- (e) a closure assembly seat in said closure assembly body adapted to form a seal with said swing gate.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.