Pellet-press-to-sintering-boat nuclear fuel pellet loading apparatus

An apparatus for loading nuclear fuel pellets into a sintering boat from a pellet press which ejects newly made said pellets from a pellet press rotating die table surface, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) an inclinable pellet chute having a generally straight centerline, an upper end disposable proximate said die table surface of said pellet press for receiving ejected said pellets, and a lower end disposable proximate said sintering boat for discharging the received said pellets;
• (b) a first member with a first resilient and generally planar surface having a first upper supported terminus and a flexible first lower free terminus, said first surface disposed such that said pellet discharged from said chute will strike and reflect downwardly off said first surface;
• and
• (c) a second member with a second resilient and generally planar surface having a second upper supported terminus and a second lower free terminus, said second surface oriented generally parallel to the centerline of said chute and disposed such that said pellet reflecting downwardly off said first surface will strike and move downwardly along said second surface, and said second lower terminus of said second surface disposed with respect to said first lower terminus of said first surface such that said pellet moving downwardly along said second surface will contact said first lower terminus of said first surface before dropping off said second lower terminus of said second surface into said sintering boat.