US 5,180,541 AGranted

Handling flask comprising a device for displacement of a load along a vertical axis

AssigneeFramatome

InventorsNicolas De Seroux, Dominique Limouzin

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Abstract

The device comprises two winches (12, 12') fastened to the outer surface of a hollow body (2) having a vertical channel (3) in which the load (4) is displaced. Each of the winches (12, 12') comprises two drums (13a, 13b) driven by a common motor (14). The drums (13a, 13b) of a first winch (12) are each arranged opposite a drum of the second winch (12') in relation to the axis of the channel (3). The device comprises two cables (15a, 15b) which are common to two drums located opposite one another around the body (2). The cables (15a, 15b) are wound with their end part on the drums located opposite one another and on their run between the drums pass over deflecting pulleys (16a, 16b), the axis of which is stationary, and over load-supporting pulleys (34a, 34b), the axis of which is movable and accompanies the load. The device ensures that the load is held and displaced in the event of a failure of one of the motor assemblies (14) and in the event of a break of one of the cables. The device can be used particularly for ensuring the lifting of a fuel assembly in a flask for handling the fuel assembly.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A handling flask for handling a load, comprising a hollow body having a vertical channel in a central part of said hollow body and a device for vertical displacement of said load along an axis of said channel, comprising at least two sets of two drums which are driven by two motor means and on which are wound two cables for suspension and displacement of a grab movable in said channel and in an axial extension of said channel and comprising attachment means for said load and a support equipped with pulleys over which said cables pass, wherein each of said sets of two drums driven by a motor means and constituting a winch is fastened to an outer surface of said hollow body, in such a way that said drums of each said winch are each located opposite one of said drums of the other said winch in relation to the vertical axis of said channel, said device for vertical displacement of said load further comprising

(a) a first cable having ends wound on a first and a second drum situated at opposite locations on said hollow body and, on a run of said cable between said first and second drums, on a set of deflecting pulleys and at least one pulley mounted on said support for supporting said grab;
and
(b) a second cable having ends wound on a third and a fourth drum situated at opposite locations on said hollow body and, on a run of said cable between said third and fourth drums, on a set of deflecting pulleys and at least one pulley mounted on said support for supporting said grab.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.