Bizarre Patents
A forehead support apparatus for resting a standing users forehead against a wall above a bathroom commode or urinal or beneath a showerhead.
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8050378 | Systems for aligning and handling fuel rods within a nuclear fuel bundle In a spent fuel pool of a nuclear power plant, there is provided a system for aligning a nuclear fuel bundle and handling selected fuel rods within the fuel bundle. The bundle includes water rods, full-length and part-length fuel rods extending through a plurality o... | 11/01/2011 |
| 7773717 | Systems for aligning and handling fuel rods within a nuclear fuel bundle In a spent fuel pool of a nuclear power plant, there is provided a system for aligning a nuclear fuel bundle and handling selected fuel rods within the fuel bundle. The bundle includes water rods, full-length and part-length fuel rods extending through a plurality o... | 08/10/2010 |
| 7424084 | Fuel assembly nozzleless handling tool and method A device and method to move a fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor, wherein the device eliminates the potential for dropping the fuel assembly due to stress corrosion cracking of the upper guide thimble sleeves that attach the top nozzle to guide thimbles. ... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7397884 | Aligning device for fuel elements of a pressurized water reactor An aligning device for fuel elements allows fuel elements of a pressurized water reactor to be aligned in a comparatively easy and quick manner. To this end, the aligning device for fuel elements includes an aligning body, which extends in a longitudinal direction a... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7386087 | Method and device for loading a fuel assembly into the core of a nuclear reactor The invention relates to a method and a device for loading a fuel assembly into the core of a nuclear reactor. The inventive method consists in: inserting a dummy assembly (4) into the loading location (3) of the fuel assembly (5), said dummy as... | 06/10/2008 |
| 7239683 | Fuel assembly nozzleless handling tool and method A device and method to move a fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor, wherein the device eliminates the potential for dropping the fuel assembly due to stress corrosion cracking of the upper guide thimble sleeves that attach the top nozzle to guide thimbles. ... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7165609 | Apparatus for handling tubular goods An apparatus for handling tubular goods which includes an elongate tubular body having a peripheral sidewall and opposed ends. The peripheral sidewall has a plurality of axial slots arranged circumferentially around the tubular body parallel to an axis of the tubula... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7139358 | Below grade cask transfer facility A system and method for transferring a canister of spent nuclear fuel from a transfer cask to a receiving cask. In one aspect, the system comprises a below grade opening adapted for receiving a cask; a platform positioned within the opening, the platform capable of ... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7139353 | Boiling water reactor nuclear fuel assembly lifting support A lifting support for a boiling water reactor nuclear fuel assembly comprising a grappling head configured to allow attachment to a lifting device, a body with an upper end and a lower end, the upper end connected to the grappling head, the body configured to be ins... | 11/21/2006 |
| 6862329 | In-cycle shuffle According to the method, a reactor core is shut down during the operation cycle. One or more fuel bundles of the reactor core are then moved to new positions within the reactor core to increase a total energy, output of the reactor core as compared to continuing ope... | 03/01/2005 |
| 6853697 | Hermetically sealable transfer cask An apparatus, transfer cask, system, and method for defueling a nuclear reactor and transferring spent nuclear fuel from a spent nuclear fuel to a storage cask for long terms storage. In one aspect, the invention is an apparatus for use in transferring a canister of... | 02/08/2005 |
| 6636578 | Fuel assembly structural reinforcement and method The invention comprises an apparatus to repair a fuel assembly to accomplish a load lift comprising a main body, an upper section, a connection configured between the main body and the upper section and a lower section connected to the main body. The inve... | 10/21/2003 |
| 6587536 | Method and apparatus for maximizing radiation shielding during cask transfer procedures An apparatus and method for maximizing the radiation shielding for spent nuclear fuel during cask transfer procedures. In one aspect, the method comprises submersing an apparatus having a jacket and a cavity for receiving spent nuclear fuel into a pool, w... | 07/01/2003 |
| 6501813 | Control rod/fuel support grapple A control rod/fuel support grapple is provided which is capable of pulling up simultaneously a control rod and a fuel support from a reactor and also uncoupling the control rod and control rod drive mechanism. The control rod/fuel support grapple comprise... | 12/31/2002 |
| 6320922 | Tool for retracting fuel rods from and inserting fuel rods into a nuclear fuel assembly and methods therefor The extraction tool includes an inner rod pivotally mounting at its distal end a pair of collet sections having mechanical clamping jaws. An outer tube may be advanced and retracted axially relative to the inner rod by a locking tube nut threaded on a sle... | 11/20/2001 |
| 6282254 | Slidable comb assembly for burnable poison rod transfer device A transfer device for moving a poison rod assembly between fuel cells in a nuclear fuel storage facility, where the poison rod assembly has a plurality of poison rods depending from a web. The transfer device includes a frame assembly, a poison rod assemb... | 08/28/2001 |
| 5960051 | Methods and apparatus for moving fuel bundles in a nuclear reactor Methods and apparatus for moving fuel bundles in a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) of a nuclear reactor are described. In one embodiment of the apparatus, a support tube facilitates the positioning of a multiple channeled magazine within the RPV, especially... | 09/28/1999 |
| 5930318 | Method and a device for nuclear fuel handling The present invention provides a method and apparatus for fuel handling in a nuclear reactor. The nuclear reactor has a reactor vessel comprising a reactor core with a plurality of fuel assemblies and control rods. A fuel pool is arranged adjacent to the ... | 07/27/1999 |
| 5898745 | Nuclear fuel assembly locator A fuel assembly locator for guiding and inserting nuclear fuel assemblies into a grid plate of a reactor vessel during reload. In the preferred embodiment, the fuel assembly locator includes a plurality of generally trapezoidal guides each having a multip... | 04/27/1999 |
| 5896430 | Method and a device for fuel handling The present invention is used in fuel handling for lifting of fuel assemblies and/or control rods out of/into a reactor vessel in a nuclear reactor. The reactor vessel comprises a reactor core with a plurality of fuel assemblies and control rods. A fuel p... | 04/20/1999 |
| 5687207 | Refueling machine A refueling machine for refueling a pressurized water reactor has a trolley which travels on rails mounted on a transversely movable bridge. The trolley supports a refueling mast which includes an outer mast and two horizontally spaced apart, vertically m... | 11/11/1997 |
| 5619547 | Device for guiding a fuel assembly during loading The guiding device comprises a body, the size of which corresponds to that of a fuel assembly, intended to rest on the lower core plate (20), equipped with holding means intended to be grasped by an assembly-handling machine, extended downwards by means (... | 04/08/1997 |
| 5539789 | Method and apparatus for identifying failed nuclear fuel rods during refueling in a reactor core An accelerometer is mounted onto the releasable fuel gripper structure of a refueling machine to form a mechanical interconnection between an accelerometer and a nuclear fuel assembly during removal from a core of a nuclear reactor. An electrical signal i... | 07/23/1996 |
| 5377240 | Transfer carriage with interchangeable baskets An improved system for transferring fuel bundles and control blades between a fuel storage pool and a fuel core of a nuclear reactor. The transfer system includes a carriage which is movable horizontally along a track which is submerged in a transfer pool... | 12/27/1994 |
| 5253277 | Vent assembly A vent tube (66) and housing nut (62) replace the original housing plug (52) on a pressurized water nuclear reactor. The vent tube engages the installed vent stem (38) cross-slot (48) with a cross-shaped projection (70). During operation, the vent tube (6... | 10/12/1993 |
| 5174948 | Transitory fuel rod guidance system A removable and reusable cap for fuel rod ends to prevent grid damage during loading permits fuel end configurations to match utility's special tooling for fuel assembly repair and reconstitution. The elastomeric transitory fuel rod guidance ends expand o... | 12/29/1992 |
| 5126098 | Method of straightening a bowed nuclear fuel assembly A method of removing bow in a nuclear fuel assembly is disclosed. The fuel assembly has top and bottom ends fittings and a plurality of longitudinally extending thimble tube members interconnecting top and bottom end fittings. At least two transverse fuel... | 06/30/1992 |
| 5102612 | Permanent refueling pool seal A permanent pool seal and neutron shield 30 for providing an effective water barrier over the annular space 28 between a nuclear reactor vessel flange 24 and a surrounding annular ledge 22 includes annular deck sections 32 supported on spaced ribs 46. Fle... | 04/07/1992 |
| 5043134 | Fuel rod gripper end cap for minimizing impact with grid cell dimples An end cap is mounted on a fuel rod gripper to cover the end portions of fingers thereon to minimize impacts with grid cell dimples. The fingers are defined by circumferentially-spaced and longitudinally-extending slots in the gripper which permit the fin... | 08/27/1991 |
| 5001949 | Apparatus and method for removing nuclear fuel assembly end pieces An apparatus is used for cutting guide tubes of a nuclear fuel assembly below an end-piece and removing the end-piece. The apparatus includes a mount which may be removably locked and centered on the end-piece. Cutting tools insertable in the guide tubes ... | 03/26/1991 |
| 4980094 | Methods and apparatus for closing and charging radioactive waste containers Waste material is passed from a cell 10 through a port 12 into drum 48 which has a mouth 49 with a removable lid 54. A port door 28 includes an electromagnet 54a to hold the lid to the door 28 and both are moved into the cell to allow loading of the drum ... | 12/25/1990 |
| 4966745 | Fuel rod gripper end cap for minimizing impact with grid cell dimples An end cap is mounted on a fuel rod gripper to cover the end portions of fingers thereon to minimize impacts with grid cell dimples. The fingers are defined by circumferentially-spaced and longitudinally-extending slots in the gripper which permit the fin... | 10/30/1990 |
| 4903281 | System for fuel rod removal from a reactor module A robotic system for remote underwater withdrawal of the fuel rods from fuel modules of a light water breeder reactor includes a collet/grapple assembly for gripping and removing fuel rods in each module, which is positioned by use of a winch and a radial... | 02/20/1990 |
| 4897240 | Nuclear reactor A nuclear reactor includes a reactor vessel, a reactor core disposed within the vessel and including fuel rods, a primary cooling system disposed in the vessel and including a steam generator and a pump and a poison tank disposed within the vessel and con... | 01/30/1990 |
| 4886401 | Diverter assembly for radioactive material A diverter assembly for diverting a pneumatically conveyed holder for a radioactive material between a central conveying tube and one of a plurality of radially offset conveying tubes includes an airtight container. A diverter tube having an offset end is... | 12/12/1989 |
| 4858306 | Apparatus for pulling a plurality of fuel rods from a fuel element The invention is directed to an apparatus for pulling a plurality of fuel ds out of a fuel element structure and has a gripping device which is capable of clamping the fuel rods. To reliably pull the fuel rods from an irradiated nuclear reactor fuel eleme... | 08/22/1989 |
| 4826651 | Method and apparatus for assisting the process of loading a reactor core with elongated fuel elements Method and apparatus for assisting the loading of a reactor core with new and/or irradiated elongated fuel assemblies which includes inserting a fuel assembly with a fuel assembly carrier from a storage pit into a grid position of a reactor core with a re... | 05/02/1989 |
| 4788028 | Machine and method for handling a nuclear fuel assembly A machine for handling nuclear fuel assemblies includes a horizontally movable platform having a vertical telescopic mast whose lower part has a gripper for gripping the upper end piece of the assembly. The mast has several vertical rigid elements ending ... | 11/29/1988 |
| 4783306 | Method and device for passive transfer of heat from nuclear reactors to a public utility network, with automatic regulation of reactor power and automatic emergency shutdown and switchover to emergency cooling A pressurized water nuclear reactor has a reactor vessel arranged in a pool, which is filled with a neutron absorbing liquid, for example borated water. The reactor vessel is closed except for tubes connecting it with a tray above it. The coolant in the c... | 11/08/1988 |
| 4762666 | Automatically closing swing gate closure assembly 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.... | 08/09/1988 |
