Did You Know...
...that in 1800 ether was first used by partyers as a fun diversion? Sniffing the gas led to hilarious and raucous laughter as people watched each other become more and more intoxicated and silly. Several doctors independently realized the value ether would have to anesthetize surgery patients. Of those who claimed rights to the "discovery," none had a happy ending. One had a seizure and died defending his rights. Another spent his life in an asylum because he had been denied acclaim. A third became addicted to chloroform and, in a New York City jail, he soaked a cloth in the drug, severed an artery and bled to death.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7328812 | Overhead travelling carriage A centering member 20 is pressed downward using an elastic member 28; the centering member 20 is provided at the bottom of a platform 14. A plate 26 receiving an upper end of the elastic member 28 is positioned high while th... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7324591 | Adaptive equalizer A channel impulse response is determined from a cross-correlation of a received training sequence and a stored version of the transmitted training sequence. The channel impulse response is iteratively cleansed of noise caused by the finiteness of the cross-correlati... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7321650 | Apparatus for transferring an article between fluid-filled vessels The invention relates to a method for transferring an article from a fluid-filled first vessel into a fluid-filled second vessel or in the opposite direction. The vessel is connected by a connecting element, in which there is a transport device for moving the articl... | 01/22/2008 |
| 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 |
| 7128226 | Lifting device with a guide device for loads The invention relates to a lifting device for loads, especially to a suspension lift for vehicles or vehicle parts. Said lifting device comprises load receiving means (14) with at least one longitudinal beam (17) mounted on the load receiving means ( | 10/31/2006 |
| 6951442 | Device for inspecting, sampling or extracting at a precise spot beneath a slab A tool (7) for sampling or extracting the contents of a pit (4) is suspended from a cable (8) passing through a narrow opening (3) in a slab (2) covering the pit. A crosspiece (13) hooked to guide cables (11) which co... | 10/04/2005 |
| 6895067 | Smooth collet for pulling fuel rods A method and apparatus is disclosed for smoothly inserting a fuel rod loader through the skeleton of a fuel cell and then for pulling an attached fuel rod into the fuel rod skeleton while keeping the fuel rod under constant tension and preventing the bowing of the f... | 05/17/2005 |
| 6885718 | Method and apparatus for transferring an article between fluid-filled vessels The invention relates to a method for transferring an article from a fluid-filled first vessel into a fluid-filled second vessel or in the opposite direction. The vessel is connected by a connecting element, in which there is a transport device for moving the articl... | 04/26/2005 |
| 6404836 | Removable spent fuel handling machine rail A removable rail assembly for use with a spent fuel handling machine, including a support rail, a rail guide carried by the support rail, a rail joint connector supported by the rail guide for coupling the rail guide to adjacent rails, and at least one ja... | 06/11/2002 |
| 6359953 | Loading machine for transferring closely adjacent elongate articles, in particular fuel elements, and method for simultaneously transferring fuel elements A loading machine for simultaneously transferring fuel elements between a reactor core and a storage rack in a nuclear power station has a mast divided into individual mast parts. Each mast part has its own gripping and guiding devices for gripping and ho... | 03/19/2002 |
| 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 |
| 5850424 | Refueling machine with relative positioning capability A refueling machine having relative positioning capability for refueling a nuclear reactor. The refueling machine includes a pair of articulated arms mounted on a refueling bridge. Each arm supports a respective telescoping mast. Each telescoping mast is ... | 12/15/1998 |
| 5825837 | Extraction tool for partial length fuel rods in nuclear fuel assemblies An extraction tool for removing a partial length fuel rod from a fuel bundle assembly, wherein the partial length fuel rod has an upper end plug, the tool comprising an extension rod having a pair of gripper jaws mounted at one end thereof, the gripper ja... | 10/20/1998 |
| 5699397 | Tool for vertically supporting tie rod assembly against clevis pin on gusset plate in boiling water reactor A tool for vertically supporting a shroud repair tie rod assembly having a clevis hook by bracing the clevis hook against a clevis pin installed in a gusset plate. This allows the vertical support at the upper end of the tie rod assembly to be removed, so... | 12/16/1997 |
| 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 |
| 5624047 | Telescoping mast with zero clearance for refueling machine A telescoping mast with zero clearance which can be used in a fully automatic, relative positioning refueling machine. The telescoping mast consists of a series of nested tubes separated by spacers of unique design. Each spacer consists of an upper spacer... | 04/29/1997 |
| 5577084 | Apparatus for removing and installing a recirculation pump in a pressure housing An apparatus for removing and installing a reactor component, such as a circulating pump, by remote operation. The apparatus includes a handling mechanism for transporting various interchangeable containers and tools along a path between a position on top... | 11/19/1996 |
| 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 |
| 5526384 | Fueling machine for fuel assemblies for the core of a nuclear reactor, having removable guide beams The guide elements (18) for the internal mast (13) include at least two straight beams (28), on each of which at least two sets of rotatable rollers (19) are mounted which are spaced apart from one another in the axial direction (11) and are on the exteri... | 06/11/1996 |
| 5483560 | Method and apparatus for testing, repairing or exchanging the nozzles passing through the bottom of a reactor pressure vessel A method and an apparatus for testing, repairing or exchanging nozzles of the bottom of a reactor pressure vessel include inserting individual shielding containers into the reactor pressure vessel. Shafts pass through a shielding container and water-fille... | 01/09/1996 |
| 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 |
| 5369676 | Reactor refueling mechanism A reactor refueling mechanism includes a bridge, a trolley on the bridge, and an elevator on the trolley, with the elevator including a mast with a grapple at the lower end thereof. The bridge spans a reactor core and is rotatable therearound, with the tr... | 11/29/1994 |
| 5280508 | Partial length rod upper end plug and grapples therefor A part length fuel rod tip and group of tip grasping tools is set forth for the removal, inspection and replacement of part length fuel rods from a fuel bundle having a part length rods interspersed with a majority of conventional full length rods. The pa... | 01/18/1994 |
| 5180541 | Handling flask comprising a device for displacement of a load along a vertical axis 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... | 01/19/1993 |
| 5151245 | Device for the sealed opening and closing of a passage interconnecting a central channel of a transportable hollow body and a vertical well formed in a fixed structure The device comprises, in positions adjacent to the bearing surface (15) of the transportable container (1) on the fixed structure, a first member (16) for plugging the central channel (3) of the container (1), and a second member (17) for plugging the upp... | 09/29/1992 |
| 5128095 | Grab for lifting and displacing an object between a position submerged in a hot liquid, such as metal, and a position emerged in gas The grab (1) comprises a tubular body (2) connected to a lifting means and a slide (3) mounted axially movably in the tubular body (2), so as to ensure the actuation of gripping pawls (20) carried by the tubular body (2). The tubular body (2) has a bell-s... | 07/07/1992 |
| 5084231 | Cylindrical refueling mast with longitudinal guide grooves A refueling mast for a reactor complex includes four generally cylindrical tubes. Each inner tube has vertical grooved tracks formed therein. Each outer tube has a guide roller mounted thereon with grooves which mate with track grooves of a respective tra... | 01/28/1992 |
| 4834934 | Thimble grip fuel assembly handling tool A thimble grip fuel assembly handling tool (20) for transporting fully loaded fuel assemblies (52) is disclosed. The tool (20) comprises an elongated mast (23) slidingly disposed within an elongated cylinder (113), the cylinder being of a length less than... | 05/30/1989 |
| 4829648 | Apparatus and method for simultaneously loading a reinforcing sleeve and mandrel into a tube An apparatus and method for remotely inserting and positioning a sleeve-loaded mandrel within a damaged tube mounted in the tubesheet of a nuclear steam generator is disclosed herein. The apparatus of the invention generally comprises a frame, a mounting ... | 05/16/1989 |
| 4824633 | Method and apparatus for controlling refuelling machine of reactor A method and an apparatus for controlling a reactor refuelling machine including a plurality of grippers comprised of a plurality of telescopic bars which are telescopically actuatable independently of each other and at least one gripping member mounted t... | 04/25/1989 |
| 4822554 | Reconstitution and repair system for nuclear fuel rod assemblies An improved system for repairing and reconstituting a fuel rod assembly in the spent fuel pool of a nuclear power plant is disclosed herein. The improved system includes a height-adjustable elevator and carriage assembly for lifting and inverting a pair a... | 04/18/1989 |
| 4781882 | Guide roller assembly for nuclear reactor refueling apparatus An apparatus for loading and unloading a fuel assembly in a nuclear reactor has a bridge and trolley for positioning the fuel assembly and a pair of concentric inner and outer masts with the inner mast vertically movable in the outer mast and guide means ... | 11/01/1988 |
| 4771526 | Sleeving of steam generators A tool for inserting sleeve blanks in damaged steam-generator tubes of light weight capable of being manipulated by ROSA, a remotely operated service arm. ROSA permits the tool to be attached externally of the channel head of the steam generator. The tool... | 09/20/1988 |
| 4724607 | Apparatus for rebuilding nuclear fuel assemblies The apparatus is intended for rebuilding an assembly comprising a skeleton formed by two end members connected by tie rods attached to the end members and grids distributed between the end members along the tie rods and adapted to retain a cluster of fuel... | 02/16/1988 |
| 4715111 | Remote repair system for nuclear fuel rod assemblies A system for remotely repairing nuclear fuel rod assemblies is disclosed herein. Generally, the system comprises a rod handler for gripping, lifting, lowering and ungripping a selected fuel rod, a work station for securing the nuclear fuel rod assembly to... | 12/29/1987 |
| 4705661 | Fast neutron nuclear reactor equipped with a central handling cell and a boxed slab A fast neutron nuclear reactor having a vessel filled with liquid metal and sealed in its upper part by a box slab having a central opening in which is placed a plug-cover-core overhanging the core of the reactor. The central opening is surmounted by a ce... | 11/10/1987 |
| 4687245 | Tool for pulling multiple rods from a nuclear fuel assembly A tool (78) for grasping a multiplicity of nuclear fuel rods (42) to remove them from a nuclear fuel assembly (32) and relocate them, preferably, into a fuel consolidation device (86). The tool has a gripper head (200) reciprocably guided within a shroud ... | 08/18/1987 |
| 4687624 | Liquid metal cooled fast breeder reactor A liquid metal cooled fast breeder reactor which permits a closer installation of a fuel handling mechanism relative to an upper reactor core structure of the reactor. The fuel handling mechanism has a fuel handling body without a housing, and has a rotat... | 08/18/1987 |
| 4673544 | Pushing device for sliding fuel rods out of a nuclear reactor fuel assembly A pushing device for removing spent fuel rods from a nuclear reactor fuel assembly comprises a plurality of axially shiftable rods disposed in the same geometric pattern and with the same pitch as the fuel rods. The push rods are mounted at their upper en... | 06/16/1987 |
| 4667547 | Apparatus and method for removing a top nozzle in reconstituting a fuel assembly A cutter guide fixture for use in removing a top nozzle from the guide thimbles of a fuel assembly includes upper and lower plates coupled to one another for movement of the upper plate relative to the lower plate between upper and lower positions. The pl... | 05/26/1987 |
