Patents by Inventor David P. Ketcham
David P. Ketcham has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 9527701Abstract: A dual drive winch having a drive assembly having a first shaft that is selectively movable between a first engaged position and a first disengaged position, and a second shaft that is selectively movable between a second engaged position and a second disengaged position. When the first shaft is in the first engaged position and the second shaft is in the second engaged position simultaneously, rotation of either the first shaft or the second shaft will, through a coupling mechanism, cause rotation of the other of the first shaft and the second shaft.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2010Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: David P. Ketcham, Stafford L. Turner, Robert T. Fells
-
Patent number: 8681921Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention takes the form of a system that allows for simultaneously assembling or disassembling multiple segmented nuclear fuel rods (hereinafter “segmented rods”). An embodiment of the present invention, may receive, secure, and move the segmented rods into a position that allows for performing the tasks of either assembly or disassembly, allowing for an operator to use a tool to complete the aforementioned tasks.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2009Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLCInventors: Bradley D. Bloomquist, David Grey Smith, David P. Ketcham, William Earl Russell, II
-
Patent number: 8634513Abstract: A system for installing or removing a component of a nuclear reactor, such as a CRDM, includes a riser apparatus having a lift assembly structured to hold and support the component and a first drive assembly coupled to the lift assembly and structured to selectively move the lift assembly and the component along a length of the riser apparatus, and a transition cart movable along an under vessel area of the nuclear reactor and having a pivot mechanism, wherein the riser apparatus is selectively engageable with the pivot mechanism and the pivot mechanism is structured to selectively rotate the riser apparatus from a horizontal position to a vertical position. The riser apparatus may also include a second drive assembly structured to selectively move the riser apparatus relative to the transition cart in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the riser apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2010Date of Patent: January 21, 2014Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: David P. Ketcham, Stafford L. Turner, Brian C. Campbell
-
Patent number: 8561287Abstract: A tool for use in servicing an LPRM assembly of a nuclear reactor vessel includes a structural member having a first bore that is structured to receive an LPRM device associated with the LPRM assembly, a headpiece provided at a first end of the structural member, and a nut engaging assembly slideably mounted on the structural member. The headpiece has a plurality of projections structured to mate with a plurality of bores provided in a seal of the LPRM assembly to enable the seal to be removed, and the nut engaging assembly has a housing that defines a second bore and that has first and second nut engaging portions. The nut engaging assembly is free to slide along the structural member and over the headpiece to a position wherein the engaging portions extend beyond the headpiece so that they may be used to remove the assembly nut.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2010Date of Patent: October 22, 2013Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: David P. Ketcham, Stafford L. Turner, Brian C. Campbell
-
Patent number: 8428214Abstract: A method of aligning a nuclear fuel bundle and handling selected fuel rods within the fuel bundle located in a spent fuel pool of a nuclear power plant. The bundle includes water rods, full-length and part-length fuel rods extending through a plurality of fuel spacers provided between top and bottom ends of the bundle, each spacer having a plurality of cells accommodating corresponding fuel and water rods. The method includes insertion of a rod grapple tool into a top end of a fuel bundle and down to a desired location within the bundle. A guide pin retrieval tool inserts into a side of the fuel bundle to remove a guide pin from a distal end of a gripper of the rod grapple tool, allowing the guide pin retrieval tool to grip a part-length fuel rod within the fuel bundle.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2011Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: David P. Ketcham, Vernon John Fullerton, David Grey Smith, Rex Gormen Robinson, Gerald A. Luciano
-
Patent number: 8254516Abstract: An outer filter removal tool for a boiling water reactor control rod drive that uses a mechanical advantage obtained through the use of lead screw threads to pull the outer filter off of the control rod drive. Fingers on the tool are closed around the upper flange of the outer filter by sliding a collar over the outwardly biased fingers. A shaft extending through the tool is rotated which in turn extends a push plate against the control rod drive index tube causing the fingers to pull against the upper flange on the outer filter until the filter is freed from the control rod drive. The tool will hold the filter in place until affirmatively released for proper disposal.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2009Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: David P. Ketcham, Stafford L. Turner, Robert T. Fells
-
Publication number: 20120069947Abstract: A system for installing or removing a component of a nuclear reactor, such as a CRDM, includes a riser apparatus having a lift assembly structured to hold and support the component and a first drive assembly coupled to the lift assembly and structured to selectively move the lift assembly and the component along a length of the riser apparatus, and a transition cart movable along an under vessel area of the nuclear reactor and having a pivot mechanism, wherein the riser apparatus is selectively engageable with the pivot mechanism and the pivot mechanism is structured to selectively rotate the riser apparatus from a horizontal position to a vertical position. The riser apparatus may also include a second drive assembly structured to selectively move the riser apparatus relative to the transition cart in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the riser apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2010Publication date: March 22, 2012Applicant: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: David P. Ketcham, Stafford L. Turner, Brian C. Campbell
-
Publication number: 20120039428Abstract: A method of aligning a nuclear fuel bundle and handling selected fuel rods within the fuel bundle located in a spent fuel pool of a nuclear power plant. The bundle includes water rods, full-length and part-length fuel rods extending through a plurality of fuel spacers provided between top and bottom ends of the bundle, each spacer having a plurality of cells accommodating corresponding fuel and water rods. The method includes insertion of a rod grapple tool into a top end of a fuel bundle and down to a desired location within the bundle. A guide pin retrieval tool inserts into a side of the fuel bundle to remove a guide pin from a distal end of a gripper of the rod grapple tool, allowing the guide pin retrieval tool to grip a part-length fuel rod within the fuel bundle.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2011Publication date: February 16, 2012Inventors: David P. KETCHAM, Vernon John Fullerton, David Grey Smith, Rex Gormen Robinson, Gerald A. Luciano
-
Publication number: 20110274231Abstract: A dual drive winch having a drive assembly having a first shaft that is selectively movable between a first engaged position and a first disengaged position, and a second shaft that is selectively movable between a second engaged position and a second disengaged position. When the first shaft is in the first engaged position and the second shaft is in the second engaged position simultaneously, rotation of either the first shaft or the second shaft will, through a coupling mechanism, cause rotation of the other of the first shaft and the second shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2010Publication date: November 10, 2011Applicant: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: David P. Ketcham, Stafford L. Turner, Robert T. Fells
-
Patent number: 8050378Abstract: 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 of fuel spacers provided between top and bottom ends of the bundle, each spacer having a plurality of cells accommodating corresponding fuel and water rods. The system includes a bundle alignment system for aligning the fuel rods and water rods, a rod grapple tool to extract selected part-length rods from the bundle, and a fuel rod guide block slidable onto the top end of the bundle for protecting an uppermost fuel spacer of the bundle, and for aligning fuel rods within individual cells of all the fuel spacers in the fuel bundle.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2010Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: David P. Ketcham, Vernon John Fullerton, David Grey Smith, Rex Gormen Robinson, Gerald A. Luciano
-
Publication number: 20110219609Abstract: A tool for use in servicing an LPRM assembly of a nuclear reactor vessel includes a structural member having a first bore that is structured to receive an LPRM device associated with the LPRM assembly, a headpiece provided at a first end of the structural member, and a nut engaging assembly slideably mounted on the structural member. The headpiece has a plurality of projections structured to mate with a plurality of bores provided in a seal of the LPRM assembly to enable the seal to be removed, and the nut engaging assembly has a housing that defines a second bore and that has first and second nut engaging portions. The nut engaging assembly is free to slide along the structural member and over the headpiece to a position wherein the engaging portions extend beyond the headpiece so that they may be used to remove the assembly nut.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2010Publication date: September 15, 2011Applicant: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: David P. Ketcham, Stafford L. Turner, Brian C. Campbell
-
Publication number: 20110069802Abstract: An outer filter removal tool for a boiling water reactor control rod drive that uses a mechanical advantage obtained through the use of lead screw threads to pull the outer filter off of the control rod drive. Fingers on the tool are closed around the upper flange of the outer filter by sliding a collar over the outwardly biased fingers. A shaft extending through the tool is rotated which in turn extends a push plate against the control rod drive index tube causing the fingers to pull against the upper flange on the outer filter until the filter is freed from the control rod drive. The tool will hold the filter in place until affirmatively released for proper disposal.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2009Publication date: March 24, 2011Applicant: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: David P. Ketcham, Stafford L. Turner, Robert T. Fells
-
Publication number: 20100246742Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention takes the form of a system that allows for simultaneously assembling or disassembling multiple segmented nuclear fuel rods (hereinafter “segmented rods”). An embodiment of the present invention, may receive, secure, and move the segmented rods into a position that allows for performing the tasks of either assembly or disassembly, allowing for an operator to use a tool to complete the aforementioned tasks.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2009Publication date: September 30, 2010Inventors: Bradley D. Bloomquist, David Grey Smith, David P. Ketcham, William Earl Russell, II
-
Publication number: 20100232564Abstract: 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 of fuel spacers provided between top and bottom ends of the bundle, each spacer having a plurality of cells accommodating corresponding fuel and water rods. The system includes a bundle alignment system for aligning the fuel rods and water rods, a rod grapple tool to extract selected part-length rods from the bundle, and a fuel rod guide block slidable onto the top end of the bundle for protecting an uppermost fuel spacer of the bundle, and for aligning fuel rods within individual cells of all the fuel spacers in the fuel bundle.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2010Publication date: September 16, 2010Inventors: David P. Ketcham, Vernon John Fullerton, David Grey Smith, Rex Gormen Robinson, Gerald A. Luciano
-
Patent number: 7773717Abstract: 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 of fuel spacers provided between top and bottom ends of the bundle, each spacer having a plurality of cells accommodating corresponding fuel and water rods. The system includes a bundle alignment system for aligning the fuel rods and water rods, a rod grapple tool to extract selected part-length rods from the bundle, and a fuel rod guide block slidable onto the top end of the bundle for protecting an uppermost fuel spacer of the bundle, and for aligning fuel rods within individual cells of all the fuel spacers in the fuel bundle.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2007Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: David P. Ketcham, Vernon John Fullerton, David Grey Smith, Rex Gormen Robinson, Gerald A. Luciano
-
Patent number: 7512207Abstract: An apparatus for delivering a tool into a nuclear reactor jet pump submerged in a reactor pool includes a frame, and a propulsion unit for controlling the movement of the tool delivery apparatus within a pool of liquid. A guide assembly provides for delivery and insertion of the tool into an inlet of the jet pump and includes a bore insertion portion. A tool position driver provides for controlling the vertical position of the tool in relation to the guide assembly.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2005Date of Patent: March 31, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jarred Smith, Jack T Matsumoto, Christopher M Welsh, Trevor J Davis, Jeffrey J Grinnell, David P Ketcham
-
Publication number: 20080205577Abstract: 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 of fuel spacers provided between top and bottom ends of the bundle, each spacer having a plurality of cells accommodating corresponding fuel and water rods.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2007Publication date: August 28, 2008Inventors: David P. Ketcham, Vernon John Fullerton, David Grey Smith, Rex Gormen Robinson, Gerald A. Luciano
-
Patent number: 6244324Abstract: A barrier extendable and retractable beneficially in response to a changing environment of use, is disclosed. In use, the barrier is attached at its ends to support surfaces. An extension and retraction mechanism for the barrier beneficially exerts substantially constant force regardless of the barrier extent. In a preferred embodiment, a ball screw, an axially movable ball screw nut, and gas springs are used.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 1999Date of Patent: June 12, 2001Assignee: Total Retraction Inc.Inventors: Robert B. Quates, David P. Ketcham