Patents by Inventor Fred C. Nopwaskey

Fred C. Nopwaskey 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: 9887016
    Abstract: A clamp for a boiling water reactor feedwater sparger is disclosed and claimed. The clamp assembly includes abuse and cooperating bolt, a reaction arm, and a cross pin. With the exception of the cross pin, the parts are pre-assembled and then installed over the sparger pin head. The cross pin is then installed through the clamp base and through the sparger pin. The clamp bolt is then tightened, locking the clamp and sparger pin. The clamp provides an increased surface area that extends 360° around the sparger pin. This increased surface area reduces the likelihood of wear of the clamp or bracket during plant operation, and the clamp restores the position of the sparger pin head relative to the contact surface of the end bracket if the original pin head or bracket is worn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: AREVA Inc.
    Inventors: Fred C. Nopwaskey, Joel J. Letourmy, Randy M. Villeneuve, Ryan M. Welsh, Stephan M. Hunter
  • Publication number: 20150287482
    Abstract: A clamp for a boiling water reactor feedwater sparger is disclosed and claimed. The clamp assembly includes abuse and cooperating bolt, a reaction arm, and a cross pin. With the exception of the cross pin, the parts are pre-assembled and then installed over the sparger pin head. The cross pin is then installed through the clamp base and through the sparger pin. The clamp bolt is then tightened, locking the clamp and sparger pin. The clamp provides an increased surface area that extends 360° around the sparger pin. This increased surface area reduces the likelihood of wear of the clamp or bracket during plant operation, and the clamp restores the position of the sparger pin head relative to the contact surface of the end bracket if the original pin head or bracket is worn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Inventors: Fred C. Nopwaskey, Joel J. Letourmy, Randy M. Villeneuve, Ryan M. Welsh, Stephan M. Hunter
  • Patent number: 6186568
    Abstract: A lifting fixture includes a housing; a plurality of jaws movable radially in and out of the housing to secure the fixture to a component to be lifted; at least one lifting bail extending from on end of the housing; and a screw mechanism operatively connected to the plurality of jaws for moving the jaws radially between an inward retracted position and an outward locking position. A related lifting and flipping process is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bettadapur N. Sridhar, Fred C. Nopwaskey, Stephen K. Parker, Frank C. Falzone
  • Patent number: 5377239
    Abstract: A tool set and a method of using those tools in combination is disclosed that are especially well adapted to the function of rearranging and/or replacing the control rods and fuel supports in a boiling water reactor. The tool set includes a grapple that is capable of simultaneously picking up both a control rod and its associated fuel support. A separate unlatching tool is provided for pulling the control rod's release handle in order to decouple the control rod from a control rod drive. A storage rack that may be mounted in the reactor pressure vessel is provided for storing a fuel support and a pair of control rods when the positions of selected control rods are being shifted about the reactor core area. In the method aspect of the invention, the unlatching tool is used to pull the control rod's release handle. Thereafter, the grapple lifts the control rod and its associated fuel support as a unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Fred C. Nopwaskey, Robert W. Whitling, Balasubramanian S. Kowdley, Frank Ortega