Abstract: A furnace grate for use in a combustion furnace includes rows of grate bars positioned one behind the other, moveable and stationary grate bar supports, side plates, drive shafts and fluid cylinders. The grate bars are seated on the grate bar supports within the furnace while the fluid cylinders are positioned outside the furnace wall.

Abstract: A furnace having a thrust grate formed of grate bars which are loosely disposed on alternate movable and stationary grate bar supports, having freedom of movement to tilt in a vertical direction. In a horizontal direction, a grate bar is fixed on each grate bar support, preferably in the middle, and neighboring grate bars are connected to each other, the outermost grate bar on the stationary grate bar support being coupled to a driving element and which, upon thermal expansion, displaces a side shield with respect to the furnace wall.

Abstract: A grate bar support for use in combustion furnaces, particularly rubbish incinerators, has a hollow-box shaped member having a trapezoidal cross-section along a longitudinal direction and trapezoidal cross-section along a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction, a front and a rear end and a nozzle shaped air outlet opening located at the front end of the hollow box shaped member. A grate is formed by a plurality of overlapping alternately stationary and movable rows of grate bars having a stroke which corresponds to the distance two adjacent rows of grate bars are offset with respect to each other. Preferably, the grate bar supports are arcuately shaped so as to provide a tight grate surface in both cold and hot operating conditions.

Abstract: A grate bar assembly for use in a combustion furnace, particularly, in a waste incinerator having a combustion chamber, includes a plurality of overlapping rows of grate bars extending across the combustion chamber, each row of grate bars being composed of a plurality of juxtaposed grate bars; a grate bar support; and a preferably hydraulically operated releasable clamping device disposed outside the combustion chamber for laterally clamping the plurality of overlapping rows of grate bars and for moving the juxtaposed grate bars toward each other. A method of operating the grate bar assembly is also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for recognizing and approaching a target in a space not directly visible within the maximum range of an industrial robot with camera on the end of a boom. The camera is used to observe an environment of the space including the target and to send images to a monitor at a remote control station. The apparatus includes an industrial robot with a plurality of axes having degrees of freedom and a camera with a lens having an optical axis which can be selectively rotated 360 degrees around a first axis and selectively pivoted 180 degrees around a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. The rotating and pivoting motions are used to move the camera and the optical axis until the target can be seen in the monitor. A system is used to control various movements of the robot while sensing and maintaining the camera position and the target direction during movement of the end of the boom from the robot to the target.

Abstract: A manipulator for a nuclear reactor is disposed about the upper region of the reactor case. A horizontal guide rail is supported by a slewing track ring mounted on the reactor vessel. A slide is movable along and guided by the horizontal guide rail and a rotatably and vertically movable gripper is attached to the slide where the parts surrounding the gripper are provided with a vertical slot. The gripper can comprise a rotatable post tiltable around a horizontal axis, a vertical slide disposed on the post and vertically movable and a material pick-up device attched to the vertical slide. The vertical slide and the materials pick-up can be moved from below to above the level of the guide rail and vice versa.

Abstract: Means for controlling pivotal doors in nuclear plants, more specifically to control doors separating storage basins for nuclear materials. Instead of providing the control means on the wall structure of juxtaposed door openings, the control means are mounted on the door panels. They include a pair of fluid-operated cylinder-and-piston motors, the direction of operation of the pistons being parallel to an edge of the door panel. The cylinder-and-piston motors are preferably mounted on an edge of the door panel. Each motor operates a linkage that includes two rods, of which one is raised when the other is lowered. One of the two rods controls abutment means precluding the door from pivoting about one of its edges, and allowing the door to pivot only about the other of its edges.

Abstract: A storage structure for storing radioactive materials. It includes tubular storage members provided near the bottom thereof with a plurality of horizontal bolts the longitudinal axes of which intersect at a common point of said axes. A plurality of support plates for said tubular member is provided at the lower end thereof. Each support plate is adapted to support one of said plurality of bolts and each support plate includes an upstanding portion. Said upstanding portion of each of said plurality of support plates is provided with an open recess including an upper relatively wide slanting entrance adapted for insertion of one of said plurality of bolts and a lower bolt-bearing surface coaxial with one of said plurality of bolts. One support plate may have several upstanding portions of which each has a recess for the insertion and the support of a bolt projecting from a different tube for storing radioactive materials.

Abstract: A load pick up system is provided or picking up for, respectively, delivering and storing of formed articles such as profile girders at low time consumption and at minimal use of the storage space available for the materials to be stored. A traverse is connected to tiltable clamping jaw pairs, which are connected among each other by a synchronizing mechanism. This system allows to pick up and deliver profile girders individually or as a group rapidly and without requiring an auxiliary labor force. It is possible to store the materials in smallest space areas at low costs and at free of accident hazards.

Abstract: A device for manufacturing containers for storing nuclear materials. The purpose of the device is to maintain angular sheet metals in the precise position required during the welding operation which is performed along the outer edges of their flange portions. The device includes a core, a thrust bearing and a counter-pressure bearing. The core is sub-divided into two separate core portions. Spring means tend to draw the core portions toward each other. Fluid operated cylinder-piston units tend to separate the core portions against the action of said spring means. Adjustment screw means provided with abutment means and screwed into one of said core portions project into the other of said core portions with the abutment means thereof. The second core portion has abutment means cooperating with the abutment means on said adjustment screw means.

Abstract: A lifting device for lifting and transporting nuclear fuel elements. This device comprises a mast-like support on the lower end of which automatically operated and locked gripping pawls are provided. The support has a considerable height and may be referred to as lifting mast. The gripping pawls and their operating mechanism are referred to as gripping-head. The gripping-head and the lifting mast are telescopically movable relative to each other. To this end guide rods and compression springs are interposed between the lower end of the lifting mast and the gripping-head. The gripping-head comprises two concentric annular members which are relatively movable or rotatable about their common geometrical axis. One of the annular members supports the gripping pawls pivotable in radial vertical planes. The gripping pawls are T-shaped. One of their transverse ends is adapted to engage the fuel rods, and the other of their transverse ends is adapted to engage curved grooves in the other annular member.

Abstract: A storage device for nuclear plants for storing spent fuel elements in such a way as to preclude relative movement between the walls of the element storing chamber and the fuel element. The invention contemplates storing chambers whose cross-section is square and fuel elements in the shape of four sided prisms. At least two opposite guide surfaces are arranged obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the storing chamber and to the longitudinal axis of the fuel element to be stored therein. These guide or guiding surfaces are positioned near the bottom of the storing chamber. The guiding surfaces are adapted to engage the lower edge of the fuel element placed in the storage chamber and to impart a rotary motion to the former so that its four longitudinal edges engage the wall of the storage chamber. In this position no impact between the walls of the storage chamber and the spent fuel element can occur.

Abstract: A storage device for receiving spent nuclear fuel elements comprising a plurality of chambers which are separated by partitions from each other. The partitions form arches in such a way that relatively large arches alternate with relatively small arches. Each arch of relatively large size engages physically an arch of relatively small size, and vice versa. Considering two contiguous identical partitions, this implies that the partitions are arranged out of registry.

Abstract: A bearing support for receiving used fuel elements of nuclear power stations includes a plurality of chambers which have square cross-sections and each include inner and outer spaced apart walls with screening plates therebetween for screening the radiating fuel elements. Each chamber is detachably secured at its underside to a common foot plate and is held in position at its upper side by spacer elements. The outer wall comprises two equal-sided angle sheets and the inner wall comprises a closed square tube. The thickness of the outer wall is smaller than that of the inner wall and the outer walls are held in spaced relationship to each other at their upper sides by detachable bar grates.