Abstract: A sports racket has a handle and a multi-frame. The multi-frame includes a primary frame defining a throat connected to the handle and a hoop-shaped head connected to the throat and encompassing an open region. The head has a plurality of stringing holes defined therethrough for attaching stringing to the head and across the open region. The multi-frame also includes supplementary frames and ribs. The supplementary frames are disposed in spaced relation and adjacent to opposite sides of the primary frame. The supplementary frames are coextensive with all or a portion of the primary frame head, plus all or a portion of the primary frame throat. The ribs are spaced from one another and extend between and rigidly interconnect the supplementary frames with coextensive portions of the primary frame. The ribs and supplementary frames serve to increase the stiffness of the primary frame, reducing axial and torsional deflections thereof upon striking a ball by the stringing across the open region of the head.

Abstract: A sports racket has a handle and a multi-frame. The multi-frame includes a primary frame defining a throat connected to the handle and a hoop-shaped head connected to the throat and encompassing an open region. The head has a plurality of stringing holes defined therethrough for attaching stringing to the head and across the open region. The multi-frame also includes supplementary frames and ribs. The supplementary frames are disposed in spaced relation and adjacent to opposite sides of the primary frame. The supplementary frames are coextensive with all or a portion of the primary frame head, plus all or a portion of the primary frame throat. The ribs are spaced from one another and extend between and rigidly interconnect the supplementary frames with coextensive portions of the primary frame. The ribs and supplementary frames serve to increase the stiffness of the primary frame, reducing axial and torsional deflections thereof upon striking a ball by the stringing across the open region of the head.

Abstract: A device for dampening vibrations in a sports racket having a strung striking surface includes an elongated elastic flexible hollow tubular member disposable in interweaved relation with a plurality of strings on the racket striking surface, and inelastic end members on the opposite ends of the tubular member for securing the tubular member in a stretched condition between its opposite ends to a pair of spaced strings and for retaining the member in the interweaved relation with the plurality of strings. The hollow tubular member defines a central bore having opposite openings at the opposite ends of the member. Each inelastic end member includes an inner element having a stem portion inserted within one opposite end opening for attachment in frictional interfitting relation with one end of the elastic tubular member, and an outer hook-like element for anchoring the one opposite end of the elastic member to one of the pair of strings.

Abstract: A debris filter bottom nozzle in a fuel assembly has support structure in the form of four legs adapted to rest on a lower core plate of the nuclear reactor and a nozzle plate fixed one side of the four legs facing toward a lowermost grid of the fuel assembly. The nozzle plate has defined therethrough only a plurality of flow holes individually smaller in size than the maximum dimension of unoccupied spaces through the lowermost grid which allow flow of liquid coolant through the nozzle plate. Therefore, any debris being carried by the liquid coolant flowing through the bottom nozzle from the lower core plate to the fuel assembly which is small enough in size to pass through the flow holes will also pass through the unoccupied grid spaces, whereas any debris which is large enough to not pass through the unoccupied grid spaces and collect in the grid will not pass through the aperture plate flow holes.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus and a method for facilitating a scratchless insertion of a fuel rod into cellular grids of a nuclear fuel assembly.The apparatus comprises a thin-walled tubular member having an inner diameter substantially corresponding to the outer diameter of a fuel rod, and having a longitudinal slit formed in its wall so as to render the latter resiliently deflectable in a diameter-reducing sense. The method comprises the steps of mounting the thin-walled tubular member in position for protectively enveloping the fuel rod during insertion thereof; inserting the fuel rod into the grids while the tubular member is in place to envelope it; and withdrawing the tubular member from the inserted fuel rod.

Abstract: A reconstitutable control rod spider assembly includes a spider structure, control rods, and attachment joints for detachably fastening the control rods to the spider structure. Each attachment joint includes a connecting finger of the spider structure having a central bore extending therethrough and a pair of opposing flat segments formed on the interior thereof, and an elongated upper end plug of each control rod inserted through the finger bore and having a pair of opposing flat sectors formed on the exterior thereof beng interfitted with the opposing flat segments on the connectng finger to retain the control rod in a predetermined angular position relative to the finger. The upper end plug also has an externally-threaded portion formed on the exterior thereof above the flat sectors and being disposed above the connecting finger, and a pilot aligning portion formed on an outer terminal end thereof above the externally-threaded portion.

Abstract: A collapsible ball retriever and storage unit is in the form of a receptacle composed of a plurality of side grills pivotally hinged one to the next, and a top gate and a bottom grate being pivotally hinged to respective ones of the side grills. The side grills are pivotable relative to one another to convert them between erected and collapsed positions, whereas the top gate and bottom grate are pivotable relative to the side grills to convert the top gate and bottom grate between closed and retracted opened positions. The gate and grate are latchable to others of the side grills disposed opposite to the ones thereof to which the gate and grate are respectively hinged. The bottom grate is adapted to rigidly retain the side grills in their erected position when the bottom grate is disposed in the closed position.

Abstract: A tool for straightening an arched pin into one of a pair of slots orthogonally defined in a screw head including an elongated rod-like member, means mounted on one end of the rod member for applying an axially directed force, an elongated sleeve mounting the rod-like member for reciprocal movement within the sleeve and having an end adapted to seat about the screw head, a tool handle mounted at one end of the sleeve adjacent the force applying means and a pin setting tool bit connected to an opposite end of the rod like member being indexible with one of the slots in the screw head and for delivering an impact force to the arched pin in the other screw head slot.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus and a method for facilitating a scratchless insertion of a fuel rod into cellular grids of a nuclear fuel assembly.The apparatus comprises a thin-walled tubular member having an inner diameter substantially corresponding to the outer diameter of a fuel rod, and having a longitudinal slit formed in its wall so as to render the latter resiliently deflectable in a diameter-reducing sense. The method comprises the steps of mounting the thin-walled tubular member in position for protectively enveloping the fuel rod during insertion thereof; inserting the fuel rod into the grids while the tubular member is in place to envelope it; and withdrawing the tubular member from the inserted fuel rod.

Abstract: In a reconstitutable nuclear fuel assembly, a top-nozzle-to-control-rod-guide-thimble attachment system employing a reusable locking tube having dimples. The guide thimble has longitudinal slots defining fingers therebetween. The fingers have rim (bulge) portions which engage a groove in the control rod passageway of the top nozzle adaptor plate for top-nozzle-to-guide-thimble attachment. The finger rim portions are prevented from moving radially inward, and thus leaving the groove, by a locking tube placed in the guide thimble. The locking tube has dimples at two elevations. The dimples interact with the other components of the attachment system to assure proper seating of the locking tube during locking tube installation and to assure against unintentional longitudinal movement of the locking tube during fuel assembly handling. An improperly seated locking tube complicates the underwater fuel assembly reconstitution operation.

Abstract: A fuel assembly skeleton includes a top nozzle, a number of longitudinally-extending guide thimbles having upper ends, a number of joints interconnecting the top nozzle and the upper ends of the guide thimbles. All but a few of the joints are structural joints providing rigid connections between all but a corresponding few of the guide thimble upper ends and the top nozzle. Each of the other few joints is a non-structural joint providing a non-rigid connection between a guide thimble upper end and the top nozzle. The number of structural joints constitutes at least a substantial majority of the joints and, in any event, the number is at least three times the number of non-structural joints. Each non-structural joint is composed of a hollow sleeve rigidly connected to the top nozzle and disposed in a slip fit relationship about the guide thimble upper end. The sleeve is bulge fitted in a passageway defined in the top nozzle.

Abstract: In a reconstitutable fuel assembly, a top nozzle attaching structure, which has an outer socket formed by a circumferential groove defined in the top nozzle adapter plate passageway wall and an inner socket formed by a circumferential bulge defined in the guide thimble upper end portion being capable of seating within the circumferential groove, incorporates an improved reusable tube disposable at a locking position for releasably locking the inner socket in locking engagement within the outer socket when the circumferential bulge is seated within the circumferential groove. The reusable locking tube includes an elongated hollow metal tubular body and at least a pair of small dimples preformed on the tubular body exterior prior to initial insertion of the locking tube to its locking position.

Abstract: A fixture for rectifying one of several different types of repairable and irreparable damage to the upper end portions, or insert sleeves, of the guide thimbles of a fuel assembly held in a work station includes a base having a plurality of tool positioning openings defined therein in a pattern matched with that of the guide thimbles and several aligning holes for mounting the base on guide members of the work station such that the tool positioning openings are disposed in alignment with the guide thimbles. Also, a plurality of different tools are selectively mountable in the openings of the base. Each tool is adapted to operate to rectify a different one of the types of repairable and irreparable damage to the insert sleeves of the guide thimbles.

Abstract: A reconstitutable fuel assembly includes an improved attaching structure which has a plurality of coupling sleeves interfitting the upper hold-down plate, lower adapter plate and a plurality of hold-down springs of the top nozzle of the assembly. The coupling sleeves insert over a plurality of extensions extending upwardly from the main bodies of the guide thimbles. The sleeves rest on annular ledges formed on the bottom portions of the respective extensions. A removable cap is attached to the top portion of each of the thimbles extensions and applied to the upper portion of each of the coupling sleeves to releasably lock the coupling sleeves on the guide thimble extensions. In view that the coupling sleeves are fixed to the adapter plate at their lower portions, the sleeves and hold-down plate, adapter plate and hold-down springs disposed between the plates and encircling individual sleeves can be removed together from the fuel assembly as a unitary subassembly upon removal of the removable caps.

Abstract: In a reconstitutable fuel assembly, a top nozzle attaching structure for mounting the top nozzle adapter plate in releasable locking engagement upon the guide thimble upper end portions includes several improved features. First, a locking tube is mounted within the guide thimble upper end portion for movement between an upper locking position wherein the adapter plate and guide thimble upper end portion are maintained in the locking engagement and a lower unlocking position wherein the adapter plate is releasable from the guide thimble upper end portion. Also, a plurality of protrusions are attached on the locking tube so as to extend outwardly thereof and through axial slots defined in the guide thimble upper end portion. The protrusions are yieldable for engaging and releasing from a groove in the passageway of the adapter plate. The purpose of the adapter plate passageway groove is to receive a bulge on the guide thimble upper end portion when the guide thimble is engaged with the adapter plate.

Abstract: 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 plates include aligned pairs of holes within which are mounted a plurality of cutters such that the cutting elements of the cutters are disposed in a common cutting plane. A pair of expansion locking pins are provided at a pair of diagonal corners of the lower plate for releasably attaching the fixture to the top nozzle and positioning the cutters in general alignment with a plurality of passageways defined in the adapter plate of the top nozzle and with a plurality of hollow upper end portions of the guide thimbles inserted and attached in the passageways.

Abstract: A fixture for removing a top nozzle of a reconstitutable fuel assembly held in a fixed position within a work station includes a pair of guide openings in two diagonally opposed corners of its base to movably mount the base on a pair of upstanding guide members of the work station and on the top nozzle in alignment therewith. Also, the fixture includes a pair of hollow expandable split sleeves with wedge pins inserted therein which are operable to lock the fixture to the top nozzle. An arrangement of drive and driven gears connected with a plurality of reaction pins mounted on the base of the fixture are operable to move the fixture base with the top nozzle thereto away from the guide thimbles of the fuel assembly and thereby cause the top nozzle adapter plate to release its connection with the guide thimbles.

Abstract: A fixture for inserting and removing locking tubes into and from locking positions in a top nozzle includes a lower traveling plate and an upper traveling plate disposed above the lower plate. The lower plate has hollow flexure tubes attached to and projecting downwardly therefrom. Each flexure tube has an axially segmented sleeve portion which terminates in a lower segmented rim, with the rim being expandable to a first outside diameter greater than an inside diameter of the locking tube and collapsible to a second outside diameter less than the inside diameter of the locking tube. The upper plate has actuating rods attached to and projecting downwardly therefrom through the flexure tubes.

Abstract: A method for reconstituting a nuclear reactor fuel assembly having its top nozzle adapter plate welded to its control rod guide thimble sleeves. Circumferentially cut the sleeves from the adapter plate below the weld. Separate the top nozzle from the cut sleeve 5. Obtain a modified top nozzle refashioned with a groove in its adapter plate control rod passageways. Insert the cut sleeves in the passageways of the modified top nozzle. Circumferentially bulge the sleeves into the grooves. A system for attachment of the top nozzle to the sleeves employing the above-described circumferential bulge and groove attachment.

Abstract: A tool for removing a locking tube from a locking position in the upper end portion of a guide thimble inserted within a passageway in a removable top nozzle of a reconstitutable fuel assembly includes an inner tubular member attached at its upper end to a bail assembly and at its lower end to a tubular extension having an expandable and collapsable lower end. Also, an actuatable shaft assembly of the tool is mounted for axial movement within the inner tubular member and lower tubular extension and has a conical nose disposed on its lower end which extends beyond a rim formed on the lower end of the tubular extension and an actuating knob coupled to its upper end. Rotation of the knob in one direction causes insertion of the conical nose into the lower end of the tubular extension and thereby increase in the circumference of the rim such that it will engage a lower edge of the locking tube when the tool is forced in an upward direction.