Patents by Inventor Robert W. Whitling
Robert W. Whitling 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).
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Patent number: 11749416Abstract: A combined blade guide and exchange tool, include a blade guide tool having a lower end and an upper end and a plurality of frame rails supporting a pair of lower collet housings at a lower end of the blade guide tool. A pair of fuel support grapple actuating rods are supported between the plurality of frame rails and have a first end engaging a pair of collets within the pair of lower collet housings and a second end disposed at the upper end of the blade guide tool. A blade exchange tool is releasably mounted to the upper end of the blade guide tool and includes a pair of upper collets for engaging the pair of fuel support grapple actuating rods. The blade exchange tool further including a slider and hook assembly attached to a cable guided by the blade exchange tool and adapted for engaging a control rod.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2022Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLCInventors: Kristoffer Ostrander, Robert W. Whitling, Brian J. Smith
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Publication number: 20220270771Abstract: A combined blade guide and exchange tool, include a blade guide tool having a lower end and an upper end and a plurality of frame rails supporting a pair of lower collet housings at a lower end of the blade guide tool. A pair of fuel support grapple actuating rods are supported between the plurality of frame rails and have a first end engaging a pair of collets within the pair of lower collet housings and a second end disposed at the upper end of the blade guide tool. A blade exchange tool is releasably mounted to the upper end of the blade guide tool and includes a pair of upper collets for engaging the pair of fuel support grapple actuating rods. The blade exchange tool further including a slider and hook assembly attached to a cable guided by the blade exchange tool and adapted for engaging a control rod.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2022Publication date: August 25, 2022Applicant: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLCInventors: Kristoffer OSTRANDER, Robert W. WHITLING, Brian J. SMITH
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Patent number: 11348700Abstract: A combined blade guide and exchange tool, include a blade guide tool having a lower end and an upper end and a plurality of frame rails supporting a pair of lower collet housings at a lower end of the blade guide tool. A pair of fuel support grapple actuating rods are supported between the plurality of frame rails and have a first end engaging a pair of collets within the pair of lower collet housings and a second end disposed at the upper end of the blade guide tool. A blade exchange tool is releasably mounted to the upper end of the blade guide tool and includes a pair of upper collets for engaging the pair of fuel support grapple actuating rods. The blade exchange tool further including a slider and hook assembly attached to a cable guided by the blade exchange tool and adapted for engaging a control rod.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2019Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLCInventors: Kristoffer Ostrander, Robert W. Whitling, Brian J. Smith
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Publication number: 20200365288Abstract: A combined blade guide and exchange tool, include a blade guide tool having a lower end and an upper end and a plurality of frame rails supporting a pair of lower collet housings at a lower end of the blade guide tool. A pair of fuel support grapple actuating rods are supported between the plurality of frame rails and have a first end engaging a pair of collets within the pair of lower collet housings and a second end disposed at the upper end of the blade guide tool. A blade exchange tool is releasably mounted to the upper end of the blade guide tool and includes a pair of upper collets for engaging the pair of fuel support grapple actuating rods. The blade exchange tool further including a slider and hook assembly attached to a cable guided by the blade exchange tool and adapted for engaging a control rod.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2019Publication date: November 19, 2020Applicant: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLCInventors: Kristoffer OSTRANDER, Robert W. WHITLING, Brian J. SMITH
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Patent number: 8934601Abstract: A method and apparatus for grasping and lifting a boiling water reactor (BWR) control rod using a grapple. The grapple may grasp the control rod blade, the fuel support casting and the control rod guide tube of the control rod, to lift and move all three of these components in unison. The grapple includes a frame, a control rod blade hook, a fuel support casting hook(s) and a control rod guide tube hook(s). The control rod guide tube hook(s) may have a distal end that extends through a side flow orifice of a fuel support casting and beyond the confines of a control rod guide tube flow orifice to grasp the control rod guide tube. The distal end of the control rod guide tube hook(s) may include inner and outer landing surfaces, providing respective support for the fuel support casting and control rod guide tube.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2011Date of Patent: January 13, 2015Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLCInventors: Robert W. Whitling, Michael Joseph Gundrum, Mark D. Bardeen, Gregory A. Francisco
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Patent number: 8824618Abstract: Disclosed is an unlatching tool that may be used to unlatch a control rod from a control drive. The unlatching tool may include a baseplate, a first guide member and a second guide member attached to the baseplate, a first frame and a second frame attached to the baseplate, a stepper motor attached to the first frame, a worm drive attached to the first frame, a cable reel shaft attached to the first and second frame, a hose wrapped around the cable reel shaft, and a hook attached to a first end of the hose. The hook may include a cylindrical sleeve having a at least one finger configured to fold and unfold. Disclosed also is a method of unlatching a control rod from a control drive.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2010Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLCInventors: Jack Matsumoto, Robert W. Whitling, Christopher M. Welsh, Gregory A. Francisco
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Patent number: 8792605Abstract: Disclosed is an unlatching tool that may be used to unlatch a control rod from a control drive. The unlatching tool may include a baseplate, a first guide member and a second guide member attached to the baseplate, a first frame and a second frame attached to the baseplate, a stepper motor attached to the first frame, a worm drive attached to the first frame, a cable reel shaft attached to the first and second frame, a hose wrapped around the cable reel shaft, and a hook attached to a first end of the hose. The hook may include a cylindrical sleeve having a at least one finger configured to fold and unfold. Disclosed also is a method of unlatching a control rod from a control drive.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2010Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLCInventors: Jack Matsumoto, Robert W. Whitling, Christopher M. Welsh, Gregory A. Francisco
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Publication number: 20130082472Abstract: A method and apparatus for grasping and lifting a boiling water reactor (BWR) control rod using a grapple. The grapple may grasp the control rod blade, the fuel support casting and the control rod guide tube of the control rod, to lift and move all three of these components in unison. The grapple includes a frame, a control rod blade hook, a fuel support casting hook(s) and a control rod guide tube hook(s). The control rod guide tube hook(s) may have a distal end that extends through a side flow orifice of a fuel support casting and beyond the confines of a control rod guide tube flow orifice to grasp the control rod guide tube. The distal end of the control rod guide tube hook(s) may include inner and outer landing surfaces, providing respective support for the fuel support casting and control rod guide tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2011Publication date: April 4, 2013Applicant: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLCInventors: Robert W. Whitling, Michael Joseph Gundrum, Mark D. Bardeen, Gregory A. Francisco
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Patent number: 8374307Abstract: A nut assembly for connecting adjoining poles in a nuclear reactor may include an upper nut and a lower nut. The upper nut may include threads on an inner surface of the upper nut. The lower nut may include threads on an inner surface of the lower nut. The lower nut may include threads on an outer surface of the lower nut. The upper nut may rotate over the lower nut in order to lock the lower nut.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2010Date of Patent: February 12, 2013Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gregory A. Francisco, Robert W. Whitling
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Patent number: 8249212Abstract: A method for attaching a core spray sparger T-box clamp for a sparger T-box in a shroud of a nuclear reactor pressure vessel assembling the anchor plate, bearing plate and saddle bracket; positioning the assembly of the anchor plate, bearing plate and saddle bracket in front of the T-box such that the saddle bracket is below a sidewall of the T-box; elevating the assembly to seat the saddle bracket against a lower surface of the sidewall and sliding a locating pin on the saddle bracket into an aperture in the sidewall; lowering a carrier plate onto an upper surface of the sidewall and attaching the carrier plate to the anchor plate, wherein a locating pin on the carrier plate slides into an aperture on the upper surface, and advancing the bearing plate to the T-box to bias a bearing plate against a cover plate of the T-box.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2011Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Grant Clark Jensen, Robert W. Whitling
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Publication number: 20120114090Abstract: Disclosed is an unlatching tool that may be used to unlatch a control rod from a control drive. The unlatching tool may include a baseplate, a first guide member and a second guide member attached to the baseplate, a first frame and a second frame attached to the baseplate, a stepper motor attached to the first frame, a worm drive attached to the first frame, a cable reel shaft attached to the first and second frame, a hose wrapped around the cable reel shaft, and a hook attached to a first end of the hose. The hook may include a cylindrical sleeve having a at least one finger configured to fold and unfold. Disclosed also is a method of unlatching a control rod from a control drive.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2010Publication date: May 10, 2012Inventors: Jack Matsumoto, Robert W. Whitling, Christopher M. Welsh, Gregory A. Francisco
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Publication number: 20110283511Abstract: A method for attaching a core spray sparger T-box clamp for a sparger T-box in a shroud of a nuclear reactor pressure vessel assembling the anchor plate, bearing plate and saddle bracket; positioning the assembly of the anchor plate, bearing plate and saddle bracket in front of the T-box such that the saddle bracket is below a sidewall of the T-box; elevating the assembly to seat the saddle bracket against a lower surface of the sidewall and sliding a locating pin on the saddle bracket into an aperture in the sidewall; lowering a carrier plate onto an upper surface of the sidewall and attaching the carrier plate to the anchor plate, wherein a locating pin on the carrier plate slides into an aperture on the upper surface, and advancing the bearing plate to the T-box to bias a bearing plate against a cover plate of the T-box.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2011Publication date: November 24, 2011Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Grant Clark Jensen, Robert W. Whitling
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Patent number: 8045672Abstract: A core spray sparger T-box clamp for a sparger T-box in a shroud of a nuclear reactor pressure vessel, the sparger T-box clamp including: an anchor plate substantially aligned with a closed end of the T-box; a carrier plate slidably secured to an upper side the anchor plate and latched to the T-box; a saddle bracket secured to a lower side of the anchor plate and latched to the T-box, and a pair of clamp blocks on opposite sides of the anchor plate fixed to sparger pipes coupled to the T-box.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2006Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Grant Clark Jensen, Robert W. Whitling
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Publication number: 20100246749Abstract: A nut assembly for connecting adjoining poles in a nuclear reactor may include an upper nut and a lower nut. The upper nut may include first threads on an inner surface of the upper nut. The lower nut may include second threads on an inner surface of the lower nut. The lower nut may include third threads on an outer surface of the lower nut. The upper nut may rotate over the lower nut in order to lock the lower nut.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2010Publication date: September 30, 2010Inventors: Gregory A. FRANCISCO, Robert W. Whitling
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Patent number: 7787583Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing a handling pole including a pole section, a pole adapter connected to one end of the pole section, a spade member connected to the other end of the pole section, and a nut assembly for connecting adjoining poles. The pole adapter may include an upper sleeve and the spade member may include a lower sleeve.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2005Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gregory A. Francisco, Robert W. Whitling
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Patent number: 7712189Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing a handling pole including a pole section, a pole adapter connected to one end of the pole section, and a spade member connected to the other end of the pole section. The pole adapter may include an upper sleeve and the spade member may include a lower sleeve.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2005Date of Patent: May 11, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gregory A. Francisco, Robert W. Whitling
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Publication number: 20100014622Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing a handling pole including a pole section, a pole adapter connected to one end of the pole section, a spade member connected to the other end of the pole section, and a nut assembly for connecting adjoining poles. The pole adapter may include an upper sleeve and the spade member may include a lower sleeve.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2005Publication date: January 21, 2010Inventors: Gregory A. Francisco, Robert W. Whitling
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Publication number: 20080112530Abstract: A core spray sparger T-box clamp for a sparger T-box in a shroud of a nuclear reactor pressure vessel, the sparger T-box clamp including: an anchor plate substantially aligned with a closed end of the T-box; a carrier plate slidably secured to an upper side the anchor plate and latched to the T-box; a saddle bracket secured to a lower side of the anchor plate and latched to the T-box, and a pair of clamp blocks on opposite sides of the anchor plate fixed to sparger pipes coupled to the T-box.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2006Publication date: May 15, 2008Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Grant Clark Jensen, Robert W. Whitling
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Patent number: 6622941Abstract: A cleaning device for a jet pump nozzle in a nuclear reactor. The cleaning device includes a tubing section having a first end, a second end and a mid-section between the first end and the second end, a pole adapter coupled to the tubing section at the mid-section, and a hydrolaze head assembly coupled to the first end.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2001Date of Patent: September 23, 2003Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Winston F. Ganoza, Robert W. Whitling, Jared A. Lathrop
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Publication number: 20030132272Abstract: Method of welding metal wherein a crack to be welded is surrounded with a flux in a substantially water-free environment and welded. The flux acts as backing for the welding operation and permits the welding to be carried out in the absence of an inert gas purge or metallic backing pre-placed on the weld.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2003Publication date: July 17, 2003Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Stephen K. Parker, Ronald M. Horn, Terry L. Chapman, Michael P. Fisher, Robert W. Whitling, Jack T. Matsumoto, Sampath Ranganath