MACHINE FOR LOADING OF FUEL ASSEMBLIES Russian patent published in 2013 - IPC G21C19/00 

FIELD: power engineering.

SUBSTANCE: machine (2) for loading of fuel assemblies (FA) includes a guide mast (10) and telescopic elements telescopically lowered from the guide mast (10) and again raised in the form of a centre head (12), a fuel element grab (14) and a control element grab (16). Telescopic elements are engaged to each other and actively connected to a common main lifting mechanism (18) so that whenever telescopic elements are raised from the lowered position, at first the control element grab (16) grabs the fuel assembly grab (14), and then the FA grab (14) grabs the centre head (12). The guide mast (10) is equipped with a fixed stop (22), which sets the final position of the centre head (12), achieved when lowered. On the guide mast (10) there is a stop (40) that moves in the direction (38) of lifting or lowering, and this stop interacts with the appropriate support flange (20) of the centre head (12) so that the centre head (12), when the moved stop (40) is raised, may be raised from its final position to the above intermediate position.

EFFECT: reduction of time required to replace a FA and efficient response to possible arising problems of centring.

7 cl, 2 dwg