FUEL ELEMENT RACK Russian patent published in 2015 - IPC B23P15/26 

FIELD: atomic physics.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to nuclear engineering and specifically to a loading/unloading and transportation device, particularly a rack for fuel elements used, for example, in assembling a hexagonally shaped bundle for a fuel assembly. The fuel element rack has a rectangular shape and combs, a load-bearing element and pins are mounted on its structural frame. A row of clamping plates is mounted in its top part. The structure has L-shaped flaps mounted on rotary axes with gear sectors in their top part and actuated by a drive of the rotation mechanism thereof. The drive of the mechanism has a double-sided gear rack which interacts with the gear sectors of the rotary axis to prevent the fuel elements from falling from the clamping plates.

EFFECT: invention shortens the duration of assembling a bundle of fuel elements, increases the accuracy of positioning a fuel element rack, increases the relative capacity of the rack and shortens the loading/unloading time thereof.

7 cl, 4 dwg