CA1039692A - Process and apparatus for mixing dangerous material and solidifying agent in a container - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Systems, apparatus and methods are disclosed for disposing of radioactive waste materials by placing them into a container such as a steel drum, together with cement or other solidifying agent and water or other suitable liquid in amounts sufficient to provide eventually a solidified mixture of predetermined amounts of cement or other solidify-ing agent and radioactive material, closing the drum, agitat-ing the mixture in the drum for mixing the contents, and then storing the drum for at least a period of time sufficient to permit partial decay of radioactive materials or to await available time for shipment. Also disclosed are remotely controlled apparatus for handling both empty and filled drums, for placing the drums in and removing drums from enclosed drumming equipment where they have been filled and agitated, for accurately placing the drums containing radioactive material in storage, and for removing the drums from storage and loading them on a vehicle for transportation. All of these operations are done by remote control with a high degree of safety to the operators and maintenance personnel from radiation and freedom of the ambulance from radiation pollution.

Description

Thi~ invcntion relate~: to app~ratus and method for dispontition o~ radioactive wast~ materials.
While .he inven~ion m~.y ~e u~ed for thc pack~ging and disposition of various tyie~ o~ radioactivt~ or chemically dangerous wa~tes, it can be exceptionally advan~ageo~sly employed in the disposition of radioactive wa~tes as they occur in nuclear electric power generating sta~ion~.
In known ~oiling water r~actor plantY, water is passed throu~h the nuclear reactor through suitable conduits and i~ heated and converted to steam ~y th~ heat of the reactor. This steam pass~ throu~h a tllrbine that drives an electric generator, then is recondensed an~ xeturned to the reactor to be reheated and converted into s~eam and so on.
Thi8 is a closed system.
In pre~curized WateL reactor sy~tems, there i~ a first closed c3nduit loop ext~nding through che nuclear reactor and then out~ide the reactor wh~re it passe~ through a heat exchar.ger. The body of wa~er or other liquid in the . . .
first closed loop is heated by the nuclear reactor, ~ut the --~
liquid is kept at such a high pressure, usually se~eral thousand pounds per square inch, that it is no~ con~erted into ~team or vapor. There i~ a second closed conduit loop carrying a body of wacer that extends through the heat -exchanger out of contact with the liquid in the first loop. -The water in this ~econd circuit i8 heated by tran~fer of heat from the liquid in the first circuit and thereby converted into steam which pa~es in ~he u~ual manner through a turbine drivin~ an electric generator after which the steam is condensed and returned to the heat exchanger where it i8 again reheated.
In each ~uch sy~tem water of the greatest pos~ible pur~ty is used. ~everthele~s, mlnor amounts of impurltie~

;!~k . ~
-- 2 -- ~, .
. ~ :

1~3~692 are present in the water initially illtroduced into thc conduit~. Further impuritie~ appear because of the action of the water on the metal of pipes and conduits through which it pas~cs. These impurities may become radioactive, particularly ~n water that pas~s through the re~ctor Tracea of cobalt leached o~t oi stainless steel piping are particularly troublesome, since cobalt develops an intense form of radloactivity having a long half life.
In both boiling water and pressurized water reac-tors, it is a practice to subject the water to cleaningaction by passing it through beds of ion-exchange resins.
Such resins are of known composition. In general, they act similarly to natural or synthetic materials used in commer-cial water treating e~uipment. Thxough chemical and filter-ing action, they remove dissolved and auspended impurities, thus maintaining the water at the desired high purity.
Otherwise the accumulation of impurities could result in scaling on the heat transfer surfaces, which would re~alt in 1089 of efficiency or difficulty in operations. ~esin parti-cles of one type widely used for this purpose are thoseapproximately 20 mesh in size. Resin particles of another widely used type are much smaller, approximating 300 mesh in size.
The contaminated resins of either type are removed from the water treating vessel by sluicing them out with water. The re~ulting slurry or dispersion is collected in a waste resin tank at the plant. The apparatus disclosed hereafter is particularly well adapted to disposition of this type of radioacti~e slurry.
Another type o~ radioactive waste material that may be handled by the present invention is known as "evapor-ator bottoms". The~e include concentrated liquid waste~

~, . . .

from the plant, such as nolutions containing boric acid, borax, sodium ~ulphatc and the llke which are u~ed in the control of the reactor or for wa~hdown of equipment for decontamination. Evaporator bottoms are also ob~ained from the collected water that is used for washing down portions of equipment or plant, wash water for employees, and chemi-cal la~oratory liquid wastes. Thi~ water containing radio-active impurities i5 temporarily stored and periodically portions of it are evaporated, leaving a solution or disper-sion containing reactive materials in water that are .~nowna~ "evaporator bottoms".
Stringent laws, rules and regulations govern the disposition of radioactive wastes and their transpor~ation over highways, on railroads and by other modes of transpor-tation. In general, the material must be shielded so that radiations ema~ating from the material do no~ exceed maximurn levels established by the law~ and regula~ions. Furthermore, it is desired that in a case of an accident causing dumping of a radioactive load, ~here should be no fluidic materials that can penetrate the ground or mix with streams ~r ground water ~nd cause radioactive contamination. It has therefsre been propos~d to provide a mixture of resin particles con-taining radioactive material, cement as a solidifying agent, -~
and water in a container such as a steel drum, and to allow the mixture to solidify in the drum.
However, prior ~ystems for putting radioactive materials into a drum or other container in general xequire that operators and maintenance personnel be ~xposed to radia~
tion, even though such system may be intended to protect personnel. For example, the operators in many cases must go $nt~ areas containlng radiation to open drums or close them or to insert nozzles in the drum~ or to handle the 1~)39~;9Z
drums in stora~e. In ~ome sy~tem~ an operator may ~tand behind a ~;hield wall, ~ut must ~xtend his arms into a radio-activ6 70ne~ c~nd expo5c his h~ad to ~ea, to connect pip2~ for f~eding xadioacLive material. I~ spill6 occur, the operator must ~o into the radioactive zone to clean up ~pill8. In prior operations where drums are staGked in multiple layers in decay storage areas, the operator must often go lnto such areas to place planks between the layer~. Maintenance men must go into radioactive areas to work on e~uipment requir-ing maintenance at intervals, such as conveying equipment, motors, and switches. The total am~unt of radiation to which per~onnel can be safely exposed is limited by physio-logical reasons: therefore, per~onnel must ~e controlled as to their duties, and the amount of radiation to which they are exposed frequently checXed to avoid their exposure to an excessive amount of radiation that can adversely affect health. ~soreover, in operation of the nuclear planr, if an emergency should ari~e correction o~ which wOula require expo~ure of operators or mainten~lce men to radiation during

2~ a time when all a~ailable men had reached their limits of radiation tolerance, a shutdown of the plant might ~e neces-sary or other adver~e consequence~ might result becau3e of lack of operators or maintenance men ha~ins safe radiation tolerances.
Moreover, prior ~ystems do not in general provide desired close control to in~ure that proper amount~ of radioactive material, cement, or water are put into the dkum to insure proper solidification of drum contents. It i8 imperative to avoid improper loading of the drum or mixing of drum content~.
Moreover, prior systems can on occa~ion 9pill radloactive materials on the outslde of the drums or on the ~)3969Z
iloor. If the spill i5 on the drum, ~t i~ nece~ary to decontamin~te th~ ~rum prlor ~o shipment. If the fipill i8 on the floor, then a certain amount of du~t can be generated as the material dries. Such dust, which i~ radioac~ive, could fLnd its way through the plant and thus make the plant unsafe ~ecause of radioactivity. Spilled material~ al30 can collect in floor drains and clog them. Prior system~ for putting radioactive material into drum~ in general have loaded drums in an open space, so there was no way of con-taining or taXing care of the problems caused by spills ofradioactive material.
Some previous system~ have numerous operating mechan-ical parts re~uiring periodic maintenance, such as motoxs and electrical switches, in radioactive areas. Maintenance o such equipment can expose personnel to considerable radiation.
Pre~ious equipment loads drums containing radio-active material onto truc.ss or cask~ in a haphazard fa~hion, and thus, not loading the Sruck or cask to full capacity, would lose lading and could cause damage ~o the drums or drum enclosure.
Previous ~ystems, becau~e of los~ of electrical power or air pressure or improper hanaling o~ the dru~ hand-ling means, could topple a drum or cau~e irregularities in operation which could cause spillage of radioactive material.
Previous system~ did not provide for an accurate weight of resin to a weight of cement ratio in order to insure that the drum contents would be properly ~olidified with the most economical use of cement and with the lowest transportation co~ts. In prior ~ystems that filter the resin in the drum~
to remove water, costs are understandably higher for the drum because of the added e~uipment contained therein.
Some prior sy~tems mix radioactive resLns, cement .

and water in a mixture outside of a drum. This involves exposure of considerable amounts of equipment to radioactiv-ity and possibilities of considerable exposure of personnel to radioactivity. Moreover, the mixer must be cleaned after each use, which is difficult because the cement sticks to the mixer; moreover, the mixer will become radioactive and hence unsafe in time considerable shorter than the life of the plant, necessitating replacement expense. Some prior systems mix these materials in the drum; but if an open top drum is used, considerable spillage occurs during mixing, and if the drum is rolled about its lengthwise axis to mix its contents a core of poorly mixed materials is formed in the center of the drum.
Most if not all prior systems lack fail-safe features to prevent unsafe conditions in the event of fail-ure of operations of any portion of the equipment.
It is a general object of the present invention to overcome the above and other problems relating to the disposition of radioactive waste materials. Another object is to provide apparatus and methods for moving the containers into the filling and mixing location, moving the containers into storage and accurately locating them there, moving them out of storage to another location such as on a transportation vehicle and locating them there, and for recovering a container if it should upset; and apparatus and method that can eliminate undesired radiation from areas in which personnel wor~. A further object is to provide apparatus for carrying out such operations by remote control so personnel need not be exposed to radiation during maintenance of equipment. A further object is provision of apparatus which can be easily repaired or maintained with little if any exposure of personnel or surrounding environment to hazardous radiation. Another object is to provide apparatus sm / j C

103'~692 that has fail-safe features that prevent the development of dangerous or unsafe conditions in the event of failure of operation of the apparatus as because of failure of --power, air pressure, or other energy source.
This application is a division of application Serial number 151,515, filed September 12th, 1972.
To accomplish these and other objects, the parent .
invention provides apparatus for packaging fluent material such as dangerous or radioactive liquids or slurries without direct human handling, comprising movable supporting means controllable by remote control for supporting and moving a container into any of a plurality of preselected locations, the container having an opening initially closed by removeable closure means; means controllable by remote control, while the container is in a preselected location for removing .
the closure means from said container, retaining the closure means, and replacing the closure means on the container to close the opening after the container has fluent material introduced therein; means controllable by remote control for introducing into the container an amount of the fluent material while the container is in a different preselected locatation;and means controllable by remote control for agit-ating the container to mix the contents of the container while the opening of the container is closed by the closure means and while the container is in a preselected location different from the one in which the closure means is removed and replaced, the movable supporti~g means supporting the container at all times while it is moved and located in each of the preselected locations and also while the container is being agitated.

The parent inven~tion also provides a process of pack-aging fluent material without direct human handling, compris-ing moving a container into preselected locations, the container having an opening initially closed by removable .

. m/ jc .. . .

1~3g69Z
closure means; removing and retaining the closure means from the opening of the container while the container is in a preselected location; providing in the container through the opened openin~ while the container is in a different preselected location an amount of the fluent material;
closing said container by replacing the same closure means to close the opening while the container is in the preselected location in which the closure means was removed and retained; agitating the container to mix the contents thereof while the container is in a preselected location different from the one in which the closure means was removed, retained and replaced;and thereafter removing the container.
The present invention, on the other hand compliments the parent invention by providing an apparatus for pack-aging fluent radioactive or other dangerous material without human handling, comprising means controllable by remote control for moving a container containing solidifying agent into any of a variety of preselected positions; means controllable by remote control for introducing into a container in a preselected position an essentially predetermined amount of the fluent radioactive material; means controllable by remote control for closing the container; and means controllable by remote control for agitating the container to mix the contents of the container.
The present invention also provides a process of packaging without human handling radioactive or other dangerous material in the form of fluent material containing radioactive or other dangerous material, comprising providing in a container a predetermined amount of a solidifying agent and a predetermined amount of the fluent material; closing the container; and agitating the container thoroughly to mix the material in the container.

8~ / smp , . . .

These and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention in connection sm /c_..

wlth the accomp~ny~ng drawing~ in whichs Figua 1 i~ a plan s~ction along line 1-1 of Figure 2, of a hu~ilding and int~rnal cquipment embodying the present invention and for oarrying out proces~es of the in-vention, the scale being much ~maller than full ~ize:
FLgure 2 i~ a section along line 2-2 of Figure 1 and to the same ~cale, ~ Lgure 3 is a section along line 3-3 of Figure 1 and to the same ~cale;
Figure 4 i~ a plan sectien along line 4-4 of Figure 2 and to a somewhat larger scale ~howing the over-head crane apparatus, the crane being in a ~omewhat differ--ent posltion tha~ in Figure 2;
Figure 5 is a section along line 5-5 of ~igure 4 and to the same scale showing the crane apparatus, portiens of the apparatus of Figure~ 1, 2 and 3 being broken away for the sake of clearne~s;
Figure ~ is a sectional vi.ew along linQ ~-~ of Figure 4 Figure 7 is a plan of the trolley of the crane apparatu~ along line 7-7 of Figure 5 and to a considerably larg~r scale;
Figure 8 is a detail, along line 8-8 of Figure 7, showing mean~ for automatically limiting and halting upward movement of the grab caxrled by the trolley:
Figure 9 i8 a view from line 9-9 of Figure 7 and to the same scale~
Figure 10 i~ a view from line 10-10 of Figure 7 and to the same ~cale;
Flgure 11 ~ a view to a con~id~rably larger . - :
8cale oi mean~ for driving wheels of the trolley7 Figure 12 i9 a view along line 12-12 of Figure 7 . .

10~9~
and to a considerably larger scale showiny the transmission box for the driving means of the trolley;
Figure 13, on the same sheet as Figure 6, is a view along line 13-13 of Figure 4 but to a smaller scale than Fig-ure 12, showing driving means for wheels of the crane bridge, parts being omitted for clarity;
Figure 14 is a view along line 14-14 of Figure 7 showing a portion of the means for hoisting the crane grab;
Figure 15 is a view of the means for hoisting the grab, from line 15-15 of Figure 7;
Figure 16 is a section along line 16-16, Figure 7;
Figure 17 is a view from line 17-17 of Figure 7;
Figure 18 is a plan view of the grab of the over-head crane, with the cover removed, the scale being consider-ably larger than that of the preceding Figures;
Figure 19 is a section along line 19-19 of Figure 18;
Figure 20, on the same sheet as Figure 18, is a section along line 20-20 of Figure 18 and to a larger scale - :
showing limit switch means for controlling rotational move- ~ :
ment of a portion of the grab;
Figure 21, on the same sheet as Figure 18, is a section along line 21-21 of Figure 1 showing limit switch means for limiting vertical movement of a part for actuating the fingers of the grab;
Figure 22, on the same sheet as Figure 19, is a de-tail along line 22-22 of Figure 18 showing guide members on the grab engaging guide members on the trolley to locate the grab in its uppermost position laterally relative to the trolley;
Figures 23 to 27 inclusive show how the television camera on the grab can be used to locate the height of the grab above a drum, figures 24 to 27 inclusive particularly 39~9'~

showing the view on the television monitor screen;
Figure 28 is a view looking upwardly to show the in-dicating means that is viewed by the television screen on the trolley to locate the position of the trolley;
Figure 29 is an enlarged detail showing one of the indicators of Figure 28;
Figure 30 is a view of drumming apparatus in the drum-ing station, from line 30-30 of Figure 1 and to a scale con-siderably larger than that of F:igure l;
Figure 31 is a side view of the drumming apparatus -.
of Figure 28, parts being broken away to show the interior .
mechanism in the housing; ~ :
Figure 32 is a plan view along line 32-32 of Figure 30 and to a somewhat larger scale, parts, mostly piping, being omitted for the sake of clarity; :
; Figure 33 is a side elevation of the lower portion ~ of the drumming apparatus, in general corresponding to the side : elevation of Figure 32;
Figures 34A and 34B show to an enlarged scale and in ;
plan the cradle frame and cradel, as well as associated appar~
, atus for holding the drum in the drumming apparatus;
Figure 35 is a detail to a still larger scale, show-ing means for securing the cradle frame in each elevated pos-ition, the view of the securing pin being generally from line 35-35 of Figure 34A;
. Figure 36 is a section through the cap-handling means for unscrewing a cap of a drum, holding it until it is desired to insert it again, and for re-inserting and tightly screwing . in the cap of a drum, the scale being considerably larger than that of Figures 30-33;
Figure 37, in the same sheet as Figure 33, is a sec-tion along line 37-37 of Figure 36;
Figure 38, on the same sheet as Figure 33, is a .,: ' ",........................................................................ ... .

1(~3969Z
section along line 38-38 of Figure 36;
Figure 39 is an enlarged plan view of the filler nozzle for filling a drum while it is in the drumming apparatus;
Figure 40 is a section along line 40-40 of Figure 39;
Figure 41 is a sectional elevation along line 41-41 of Figure 31 and to a considerably larger scale, of two liquid level sensors for the decanting tank;
Figure 42 is a view along line 42-42 of Figure 41 and to the same scale;
Figure 43 is a section along line 43-43 of Figure 41 and to the same scale;
Figure 44 is an enlarged vertical section of one of ; the metering pumps of the invention, along line 44-44 of Fig-ure 45;
Figure 45 is an end elevation of the pump of Figu~re 41;
Figure 46 is an enlarged section of a portion of one of the valve mechanisms of the metering pump; :-Figure 47 is a schematic piping diagram for a drum-. ming station;
Figure 48 is a face view of a record board for re-cording the locations of drums in the equipment;
Figure 49 is an enlarged view showing one of the tags that can be used on the record board to record information per-: taining to a drum and its location;
Figures 50 and 51 are side and front views of the control console equipment, shown in Figure 1 in the control : station, for controlling the apparatus, these Figures being ~. 30 to a larger scale than Figure l;
'";

- :

~03g69Z
Figur~ 52 1~ a plan ~rom line 52-S2 of ~igure 50S
Figures ~3 to 56 inclusive are view~ sho~ing how the grab of the illustrated crane apparatus can be used to grasp a drum even if it should be lying on its side rather than standing upright on its end;
Figure 57 iB a plan of a modified form of trolley for the overhead crane apparatus, thi~ trolley embodying a heavy duty hoist capable of lifting heavy portions of the apparatus, such as the shield wall or other equipment, out of or into the illustrated apparatus; and Figure 58 i.~ a side elevation showing the trolley of Figure 57 a~ used in hoisting a shield wall and as~oci-ated equipment mounted on the shield wall.
General Arrangement: For illustrative purposes, the below described embodiment of the invsntion will be described in connection with the di~position of radioactive wa~te material in the form of resin particles containing radioactive material~ like tho~e described above, and in the form of evaporator bottom~,. by putting the radioactive mater-. 2~ ial ~ncluding water, and cement as a qolidifying agent, into a steel drwm; mixing these materials in the drum; moving the drum into storage; allowing the mixture to solidify and radioactivity t~ decay in storage; and then moving the drum to a vehicle for transportation.
Fo~ convenience, the term "drum" is u~ed here-; after to des~nate 3teel drums or barrels as such, as well a~ sultable other type~ of containers for the indicated -.
purpoce~. While for convenlence cement is disclosed as the solidifylng agent and water as the liquid, it is to be understood that other suitable type~ of solidifying agents .. . - ... .
: such a~ asphalt or certain natural or synthetic resinE, and that suitable li~uids other than water, may be used.

'.

... ..

10396~Z
The embodiment generally shown in Figures 1-3 comprises a building 1 of rectangular configuration in plan, of which building upright walls 2, 3, 4 and 5, the ceiliny 6 and the floor 7 are preferably formed of poured reinforced concrete, of sufficient thickness to prevent escape of harm-ful radiation from the interior of the building. The build-ing interior is subdivided into an area 8, two drumming stations 10 and 11, two storage vaults or decay pits 12 and 13, and a control station 14 in which an operator is located to operate the system by remote control.
Area 8, which is free of radioactive materials or radioactivity at all times except temporarily when radio-active materials are being shipped from the building, is shown as used for storage of non-radioactive materials such as drums D that contain no radioactive materials but may, and in this illustrative embodiment do, contain accurately weighed preloaded amounts of cement as a solidifying agent. The area 8 has in wall 2 a vehicle doorway 16 having a door 17 which may be of conventional automatically controlled type. A
personnel doorway 18, having a conventional door 19, is in wall 4 near station 14.
Each drumming station 10 and 11 is equipped, as described below, with apparatus 21, operable by remote control from apparatus 23, 24 in operator control station -14, for introducing radioactive materials and water into drums D, each preloaded with accurately determined amounts of dry cement as a solidifying agent, all in proper propor--~tions to permit these materials after thorough mixing to form in the drum a solid body of controlled weight, and for then thoroughly mixing these ingredients.
A drum D containing the resulting mixed radio-active material, cement and water may then be stored in a ' ~ -15-lV~'3~j~Z
storage vault 12 or 13 to permit solidification of drum contents and decay of radiation until its intensity is reduced to shipable limits. The drums are individually identified, and location of and time that each is placed in storage is recorded. After lapse of an appropriate time, the drums are moved out of the storage vault onto a vehicle V for transportation away from building 1 for suitable dis-position. If the radiation intensity of the drum contents is initially so high that it is not reducible by sotrage for a permissible or reasonable time, the drum can be put into a known type of radiation shielding cask that renders the drum safe for shipment. If, on the other hand, the initial radia-tion intensity is sufficiently low, the drum may be shipped immediately, without storage.
A drum D is picked up from area 8, put into a selected drumming station 10 or 11 then after proper filling and mixing moved if desired into a selected storage vault 12 or 13; and when desired moved onto vehicle V by remotely controlled overhead crane apparatus 25 (Figures 2, 3, 43 to be described later.
These operations are performed by remote control without actual visual access, the operations being viewed through television screens and monitored by other means described below.

:: - .
~ Building: The interior of the building 1 is sub- ~
~ .
divided (Figures 1, 2, 3) into the storage vaults 12 and 13 by a thick center interior wall 26 and transverse end walls 27 and 28 that are joined to wall 26 and extend into rela-. tively close proximity to but stop short of exterior side 30 walls 2 and 4. Transverse walls 29 and 30 longitudinally . . .
' spaced from interior walls 26 and 27, and stub walls 32 and 33 joined to outer side walls 2 and 3 and spaced from trans- ~-.: :

lV39~9Z
verse walls 39 and 30 set off the area 8 and station 14 from the vaults and drumming station. Spaced transverse walls 27 and 29, and 28 and 30 together with a portion of center wall 2~ and longitudinally extending intermediate stub walls 34 and 35 define the drumming stations 10 and 11 .
An extension of wall 35 and a short transverse wall 36 joined to it define the operation station 14.
Walls 34 and 35 together with overlapping longi-tudinal wall portions 37 and 38 respectively fixed to trans-verse walls 27 and 28 and respectively spaced from walls 2 and 34 and from walls 4 and 35, together with the transverse walls 27 and 28 and walls 32 and 33, define labyrinthian passages 39, 40, 41 and 42 that prevent lateral escape of radiation from storage vaults 12 and 13 and the drumming ~ ;
stations 10 and 11 into area 8 and control station 14, while permitting access to the drumming station and vaults during construction and later if necessary.
All of these walls are of sufficient thickness and formed of suitable material such as poured concrete, to prevent passage through the walls of harmful radioactive radiations.
` The interior walls defining the control station, . . .
drumming stations, storage vaults and labyrinthian passages extend to locations below ceiling 6 and are suitable shaped at their tops to permit clearance for the overhead crane apparatus 24 so that it can move over and service the -- entire interior areas of building 1. The labyrinthian passages and the control station have roofs 44, 45 for safety and added shielding of personnel.

Crane Apparatus: The crane apparatus including a system for locating the drums is illustrated in Figures 2 through 29. ~3~69Z
The crane apparatus comprises a track 47 includ-ing rails 48, 49 extending lengthwise of the building, a bridge Sl that travels on the track, a trolley 52 that travels on the bridge and a grab 53, adapted to carry a drum D, that is carried by and raised and lowered and manipulated from the trolley. As described below, the grab is provided with remotely controlled means to mechanically grasp secure-ly a drum D at its upper upstanding circumferential edge 50.
Indicating means 54 above the trolley is provided to aid the operator, by remote control from control station : 14, in accurately locating and grasping a selected drum, or accurately locating and placing a selected drum, or moving it, in or out of storage area 8, a drumming station 10 or 11, or a storage vault 12 or 13.
The indicating means, to be described below, has on it indicia 55 (Figures 2, 3, 28, 29) marked, as by number . and letter combinations, that can be viewed and identified by an upwardly directed television camera 56 (Figures 4, 7) 20 on the trolley that transmits an image to a television -~
.i ' ~-'' monitor screen 57 (Figures 1, 51) in control station 14. .
;, By suitable movement of the bridge and the trolley on the ~ :.
bridge the trolley can be moved to and accurately located . over a desired location for a drum by scanning through the ~ :
television camera to find a desired indication on the ceil-. ing, the camera preferably having cross hairs or other mark- ~`
ings to aid location as described later.
. The grab will also be provided with a downwardly .
facing television camera 58 (Figures 17, 19) that can focus --on the center of the drum. Preferably this camera has on ~:
it markings that, when the grab carrying the camera is -: lowered a suitable distance, coincide with markings or :, ' ' : ~', 10396~Z
structural fe~ture~ on a ~elected drum to indicate tha helght of the grab relatlve to the drum on a second tele-vi~ion monitor scrcen 59 (Figures 1, Sl) located in control ntation 14. By this means, the grab can be accurately located over the proper drum at the proper height, after which the grab can be actuated to grasp and lift the drum;
and the grab while carrying a drum can be located in a proper location to place the drum.
Four adjustable surveillance television cameras 60, 61 (Figures 3, 4) are mounted on the bridge 51 at suit-able locations ~o they can scan down-~ardly to view other locations these cameras can respectively show their viewed scenes on monitor screens 62, ~3 in station 1~ (Figures 1, 51)-A~ further indicated below, the grab i5 deslgned to grasp the edge of a drum ~hat may have toppled to turn the drum so its top is up, or to remove the dr~m.
The track rail~ 48, 49 are supported ~rom brackets 64 extending from the walls of the bui;dins; the rails extend substantially throughout the length of the building so that the grab ~3 carried by the trolley, by suitable manipulation of the bridge and trolley can service ~ub~tantially the entire internal area of the building between the rails. Suitable control means, which may be of known type, are provided in the control 3tation 14 at the monitor ~creen~ so that the crane and grab can be operated by an operator at that ~tation. A record board 65 (Figure 48) will be provided on which tags will be hooked bearing location indicia, date of filling and ~torage, radiatlon level and other data for drums that have been ;~ illed and are stored in the storage area.
- The inte~ior of the building is de~igned to o ~ - r l03s6sæ
provide a radiation-free area at one end in which mainten-ance wor~ may be carrled out on the crane. Such area i5 protected by ~hiLld walls from r.:diation from radioactive materia~s in the storage vaults 12, 13 or in drumming stations 10, 11; area 8 may be u~ed for such purpose in the illu~trated embodiment.
Bridge 51 compri6es beams 66, 67 fixed at each end to carria~e structures 68 and 69 each having flanged wheels 71 and 72 that travel on one of the rails of the track. ~n each carriage structure one of the wheels is p~wer driven a~ described later to move the bridge along the track a~
dssired. The bridge beams carry spaced parallel rails 75, 76.
; At each side, the trolley 52 has two wheels 77 and 78 that travel on these rails 75 and 76. One ~et of wheel~
78 is freely rotata~le; the ~heels 77 of the other set are power-driven by electrically energizable drive means 79 on the trolley, that is controlled by suitable Xnown means --from the control station 14. ~
Drive means 79 comprises (Figures 7-133 a trans- -`
..
mission unit 81 adapted to drivé the wheels 77 of the . . .
power-driven set from shaft 82 (Figures 11, 12) ~hrough universal join~s 83 connected to the drive axles 84 on ~-~
which the wheels are rigidly fixed. Shaft 82 is rotated by a gear 85 driven by pinion 86 mounted coaxial with and rigidly connected to gear 87 which is rotated in turn by pinion 88 rigidly mounted on the same shaft as gear 8g.
Gear ag is rotated by a pinion 91 mounted on a shaft 92 directly connected to an electric motor 93 of sub~tantial power. Shaft 92 is also adapted to be connected through an electrically operated magnetic clutch 94 to shaft 95 of an electric motor 96 of les~ power which drives ~haft 94 at a ~ubstantially lower speed than motor shaft 92, through .

, .

~ - ' F

gaar reducer 97 lnt~gral with motor 95. Motors 93 and 96 may be o~ known type~.
Wh~n t~le cluteh 94 iB ~isconn~cted and th~ motor 93 is energized and motor ~6 pre~erably de-energi7ed, the trolley 52 can travel at a relatively high ~peed on the bridge 51. When clutch 94 i8 er.yaged and motor 93 i9 de-energized while unit 96 i~ energized, the trolley 5~ travels at a sub~tantially lower speed. Therefore, while motor 96 is ener~ized for low speed operation of the trolley the motor 93 is de-energi~ed and is rotated from mo~or 96; while motor 93 is energized ~or high speed operation of the trolley motor 96 is de-energized and di~connected by clutch 94 from the tr~nsmission unit and motor 96 to prevent damage ts motor 96 from overspeeding. These differences of speed~ are to enable the trelley to be moved along the bridge by motor 93 at a relatively high speed to within a close distance of it8 destination, and then to be moved slowly by motor 96 to it8 final location. ~oreover, each of motors 93 and 96 respec~ively has its own isolated power lines forming part of known energizing and control means diagr~m~atically indicated at 93e and 96e ~Figures 10, 50) connected to and controlled from control station 14. The clutch is also energized and controlled from the control station 14 by means diagrammatically indicated at 94e which may be of known type. Con~equently, in the event of failure of either one of the mo~ors or it~ power lines, the trolley can still be moved on the bridge by the other motor to a de~red location on the bridgs.
Two wheels 71 of the bridge are freely rotatable, 30 while the other two wheels 72 are driven (Figures 5, 13) by mean3 ~imilar to that which drl~es the trolley. In thi8 ca~e, each wheel 72 i~ connected to a dri~e ~haft 97 that . ' - : ,...... . . ..

1~3969Z
in connected throuc~'l unive~nal jolnts 98 to the output ~ha~t 9~ o~ a t.ransm-s~ion unit lO0 ~ubstantially identlcal wi.h th~ tran~mi~ion unlt 81 that drivcs the trol ey. Power is supplied to thi~ tran~mission uni~ by a mo~or 101 of sub-3tantial power that is adapted to provide a relatively high spced drive, ~nd alternativel~ b~ ~eared down motor 102 of lower power to drive the bridge at a relatively low speed.
The mechanism inside of transmi~sion unit lO0 is esc;entially the same as that of transmi~sion unit ~1 on the trolley and includes a clutch adapted to be electrically energized and controlled through means 103e from control c2t~ti3n 14 by known means to connect and disconnec~ motor 102 from tran~-mi~ion output shaft 99. Motor~ lOl and 102 are also adap- ;:
ted to be electrically energized and controlled bSr known .
means lOle ~nd '02e from station l~. In t.his case also, higher c~peed motor 101 is adapted to move the bridge to the vicinit~ of its final de~tination at a relatively high speed, and then can ~e de-energized and lower speed motor 102 can ~
be energized to movP the bridge slowly to it~ final destina- ~. -.
20 tion. Moreover, each of motors 101 and 102 has its own :~
isolated ind~pendent electrical power supply means and is independently controlled from station 14, so that in the event of failure of either of the motor units or its power -supply means, the other motor unit can be used to move the bridge to area 8 as far away as possible from vault~ 12 and 13 30 maintenance can be safely performed.
Trolley 52 al80 contains grab hoisting mean~ 104 (Figures 5-10, 14-17) which compri~e~ a.winch drum 105 adapted to wind on and unwind from it lifting cables lO~, 30 107 and lO~ that support and rai~e and lower the grab 53.
This three cable arrangement support~ the grab in a level posltion with great ~tabillty 80 that tilting of the grab ' .
.

18 prevented ~n~ ~in~iny 1~ ellminated; it al50 helpG
in~re accurE~cy o~ grab locatlon~ and provi.de~ added safety.
The wineh drulll 105 i5 ad.lpted to be rotated ~y a power unlt 109 (Figure 7), and is also ada2ted by means 110 to be moved lonqitudinally a~ required to cause the c,~bles to wind on.
and-unwind from the drum without ~iling up on the drum an~
al30 to cau~e the locations where ~he ca~les wind on and leave the dr~m to remain laterally fixed with respect to thc trolley.
The power unit for rotating the drum compri~es (Figure~ 7, 9, 10, 14, 15) a known commercial unit such as the "Reuland Hydraulic Pump Mount Motor", manufactured by Reuland Electric Company of Howell, Michigan and Industr California. This unit comprise~ a first relatively high power, high speed electric motor 112, and a second relatively low pcwer, low ~peed electric motor 113 each directly con-nected to a shaft 114 (Figure 14) that through a gear redu-cer unit ilS rota~es the shaft 116. An individually elec-trically operable brake unit 117 is also connected to shaft 20 114. Each of motors 112 and 113 has its own isolated power line~ and is independently controlled from control station 14 by known means 112e and il3e ~r igures 10, 50); hrake unit 117 is also independently controlled as required from the control ~tation 14 by either of two isolated electrical circuits 117e and 117e'. By thi~ means motor 112 (operat-ing for example at 180p rp~) can cause the winch drum to rotate at a relatively high speed for relatively high speed operatlon to bring the grab into relatively close proximity to its ultimate height level for it~ de~tination, and then . 30 motor 112 can be de-energi~ed and th~ other motor 113 (oper-ating for example at 450 rpm) can be energized to rotate the drum relatively ~lowly to accurately locate the grab at it~

., ' ~()3969Z
proper le~el. Moreover, thi~ arrangement make3 po~ible a safcty feature in that if either of the motors fail~ or i~8 power ~upply unit fail~, the othe. motor can be encrgized to lower the grab or to rai~e it, with or without a drum D, and enable the trolley to be move~ and bridge to be moved to a place where the failed uni. can bc corrected.
The brake unit 117 i~ of the spxing loaded type that applie~ braking force to the 3hait 114 when the brake unit is not energized, and must be energized to release the brake to allow the shaft ~o turn, which proYi*~s another safety feature.
- Shaft 114 (Figures 14, 16) drives a wor~. 118 that meshe~ with a worm wheel 119 rigidly mounted on a rot.a~able : .
~ axle portion 121 that slidably but non-rotat~ly carrie~
shaft 116 on which the winch drum 105 is rigidly moun~ed.
One end of shaft 116 is carried by a bearing 122 in a sleeve 123 that rotata~ly and slidably support3 shaft 116. The :
othPr end of sha~t 116 has an inte~nal screw thread por~-ion 124 that meshes with an externally threaded ~crew 125 rigidly carried at the end of the hou3ing reducer 115. As the worm wheel 119 rotates, it rotates shaft 116 and the drum 105 on it. Since screw 12S i~ stationary on the trolley, rotation of shaft 116 cause~ the shaft and its winch drum to move ax~ally by interaction of threaded portions 124, 125. The thread pitch of these portions i5 such that t~ley cau6e the drum 80 to move axially that the ca~les 106, 107, 108 wind on and off of the drum without lateral movement relative to the trolley of the location where any cable winds on or unw~nds from the drum. The winch drum is of the same dia-meter where the cable~ 106, 107, 10~ wind on and off the `'!, drum and the~e portlon~ of the drum preferably have helical groove~ 126 for each cable to aid ln insuring level unwind-, 1~3969;~
ing and ~indln~ of the cable~ an~ maintaining lateral po~i-tion~ of khe cahles rcl~tive to thc troll~y. Therefore all cable~ un~ind and wind evenly and at the same rate and in unchanged latcral po~ition3 relative to the tro]ley to prevent tilting of the grab, provide a ~table level position o the grab, ~implify control of the gra~, and contrib~te to safety.
Because of the worm 118 and worm gear 119 and brake 117, the ~inch is self braking and halts wh~n its power supply is de-energized. The apparatus als~ includes (Figure 14) a disk 127 fixed to the end of the worm, having a notched periphery that pa~ses through a proximity switch 128 that actæ as a counter connected to k~own means 123e comprising known indicating means in the control station 14 to indicate the r.umber of revolutions of the worm and hence of the winch drum 105. The height of the grab can thus be indicated in the control station.
The trolley also carrie3 an upwardly directed television camera 56 of known type connected by known means 20 56e (Figures 17, 50) to the monitor screen 56 and controls ; in the control station, to show on the screen the scene that i8 viewed by the camera, includiny locating ind cia 55.
Utilizing this means, and by suitable control of the bridge and the trolley~ the trolley can be properly positioned to enable the grzb 53 to be located over a drum or othex item to be handled, as will be described later. Light fix~ures 129 of known type may be mounted adjacent the television -- camera to illuminate upwardly the acene viewed by the up-` wardly facing television camera. These light fixtures are - 30 divided into two separate ~ets each set having its own i~olated known circuit means 129e by which it is electric-ally energ~zed and controlled from control ~tation 14.

. . .

,. , . ~.

1~3969Z
Th~ trollc~ 52 ha3 ar- opening 130 throu~h w~ich thc thrc~ cabl~3 106, 107 a~d 108 ext~nd downwardly to support ~h~ grab r ~ . The3e cable~ are arranged 90 that they support the grab at locations that are e~uidistantly and equiangularly spaced around an axi~ ~ of the gr~b. To accomplish this, cable 107 pas~es directly from winch drum 105 to the grab, whiLe cables 106 and 108 pas~ from the winch drum 105 over guide pulleys 131 and 132 fixed to the trolley and ~nder weighted pulleys 133 and 134 ~ixed to supporting and tension sensing means 135. Means 135 oper-ates so that if cable 106 or 108 becomes slacX or loses tension its weighted pulley 133 or 134 will lower and also trip a known limiting device 13~ (Figure 7) such a~ a lir.lit switch, the function of which will be later described.
Trolley 52 includes means for automatically limit-- ing and halting upward travel of the grab 53. The illu6-trated means compri~es (Figuxes 7, 8) duplicate limit switches 137 mounted on the trolley and having a co~mon actuating lever 138, the free movable end of which extendc over trolley opening 130 so the end can be contacted and moved by the top of the grab 53 when it reaches the upp-~r ; end of its tra~el. The lever 138 is affixed to duplicate cams 139 that actuate the limit switches to interrupt electrical current to whichever of hoist motor~ 112 or 113 ~ is operating; the circuitry is such that when the grab i~
: to be lowered, the circuits to the motors can be completed.
Thus the trolley has redundancy of power means and controls so that if one power means that moves the trolley or grab fails, another completely ~eparate power and control system i5 available, and if one set of lights 129 fails, the other is independently available.

Grabs The grab 53 ~Figures ~, 10, 18-22) which _ 26 -.:
, . . . ..

1~3969Z
i~ adaptad to be rai~ed al~d lowered by three cablea 10~, 107 and ]0~ comprloes a rigid frame 140 to which the lower end~ of ~he cable3 are connectcd, each through a length adju~tlng means 141 to permit the length of all of the cables to be accuratcly equalized to support the grab in the de~ired level horizontal position. Frame 140 iB of generally circular configuration and has a central axis A
about which the cables are equidistantly and equiangularly located. Fr~me 140 rotatably ~upports by bearing structure 142 a subframe 143 that is rotatable about axis ~. Subframe 143 carries, equidistantly and eauiangularly about a~is A, three set3 of clamping finge~s 144 adapted to clamp the up-standing edge 50 of each drum D. ~ach set of fingers co.n-prise~ (Figures 9, 10, lg~ a finger member 145 tha~ is pivotally ~upported at its upper end from frame 143 and h~
a toothed jaw portion 146 rigidly joined to its lower end.
This finger mem~er is limited against in~Jard ~ilting mo~e-ment by its inwardly transver~e lug 147 that bear~ against a stop nut 148 adjustably mounted on a bolt 149 threaded into subframe 143; and the finger member is yieldably -; limited again~t out~ard tilting movement by compression ; spring 151 that bears against the other side of trar;3ver~e lug 147 and against a nut 152 adjustably threaded on bolt 1~9~ .
Finger member 145 pivotally carries near its lower end a cooperating finger member 153 that ha~ a down-wardly extending pvrtion 154 carrying a jaw portion 155 adapted to cooperate with jaw portion 146 of member 145 and a guide portion 156 that engage~ the outer ~ide of the drum to assist alignment of the grab with the drum. Finger `; member 153 is of bell crank 5hape and ha3 a tran~versely extending portion 157 pivotally connected through yoke : :~
.,~' .

, llnk 158, compres~ion spr~ng 158 and bolt 160 to vertic-ally movable actuating membcr 162. Actuating member 162 comprlses a lower portion 163 to which link 158 of each set of finger~ i~ connected~ and a guide portion 164 that engage~ a grooved guide member 165 fixed to rotatable ~ub-frame 143 to prevent rotation of the actuating member rela-tive to the subframe.
Actuating member 162 is moved vertically as re-quired by a gear member 166 rotatably but immovably axially supported on subframe 143 and having external teeth 167 and internal threads 168 that engage external threads 169 on actuating mem~er 162. Gear member 1~6 is rotated by a pinion 171 non-rotably mounted on a shaft 172 rotatably carried by subframe 143 and rigidly mounting a gear 173 that is rotated as re~uired lFigure 18) by either or both of gears 174 and 175 mounted on electric motors 176 and 177. Prefer-ably only one of these motors will be energized at a time, although both could be. Each of 3he motor~ has an individ-ual isolated power supply and is individually controlled from control station 14 by known means diagrammatically ~- indicated at 176e and 177e. These two motors are provided to insure that in the event of failure of either motor or it~ power supply, the other motor could actuate the finger set~ 144. It iY apparent that wher. either of the motors i~ actuated and gear member 166 is rotated to raise the actuating member 162, the finger members 145 and 153 of , each set will close to grasp an edge of the drum; and when either of the motorB is rotated to cau~e the actuating member to move downwardly, the finger members of each set are opened. Upward and downward movement of men~er 1~2 is properly l~mited (Figure 21) by engagement of vertically - Rpaced ~top members 178 and 179 adju3tably mounted on the ~)396~2 upper end of actuatiny member 162, with actuat~ng member~
180 o duplicate elcctrical limit ~witches 181 that are ~uitably connect~d to motors 176, 177. Kllown circuit mean~
181e ma~es this possible and al80 scnd~ signal~ to control station 14 giving information of the open or c]osed posi-tions of the finger members 153. Operation of the fin~er sets 144 i9 also reported visually by came~ 58 to the control station.
Subframe 143 carrying fin~er sets 144 and motors 176 and 177 i~ adapted to be rotated on frame 140 as required by an electric motor 183 on su~frame 143 dri~ing a worm 184 engaging a worm gear 185 that drives through ~haft 186 and flexible coupling 187 a shaft 188 rotably mounted on the subErame. Shaft 188 rigidly carri~s a drive pinion 189 having external teeth that ensage internal teeth of an internal annular gear 190 bolted to frame 140. Motor 183 has it~ own independent power supply and is adapted to ;
be controlled as required from the control sta~ion 14 by known means 183e. By energiza~ion of motor 183, subframe 143 carrying f inger sets 144 can be rotated a~ required about axis A to locate the grab fingers properly to grasp the de~ired drum or other o~ject to be grasped, or to orient the fingers or load carried by the grab to a de~ired angular position about axi~ A to clear parts of the appara-tus or durms or other objects. In the illustrated embodi-ment, the amount of rotation i8 controlled and limited by engagement of the movable member 192 tFigures 18, 20) of ; limit switch 193 mounted on ~ubframe 143 with angularly ; spaced 8top8 194 and 195 fixed on frame 140. The angular distance be~ween ~tops 194 and 195 is somewhat over 120, permitting the subframe and itB fingers to b~ rotated ~o - that the set~ of finger~ can cover a 360 c~rcumference.
:' , t 1~39692 ~he ~ln~er~ thus can bc turned to engage any desired portion o the circumferential edge 50 of a dr~n D. The fingers can readlly gra~p drums of varying si-.e3 or out of round shapes, because of the pivoted ~upport~ o~ generally parallel member~
145 and 158 and the spaced pivotal connection~ to the~e mem-ber~ of portion 157 of member 153. These supports and connec-tions permit the finger ~et~ to move sub~tantial distances laterally and still be operative to grasp a drum edge. Guide portions 156 of member~ 153 can move the finger sets to accom-modate out of round or differently sized drums.
Grab 53 also includes the television camera 58 thatis directed downwardly. This television camera is mounted on a cover member 196 that is rigidly carried by main frame 140 of the grab, and is coaxial with the axis A of frame 140.
It is located within the actuating member 162 which is maae tubular for the purpose. Cable 197 carries the necessary wiring for the camera. Cover member 196 completely ~nclose~
the upper portion of the grab. The cover member and 8eals 198 and 199 between the main frame 140 and the subframe 143 insure against entrance of dust or other contamination to the bearings and gears to reduce maintenance problem3.
Electric power i~ supplied to the grab by cables one of ~hich is shown at 200: each of the cables is looped in a hou~ing 201 to provide a length of cable that maintains electrical connections as portion 143 of the grab rotates;
the housin~ prevents snagging of the cable on other part~
of the grab apparatus. Downward illumination is provided by lamp~ 202 connected to the subframe 143 around the lower edge of television camera 62J the lamp~ are divided into two sets each having it~ own indiv$dual isolated circuit means 202e by which it i8 energized and controlled from control ~tation 14. Brackets 202a may be provided to ; - 30 -', r ~03969Z
prot~ct the lamps agaln~t dam.~ge.
Equic~ngul~rly spaced annular guide~ 203 on the outer periphery of the grab engage slotted guide braclcet6 204 (Eigure~ 18, 22) on the trolley when the grab is in it~
uppermost position, thus laterally ~teadying the grab and its load when ~he trolley or bridge i~ accelerated or decel-erated.
It is apparent from Figure~ 23-27 that ~he tele-vision camera 58 has, on or adjacent to its lens where it will show on the viewing screen 59, cross hairs 205 and markinq~ 2~6, 207, 208, s~own on the viewing screens illus-trated in Figures 24-27. The centers of the cross hairs are located on axis A of the grab and the mar~ings 20~-2~8 indicate radial distances frorn the axis A. Consequently -an operator at control station 14 viewing the monitor screen 53 connected to camera 58 can determine the distance o the gra~ from the top o a selected drum after the grab has been located over the drum. Figures 23-27 illu~trate how an operator can determine the distance of the grab from drum D. -~eference numeral 58a indi_ates television camera 58 and grab 53 at the farthest distance from the drumt and Figure ~ :
24 illustrates the corresponding view of the drum as shown on screen 59. ~he next farthest camera and grab position is indicated by 58b, while corresponding Figure 25 shows the drum D as larger. The next farthest po~ition o~ the camera and grab are indicated by 58c, while Figure 2~
depicts the corre~ponding view on 3creen 59 in which drum D occupies almost tha entire depth of the screen. The close~t po3ition of the cameraand grab to drum ~ are indicated by 58d and the view on ~creen 5~ i8 represented by Figure 27 showing the outline of the cap openinq ~tructure C at the center of the top surface of the drum.

.

' .
.: .

103969;~:
When the cap openln~ ~tructure C i8 of proper 8izo on the screen to correspond with marlcings 207 at the camera lens, the operatOL knows that the grab i~ at the proper height and prop~rly aligned with the axis o the drum to enable fingcr membcrs 145 and 153 of the grab to be actuated to grasp propcrly the top edge of the drum as shown in Figures 8 and 9. When the grab is at the proper height as shown in Figure 27 on screen 59, he reduces the lowering ~peed; as the fingers of the grab contact the top of the drum, the cables 106, 107, 108 become loose, allowing weighted pulleys 133, 134 to move down on the trolley and trip }imit switch 136, which through known circuit means stops operation of the grab hoisting means 104. Thi3 limit switch also ~erves as an interloc]i to prevent the finger~
of sets 144 from opening when the drum 3 i~ in hoisted position.
The trolley 52 and grab 53 can be readily properly located with reference to a drum to be picked up or deposi-ted, by use of indicating means 54 (Figures 2, 3, 28, 29) that is viewed by the upwardly directed television camera 56 on the trolley. The means ~4 il~ustrated compri~es supporting frames 209 supported and extending near the ceiling of the building to support the location indicators 55 at predetermined locations, so they clear all parts of the crane apparatus. One indicator 55 i~ provided for each horizontal drum location. Indicators are therefore proYi-ded to locate all drums in each of the storage vaults, to locate a drum for each position in each drumming station where the crane is to handle a drum, and to locate all drums in the general storage location 8. Cros~ing frame - portions 209 at each indicator provide a target for the camera 56. Ind~cators bear an accurate relationship to 1~39~9Z
the center position desired for a drum. By suitable con-trol from station 14, trolley 52 may be moved so an appro-priate mark on or near the lens, and preferably at the center of the lens, of television camera 56 on the trolley is aligned with the target on the appropriate indicator 55 for the desired location. By suitable further control from station 14 of trolley 52 and grab 53 the grab can be lowered and caused to grasp the drum as previously described, and to be raised to lift the drum and lower it and release it in a desired location.
Preferably, each indicator 55 has two designations, one for a direction parallel to an X axis extending longi-tudinally of the building and one for a direction parallel to a Y axis extending across the huilding; in the embodi-ment illustrated (Figure 29), each indicator 55 is made up of two portions 55a and 55b fixed to frame 209 at the proper .: .
location, portion 55a carrying a number designation and portion 55b carrying letter designation.
The indicators 55 and hence the drums are located - 20 on centers a predetermined distance apart in the X and Y
^` directions in the storage vault and in general storage area 8. The drums in the lowermost layer in the vaults and ~ storage area are equidistantly spaced in the horizontal X
i and Y directions; the drums in the second layer are offset by half the distance between the centers of the drums in , the first layer in the horizontal X and Y directions, so that each of the drums in the second layer is firmly sup~
.-ported by four drums below it in the lowermost layer; the "
drums in the third or top layer are also equidistantly - 30 located in the layer so that each drum is supported by four drums below it in the second layer and directly over a drum in the first layer. The indicators 55 on the . :
.':
:.~;"

. ~ :

103~69Z
indicating means 54 are properly located and identified to provide for this.
When the drums are stacked in tiers as in the illustrated embodiment so that drums in a higher tier are directly over drums in a lower tier, it is desirable to have additional coded markings to indicate each location in which a drum may be directly over another, to alert the operator to watch the appropriate surveillance camera screen to check which tier of drums for which he is handling a drùm;
he could then watch the grab the grab elevation read-out in the control station to decelerate and halt the grab at the proper level.
In the illustrated crane apparatus the various wires for transmitting electrical energy for power and control purposes are encased in cables, which are passed - through means that compensate for changes in length of the cable due to movement of parts of the crane apparatus.
Thus, as shown in Figure 5, cable 210 passes through means 211 that compensates for changes in cable length as the bridge 51 passes along the track 47; and as shown in Figure 6, cable 212 passes through means 213 that compensates for changes in the cable length as the trolley 52 travels on the bridge. The length compensating means 211 and 213 ~ ;
shown are like that disclosed in British patent 979,862 published January 6, 1965, but other types may be employed.
If desired, means may also be provided for the trolley to :
- compensate for changes in length of cable between the , trolley and grab.
_rumming Station General Arrangement of Drumming Station: Each drumming station (Figures 1, 2, 30-33) has substantially identical apparatus; for convenience only the apparatus in .. . .

: -34-:
'' drun~ing ~ta~ion lO w~ll be d~scribed, it bcing understood that the apparatu~ in the other dru~ning stat~on i~ identi-cal cxcept for ~itu~tion~ where parts may be of the other hand for convenience in installation or operation. Corre--sponding parts ~ill have identical reference characters in both drumming stations.
The apparatuq in each drumming station comprises ~ubstantially the same four basic components: a metal shield wall 214, drumming equipment 215, a decanting tank 216 and a set of metering pumps 217a,b,c. While the relative posi-tions of these components cou]d ~e changed the basic func-tion o~ each remains the same, so the drumming station apparatus can be installed in a right or left hand arrange-ment, if such positioning i5 required or desired.
Shield ~all: The shield wall 214 serves as a locating and anchoring means for the other components 215, 216, 217a, b, c. It is formed of ~trong metal to support the other components and to serve as a barrier to stop the escape of harmful radiation from the side of the ~hield wall carrying these components, to the other side. The shield wall may be of any ~f va; ious thicknesses, depend-- ing on the intensity of radiation expected to be encountered;
.. . . . . .
since lt is formed of metal its thickness is substantially less than conventional shielding such as concrete; moreover the faces of the shield wall may be machined, drilled and bored to present accurate surfaces for equipment mounting and uniform ~mooth surfaces for cleaning if required. Use .... .
of the metallic shield wall and it~ resulting lesser thick-nes~ simplifies drive conncctions and maintenance worX done 30 ~hrough the ~hield wall. A ~hield wall of steel approx- ~ -lmately 12 inches thick is advantageous for most uses of the invention.

. . .
''' ~()3969Z
The ~hi~ld wall is rlgidly ~ut demountably attach~d to the concrete building wall 29 or 30 by an accur-ately machlned, grouted in frame :18 (Figure~ 31, 32) ~ur-rounding wall opening 219 to which the shield wall i~
secured by bolts and nut~ 220 on the safe side of the ~hield wall. Preferably, the ~hield wall has a supporting eye 221 at its top. Therefore, the shield wall can be demounted with the other components still attached, and bodily re-moved as by an overhead crane to a remote location for main-10 tenance or repair; the cantilever mounting of the component~ -mounted on the shield wall, as described below, facilitates this; the cantilever supporting of components also eliminate~
floor support~ and facilitates cleaning. The shield wall preferably overlaps the opening 219 to provide an offset joint that prevents possible radiation leakage around the shield wall edge~.
The shield wall may be divided into ~ections 214a, 214b, 214c, by transverse joint~ 2i4d to facilitate easier handling and shipping. These joints are off~et or stepped , ,:
: 20 a6 shown in Figure 31 to prevent radiation leakage outwardly to the safe side of the shield ~all outside of the drumming station. As explained later, parts such as drives that pass through the shield wall are also sealed to removable plugs, -as at 222, 223, 224 that form similar offset or stepped ;i, joints to prevent radiation leakage. Where space or design doe~ not permit sealing to an offset or stepped plug, a secondary shield 225 is provided to block radiation escape.
Drwmmi~ o~ The drumming eq~ipment 215 il-lustrated a clo~ed housing 226 ~upported from the side of the ~hield wall faclng into the drumm$ng station. This housing ~Figures 30-33) ha~ upstanding sides 227, 228 carrying detachably mounted acce~ plates 229. The top 231 i~39692 o~ the housing has a hatch op~ning 232 ~urroundcd by upward flange 233, clo~ed by a hinged hatch cover 234 having inner and outer downward ~lange~ 235 that ov~rlap flange 233 ln the closed po~ition to prevent e~cape of radioactive mater-ial. The housing and hatch cover when closed provide a closed enclosure in which drum loading and mixing occurs.
The hatch cover permits acces~ to the enclosure ~or intro-duction or removal of drums, while preventing escape into the atmosphere of air displaced by materials loaded into the drum, and while preventing e~cape of radioactive mater-ial due to splashing should the drum being processed develop a leak or should material be accidentally spilled during the loading operation~ Hatch cover 234 can be moved to closed and open positions by a lever 236 pivotally supported on housing 22~ and is rigidly secured to an arm 237 carrying the ha~ch cover through a resilient connection ~38. Lever 236 i6 actuated from the safe ~ide ol the shield wall by a known fluid-operated cylinder 239, the fluid valves 240 of which are controlled by known means 240e from the control station 14. The cylinder is spring loaded to close the hatch if the energizing fluid fails, for safety; the spring i load can be overridden by hand or by mechanical means.
Housing 226 has a venting conduit 225a preferably connected - to a closed venting system.
A fixed loading dock 241 is externally mounted at one side of the housing 226 and is adapted to support a drum to be filled that is first deposited by the crane on this dock. A fixed unloading dock 242 is externally mounted on the other ~ide of hou~ing 226; a drum removed from housing 226 l~ set by the crane on this unloading dock, and the intensity of radiatlon emanating from the drum i8 mea~ured by known radiation monitor means 243 that ':
.
.. , , r ,, , , ~, .

s~nd~ by ~nown mean~ 243e elcc~rical ~ignal~ to the control ~tation l~ wh~re the information i~ noted. Each of the loadlng and unloadln~ dock~ carries a ~cale 244 connected with ~nown mean.~ for reporting the scale reading to the control station. The scal~s are adapted to be removed from and placed on their supporting stations by the grab, so if nece~sary the ~cales can be serviced in a radiation free area.
Inside of drumming equipment 216 i5 a drum posi-tioner cradle mechanism 245 (Figures 31, 34a, 34~) adapted to carry a drum and move it (E'igure 32) about a vertical axis P from a drum loading and unloading position "I", then to a first intermediate position "II" in which the drum is clamped into its cradle in a vertical position, then to a second intermedia::e position "ITI" in which the dxum is opened by unscrewing and remo~ing its cap, then to a third intermediate position "IV" where the drum is filled then back to intermediate position "III" in which the drum is `` closed or capped,then to intermediate position "II" where the drum iB turned end-over-end to agitate and ~ix its contents, from which position the cradle returns the drum to location "I" under the hatch from where the drum can be removed by grab 53. The cradle mechani~m comprises a vertical shaft 2~6 (Figures 30-32, 34a) on which a cradle frame 247 is rigidly mounted; the shaft is rotatably and vertically slidably mounted in bearings 248, 249 mounted at the t~p and bottom of housing 226. A cradle 251 rotat-ably supported in the cradle frame by bearings in two spaced hub portions 252, 253 of the cradle frame for rota-tion about a horizontal axi~ H on its cradls frame whichthu~ form~ a trunnion in which the cradle can be rotated to impart to the drum the desired end-over-end motion to _ 38 -thoroughly mix the content~ o~ the drum, tumbling movement of the loose mixing weight3 DW ~Flgues 5, 6, 31) in the drum aiding this mixing.
The cradle frame 247 i8 moved to angular po~itions I, II, III, IV indicated above by actuating mean~ (Figures 30, 31) comprising a lever arm 254 rigidly mounted on the lower end of shaft 246 and pivotally connected to a rod 255 that may be reciprocated as required by a Xnown mechanism 256 driven from an electric motor 257 energization of which is controlled by known means 257e from control station 14.
The linear travel provided by mechanism 256 may be controlled by known means accurately to stop the cradle in the various angular positions as described above.
The cradle frame 247, its supporting shaft 246 and cradle 251 carrying a drum can be raised and lowered as required to permit movement of the cradle and performance of necessary steps in the positions I-IY, by a known type of screw jack mechanism 258 (Figures 30, 31,32) actuated by a drive shaft 259 extending through the shield wall to its safe side. Shaft 259 is rotated as required by a gear box electric motor combination 260, controlled by known means ~;
260e from the control station to raise the cradle to an upper elevation referred hereafter as the "U" elevation in positions III and IV, and to lower the cradle to a lower elevation hereinafter referred to as the "L" elevation for -~ movement between the positions and for operating in posi-tions I and II.
When the cradle frame 247 i6 raise~ to elevation U in either of position~ III or IV, an upwardly projecting , 30 tapered dowel pin 261 (Figures 31, 34a, 35) fixed to the - top of the cradle fr~ne engages in the opening 261a of the approprlate one of ~wo hardened steel bushings 261b in the ~ 3969Z
top wall ~31 o the hou~inq 226. Thi~ a~ures accur~te and positive location of the cradle in po~ition~ III and IV for the ~ ng and capp~ng operation3 tha~ are carried out in these position~.
When the cradle ~rame 247 i8 in any of positions I, III, IV, cradle 251 can be held in a vertical position in the cradle frame by a latch member 262 (Figure 34a) pivotally mounted on the cradle frame and biased by compression spring 263 to latching position where the beveled free end 264 of member 262 engages ~etween a pair of spaced lugs 265 on the cradle. The latch member can be released from the cradle by the tapered end 266 of a pin 267 that extends through the shisld wall and is adapted to be axially inserted into a flare-mouthed socket 268 on the cradle to a depth su~ficient to contact and release the latch member. When pin 267 is so inserted, it secures frame 247 again~t angular or other movement while the cradle is being rotated about its hori-zontal ax:~ H to agitate the contents o~ ~he drum. After ~uch cradle rotation has ceased and the cradle has been ~; 20 properly located with the drum vertical and its cap side up by ~uitable known means such as conventional electri~al -~ interlocking means, pin 267 i~ withdrawn from socket 2~8, and latch member 262 by the force of spring 263 re-engages the cradle to lock it in the vertical position with respect to its frame 247. Pin 267 i~ moved axially as reguired by a double acting fluid energized cylinder 269 having control valves that are actuated in a known manner from control -~ station 14 by known electrical means 269e (Figure 50).
Cylinder 26g is equipped with limit ~witche~ 270a 30 and 270b, operated by stop 270c on the cylinder rod to interlock through suitable conventional circuit means to prevent ~tarting o~ the below described means for rotating ~''' .

103~ti'32 the cradle while the latch member 262 engages the cradle.
The drum may be centered and firmly clamped in its cradle 251 by clamping means as shown in Figures 34A, B. Two opposing clamping arms 271 and 272 pivotally carry clamping members 273, 274 and are rigidly mounted on shafts 275, 276 pivotally mounted in the cradle about axes parallel to the drum axis. These shafts rigidly carry arms 277,278 having rounded outer ends 279 that ride in an external groove 281 of a member 282 that is axially slidably mounted in hub portion 283 of the cradle in hub portion 253 of the cradle frame nearest the shield wall when the cradle frame is in position II-L. When member 282 moves axially away from the drum carried by the cradle, the clamping arms 271, 272 move toward the drum and their clamping members firmly engage the drum. When the member 282 moves toward the drum, the clamp-ing members release the drum. -Member 282 is so moved by engagement of an intern-ally threaded nut 284 rigidly mounted in member 282 with an externally threaded screw 285 rotatably but axially immov- -~
-~ 20 ably mounted on hub portion 283 of cradle 251. Screw 285 ;, has a projecting end 286 that has a polygonal preferably ~-;~ hexagonal cross section. When, as will be described later, ;- this polygonal end portion is engaged and rotated relative to the cradle, member 282 will move axially and, depending on its direction of rotation, will clamp or unclamp the drum.
The clamping means of the cradle is actuated, and the cradle itself may be rotated, provided that latch member 262 is released, by the means shown in Figures 34A, B which comprises stepped plug 224 that fits through the shield wall ~ 30 and carries at the drumming station side an internal bearing ,~ 287 and its other side a removable gear box 288 carrying another bearing 289. These bearings carry an elongated ::
: . ,.

member 291 ~ol rotation about an axis th~t i3 coaxial with the axi~ H of the cradle when the cradle is in drum rotating position II. M~ber 291 ha~ an axial openin~ 292. On the drumming station side, member 291 carries a driving coupling portion 293 adapted to engage and drive a driven coupllng portion 294 on hub portion 283 of the cradle when th~ cradle is in position II.
Driven coupling p~rtion 294 has axial and radial dog~ 295 adapted to fit loos~ly in corresponding slots 296 of an intermediate coupling member 297 that is flexibly mounted, as by bolts 298 threaded onko rubber mount~ 299 on driving coupling portion 293. Intermediate member 297 on its side away from portion 293 has slots 3~0 alternating with and spaced 90 angularly from its slots 296. Driving coupling portion 293 has radial and axial dogs 301 that can loosely fit in slots 300. The driving coupling member 297 : thus flexibly mounted so it i~ capable of substantial but limited lateral movement, so the driven coupling member can `~ engage and so the cradle can be rotated even if there is ~ubstan~ial misalignment of the two coupling portions 293 and 294. By suitable means of known type, the ~logs 295 of driven cradle coupling portion 294 and the ~lots 290 of . intermediate mel~ber 297 ~lexibly mounted on driving portion 293 will always be positioned to extend horizontally when i the cradle is not rotating, -~o that these dogs and slots . can mate and engage when the cradle is ~wung into position . . .
.
L and to readily di~engage when the cradle i~ moved out of such position. The power means for rotating the cradle when it is in position II-L is electric motor 303 (Figure 31) controlled by known mean~ 303e from control station 14, .. .
. that i~ adapted to rotate men~er 291 through ~uitable gears 304 in gear box 288.

:
:
': . ~ ,. . ,. , ..

~L~3969Z
The hcxagoncll portion 286 or actuatlng the clamp-ing arm~ can be engaged by a socket 305 mounted on a shaft 306 that i~ rotatahle and a~ially movable i.n member 291.
Shaft 306 is moved axially as reguired by a double acting fluid operated cylinder 307 connected through bracXet 308 to the end of the shaft on the ~afe side of the shield wall and controlled by conventional means 307e from station 14.
After its socXet is engaged with polygonal end portion 28~, the ~haft is rotated as required to clamp or unclamp the 10 drwn, by an electric motor 309 (Figure 31) that rotates the shaft through suitable gears 310 in gearbox 311, motor 309 is controlled from station 14 by suitable known means 309e.
Means for insuring that the cradle canno~ be rotated until the drum i9 clamped in the cradle comprises a feeler rod 313 slidably coaxially mounted in shaft 306 and biased toward hexagonal portion 286 by spring 2].4, and limit --switches 31~, 316 adapted to be actuated by a stop 317 on the other end of the rod as it moves. When the rod i~
retrac~ed sufficiently because of sufficient clamping travel - 20 of screw 285, the limit switches through suitable conven-~ional interloc7iing circuit means 315e, 316e permit rotation of the cradls; otherwise they do not.
~ he drumming station also includes cap handling mean~ 320 for removing and replacing a scxew cap 321 in the :~
top of a drum, (Figure~ 33, 36-38~. After the drum is at , position III for cap removal, the cradle frame 247 is raised to elevation U to raise the drum D carried by the cradle 251 80 its cap 321 can be engaged by means 320.
When brought into the dru~ning station according to the illustrative process, each drum will contain a pre-loaded accurately determined amount of cement or other solidlfying agent Da and one or more freely movable mixing ~L()39692 ~ ghk~ Dw (Figur~ 5, 6, 31) which may takc the form o oblong pieces o~ steel about l-l/2" x 1~ " x 6" in dimen-sion~; a cap 321 clo~es the drum~
The drum, which i~ of generally cylindrical form, has (Figure 36) a cap opening structure C at the center of the top wall 322 of the drum, comprising a steel collar 323 having an internal threaded opening 324, fixed in the top wall 322 of the drum. Collar 323 has a radial flange 325 around the outer edge of which the top wall metal is crimped at 326 to hold the collar securely in the drum; preferably a sealing ring 327 is clamped between the drum metal and the flange 325 to provide a fluid-tight seal between the collar and the drum. The internally threaded opening 324 is adapted -~ to be closed by cap 321 that has an external thread that permits the cap to be screwed into the threaded opening.
The cap ha~ a central depression 328 of circular cross ~ection with vertical serrations or other suitable gripping surface, and an outward radial flar.ge 329 cap 321 also carries a sealing ring 330 that forms a fluid-tight ~eal ; 20 between the cap and the drum.
Cap handling means 320 comprises frame structure 331 rigidly mounted on housing 226, and a wrench 332 rotat-ably and axially movably supported on the structure 331 to i grasp and remove and replace cap 321. The wrench is a ;~ resilient expandable slotted collet that is reslliently biased to contract and ha~ an outer surface shaped to fit ~n~ide depression 328 of the cap so that when the collet is expanded it firmly ~rasps the inner wall of the de-press~on. The wrench i~ expanded by a pull rod 333 having an externally conical expanding portion 334 that bears against a matching internally conical surface 335 in the wrench, ~o that when the pull rod 18 drawn upwardly it .';
. . ~

~039692 cxpand3 the wrcnch t:o gra~p the cap.
The iull rod i~ drawn upwardly and moved down-wardly as re~uir~d by a call~ 33G ~Fi~uxes 37, 38) that i~
rotated about its horizontal axis to lift and lower a follower 337 that is slidably mounted on frame struc~urc 331, and 6upport~ the pull rod for rotatable but no rela-tive axial movement. The cam i~ connect~d to and rotated ~Figures 32, 33, 36) by a shaft 338 that extends through ~hield wall 215 to a gearbox and electric motor unit 339 the motor being controllable by conventional means 339e from the station 14. The cam is shaped to provide a pr~-determined amount of tension on the pull rod and collet wrench 332 to permit the cap to be gripped with adequa~e force to hold it securely for removal, but not to deform it. When the cam 335 is turned so it moves the cam follow-er down, rod 333 is lowered, thus moving its conical por-tion 33~ downwardly of the colle~ wrench and allowing the wrench to contract to rPlease thc cap.
. - While the wrench i9 engaged in the cap, the cap : :
20 is rotated by the cap handling means 320 to unscrew the :
cap to open the drum, and after the radioactive material ha~ been placed in the drum to screw the cap in the drum to ~ close it. For this purpose a hollow ~haft 341 surrounds : and is coaxial with the wrench pull rod and is adapted to support and rotate wrench 332. It is Rupported from frame structure 331 for rotational and axial movement correlated with the pitch of the threads of cap 321 and opening 324.
The ~haft 341 is rotated by a worm gear 342 that drives a worm wheel 343 rotatably but axially immovably supported from frame 331. It i8 rotated (Figure3 33, 3~, 38) as re~uired by a 3ha~t 344 extending through the ~hield wall : ~o a gearbox and electric motor unit 345 controlled from ' . -- 45 --~tation 14 by mean~ 34Sc. 1~3969Z
Shaft 341 is ~11dably but non-rotatclbly connccted to worm ear 343 and ha~ projecting dogs 346 at lt9 lower end that cngage shou]der~ 3~7 on the wrench 332 to rotate it when shaft 341 i~ rotated. Vertical travel of the wrerlch shaft and wrench are correlated with axial movement of the cap as it Rcrew~ in or out by a nut 348 rigidly carried by frame 331 engaging a lead screw 3~9 fixed to ~haft 341, the nut and lead screw having thread~ o~ the same linear pitch a~ the thread on the drum and cap, so a~ to retain exac~
relationship between threads in the drum and on the cap to ;-facilitate recapping without cros~threading. ~he cap hand-ling means is so designed tha~ cam 33~ maintains and holds tension on the pull rod that causes the wrench to gra~p and firmly hold the cap ~urin~ the removal of the cap and in the interim period while the drum is being f illed. 5ensing means 350 e~bodying spring loaded fee]er 350a ~nd limit switch 35~b sense~ when the drum is in the prop2r po~ition - to have the cap removed or inserted, and through interlock means permits the apparatus 320 to operate; otnerwise it prevents opera~ion.
After the cap has been removed at position IIT
the drum i~ ready to have the radioactive material put in it. Thi~ is accomplished hy locating the drum carrying cradle 251 in the filling position IV and lifting the - cradle and drum to engage the opening 324 with the fill - nozzle 351 ~Figure~ 32, 39, 40) in the top wall 231 of housing 226. ~ozzle 351 comprises a mounting boss 352 - fixed to the top wall 231 and rigidly detachably carrying a nozzle portion 353 having a tapered lower end adapted to project through opening 324 into the d~M D, and carrying several downwardly through opening~ 354a, b, c; 354a being r 1~39692 for intro~uctioll into the drum of radioactiv~ resin di~per-~ion rom the decclnting tank, 354b for evaporator bottoms, and 354c boing for vcntlng durins filling, being connected by conduit 354d to a clo~ed venting 3ystem, not ~hown. The nozzle portion also has a smaller opening 355 that may be connected to mean~ 355a for sensing the level of liquid in the drum, such as known mean~ for ~ensing back pr~6~ure when the drum has been filled to the level of thP bottom opening of vent 355.
Nozzle portion 353 slidably carried a collar 356 that is bia~ed downwardly by compression spring 357 and downwardly limited by stop bolts 358. Collar 356 engages the drum top and seals with collar sealing ring 359 around the drum opening 324 to insure venting through the proper pa~sage and prevent splashing or leakage during the filling operation. Openings 354a an~ 354b in the nozzle will he respectively connected to a decanting tank and to a source of evaporator bottoms through metering pumps to be des-cribed l&ter.
D antin~ Tank: Decanting tan]c 216 (Figures 30, 31, 4~) is a closed tank formed of corrosion resi~tant durable metal, such as stainless steel, and is cantilever supported from qhield wall 214. The tank has a frusto-conical lower portion 360 to aid in emptying material from the tank. A di~persion or c~lurry of radio-active resin particles in water is supplied to the tank from a sui~able source such as a pipe 361 connected to a plant holding tank, by pump 217b connected to pipe 362 opening into the bottom of tank 216. The decanting tank ha~ an internal mixer 363 for stirring the material in the tank when desired. That ~hown comprises three propellers 364 mounted on a common shaft 365 rotatable about a vertical _ 47 -.'" ' :

9f~2 axis aligned with the central axis of the tank. This shaft is rotated through a gearbox 366 by a drive shaft 367 extending through the shield wall from an electric drive motor 368 on the safe side of the shield wall. As desired the motor can be energized and controlled from control station 14 by conventional means 368e to cause propellers 364 to mix thoroughly the material in the tank, regardless of the level of materials in the tank.
Tank 216 also has means for providing an adequate supply to the drumming station of a mixture of radioactive containing resin and water in a predetermined proportion.
In general, the slurry supplied to the decanting tank con-tains excess water; and the decanting tank includes means for removing excess water by decanting.
, A dewatering or decanting pipe 369 is pivotally ;; mounted in the tank at its inner end by a leakproof joint.
The outer end of the pipe carries a float 370 so that the end of the pipe can rise and fall with the liquid level. A
conduit 371 connects the inner end of pipe 369 to one of the metering pumps 217a the outlet of which is connected by pipe -372 through a fine strainer 373, such as 100 microns, to an outlet pipe system 374 forming part of a plant equipment drain system.
The levels of the water and of the radioactive .;. .. ..
resin particles in the decanting tank 216 are sensed by sensors 375, 376 (Figures 31, 41-43) that transmit electric-- al signals giving information as to levels to the control ~-station 14. Both sensors are identical except for the specific gravities of their floats, so only sensor 375 for ' - 30 sensing the water level will be described in detail. This :~ sensor comprises a frame 377 having a lateral portion 378 ;- that extends through an opening through a stepped plug 379 -~
'. :.

.,' , -.
,: . '.

~'039692 ln Rhiold wall 2l4 and througll a housing 3ao into ~he tank.
Frame 377 i~ l~ivotally mounted between itq end~ at the e;ld portion ~7~ on a bracket 381 ~ixed out~ide of w~ .14.
The outer end of frame portion 378 carries a pulley 382 over which passes a strand 383 ~uch as a stain-less steel cable or wire, th~t at it~ free end suspend~ a float 383a and extends along the frame and around intermcd-iate pulleys 384 to a winch drum 385 that is driven by a motor 386 mounted on the inner end of frame 377. Frame 377 includes an upwardly ex~ending portion 387 adapted to bear again~t an adjustable stop 38~ on the outside of shield - wall 215 and carrying a rearward portion 389 on which the winch and motor are mounted. Portion 389 also carries ad-jù~table balance weight 391 threaded on support 392 extend-ing above portion 389 to permit accurate balancing of the pivotally mounted frame 377 and its associated apparatus.
Stop 388 when engaged by frame portion 387 limits tilting of frame 375 about its pivot support in a direc~ion ~ha~
causes the outer end of frame pOLtiOn 378 to move downwardly.
Frame 377 also rigidly carries a transversely ex~ending metal member 393 adap.ed alternately to actuate proximity switches 394 and 395, depending on the position of the frame and hence of member 393.
As shown (Figures 41, 42~ the other sensor unit 376 is subqtantially identical, except that its electric motor and winch extend~ in the opposite direction trans-- ver~ely of frame member 377 to conserve space, and except that its float 383b has a different specific gravity than float 383a of ~ensor 375.
Float 383b may have a specific gravity of about 0.5 and is used to determine the level of the surface of the water in tank 216.

_ 49 -lV~
Float 383a has a specific gravity of approximately ..05 so that it will sink in the water but will floa-t at the surface of the r~sin in the tank.
When tank 216 is filled, and also when the resin and water are being mixed in the tank by agitator 363 both floats are raised to the top of their travel by their winch drums 385 and motors 386. When the float of a sensor is in its uppermost position with the float unsupported by liquid, -~
the weight of the float causes the frame portion 378 to tilt downwardly until frame portion 387 contacts stop 388. This causes member 383 to actuate upper switch 394. Circuitry is provided so that if the circuit is energized from the control station, actuation of upper switch 394 energizes the motor 386 of the sensor to rotate its winch to lower the float.
When the float floats, its weight is removed from the frame 377, which then tilts the other way around its pivot support ~ ~
until member 393 actuates lower switch 395. This stops the -~ -motor.
Each motor 386 has on its shaft a notched rotor -396 so designed that when its notches pass a conventional electronic pickup 397 electrical pulses are generated that are transmitted to the control station through circuit means : 397 including conventional electronic counting means that makes it possible to determine the distance down to the float elevation and hence the level of the liquid on which the float floats.
; :, -~ -Both sensors operate in essentially identical manner, except that the float of which one has a specific '~ gravity such that it detects and senses the level of water, while the other senses the level of the resin particles ~-. - . .
after they settle.
The operator at control station 14 can therefore ~ `

:

':

, deteîmine, a~ from a predete~mined curve or chart, the amount of wat~r th~t ~;hould be let with t:hc xesin to provicle the de~ired ~ oportion of r~dioactive~ resin particle~ to the water. He can then actuate metoring pump 217a to remove exce~s water through t:he floating anc~ of decanting pipe 3O9, conduit 371, pump 217a, strainer 273 and conduit 374 until the desired level is reached, as indicat~d by ~he sen~30rs 375, 376 to provide a dispersion in the tank of the desired predetermined proportion of water to resin particles.
After the proper proportion has been achieved, a proper amount of thc dispersion can be caused to pass through conduit 362 from the bottom of tank 216 through metering pump 217b and conduit 398 to port 354a of filler nozzle 351 into a drum D (Figures 31, 32, 40).
Preferably, spray heads 399 (~igure 30) are provid-ed inside of the decanting tank to spray clear water to cleanse the floats 383a and 383b when they are lifted to - their highest elevatioRs; their val~res can be controlled by suitable means, as from proxirnity ~;witches 394.
Meterinq Pu~?: While a pump of any of various types may be employeA to pump the dispersion of radioac~ e particles in water from the decanting tank 216 through filler nozzle 351 unto the drum D, the pump illustrated in Figures 44-4O i8 exceptionally advantageous. It delivers accurately measured quantities of liquid and thus makes ... .
possible accurate remote control of the amount of liquid passed from the decanting tank into the drum. It al~o makes possible the pumping of clean water for disrupting - fiedlmentation of the particles in 'che tank or conduits, the -- 30 use of clean water for sealing purpo~es, and has safety features in making possible maintenance of the pump from - the ~afe side of the ~hield wall 214.

The illustrated pump 217b shown in the above Fi~ures comprises a cylinder 400 made up of cylinder barrel 401, head 402 containing inlet ports 403 and 404 and outlet ports 405, 406, and another head 407 made up of internal member 408 and that closes the end of the cylinder and a surrounding member 409 that contains portions of valve actuating mechanism. The heads are secured to the ends of barrel 401 by being bolted to the ends of a flanged cylinder 410 that surrounds barrel 401 and has inlet and outlet con-duits 411 and 412 for clear water flow.
The pump is mounted as by bolts 413 on a mounting -bracket 414 that is itself mounted by through bolts 415 on the shield wall 214. Bracket 414 has a drain opening 416 for escape of leakage if it might occur.
The pump also comprises a piston 417 fixed to ;~
piston rod 418 that extends throuyh head 407 and shield wall 214. The piston has sealing rings 419 and rod 418 sealed by means 420 in head 407. The piston rod is reciprocated as required by an air cylinder 421 ~Figure 31) supplied with air from pipe 422 connected to suitable source and controlled by an air valve system 423. The valve is controlled by suit~
able known means 423e from the control station 14 so that it can cause a predetermined number of strokes of the pump, and ^:
hence the pumping of a predetermined amount of slurry of radioactive waste particles and water into the drum D. -Valve 424 for port 405 comprises a cylinder bar-rel 425 that is rigidly connected and sealed to heads 402 and 407, and a movable member 426 including a closure member -427 adapted to bear against a valve seat 428 in head 402.
Movable member 426 also includes piston 429 carrying sealing rings 430 that seal against escape of liquid from the space ' on the side at which closure member 427 is located to the . , ,'~
-52- ;

, . ~``.`.!. ` ~

~v~
space on the other side of piston 429. Movable member 426 is actuated by a valve rod 432 actuated by an air cylinder 433 on the safe side of the shield wall and supplied with air from source 422 under control of suitable valves in system 423 remotely controlled from control station 14 by known electrical means 423e.
Valve rod 432 is connected to closure member 427 -by a loose connection (Figure 46) comprising a stop nut 434 on the end of the rod and a compression spring 435 operating between closure member 427 and piston 429. Another compres-sion spring 436 operatinb between piston 429 and a head 437 at the inner end of valve barrel 425 urges movable member 426 toward the position where its closure member 427 contacts valve seat 428 in sealing engagement, except when the valve is opened by air cylinder 433.
The air cylinder 433 positively opens the valve by pulling closure member 427 away from its seat 428. The valve is impositively closed by the force of the spring 436 as the rod moves in the other direction; the preset force of spring 435 also insures that closure member 427 will not strike seat 428 with excessive force, thereby eliminating possibil-ities of chipping or spalling of the valve seat or the clo-sure member and thus reducing maintenance problems.
- All valves are similar in construction and opera-tion. Each is operable independently of the piston 417, and each can be operated as an outlet or as in inlet valve, depending on how it is operated relative to the piston operation.
Conduit 411 provides clean water from a suitable course such as an elevated tank or a pressurized tank, to the space between the outer housing 410 and the cylinder - barrel 401 of the pump and the valve baFrels 425; and :, through ~ort~ 438 to the ~pace on the rod sid~ of pi~torl 417 in cylind~r 400, and through port3 439 to the spac~ on the rod qide o~ ~hc p~ston 429 of ~ach va].ve.
In the illustrated cmbodiment ~Figures 30, 47) thi~ clean water is supplied to such spaces in all pumps 217a, 217b, 217c from an elevated tank 440 through an expan- -~ion tank 441 and conduit 411. There~ore, as is preferable, the clean water in these spaces at all times is at a pres~
sure higher ~han the mixture of water and radioactive particles at the piston sides of the pump and its valves.
Consequently, any leakage that may occur past a piston pack-ing in the pump or a valve will be leakage of clean water into the portion of the apparatus containing the radioactive materials, and not the reverse. Consequently there is much less opportunity for the parts including sealing rings, to pic~ up radioactive material and thereby make the entire assembly radioactive. Thi~ is another feature that greatly reduces maintenance problems. .~ -Preferably, the piping may be arranged so tha~ one valve of each pump is connected to a c].ean water source such as line 450, and the valve~ are operable either a~ inlet or outlet valve~, 80 that clean water may be pumped from the source by each pump. Thu~ pump 217b can be used to pump clean water when desired back through conduit 3G2 into the decantlng tank. This is advantageous since such back flush- -ing can break up any mass of resin parti.cles that may tend to settle in the decanting tank to form a cake that is diffi-cult to start with the agitator 363. Any settling of resin ~:
particles that tends to occur, between drum fillings, in ~ ~
30 conduit 362 can also be readily disrupted to prevent clog- ~ -; ging by pumping a small amount of liquid such a~ clean : water back through conduit 362 by the pump. Such back pump-' Lng of clearl water c~n al~o provide addition~l l.iqui.d for agitatioll in tank 2lG.
All o~ the piston and valve xods for each pump 21~ -pass through a ~tepped plug 223 that fits into a corre~pond-ing opening in the shield wall, th~ steps providing a laby-rinthian joint between the shield wall and plug that pre-vents pa~sage of radiation or radioactive materials. This plug can be removed from the safe side of th~ ahield wal.l.
The desi.gn i.s such that after the piston and valve rods are disconnected ~rom thei.r air cylinders and plug 223 is removed, it is possible to remove head 408 that closes the end of pump cylinder 400 and memhers 437 that close the ends of the valve barrels. This permits removal of the piston or movable valve portions for maintenance, as for examination, lubrication, replacement of packings, from the safe side of shield wall 214 ~ithout rernoving the pump : as a whole. If there should be any radioactivity in these parts, th~n by means of long handled wrenches and mirrors a maintenance man can inspect or take corrective action with-out exposing himself to radiation.
Bracket 414 as indicated has opening 416 through which any liquid leaking from the pump apparatus into the housing will drip out into a small tank 444 (~igure 30).
If the operator finds liquid in this tank he will know tnat there is a packing leak somewhere and take corrective action.
The small tank can be drained into the overall drain system.
Pump 217c may be identical to that described above. This pump is adapted to accept liquid carrying evap-orator bottoms (Fi~ure ~7) from a suitable source, such as conduit 445 connected to a holding tank not ~hown and dls-charge through conduit 446 a measured quantity of such .. liquid through fill nozzle 351 into a drum in the drumming 1(~39692 station.
Cl~am1cal~ Ln the evaporator bottom~ may havc a tendcncy to cry~tallizc out of ~olut:ion, and if so it is preerable that the pump 217c ~oyether with its valve and the piping as~ociated therewith be provided with heating means, ~uch as wound heating elements, to prevent crystal-lization at lower temperatures.
Pump 217c also is adapted to flush clean water through the pump back through the evapo~ator bottoms line in order to clean the pump and line at the end of a drum-ming session.
Pu~p 217a which removes excess water from the decanting tank may, if desired, be identical with pump 217b and filled with clean sealing water in the same rnanner as that described above, although it is not n~cessary that it be a measuring pump. Preferably the excess water removed from the decanting tank by this pump passes eventually to the nuciear plant sy6tem that swpplies evaporator ~ottoms to the drumming station.
By suita~le operation of the proper pumps 217a, b, c, clean water can also be flushed through other lines to clear blockages or clean the system, such as the line~
that discharge into the drum; clean water can also be added, as to the decanting tank if de~ired. This is facilitated ; because all valves of each pump are identical and indepen-dently operable so each can be used as an inlet or outlet valve, and the piston is operable independently of the valve~: the~e capabilitLes provide features of safety and -~
redundancy for maintenance of operations.
- 30 In each of the lllustrated drumming stations, two ; type~ of radioactive wa~te products, slurries of radioactive resin particles and liquids containing evaporator bottoms, : ' .
. - ~

3'~

may be alternately put into drums, or if desired, both may be put into a single drum in proportional quantities. If desired, the system can be modified to handle more than two waste materials alternately or put all simultaneously in a drum.
Drumming Station Cleaning System: Spray heads 449 (Figure 31) connected to clean water source 440 and controlled from station 14, are provided inside of drumming equipment enclosure 226 to wash down the walls and equipment in the enclosure if desired. The spray water used flushes down the sloped bottom 451 of enclosure 226 and drains out through a bottom opening 452 into a sump tank 453 (Figures 30, 31, 33).
This sump tank has internal baffles 454, 455 to provide a settling tank for fines that might be in the flush water, thus trapping solids that might be radioactive and that other-wise could contaminate downstream equipment if they entered a plant drain system. Excess water free of fines flows out through an overflow gate 456 into a drainage spout 457 dis-charging into a drain 458 located in the drumming station floor and connected to plant equipment drain system 459 that if desired may discharge into the system for producing evap-orator bottoms. The sump tank is so designed that it can be moved laterally on rollers 460 on a track 461 to a location where it can be removed by the crane. It can be placed by the crane for disposal into a drum, having a completely removable top, which top can be replaced after the sump tank and its radioactive contents, water and cement or other solid-ifying agent if desired, are placed in the drum.
Another drain in each drumming station floor forms part of a plant floor drain system 462 to remove liquids or wastes that may have collected on the floor, as from drum leakage or washdown of the drumming station.

, r The conduit ~ystcm of E'igure 47 i8 shown ~or a slngle drumming station, but it can be duplicated. In such case lines 361, 445, 450, 459, 462 and 463 as well as other lineq, can be common to two or more drumming stations.
As disclosed above, the illustrative embodiment has separate piping for each type of radioactive wa~te to and in the drumming station equipment, for safety and contin-uity of operation. The drumming apparatus 215 is completely enclosed and sealed to allow no e~cape of liquids, solids or gasses except through conduits planned and provided for such purposes. Thus, a vent system 463 removes and cleanse~ by known means, air or gases from decanting tank 215 throuyh vent conduit 216a, and from drumming housing 226 through vent conduit 226a, as well as from other locations. The interior of housing 226, and the equipment in it, can be washed down by remotely controlled spray heads 449 for decontaTnination purposes if necessaxy.
Materials such as radioactive-containing solid~
washed out of the housing 226 are removed in the described removable sump by remote control. The above disclosed filling means i8 also designed to eliminate the possibility of radioactive waste material being soilled on the exterior of the appratus of the drumming station by error or accident.
As disclosed, two separate and independent means are used to determine the amount of material in the drum and ; to prevent overfill; one means comprises metering pumps that pump accurately determined amounts of fluids into the drums;
the other means comprises the liquid level sensing ~ystem lndicated.
In the illustrative apparatus and process, the solidifying agent, cement ~or example, and mixing weight~
are placed ln the drums before they enter the system, and ,.

the drums are immediately sealed. Each drum remains sealed until the drum is opened in the drumming station immediately prior to introduction of radioactive material, after which the drum is immediately closed. This prevents entrance into the drum of undesired moistrue or other contaminants that could hamrfully affect the solidifying agent or other mater-ials in the drum.
Operation of Drumming Station: A typical cycle of operations of the drumming station is as follows, assuming that the cradle frame 247 is located so its cradle 251 is properly located in position I under the hatch cover 234, the cradle being locked by latch 262 in the cradle frame to receive a drum in the vertical position; the hatch cover 234 is open; and a capped drum D containing cememt and mixing weights Dw is on the loading dock 241 of the drumming station - to be operated as shown in broken lines in Figure 30. The operator in control station 14 then controls the overhead crane 25 and its drum grab 53 to pick up the drum from the loading dock and load it into the cradle. The operator then causes the hatch cover to close and the cradle frame 247 to move to position II. The clamping members 271, 272 are then actuated by engaging socket 305 on shaft 306 with polygonal ; clamp actuating portion 286 of the cradle and rotating the shaft as described above, to clamp the drum. The socket 305 is then disengaged and the cradle frome angularly moved to locate the drum at position III for cap removal. The cradle frame is then raised to cause its pin 261 to enter the ~ socket 261a for position III, and to raise the drum so its -~ cap 231 can be engaged by the wrench 332 of cap handling means 320, which is then caused to operate to remove the drum cap. The cradle frame 247 is then lowered, and moved angularly to the drum filling position IV.

~: , .. ~.
~ 59 ,', ," .

.

Th~ cr~cl]e frallle i~ here rai~ed to cause it.s pin 2Gl to enter l:he socket 261A for position III, and to rai~e the drurn ~o the fill no~zle 351 cxtends into the drum. The filling cycl~ i~ then carried out as de~cribed pr~viously by supplying a metQred amount of a di3p~rsion of radioactive particles in water from decanting tank 216 or from evapora-tor bottom~ supply ]ine ~5.
hfter the proper predetermined amount ef the dis-persion of radioactive particles in th~ proper proportion of water has been put into the drum, ~he cradle frame is then lowered and moved angularly to the capping position III where the cradle frame will again raise the drum 80 it is in cap-ping relation to the cap handling means 320 the wrench of which is still holding the cap in a position ~o that when rotated the cap moves downwardly and 0ngages the threads in the drum. The cap is then reinserted and screwçd tight as described abo~e. The wrench of the cap handling means is then rcleased and the cradle frame lowered.
The cradle frame is next moved to position II to locate ths closed drum for mixing. As the cradle frame moves into position II, the clutch portions 293 and 294 engage as described above. ~he tapered pin 267 is pushed in to ~ecure the cradle frame against movement and to release the cradle for rotation. The drive motor 303 for rotating the cradle i~ then ~tarted and the drum is rotated end-over-end about axis H to mix the drum contents thoroughly, the freely mov-able mixing weights Dw in the drum greatly aiding thorough ! mixing. During the latter part of the mixing cycle, the drum may be wa~hed as it i~ rotating by water ~prayed from head~ 449 80 that drum and the interior of the drum housing 226 can be thoroughly washed down. When the mixing cycle - has been completed, the mixer stop with the drum in an . .

1~3969Z
upright vertical position a~ de~cribod. Soclce~ 305 orl shaft 306 i~ thcn engagcd wlth poly~onal cnd portion 286 of the clamp mechanism on th~ cradle, an-~ ~haft 306 is ro~ated ~o unclamp the drum in the cradle. After thc drum is unclanlped and shaft 306 is retracted, pin 267 is also retracted to secure the cradle to the cradle frame with the drum in its upright vertlcal position and to release the cradle frame from the housing so that it may be angularly mo~ed to posi-tion I for unloading.
~atch cover 234 is then opened and drum grab 55 lowered throush the hatch into the housing 226 r~o pick up the drum. The drum is then placed on the unloading dock 242 - where its weight is checked by scale 244 and it~ radiation - level i9 monitored by monitor 243 and the information trans-mitted electrically to control station 14 for reco~ding.
The operator places another drum with its prede-termined quantity of dry cement on the loading dock 241 as shown in Figure 30 wllile the drum being filled is in housing 226 in it~ filling cycle. The scale 244 on the loading doc'~
is used to verify the cement quan~ity in the drum, and the drumming apparatus is ready for the next cycle.
; After the operator loads the next drum into the cradle and ~tarts the drumming cycle, he then places the processed drum in one of the decay vaults 12, 13 for stor-age and brings another drum into position on the loading dock. Modifications may be made in this illustrative process of operations.
Cont_ol Station: Equipment in the control sta- -tion 14 i5 shown in Figures 1, 50, 51 and 52.
The co~trol station includes a control console 23 at which the operator wlll sit and from which he can control the operation o~ the apparatus by remote control. The ` - 61 -.

. .

~39692 control ~ta~on al30 incl-lde~ unit 24 ~pac~d rearwardly froTn th~ control console alld con~airling ol:her apparatu3 and the t~l~vi~ion monitor scre~ns S7, 59, G2 and 63, 80 that they are at a distance rom the operator to avoid eye~train.
As indicated previously, screcn 57 i5 connected to the television camera 56 on the trolley and is used to locate the trolley with re~erence to the indicators 55 on the indicating means 54. As also indica~ed previous]y, screen 59 shows what is viewed by the c~mera 58 mounted on the grab 53 and particularly to indicate the distance of the grab from thc tops of drums as indica~ed ~elow. Television screens 62 and 63 are adapted to be connected to selected ~;
surveillance television cameras 60, 61, mounted on the ~ridge 51 of the overhead crane.
Switches 475 and 476 are used to select the sur- ;
veillance cameras to be used and to tilt ~he selectcd sur-veillance television camera~, which ma~ be of kno~7n types tiltable 7~y remote control. The switches are of the type having control levers that if moved down will cause the camera to tilt downward and if moved up will cause the camera to tilt upward to a desired degree. ThP surveil ance cam~ras may be provided with zoom lenses, and these can be controlled ~y switches associated with the switche~ 477 and 478.
~ Control console 23 i8 pro~ided with camera control - knobs 479 for properly focusing and controlling the cameras to provide a good image on the televi~ion monitor qcreen~.
The control console also has electronic counter~
481 and 482, 483 and 484. Counters 481 and 482 are connec-ted to the scales 244 in the drumming stations and used torecord the weight~ of the drums as they go into the drum-ming station~ and the weights of the dxum~ a~ they come out :' ., .
: ~ r ~3~ 2 of the drumming stations. Counters 483 and 484 indicate the grab elevation, and are actuated by the proximity switch 127 that counts the rotations of the winch drum 105. By this means the elevation of the grab can be determined without use of the lines on the grab camera screens, as when it is desired to determine or check the elevation of the grab in locations or at times other than when it is used to grasp a drum. Push buttons 485 and lights at the center of the console are used to control the various operations of the drumming station manually if desired as indicated above.
Switch 486 is used to control the movement of the trolley on the bridge of the crane; switch 487 is used to move the bridge itself. A switch 488 is used to control the grab hoisting means 104 on trolley 52 to move the grab 53 up and down. Switch 489 is used to open and close the grab fingers, while switch 490 is used to control the rotation of the sub-frame 143 and grab fingers around axis A of the grab. A
switch 491 is provided to control a heavy duty hoist if used (Figure 47).
The switches 486 and 487 for moving the crane bridge and the trolley on the crane bridge are five position , switches of known type operating in an "H" pattern, in which the fifth position is the neutral (off center position).
When each of these switches is moved in the forward direction ~; it will move the bride or the trolley controlled by the ~ -switch in a given direction; when it is moved in the reverse direction it will move the bridge or trolley in the opposite ,' direction. When the switch is moved to the left it will provide high speed control; when it is moved to the right it 30 will provide low speed control. These switches are so de- ;~
signed that the switch must go through all positions so that ;;
there is no possibility of energizing a low speed motor when ''' ' '103969Z
a hi~h ~p~ad motor is encrgi.~ed, or the rcverse situation.
The 6wi.tches 48a and 489 used for controlling ~he raising and lowerin~ of the g~ab and for controlllng opening and clo~ing of the gxab f ingerB are ~imilar.
A r~cord board 65 (Figure 48) ~howing the plan o~
the building and havin~ hoo~ 492 for drum locations will be mounted in the control station at a location readily acces~-ible to the operator. On these hooks,-tags 493 illu6trated in Figure 4~ wi].l be hung. Each ~f these ta~s prefera~ly is marked with a drum number identifyi.ng the drum, and has a place for the operator to mark the radiation level and the date. The operator thus can readi]y keep track of all o ~he locations and duration in storage of all drums that have been handled. For convenience only a portion of the hooks and tags are shown in Figure 47, but a hook will be provided for each drum position, and tags will be used where~er a drum is loca~ed.
By a suitable drum log, it i5 also pos~ible for the operator to keep a record of each drum to identify it by number, indicate its weight before ~illing with radioactive material and water, the weight after fillin~ ~Jith radioacti~e material and water, the type of radioactive material, the ~tart and completion time of the drum~ling operation, the radiation intensity of the drum immediately after it has left the drumming station, and the radiation intensity of the drum at the time of shipment, together with the date of ; ~hipmen~ and the destination.
Llghts 494 are pre~erably on the control box 24 to indicate that the crane circuitry in the drumming sta-; 30 tion circuitry is ready for operation. Control box 24 may al~o contain di~connect switches to shut down the pl.ant.

Modification~: It ~ apparent that various modi-_ 64 ~
, . .

1~3~613Z
fications may be made in the illustrated system, apparatuses and processes, and also that some or all portions of the illustrated apparatus may be used for purposes other than those indicated.
For example, it is possible that, in the course of operation, a drum containing radioactive material could be inadvertently caused to be in a horizontal or tilted position.
Should the radiation be such that it would not be advisable for a person to approach the drum, the drum can be advanta-geously retrieved by the previously described drum grab 53, trolley 52, and crane bridge 51. Figures 53-56 illustrate a step-by-step procedure whereby this can be accomplished.
The first step, illustrated in Figure 53 is to align one of the grab support cables, in this illustrative case cable 106, with one of the grab finger sets 144. The grab is then aligned and lowered until the end portion 154 of finger mem- ~-ber 153 contacts the top side of the drum adjacent its top edge 50 at its uppermost portion when the drum is on its - side. The operator then (Figure 54) continues to lower the ;
grab 53 with the portion 154 of finger member 153 acting as `
pivot. The cable 107 is then slac~ and the grab is sup- ~-ported between finger member 153 and cables 106 and 108.
When the view from the center of television camera 58 on ;
screen 59 appears to be centered on a point midway between `~ -the drum closure portion C and the drum rim 50, the drum finger sets are actuated to cause the finger set contacting -the drum edge 50 to grip it firmly. The grab is then raised as shown in Figure 55, after the fingers having gripped the edge 56 to lift the drum toward a vertical position, Figure .. . .
55. It is not necessary to lift the drum clear of the floor but only to a point where its center of gravity ("C.G.", ;
Figures 55, 56) is loca-ted between the fingers gripping the ..

drum and the lower edge of the drum resting on the floor.
The grab is then lowered to allow the drum to settle to a normal upright position. Thereafter the grab can be con-trolled to grasp the drum normally by the three sets of fingers, and the drum can be hoisted and moved to and de-posited at a desired location.
Another modification can be the addition of a second heavy duty hoist 496 constructed and powered by con-ventional means, to the crane trolley (Figures 57, 58). The trolley 497 shown in these figures is otherwise similar to trolley 52 previously described. Hoist 496 which would be controlled as indicated previously from the control station 14, makes it possible to move considerably heavier articles than could be lifted by the grab 53 and its hoisting appara-tus. For example, this heavy duty hoist makes it possible to remove the entire shield wall 214 and all of the equip-ment mounted on it, including the decanting tank 216, drum-, ming equipment 215, and pumps 217a, 217b, 217c and their ;
drives from the drumming station to another area for main-tenance, as shown in Figure 58. Furthermore, if any part or all of the unit made up of the shield wall and its asso-ciated apparatus, should become unusuable due to radiation , or other causes, it can be removed by the hoist for disposal as by burial. It is apparent that when such a heavy duty , .
~ hoist adapted to carry a large load is provided, the crane :,:
` bridge 51, the trolley 497, and the track structure 47 should be designed and made to support and carry the addi-tional loads.
; As a further example of modification, while in the illustrated embodiment the decanting tank 216 is located above the drumming equipment 215, the decanting tank may be located in other locations and even outside of the drumming :~

""'' : .
.. . .

1~3~ 2 station; or a common decanting tank such as a power plant radioactive waste storage tank could be used as a decanting tank for one or more drumming stations.
In the illustrated embodiment two drumming stations are shown in the building; they provide added capacity and reliability if one station should be inoperative for any reasons. It is apparent that for smaller installations or where the reliability of two stations is not desired one drumming station may be used. For larger installations more than two drumming stations can be used.
While the illustrative embodiment discloses advan-tageous process and apparatus in which excess water is de-canted from a tank to provide in the tank a proper proportion of water and radioactive particulate material which proper ; proportion is introduced in a predetermined amount into a drum by a metering pump, it is apparent that desired amounts ~, of a mixture of radioactive material, solidifying agent and liquid in proper proportions may be introduced into drums or other containers by other means; and that a solidifying agent be added at a time other than as disclosed above. Moreover, drums may be loaded or filled with predetermined amounts of radioactive materials in the form of liquids or slurries, without use in the drums of solidifying agents, and the ~
drums may be handled and shipped with liquid contents. Since - ~;-it appears that present regulations do not require shipment of radioactive wastes in solid form, it may be desirable to - ship drums containing wastes in liquid or slurry form, and - the inventive apparatus and process may be used for such purpose.
The term "fluent material" is intended to cover slurries or dispersions of particulate materials in liquids; ~ -` liquids not containing particulate materials; and other .~, .

i6~3~ Z
flowable materials that may be handled according to the apparatus and process of the invention. The particulate materials may be of sizes different from those indicated above, as substantially larger.
While the container has been disclosed as a steel drum, it is apparent that other types of containers may be used.
Furthermore, although the invention has been discussed above in connection with the radioactive wastes resulting from boiling water or pressure water plants, the process and apparatus of the invention may be employed in connection with the disposition of other types of radio-active wastes, or radioactive wastes from other types of nuclear plants, such as those utilizing sodium or heavy water as heat transfer fluid; and the invention may be em- :
ployed in connection with the handling of dangerous wastes or chemicals from other types of plants. ~ -Furthermore, it is apparent that the overhead -~
crane apparatus disclosed, in whole or in part or with mod-ifications within the scope of the invention, may be used for purposes other than that disclosed; such other purposes ., :
may for example include the handling of other dangerous wastes or radioactive materials or bodies such as radio -actove fuel elements.
From the above disclosure, it is apparent that the invention provides process and apparatus in which, by remote control, radioactive waste or other dangerous mater- -ials may be handled, put into containers which are sealed, and the containers handled and moved, without exposure of personnel to dangerous radioactivity or other dangers aris-:.
~::
ing from the materials. Wherever necessary, all portions of the system are fail safe, so failure of electric supply ~, '.
; ~ - 68 -' ,.

1~3969Z
~r enargy ~lu~d ~3uch aM ~rc~uxized air will nc.t cau~e damag~
or Ul19a.~Q conditiolls. All possible drives, fluid cylindcr~, control~, and ~witchcs are located in ~afe area~, usually on the ~afe side o~- a shiold wall. All equipment for handling radioactive wa~te material can be movcd from ar~as o~ high radiation to areas of litt]e or no radiation. For these reasons routine as well as e~entially all major maintanance or repair wor~ can bc done ~afely with litt le if any exposure of maintenance or other personnel to any radiation.
Wherever the metal ~hi~ld wall 214 that carries the operative drumming apparatus is penetrated by a drive, -~
the drive is by mcans of a rotating or reciprocating shaft ~-in ~uch a manner that the operation is accurately performed and escape of radiation is prevented; this makes ~or relia-bility and sa~ety.
To insure tha-t t he apparatus performs satisfac~or-ily with the utmos~ safety to personnel and the enviro~ment, -~ the apparatus o~ the invention ha~ a high degree of redurl-dancy or dualism in drives, controls, viewing means, lights, and monitoring means. For example, the apparatu~ is de-signed to avoid completely any spills of radioacti~e matex-i~1 during placement of the radioactive material in the drums, closing the drums and rotating the~i. But if a spill should occur during any o~ these steps, it is contained in the housing of the drumming equipment. Sprays are provided to wash the spills into a movable container or sump at the bottom of the housing; these sprays also cleanse the inside o~ the housing and equipment in it to deter radioactive contamination. The movable containex is designed to cause the ~olid material to settle out and to be discharged into '! the plant drain. Al~o, the crane apparatuq is provided with double drives and circuits ~or the bridga, trolley, ' ~ 69 -.. ; . . . .

1~3''~ 2 grab hoisting means, and grab fingers, so if there is a failure of one drive of a double, the crane apparatus can be operated with the other drive.
All necessary lighting in areas exposed to radia-tion is provided on the crane apparatus on the trolley and grab, and the lights and lighting circuits are duplicated for safety and maintenance of operations; and if light fix-tures or bulbs or television cameras must be replaced or repaired, the movable crane portions can be moved to radia-tion free areas for such purpose. The only fixed lighting that need be supplied is in the control station 14, where it is in a radiation free area.
Where necessary for a high degree of fail safe characteristics, fluid actuated drive cylinders are spring loaded to close in the event of electrical or fluid power failure; examples are the cylinders for the drumming station hatch, and the decanting tank valves including those on the pumps. The spring load may be overridden manually or by external mechanical means if necessary.
From the above, it is also apparent the grab and its finger sets and actuating mechanisms will work with out-of-round or out of size drums, or drums in which the top head or gripping surface are not completely in a horizontal plane.
Moreover, the grab can be used to grasp and move articles other than drums. If necessary or desired, other grab means than that disclosed can be used, particularly for grasping articles other than drums.
The television camera on the grab is designed and located to view the fingers at least in their grasping rela-tion so that the operator can be certain the fingers are in proper grasping position before hoisting; this provides a means in addition to the limit switch means previously ,~

~V3~ z described, for indicating the position and operability of the fi.ngers. :
These and other modifications may be made in the apparatus or process di.sclosed, and other modifications, advantages, and modes of operation will become apparent without departing from the spirit of the invention.

,",~ .

,,' ., .:
, ': ----? ' '.'' ~
",'', . -71-,........................................................................ . . .
' :

Claims (21)

The embodiments of the invention in which an ex-clusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A process of packaging without direct human handling radioactive or other dangerous material in the form of fluent material containing radioactive or other dangerous material, comprising providing in a container a predetermined amount of a solidifying agent and a predetermined amount of said fluent material; closing the container; and agitating said container thoroughly to mix the materials in the container.

2. The process of claim 1 comprising providing mov-able mixing means in said container with said solidifying agent and fluent material, and agitating the container to cause the mixing means, solidifying agent and fluent material in the con-tainer to move so the fluent material and solidifying agent are thoroughly mixed.

3. The process of claim 2 in which said container has generally parallel ends and in which said container is turned end-for-end to agitate its contents and cause substantial movements of said mixing means relative to said container to mix said fluent material and solidifying agent.

4. The process of claim 1 in which said container contains a previously loaded predetermined amount of solidi-fying agent, and in which thereafter there is introduced into said container an essentially predetermined amount of fluent radioactive material.

5. The process of claim 1 in which said container has a movable closure means, and in which prior to the pro-vision in said container of said fluent material said closure means is removed and retained, and in which after the pro-vision in said container of said fluent material said closure means is replaced and the container thereafter agitated.

6. The process of claim 4 in which said container containing said solidifying agent is weighed before the fluent radioactive material is introduced therein.

7. The process of claim 1 in which said container is weighed after introduction of the fluent radioactive material.

8. The process of claim 1 in which said container is weighed both before and after the introduction of the fluent radioactive material.

9. The process of claim 1 in which said solidify-ing agent is in the form of a cement and said fluent material is mixed with water and with said cement.

10. The process of claim 9 in which said fluent material comprises radioactive synthetic resin material.

11. The process of claim 9 in which said container contains at least one freely movable mixing member and said container is agitated to cause movement of said mixing member relative to said fluent material, water and cement to effect thorough mixing thereof.

12. A process of packaging radioactive material without direct human handling comprising providing in a con-tainer essentially predetermined amounts of a solidifying agent, radioactive fluent material, and a liquid, and a freely movable mixing member; closing the container; and agitating the con-tainer to agitate its contents and cause substantial movements of said mixing member to mix the radioactive material, solid-ifying agent, and liquid.

13. A process for packaging fluent radioactive or other dangerous material without direct human handling, com-prising providing in a container an essentially predetermined amount of a solidifying agent, controlling from a remote con-trol station the movement of said container to cause it to move to a preselected loading position, controlling from said control station the introduction into said container of an essentially predetermined amount of said fluent material and the closing of said container, controlling from said control station the agitation of said container to mix the contents thereof, and thereafter moving the container away from said preselected load-ing position to a storage location remote therefrom.

14. The process of claim 13 in which said storage location has a variety of preselected storage positions and in which movements of containers from said preselected loading position to different storage positions are controlled from said remote control station.

15. The process of claim 13 in which said container has an opening initially closed by removable closure means, said closure means is removed from said opening while said container is in one of said preselected positions; and said closure means is replaced to close said opening after said fluent material is loaded into the container.

16. The process of claim 15 in which said container is agitated to mix the contents thereof while said container is in a preselected position different from the one in which said fluent material was provided in the container.

17. The process of claim 13 in which there is pro-vided through the opening of said container while the container is in said preselected loading position said fluent material in the form of an essentially predetermined amount of dispersion of a particulate material in a liquid in which dispersion the proportion of liquid to particulate material is essentially predetermined.

18. Apparatus for packaging fluent radioactive or other dangerous material without direct human handling, com-prising means controllable by remote control for moving a con-tainer containing solidifying agent into any of a plurality of preselected positions; means controllable by remote control for introducing into a container in a preselected loading po-sition an essentially predetermined amount of said fluent radio-active material; means controllable by remote control for clos-ing said container; and means controllable by remote control for agitating said container to mix the contents of said con-tainer.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 comprising means con-trollable by remote control for removing removable closure means from an opening in said container initially closed by said removable closure means while said container is in one of said preselected positions, and means for replacing said closure means to close said opening in said container after said fluent material has been introduced into said container.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 in which said means controllable by remote control moves said container to a pre-selected position other than said loading position and causes said container to be agitated to mix the contents of said con-tainer in said other position.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 in which after said closure means is removed from said container, said container is moved into said preselected loading position in which said fluent material is introduced and then after said container has said fluent material introduced therein, moved back to said position in which said closure was removed and said closure is replaced in said container to close its opening; and then said container is moved to a preselected position where it is agit-ated to mix the contents thereof.