DE2321067A1 - METHOD AND DEVICE FOR HANDLING RADIOACTIVE RADIATION SOURCES - Google Patents

Description

DIPL.-CHEM. JOACHIM DRESSLEh PATENT ADVOCATE

5202 HENNEF / SIEG 1 ALLNER, ZUM WEINQARTEN 11

April 10, 1973 996/73 Dr / gr

Sidney Geoffrey Young, 154 Blackfriars Road, London, S.E.I, England

"Method and device for handling radioactive radiation sources"

The method according to the invention for handling a radioactive radiation source at the end of the holder arranged isotope capsule consists in the holder from one position in a curved passage pulling a guide part through an entry opening at one end of the passage, the guide part rotate an angle of less than 360 about the central axis of the other end of the guide member and then push the bracket out through the entry port to another position.

The invention also relates to a device for removing and inserting the holder of a radioactive Radiation source from or into the bore of a shielded transport container for the holder and for transferring the holder to or from a location outside of the transport container. This device

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consists of a curved tube which is suitable for receiving the bracket and is rotatably mounted about the central axis of one end, so that the other end is optional with the hole in the transport container or with at least one route for the holder outside the container can be brought together, and from a movement mechanism that only due to a rotation of the bent tube the movement of the holder by the movement device under the action of a remote-controlled and on the Bracket attached pull rope causes. So the holder can when it is inside the transport container is located in one room, can be pulled back into the bent pipe via a defined route, one of which Opening on this route. Then the bent tube is swiveled around an angle of about 180 °, until its opening is on a second route that leads to another room. Here should be such a Pivoting around can only be done with the bracket fully retracted into the bent tube has been. The bracket is then pushed out of the bent tube along the second routing.

The invention will now be described using an example and the drawings. Show:

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a transport container for a radioactive radiation source, together with a device. device for pulling out and handling the radiation source in order to bring it to its place To bring use;

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Figure 2 shows the schematic representation of a. Section through a preferred embodiment a transport container and the handling device;

FIG. 3 shows the schematic representation of a section through part of the handling device according to Figure 2 in a different working position j

FIG. 4 shows the schematic representation of the section along the line IV-IV in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows the schematic representation of a perspective view of part of FIG Handling device according to Figures to 4;

Figure 6

up to 10 schematic representations of the handling device in different positions, to show the sequence of movements, and

FIG. 11 shows the schematic representation of the planar projection of the guideway on the in Figure 5 shown part of the handling device.

Figure 1 shows a radiation shielded transport and exposure container .1 for a flexible holder or a pencil 2. A preferred embodiment of the transport container and the pen-shaped radiation source is shown in more detail in Figure 2, though

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There is certainly the possibility of using the invention for other transport containers, holders or pen-shaped radiation sources as well. The pen-shaped radiation source carries an isotope capsule at one end in a container 13 (receptacle). It is shielded in a straight bore 5 in the transport or storage container 1. As soon as the transport container 1 is charged with the pin-shaped radiation source, it serves as a storage and exposure container which is assembled with a remote handling device 3 consists of a bent tube 4, which is rotatably mounted at its one / ¹ end about its central axis 6 .

If the isotope is to be exposed for use (after a cap to close the hole 5 removed from the container 1 during transport and storage and the handling device 3 attached to the container 1 has been), the pin 2 is in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 1 by means of a rope that runs along the axis 6 runs through the handling device 3, pulled out of the container 1. The flexible pin 2 enters the end of the pipe 4 and is drawn in until it is vöMg in the pipe 4, or it has already happened has, whereby the tube 4 is rotated 180 ° about the axis 6 so that the end 7 of the tube 4 is at the same height with the route 8 for the pen-shaped radiation source is located. Thereafter, the pen 2 with the isotope capsule at the front end along the route 8 in the direction of the arrow B pushed forward until it reaches the switching block 9. This is rotatable and has a curved hole that by rotating the block 9 to be level with a particular one selected from a number of routes 11 Route can be brought. Further pushing in

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Direction of one of the arrows C then brings the pin 2 with the isotope to the specified exposure site, if necessary by arranging further switching blocks and / or pipes corresponding to block 9 and pipe 4. -After use, the Bring pen 2 to a different exposure site or it is placed in container 1 in the direction of arrows X, Y and Z brought back.

Referring to Figures 2 to 11, one or the other of which includes the parts already mentioned: container 1, pin 2, handling device 3, bore 5, bent tube 4 with inlet end 7 and the fixed one Pipe formed routing 8 shows, it should be noted that the connector 12 (Figure 2) on the container 1 is used to hold a screw cap (not shown) during transport or storage, to close the bore 5 and to shield the flexible pin that holds the isotope capsule in the container 13 wearing. When the screw cap is removed, the handling device 3 can be attached to the container by means of a housing 14 1 must be attached. The handling device 3 has a movement mechanism 16, while the stationary Pipe forms the routing 8. The rotatable tube 4 is in a rotatable sleeve 17 of the movement mechanism 16 attached. On the connector 12 is located a side lock or locking screw 18 to the holder or the pin 2 against being pulled out of the container 1 by engaging in a recess 19 of the. To secure the pen. The pin 2 consists of a number of articulated links so that it is pliable and can take a curved shape. When the locking screw 18 is released from the pin 2, engages

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instead, it enters a socket 21 of the housing 14 and then acts as a safeguard against the removal of the housing 14, before the pin 2 is blocked against being pulled out of the container 1.

Other facilities are also used for security. For example occurs, as shown in Figure 2, the roller 22, which is from the housing 14 at the end of a through a Spring actuated arm 20 is held by an incision in the side of the tube 4, thus preventing the pen 2 is withdrawn from the container. Only when the Plate 23 is pivoted around by means of a special key 24 and thereby releases the roller 22, the Arm 20 depressed and releases pin 2. At the same time, a signal 26 attached to the arm 20 shows through a window 27 in the housing 14 indicates that the pin 2 can now be pulled out in a possibly dangerous manner or pulled out position. An eccentric cam 28, which is carried by the tube 4 of the movement mechanism 16 is held, serves to press down the roller 22 when the tube 4 is rotated, it prevents that the roller 22 returns under the action of the spring to its blocking position shown in Figure 2 in the tube 4, until the pipe end 7- is at the same height as the bore 5 of the container. This is best seen when comparing Figures 6 and 10 (where the roller 22 blocks the withdrawal of the pin 2 from the container 1) with Figures 7 and 8 (where the roller 22 is depressed but can return to the blocking position) and with Figure 8 (where the pipe end 7 is no longer at the same height as the bore 5 and the cam disk 28, which has been rotated through 180 together with the tube 4, it prevents the roller 22 from assuming a blocking position)

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The movement mechanism 16 of the handling device 3 consists of a housing 31 in which the aforementioned Sleeve 17 is rotatably attached to the pipe 4 in roller bearings (see Figures 2 and 3). The housing 31 has a Entry socket 32 for a remote control cable 33 and this contains a hollow piston 34 through which the rope passes at an end 36 having a guide, while the other end of the piston 34 is open. The piston 34 sits concentrically with the sleeve 17 and surrounds these. It inevitably leads to a limited linear movement in the housing 31 by means of fixed guide pins 37 of the housing 31 which are inserted into narrow recesses 38 of the piston 34 (Figures 3 and 4) or a sleeve 39 on the piston 34 (Figure 2). A spring 41 presses the piston 34 to the right, as FIG. 2 shows, into a position in which one end of the piston 34 rests against a stop 42 abuts in the form of a projection on the sleeve 17, or in which the guide 36 against one formed at the end of the sleeve 17 Stop is present. Two spring-loaded cams 44 jump out of the piston 34 into a guide track 43 of the sleeve 17 before (in Figure 2 only one sleeve is shown, which may be sufficient). The guideway is shown as a plane projection in the figure 11 shown. It should be noted that it consists of two rectilinear parts that are parallel to the axis of rotation the sleeve 17 run. These straight parts are connected by two helical parts (see also Figure 5), so that the guideway is self-contained. The arrangement is such that the cams 44 are on the corresponding The beginnings of the helical parts of the guideway are located when the sleeve 17 is in a rotational position, in which the end 7 of the tube is at the same height as the bore 5 and the punch 34 against the Sleeve 17 is in contact (either with the guide 36 against the

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2 321 ÜB?

End of sleeve 17 or with the end of piston 34 against projection 42, or both).

As shown in FIG. 2, the rope 33 is attached to the pin 2. If it is intended to remove the pin 2 from the To pull out the container 1, the rope 33 is pulled after the pulley 22 has been locked by turning the key 24 and advancing the plate 23 has been released. The position of the movement mechanism and the pen 2 in Figure 2 is also shown in Figure 6, where a second locking roller is provided. This second locking role however, it is not essential and is therefore not included in FIGS. When the pin 2 is out of the hole 5 pulled out in the direction of arrow A (Figures 1 and 7) is, he presses down the roller 22 (Figure 7) and enters the socket 17 through the pipe 4 after he pressed down the possibly existing second role Has. This position is shown in Figure 8, where the end of the pin 2 up against the guide plate 36 of the Piston 34 has been pulled up and pin 2 is completely within sleeve 17 and tube 4,

Another on the rope 33 in the direction of arrow M (fig 8) the train exerted causes the piston 34 to be carried along by the pin 2 against the pressure of the spring 41 until the piston 34 pushes against the adjacent end of the housing 31 and thus the other limit division of the movement of the Piston 34 reached. Since the piston 34 is forced to move in a straight line by the guide pins 37 and the Cam 44 are initially at the beginning of the helical part of the guide track 43 in the sleeve 17, causing the Displacement of the piston 34 to the left (FIG. 2) and in the direction of the arrow M (FIG. 8) from the one limit position

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in the other a rotary movement of the sleeve 17, since the cams 44 pass through the guideway. In the meantime it is Pistons 34 butted against the end of the housing 31, the cams 44 having the entire corresponding helical shape Run through guide parts and the sleeve 17 has · to Rotated 180 °, the tube 4 (FIGS. 3 and 9) also being rotated and its end 7 brought to the same height as the routing 8 has been. At the same time, the roller 22 is rotated by the cam disk 28, which is rotated together with the tube 4 has been prevented from returning to its upper position, in which it acts as a lock. The cams are located now at the beginning of the rectilinear part of the guideway, so that the cams 44 when the train is on the rope 33 subsides and the spring 41 moves the piston 34 to the right again (FIG. 3), along the straight part run along the guideway without rotating the sleeve 17. The pin 2 is then in the direction of arrow B. (Figures 1 and 9) promoted. Further yielding of the rope 33 by the remote control brings the pen 2 everywhere, where path 8 leads to. In this case, the handling device 16 remains ineffective, since the cams 44 are at the ends of the straight track parts and at the beginning of the helical parts. The next occasion that the piston 34 shifted is obtained on the return of the pin 2 in the direction of arrows Y (Figure 1) and N (Figure 10), if when the pin hits the guide 36 again. As before, the sleeve 17 rotates 180 °, each time the The pipe end 7 is brought to the same height as the bore 5 and the cam disk 28 is caused to release the roller 22. When the piston 34 moves back, the sleeve 17 does not rotate and the pin 2 is brought into the bore 5, after which the roller 22 returns to the locking position (Figures 2 and 6) and with the key operated plate 23 can be blocked.

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It is obvious that the design of the guideway 43 determines the amount of rotation of the sleeve 17 with each reciprocating movement of the piston 34, and consequently, when the number of the helical guideway parts and the connecting rectilinear parts are changed, it is easily possible to use the pin 2 from the container 1 into a specific one of a number of routes, as has already been described in connection with the routes 11 (FIG. 1). A movement mechanism similar to that shown as 16 can also be provided on the switching block 9 in FIG
Figure 1 or at any other desired location.

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Claims (7)

Claims .y procedures for handling radioactive sources of pollution, in particular an isotope capsule that sits at the end of the holder of a radioactive radiation source, characterized in that the holder from a position in a curved passage of a guide member through an entry opening at one end of the Passage is drawn that the guide part by an angle of less than 360 about the central axis of the other Rotated end of the guide part and then the holder through the inlet opening into another Position is pushed out. 2. Device for performing the method according to claim 1, characterized by a bent tube which is used to hold the holder and is rotatable about the central axis one end of which is attached so that the other end is optionally level with the bore can be brought in the container or with at least one route for the holder outside the container, and a movement mechanism that allows one rotation of the bent pipe only due to the movement of the bracket under the action of an attached and remote controlled Rope. 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized by a housing which is attached to the transport container and supports the moving mechanism, the housing including a fixed tube supporting the external one Forms routing, and a socket for receiving a locking screw of the container when the - 12 - 409846/0500 Screw is in the position in which a pulling out of the bracket from the bore of the container is possible. 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the bent tube with a lateral incision is provided and a spring-loaded roller is arranged in the housing, which engages in the recess when said other pipe end is at the same height as the container bore. 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the housing has a key-operated rotatable plate for locking the roller in its engaged position. 6. Device according to claims 4 or 5, characterized in that that on the bent tube a cam disc which serves to keep the roller out of engagement with the cut until the other end of the pipe is at the same height as the container bore. 7. Device according to claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the movement device consists of the following parts »Consists of: a housing, a sleeve that can be rotated in the housing is attached, a bent pipe which is fastened at one end in the socket, a Hollow piston, the inevitably limited rectilinear displacements within the housing between the one Executes end of the housing and a stop on the sleeve and which sits concentrically to the socket and surrounds it, a guide on the piston through which the rope passes, - 13 - 409846/0500 which also runs through the sleeve, bearing and housing and with which the bracket is pulled into the sleeve to the end when pulled through the rope into the sleeve, a spring that pushes the piston against the Stop on the sleeve 'presses, a guide track that is attached to the sleeve and at least one cam, which is pressed by the piston into the guideway, the guideway consisting of at least two helical ones Parts consists of each other by straight lines running parallel to the axis of rotation of the sleeve Parts are connected to a self-contained guideway, and such an arrangement that the bracket when it is pulled up to the bearing by the rope and the pull overcomes the spring pressure, moves the piston from its limit position towards the end of the housing while the sleeve and the one on it attached curved tube by the cam running along in one of the helical guide track parts is rotated and that the spring when the cable pulls the piston in its limit position against the stop returns on the sleeve while the cam traverses one of the rectilinear parts of the guideway, without causing rotation of the sleeve. A098A6 / 0500