FR2518066A1 - Shock protection device for drums contg. radioactive prods. - where cage made in two halves and covered with flexible rubber buffers can be rapidly assembled round drum - Google Patents

Abstract

Shock protection device for drum contg. radioactive prods.. A cylindrical container is protected against shock by an outer cage covered with flexible rubber buffers. The cage has a base carrying rubber buffers and a circular row of lugs forming hinges for a circular row of arms (a). Each arm (a) carries a flexible rubber buffer and ends in a hook. A cover is placed on the top of the container or drum, and has a circular row of lugs forming hinges for a circular row of arms (b). Each arm (b) carries a flexible rubber buffer, and ends in a hook carrying a ring receiving a hook on one arm (a). The result is a cage consisting of two halves which can be rapidly assembled round a drum. The rings are pref. adjustable so they can apply tension between each pair of arms (a,b). Used esp. to prevent damage to a drum contg. radioactive materials mixed with cement, where the drum is relatively fragile.

Description

The storage and transport of radioactive products such as nuclear power plant waste is carried out in certain cases by means of cylindrical containers made of agglomerated cement-based material or asbestos-cement both for economic reasons and for efficiency. protection against remission of radiation. However, these containers are relatively fragile and it is important to protect them against the shocks to which they may be exposed to bear handling and transport.

The invention proposes to this f:; n an anti-shock protection device established in the general form of a cage enclosing the container to protect it from all sides.

Besides the general objective of protecting the container against external shocks, the establishment of such a device must also satisfy other specific requirements. In particular, taking into account the dangerous nature of the products contained and the possibility of residual external emission of radiation, it is desirable that the device can also easily adapted if the container with the help of the maneuvers remotely controlled by It is desirable that the entire device and the container be easily manipulated with handling means and that after extraction from the storyteller it can be used again and re-shipped to the user in a small footprint for transport empty.

The invention relates to an anti-shock protection device for cylindrical containers, in particular for containers of radioactive products, characterized in that it comprises a bottom and a cover furnished with flexible rubber pads and a series of uprights. distributed circularly along generators, fitted with flexible rubber pads and connected respectively to the bottom and to the cover to form a cage enclosing the container to be protected.

According to one embodiment, the uprights are connected to the bottom and / or to the cover by articulations allowing these uprights to spread outwards to facilitate the fitting of the container. Preferably, these uprights are each subdivided into two half-uprights connecting to each other by a separable attachment, the whole of the device thus forming two half-cages, one comprising the bottom and the other the cover and which can be easily assembled and disassembled. In the latter case, the articulations connecting the respective half-uprights to the bottom and to the cover are preferably arranged to allow them to be folded inwards in order to reduce the size of the half-cages in the position of non-use.

Other characteristics of the invention will emerge from the description which follows, made with reference to the appended drawings in which - FIGS. I, 2 and 3 are respectively views in elevation, from above and from below of an exemplary embodiment of the protective cage.

- Figure 4 is an elevational view illustrating the installation of this device.

This device essentially comprises a bottom and a circular cover 10-11 furnished with flexible rubber pads 12 as well as a series of parallel uprights 13 distributed circularly according to
in generators and also furnished with flexible rubber pads 14.

The bottom and the cover further comprise a flexible peripheral rubber bead 15-16 fixed from place to place at bent tabs at right angles to the bottom and the cover. The assembly forms in the assembled position an openwork cage surrounding the cylindrical container 17 which is housed inside.

For mounting, the uprights 13 are each subdivided into two half-uprights 13.1-13.2, some being articulated at one end on the bent legs 18 of the bottom 10 and the others being articulated on the bent legs 19 of the cover 11, respectively by hinges 20-21. The adjacent ends of the half uprights 13.1-13.2 are connected to each other by separable fasteners 22 which are quick to operate and exert tension on the uprights, for example so-called knee-fasteners or any other equivalent system such as an eccentric lock. . With this division of the uprights 13 into two parts, the device is formed of two half-cages which fit together
respectively the lower part and the upper part of the container 17. The fasteners 22 may further comprise an adjustment to adjust to the height of the containers.

The articulations 20-21 of the half-uprights on the bottom and on the cover are designed so as to positively spread the half-uprights or to allow the said half-uprights to spread outwards in a flourishing movement which can be limited by stops to a conical envelope of 15 to 200 approximately as illustrated in FIG. 4. This facilitates the positioning of the container in the lower half-cage and this likewise facilitates the descent of the upper half-cage in its movement d 'nesting on the upper part of the container These articulations can also be arranged to positively bring the half-uprights back against the lateral surface of the container when it is put in place. legs extending the half uprights beyond the hinge axes. These container positioning maneuvers can thus be more easily operated with remote controlled handling means. Once the installation has been carried out, the two half-cages are then secured by the fasteners 22 which can also be operated remotely.

The hinges 20-21 of the half uprights 13.1-13.2 are also arranged so as to allow these uprights to be folded inwards, against the bottom or the cover when the container 17 has been removed. This makes it possible to reduce the size of the half-cages for their empty transport or for their storage in the non-use position.

The flexible buffers lining the bottom, the cover and the uprights of the device are preferably formed by sections of hollow rubber profiles cut into straight lengths and mechanically assembled on the external faces of these elements.

On the cover II these pads 12 are arranged radially (fig. 2) while on the bottom the pads 12 are arranged in parallel in order to reserve at least two spaces 23 allowing the passage of the fork of a sanuteion cart. On the uprights 13 at least one buffer 14 is provided, fixed longitudinally on each half upright.

Claims (10)

Claims 1) anti-shock protection device for cylindrical container, in particular for radioactive product containers, characterized in that it comprises a bottom (10) and a cover (11) furnished with flexible rubber pads (12) and a series of uprights (13) distributed circularly along generators, furnished with flexible rubber pads (14) and connected respectively to the bottom and to the cover to form a cage enclosing the container to be protected, er. 2) Device according to 10 characterized in that the uprights (13) are connected to the bottom (10) and / or to the cover (11), by articulations (20-21) ensuring that these uprights have a limited spacing movement in view to facilitate the placement of the container. 3) Device according to 1 or 20 characterized in that the uprights (13) are each subdivided into two half-uprights connected to each other by a separable fastener (22) so as to form two half-cages interlocking respectively the top and bottom of the container. 4) Device according to claim 3 characterized in that the fasteners (22) are fasteners, preferably adjustable exerting tension on the uprights. 5) Device according to one of claims i to 4, characterized in that the half-uprights (13) are articulated at the bottom (10) and the cover (11) by articulations arranged to cause the positive folding of the half-uprights on the side surface of the container. 6) Device according to one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that the half-uprights (13) are respectively connected to the bottom (10) and the cover (11) by joints (20-21) for folding them towards the inside against the bottom or lid. 7) Device according to one of claims 1 to 6 characterized in that the bottom (10) and / or the cover (11) comprise a flexible peripheral bead (15-16). 8) Device according to one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in ce'que flexible pads (12-14) are fixed on the outer faces of the bottom, the cover and the amounts. 9) Device according to one of claims i to 8 characterized in that the flexible pads (12-14) are straight portions of a hollow rubber profiles. 100) Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the bottom (lo) is lined with flexible parallel rubber profiles (12) providing between them spaces for the passage of a handling fork.  11) Device according to one of claims @ to 10, characterized in that the covers (11) is lined with rubber profiles (12) in radiating arrangement.