GB1257020A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1,257,020. Measuring total length. UNITED KINGDOM ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY. Feb. 27, 1969 [March 4, 1968], No. 10389/68. Heading G1M. Apparatus for gauging the overall length to which a number of cylindrical bodies or nuclear fuel pellets will stack in a column, comprises a base 1 mounting a unit 6 containing 8 spring pressed hydraulic plungers 12, a stop unit 3 at the other end of the base which is aligned with the unit 2 and is provided with a push plate 46 movable by a handle 66 operating a rack and pinion mechanism 59, 61, a retaining plate 22 which may engage either shoulders 18 or shoulders 19 on the plungers 12 to give maximum or minimum extensions to the plungers or may engage with slots 20 to lock the rotated plungers in position, and a dial gauge 39 mounted on a longitudinally slidable block 40 and provided with a shaft 38 abutting a piston 34, 35 movable in a cylinder 29 according to the total amount of fluid pumped into the cylinder through a fluid manifold 23 and pipe 24 by depressing all the plungers 12. To set up the apparatus a cut away gauge plate (not shown) is first placed in one position and then in another between the plunger buffers 21 and the plate 46 to indicate on the gauge 39 the upper and lower tolerance limits of overall length of the pellet column. A set of eight pellet stacks are then placed on the base 1 with the bottom stack resting on stops 4, 5 and by turning the handle 66 the push plate 46 is moved forwards to the set position it occupied when setting the upper and lower tolerance limits. In this position it presses against the pellet stack and pushes them against the plungers 12 so that the dial 39 then indicates the total pellet column length if it is within the tolerance range by measuring the total amount of liquid displaced by all the plungers 12. Pellets may then be added or subtracted as required.