GB2166214A - Transport apparatus - Google Patents

Transport apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2166214A
GB2166214A GB08426949A GB8426949A GB2166214A GB 2166214 A GB2166214 A GB 2166214A GB 08426949 A GB08426949 A GB 08426949A GB 8426949 A GB8426949 A GB 8426949A GB 2166214 A GB2166214 A GB 2166214A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
tape
carrier
strip
pipeline
track
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB08426949A
Other versions
GB8426949D0 (en
GB2166214B (en
Inventor
Peter David Wolfenden
Andrew William Webster
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
UK Atomic Energy Authority
Original Assignee
UK Atomic Energy Authority
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by UK Atomic Energy Authority filed Critical UK Atomic Energy Authority
Priority to GB08426949A priority Critical patent/GB2166214B/en
Publication of GB8426949D0 publication Critical patent/GB8426949D0/en
Publication of GB2166214A publication Critical patent/GB2166214A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2166214B publication Critical patent/GB2166214B/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C17/00—Monitoring; Testing ; Maintaining
    • G21C17/017—Inspection or maintenance of pipe-lines or tubes in nuclear installations
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G35/00—Mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for
    • B65G35/04—Mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for comprising a flexible load carrier, e.g. a belt, which is wound up at one end and paid out at the other
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
    • Y02E30/30—Nuclear fission reactors

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Radiation (AREA)

Abstract

A transport apparatus 10 for radioactive sources comprises a resiliently flexible strip 12, a drive arrangement 14 for moving the strip 12 longitudinally, and a conduit or channel 28 forming a track and into which the strip 12 extends. The conduit 28 defines at least one bend 29, and a carrier 22, 24 rigidly connected to a free end of the strip 12 can be moved along the conduit 28 including the bend(s) 29 by the longitudinal movement of the strip 12. The channel may have a lip which co-operates with a groove on the apparatus 10 to provide guidance. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Transport apparatus This invention relates to an apparatus for the transfer of an object between spaced apart locations.
According to the present invention, a transport apparatus comprises a strip comprising resiliently flexible material, drive means for moving the strip along a track means, the track means having at least one bend therein, and carrier means to receive at least one object to be transported and to which carrier means the strip is rigidly connected at one end thereof, whereby the carrier means may be pushed or pulled along the track means by the strip.
Preferably, the drive means is arranged to present the strip substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bend, or to parallel axes of a plurality of said bends.
The carrier means may comprise a plurality of articulated members, and each member preferably has arcuate sides so as to assist the negotiation of the bends in the track means.
Conveniently, the strip may comprise a flexible metal tape of slightly bowed cross-section, and the drive means may comprise a friction drive means engaging the tape. The friction drive means may include stepping motor means for deducing the position of the carrier means from the number of revolutions of a friction drive wheel in contact with the tape and arranged to be driven by the stepping motor means.
The track means may comprise an elongate channel, or be defined by a pipeline through which a carrier means in the form of an inspection apparatus is arranged to be moved by the transport apparatus.
In one application of the invention, relatively small radioactive objects are arranged to be transported to or between radioactive cells.
The invention will now be further described by way of of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure t shows in plan view a representation of a transport apparatus; and Figure 2 shows a sectional view of the line ll-ll of Figure 1.
Referring now to Figure 1, a transport apparatus 10 is shown, and comprises a flexible steep tape 12 arranged to be driven by a friction drive wheel 14 itself driven by an electric motor 16, the friction drive wheel 14 urging the tape 12 against an idler wheel 18. The tape 12 is coiled at one end and fixed to a location 20, and at the other end is rigidly attached to a member 22 having convex sides and pivotally connected at 23 to a similar member 24 to form an articulated inspection carrier 26 for transducers (not shown) within a pipeline 28 having bend portions at 29 and 30 and constituting a track means.
As shown in Figure 2, the tape 12 in transverse section is slightly bowed to introduce some stiffness into the tape 12 whilst still retaining a degree of flexibility of the tape 12.
In operation, the tape 12 is driven along the pipeline 28 by the friction drive wheel 14, and pushes or pulls the inspection carrier 26 along the pipeline 28. When pushing the inspection carrier 26 around one of the bends 29 or 30, one side of the member 22 contacts the pipeline 28, and both sides of the member 24 are pushed against the sides of the pipeline 28 and prevent jack-knifing of the inspection carrier 26. Hence, the inspection carrier 26 is pushed around the bend 29 or 30 by the tape 12. The tape 12 can wind or unwind from the location 20, the spring tension in the tape 12 assisting withdrawal of the tape 12 from the pipeline 28. The tape 12 may be indented, or marked in some other way, to enable the position of the inspection carrier 26 to be deduced by inspection of the tape 12.
The members 22, 24 should be a sliding fit in the pipeline 28, and it is only necessary for that part of the members 22, 24 that contact the pipeline 28 to be of arcuate form.
The friction drive wheel 14 and the idler wheel 18 preferably have an outer periphery of an elastomeric friction material, such as rubber. The electric motor 16 might comprise a stepping motor, so that the extent of the tape 12 in the pipeline 28 might be determined from the revolutions of the friction drive wheel 14.
For some applications of the invention, a single carrier at the end of the tape 12 might suffice. In such applications the member 24 of Figure 1 might be omitted.
Alternative track means might be used, such as a rectangular shaped channel which might have lips or flanges to guide the carrier into a particular attitude, or the carrier might be grooved to cooperate with a corresponding tongue portion of the track means.
1. A transport apparatus comprising, a strip comprising resiliently flexible material, drive means for moving the strip along a track means, the track means having at least one bend therein, and carrier means to receive at least one object to be transported and to which carrier means the strip is rigidly connected at one end thereof, whereby the carrier means may be pushed or pulled along the track means by the strip.
2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the carrier means comprises a plurality of articulated members.
3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, wherein each member has opposing convex sides so as to assist in the negotiation of the bend(s) in the track means.
4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the drive means includes stepping motor means.
5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the drive means includes friction drive means for engaging the strip and arranged to be driven by the stepping motor means.
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Transport apparatus This invention relates to an apparatus for the transfer of an object between spaced apart locations. According to the present invention, a transport apparatus comprises a strip comprising resiliently flexible material, drive means for moving the strip along a track means, the track means having at least one bend therein, and carrier means to receive at least one object to be transported and to which carrier means the strip is rigidly connected at one end thereof, whereby the carrier means may be pushed or pulled along the track means by the strip. Preferably, the drive means is arranged to present the strip substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bend, or to parallel axes of a plurality of said bends. The carrier means may comprise a plurality of articulated members, and each member preferably has arcuate sides so as to assist the negotiation of the bends in the track means. Conveniently, the strip may comprise a flexible metal tape of slightly bowed cross-section, and the drive means may comprise a friction drive means engaging the tape. The friction drive means may include stepping motor means for deducing the position of the carrier means from the number of revolutions of a friction drive wheel in contact with the tape and arranged to be driven by the stepping motor means. The track means may comprise an elongate channel, or be defined by a pipeline through which a carrier means in the form of an inspection apparatus is arranged to be moved by the transport apparatus. In one application of the invention, relatively small radioactive objects are arranged to be transported to or between radioactive cells. The invention will now be further described by way of of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure t shows in plan view a representation of a transport apparatus; and Figure 2 shows a sectional view of the line ll-ll of Figure 1. Referring now to Figure 1, a transport apparatus 10 is shown, and comprises a flexible steep tape 12 arranged to be driven by a friction drive wheel 14 itself driven by an electric motor 16, the friction drive wheel 14 urging the tape 12 against an idler wheel 18. The tape 12 is coiled at one end and fixed to a location 20, and at the other end is rigidly attached to a member 22 having convex sides and pivotally connected at 23 to a similar member 24 to form an articulated inspection carrier 26 for transducers (not shown) within a pipeline 28 having bend portions at 29 and 30 and constituting a track means. As shown in Figure 2, the tape 12 in transverse section is slightly bowed to introduce some stiffness into the tape 12 whilst still retaining a degree of flexibility of the tape 12. In operation, the tape 12 is driven along the pipeline 28 by the friction drive wheel 14, and pushes or pulls the inspection carrier 26 along the pipeline 28. When pushing the inspection carrier 26 around one of the bends 29 or 30, one side of the member 22 contacts the pipeline 28, and both sides of the member 24 are pushed against the sides of the pipeline 28 and prevent jack-knifing of the inspection carrier 26. Hence, the inspection carrier 26 is pushed around the bend 29 or 30 by the tape 12. The tape 12 can wind or unwind from the location 20, the spring tension in the tape 12 assisting withdrawal of the tape 12 from the pipeline 28. The tape 12 may be indented, or marked in some other way, to enable the position of the inspection carrier 26 to be deduced by inspection of the tape 12. The members 22, 24 should be a sliding fit in the pipeline 28, and it is only necessary for that part of the members 22, 24 that contact the pipeline 28 to be of arcuate form. The friction drive wheel 14 and the idler wheel 18 preferably have an outer periphery of an elastomeric friction material, such as rubber. The electric motor 16 might comprise a stepping motor, so that the extent of the tape 12 in the pipeline 28 might be determined from the revolutions of the friction drive wheel 14. For some applications of the invention, a single carrier at the end of the tape 12 might suffice. In such applications the member 24 of Figure 1 might be omitted. Alternative track means might be used, such as a rectangular shaped channel which might have lips or flanges to guide the carrier into a particular attitude, or the carrier might be grooved to cooperate with a corresponding tongue portion of the track means. CLAIMS
1. A transport apparatus comprising, a strip comprising resiliently flexible material, drive means for moving the strip along a track means, the track means having at least one bend therein, and carrier means to receive at least one object to be transported and to which carrier means the strip is rigidly connected at one end thereof, whereby the carrier means may be pushed or pulled along the track means by the strip.
2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the carrier means comprises a plurality of articulated members.
3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, wherein each member has opposing convex sides so as to assist in the negotiation of the bend(s) in the track means.
4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the drive means includes stepping motor means.
5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the drive means includes friction drive means for engaging the strip and arranged to be driven by the stepping motor means.
6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the track means extends to or between radioactive cells.
7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the track means comprises a pipeline, and the carrier means comprises an apparatus for inspecting the pipeline.
8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the carrier means is of grooved from so as to cooperate with a corresponding tongue portion of the track means.
9. A transport apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2 of the drawing.
GB08426949A 1984-10-25 1984-10-25 Transport apparatus Expired GB2166214B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08426949A GB2166214B (en) 1984-10-25 1984-10-25 Transport apparatus

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08426949A GB2166214B (en) 1984-10-25 1984-10-25 Transport apparatus

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8426949D0 GB8426949D0 (en) 1984-11-28
GB2166214A true GB2166214A (en) 1986-04-30
GB2166214B GB2166214B (en) 1988-02-24

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB08426949A Expired GB2166214B (en) 1984-10-25 1984-10-25 Transport apparatus

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2166214B (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0370466A2 (en) * 1988-11-22 1990-05-30 Mitsui Petrochemical Industries, Ltd. Method of examining an inside surface-coated metallic pipe and apparatus for use in such method
FR2652650A1 (en) * 1989-10-04 1991-04-05 Electricite De France Method of gammagraphic inspection of the condition of the wall of the inlet bend of the primary hot water pipe for a pressurised water reactor steam generator
EP2006812A1 (en) * 2007-06-11 2008-12-24 Teknovation Limited Apparatus for storing and selectively retrieving articles, and vending machine including such apparatus

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2018384A (en) * 1978-04-05 1979-10-17 Cahuzac D Sheath for forming an internal lining for a conduit and a process for using the sheath
GB2021351A (en) * 1978-05-19 1979-11-28 Davey A E Pipe inspection apparatus
GB2023380A (en) * 1978-06-14 1979-12-28 Redmayne & Sons Ltd S Location of instruments in pipes, particularly for pipe radiography
GB2030430A (en) * 1978-09-20 1980-04-02 Northern Eng Ind Radiographic examination of small diameter tubing
GB2109660A (en) * 1981-11-07 1983-06-02 Northern Eng Ind Radiographic examination apparatus
GB2113571A (en) * 1982-01-21 1983-08-10 Mercol Descaling Co Ltd Lining of pipes

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2018384A (en) * 1978-04-05 1979-10-17 Cahuzac D Sheath for forming an internal lining for a conduit and a process for using the sheath
GB2021351A (en) * 1978-05-19 1979-11-28 Davey A E Pipe inspection apparatus
GB2023380A (en) * 1978-06-14 1979-12-28 Redmayne & Sons Ltd S Location of instruments in pipes, particularly for pipe radiography
GB2030430A (en) * 1978-09-20 1980-04-02 Northern Eng Ind Radiographic examination of small diameter tubing
GB2109660A (en) * 1981-11-07 1983-06-02 Northern Eng Ind Radiographic examination apparatus
GB2113571A (en) * 1982-01-21 1983-08-10 Mercol Descaling Co Ltd Lining of pipes

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0370466A2 (en) * 1988-11-22 1990-05-30 Mitsui Petrochemical Industries, Ltd. Method of examining an inside surface-coated metallic pipe and apparatus for use in such method
EP0370466A3 (en) * 1988-11-22 1991-02-06 Mitsui Petrochemical Industries, Ltd. Method of examining an inside surface-coated metallic pipe and apparatus for use in such method
FR2652650A1 (en) * 1989-10-04 1991-04-05 Electricite De France Method of gammagraphic inspection of the condition of the wall of the inlet bend of the primary hot water pipe for a pressurised water reactor steam generator
EP2006812A1 (en) * 2007-06-11 2008-12-24 Teknovation Limited Apparatus for storing and selectively retrieving articles, and vending machine including such apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8426949D0 (en) 1984-11-28
GB2166214B (en) 1988-02-24

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PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 19941025