JPH0273199A - Device for fixing and indexing wheel for welder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To position a wheel by constituting a wheel fixing and indexing device composed of fixing and indexing pins which are controlled in axial movement by means of a driving means on the outside of a cell containing a dissolving machine and a set of recessed sections formed integrally with a pin receiving wheel. CONSTITUTION: A pinion 4 woks on a rack 8 united with a fixing pin 1 or threaded on the pin 1. The outside end section 5 of the pin 1 is screwed in a fixed indexing pin with a lower screw 9 when the pin is turned with a safe tongue section 7. When a driving means provided with the pinion 4 and the rack 8 becomes defective, the indexing pin can be raised or lowered by rotating the outside end section of the indexing pin. The fixed pin 1 enters one of recessed sections 40 having different depths formed in a wheel 38. Information on the positioning of the wheel 38 is supplied to the outside based on the depth of the recessed section to which the pin 1 enters.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for fixing and indexing melter wheels.

It is known that during various stages of nuclear fuel reprocessing, rods containing the fuel are generally cut into pieces before being immersed in a boiling nitric acid bath to separate the fuel from the metal parts. In this way, the nuclear fuel is dissolved in the nitric acid, but the "shell", a piece of the metal container that seals the reactor's fuel rods, and other metal parts are not.

Among the various known means by which nuclear fuel can be dissolved in nitric acid, devices are known in particular in which the acid is received in a fixed container. The fragments of the container are successively loaded into the packets of a rotating packet wheel to soak the fragments in acid and then remove the fragments and other undissolved portions from the apparatus. In this known device, the packet wheel is driven and supported by a shaft passing through the container wall. The shaft is rotated by a motor located outside the container. The packet wheel is axially guided by a rail and roller arrangement located between the container and the outer circumference of the wheel.

However, this known device has a number of drawbacks.

French Patent Application No. 7930952 discloses a fixed container for receiving a liquid and a support rotating on a horizontal axis having on its periphery at least one receiving packet for the compound to be treated, and for introducing the compound into the packet. means for discharging the compound from the packet; means for rotating the rotating support about its axis; and means for guiding the rotating support during rotation about its axis. It describes the equipment used. The device is characterized in that the guide means are arranged completely within the container, and the guide means and the drive means are arranged above a horizontal plane passing through the axis of the rotary support.

In that device, the rotation of the wheel and the filling of the packets occur discontinuously at a rate controlled by the dissolution time of the fuel in nitric acid. In order to be able to properly fill the bucket, it is necessary to fix the wheel when it is in a precisely defined position. This is one of the objectives of the invention.

It is also desirable to know the exact position of the wheel from the outside, i.e. to know which packets are in the filling position, and more generally to know the positions of the various packets. This is another object of the invention.

These objectives are achieved using a fixing and indexing pin whose axial movement is controlled by a drive located outside the cell containing the dissolver. The pin cooperates with a set of recesses in the wheel.

These four parts co-operating with the pins therefore make it possible to perform a precise positioning of the wheel and to know the positioning of the wheel from the fact that each recess has a different depth.

With reference to the accompanying drawings FIGS. 1 and 2, details of the fixing and indexing pins used in the invention will now be described with reference to non-limiting embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows the rack and pinion drive means.

The fixing and indexing pin, which moves in translation along the axis, is shown at 1 in FIG. 1 (partially in section), and the hydraulic protection device surrounding the pin 1 and providing the necessary containment is shown at 2. 3 shows the drive shaft of the pin that is moved by the motor 30 that drives the pinion 4 via the joint. The joint may be a rack and pinion arrangement 32 complemented by a friction joint 36. The pinion 4 operates on a rack 8 integral with the pin 1 or toothed on the pin. The outer end of the fixing pin is shown at 5 and has known devices (for example a hexahedron 34) allowing power to be taken off by a manual mechanism (not shown).

The outer end 5 can be screwed by a lower screw 9 into an indexing pin which is rotationally fixed by a safety tongue 7. If the drive means comprising pinion and rack is defective, rotation of the outer end of the indexing pin makes it possible to raise or lower the indexing pin.

The fixing pins 1 enter into recesses 40 of different depths made in the wheel 38. Via the hydraulic protection device 2 and the bellows 42 of the fixing pin, the pin passes through the surrounding part 44.

Fixing and indexing pins are located on the plate 6, and the packing machine receives a clamp 1o for motor assembly and disassembly.

FIG. 2 shows another example. The pin 11 and the hydraulic protection device 2 can also be seen in this figure.

The horizontal bar 13 carrying the slide 12 can be made to perform alternating axial movements by means of a jack 2o or a pond drive. The slide 12 has an oblique cut 21 through which a shaft 14 integral with a fork 15 is fixed to the upper end of the index pin 11. Horizontal movement of slide 12 causes axial movement of index pin 11. The device is hydraulic joint 1
6 provides protection against corrosion by the internal atmosphere of the melter, which joint surrounds the pin 11 and allows it to penetrate the jacket of the container 22 without any loss of tightness. .

The entire device is located on a plate 17 that is integral with the container 22,
The device is fixed to the plate by remotely controlled bolts or clamps.

It is clear that the movement of the indexing pin can occur vertically or in any other direction, for example radially towards the center of the melter wheel 23.

Wheel 2 with fixing and indexing pin 11 in correct position
In order to perform its function of fixing the wheel 23 and providing information on the position of the wheel to the outside, the pin 11 is attached to the wheel 23.
It cooperates with a set of recesses such as 24a, 24b, 24c, etc. integral with the. Means such as a glove finger, the opening of which is preferably widened or bevelled, whose cross section has a shape and dimensions corresponding to the shape and dimensions of the cross section of the fixing pin 11, and whose depth varies; The term recess 24 is used to define. Even if the positioning of the wheel 23 relative to the pin 11 is not perfect, the flared shape serves to allow easy insertion of the pin into the recess. wheel 2
3 is achieved by placing the fixing pin 11 in the recess 24.

Information regarding the positioning of the wheel is provided on the outside based on the depth of the recess in which the pin is placed. It is clear that there are generally as many recesses as packets.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the rack and pinion drive means, and FIG. 2 shows a side view of another embodiment. 1.11. ,,Pin,201. Hydraulic protection device, 410
．． Pinion, 23.38. ,,Wheel,24a,2
4b, 24c, 40, , recess, RG, 1 30,, motor.

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) a fixing and indexing pin whose axial movement is controlled by a drive means external to the cell containing the dissolver; and a set of recesses having varying depth and integral with said wheel for receiving the pin. A device for fixing and indexing a wheel of a melting machine at a predetermined position, characterized by comprising: 2. The device of claim 1, further comprising: (2) a hydraulic protection device surrounding and confining the pin. (3) The locking and indexing pin is moved by a rack and pinion arrangement, and at the outer end of the pin leads to a mechanism whose rotation causes axial movement of the pin. equipment. 4. A device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the pin is moved by moving a sliding part which has an oblique cut to the pin and receives a shaft integral with the pin.