US2571302A - Sampler for highly radioactive substances - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 16, 1951 w. Q. SMITH SAMPLER FOR HIGHLY RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 5, 1949 v INVENTOR. Wave/(y Q. Smith BY 7 llllll vOct. 16, 1951 w $M|TH 2,571,302

SAMPLER FOR HIGHLY RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES- Filed June 3, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l J INVENTOR. Wql/ery QJm/zh BY W. Q. SMITH SAMPLER FOR HIGHLY RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES Qct. 16, 1951 Filed June 3, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Waverly Q. Sm/fh A me ws-v Patented Oct. 16, 1951 SAMPLER FOR HIGHLY RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES Waverly Q. Smith, Charleston, W. Va., assignmto the United States of America as represented by the United States Atomic Energy Commission Application June 3, 1949, Serial No. 96,949

12 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for withdrawing samples of highly radioactive materials, in particular, liquids, from bulk storage or otherwise into shielded containers or receptacles adapted to be removed and transported away, the apparatus having particular characteristics enabling the operator to perform the operations of withdrawing and removing the samples without danger of exposure to radiation. The apparatus is particularly adaptable in connection with wet methods of processing certain metal solutions, these solutions containing uranium or highly active fission products resulting from atomic fisson. It is ordinarily necessary to take samples from the solution at intervals for purposes of analysis and for other reasons. The solutions cannot be safely handled by ordinary procedures usually employed for chemical solutions; the operator must at all times be protected from direct contact with the solution and there must always be a barrier interposed between the solution and the operator to prevent the operator from being exposed to radiation.

In its preferred form the invention embraces a novel arrangement of shielding containers or housings so arranged that it is possible to transfer a sample of liquid solution from bulk, that is, from a reactor, for example, to a sample container within a shielding housing but, nevertheless, in a way such that the operation can be viewed by the operator, the sample receptacle then being placed in a transportable shield and removed from the shielding housing. The invention embraces particular manipulative means operative from outside the shielding container or housing for effecting the necessary removal, withdrawal, and filling operations within such shielding container or housing, all of these particular arrangements and techniques being encompassed within the domain of my invention.

Accordingly, the object of my invention is to provide an apparatus consisting of a shielding housing or casing having a mechanical means operative from outside the housing arrangement to place a transportable shielding receptacle containing a sample capsule in position for filling, opening the shield to expose the sample contaliner, causing the sample tube to be properly filled,

and replacin the receptacle or shielding means in position.

A further object of the invention is to provide means associated with the apparatus of the foregoing object for withdrawing the transportable shielded receptacle from the shielding housing without exposure of operating personnel to radiation.

A further object is to provide in association with the receptacle filling and removal apparatus, an additional adjacent compartment having therein a mirror so positioned that the operator is able to View the operation within the shielding housing or compartment without exposing himself to radiation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a manipulating device for performing operations within the shielding compartment from exteriorly thereof, comprising a clamping device in the form of jaws attached to and operated by a concentric sleeve and shaft attached individually to respective jaws, the sleeve and shaft bein rotatable and reciprocatable and mounted in a bushing in the side wall of the shielding compartment.

A further object of the invention in connection with the foregoing object is a mechanism for operating the clamping device, comprising an operatin handle for manually moving the sleeve and a stem attached to the shaft and operative in a cam slot having a particular configuration such that when the sleeve is moved up and down by virtue of movement of the stem in the cam slot particular desired movements and clamping actions are imparted to the jaw members.

Further objects and numerous other advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and annexed drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the sampling apparatus, the walls as shown being of lead. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the sampling apparatus showing in more detail the mechanism for performing operations within the device from outside thereof. Fig. 3 is a view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the clamping mechanism and its operating mechanism. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the operating mechanism for the clamping device within the shielding compartment. Fig. '7 is a detail view of the jaws of the clamping de vice. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the device for withdrawing a sample of radioactive solution within the shielding housing. Fig. 9 is a detail View of tongs used in removing the transportable receptacle from the sampling apparatus. Fig. 10 is a detail view taken along the line l0l0 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a detail view of the tones of Fig. 9 taken along the line Il-l| of Fig. 9.

Referring now, more particularly, to Fig. l of the drawings, the apparatus comprises generally, shielding compartments H), II, and I2, which are rectangular, compartments-ll and I2 being adjacent to compartment [0 and open at the the apparatus, as may be seen in Fig. 1'.

top. The compartments are of lead construction so as to have proper radiation shielding char acteristics. Mounted on the top of compartment It! is a mechanical device indicated generally by the numeral l3 for effecting certain operations within the compartment IE1 and this device will be described in detail presently.

The various compartments are shown in cross section in Fig. 4. The compartments II and I2 are separated from the compartment ID by side walls I6 and H which do not extend all the way to the bottom of the structure as may be seen in Figs. 1 and 3. In the lower part of compartment II is a mirror l8 mounted at an angle as shown so that an operator looking down from the top of compartment H can view the operations in the lower part of compartment 10. The position of the mirror also can be seen in Fig. 2.

At the bottom of compartments l and I2, as may be seen in Fig. 4, there is a sliding tray which extends entirely across the bottom of these compartments and which has an operating handle 2| at its end which is positioned externally of This tray rests .on an insert tray 2IA (see Figs. 1 and 3), which may be removed for cleaning. A bevelled piece of shielding material 22 (see Fig. 3), which is attached to the side walls of compartment l2 by wing nuts 23 engaging with studs as shown can be removed to permit withdrawing tray 20 for cleaning.

At an intermediate point of the tray 20 is an upstanding cylindrical flange 25 within which is set a cylindrical shielding transportable receptacle or container 26. The container 28 is made in two halves 21 and 28, its main body being made of lead with an external steel casing. In the'lower half of container 25 there is a cylindrical cavity or depression in which a capsule or cell of radioactive material can be placed. The upper half of the carrier has a complementary cylindrical cavity'adapted to receive' the upper part of the capsule. In Fig. 3, the upper half of the carrier is shown resting on a supportingbracket 33 extending from the side wall of compartment Hi, this bracket having an upstanding cylindrical flange 34 behind which the upper half rests. The horizontal part of bracket 33 has a central depending cylindrical chamber 35 in which a capsule may be placed while a sample The filling head 39 comprises a tube 31 having a discharge tip at its lower end and having its intermediate portion disposed within a jacket or sleeve 38, as shown. The filling head 39 occupies a position inthe compartment as seenin Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The upper end of tube 31 has a right angle bend and extends through the side wall of compartment [9 through a mounting plate 40 (see Fig. 2) to which it is welded and which will be described more in detail presently. Communicating with the jacket 38 is a tube 42 which extends through the side wall of compartment H3 and also extends through the mounting plate 49 in the same manner (see Fig. 2). Also connected to jacket 38 is a tube 43 which has a right angle bend and the upper end of which extends into the lower end of a tube or cylinder 45 mounted in the top of compartment [0. The tube or cylinder 45 has a rubber disk fitting in its lower end and this disk normally rests on the end of tube 0.3 forming a vacuum seal. The tube 45 has a sliding fit in a bore in the top of the compartment It and it may be liftedto break the vacuum in tube 43 as will be described. The jacket 38 has a disk 46 mounted thereon and a gasket 41 fits around jacket 38 adjacent to this disk. As will be described, a test tube or capsule may be lifted up and fitted over the tube 3'! and jacket 38 against the gasket 41 for drawing the sample into the test tube. The tube 3? connects to a jet or ejector for producing a vacuum within the test tube when it is in position, and when this vacuum is produced, it is suflicient to cause a sample of radioactive solution to be sucked into the test tube throughthe tube 42. The lower part of the test tube fills up until the tip of tube 31 is covered; the suction then draws liquid up into the tube 31 maintaining the level in the tube at the tip of tube 31. The jet, which is normally operated by compressed air, discharges back to the tank being sampled, and so there is no objection to the solutions being sucked into the jet. The vacuum in the jacket 38 and in tube 3'! is controlled by the vacuum breaker 45. By lifting this member the tube 43 is vented and accordingly the vacuum within jacket 38 and tube 31 is broken, that is, flow into the test tube is started by placing the vacuum breaker 45 in position. Nor- 1..- mally, a capsule is left in position against gasket tube is being filled. The cavity in upper half 7 28 and the cavity in chamber 35 each have rubber inserts as shown to engage the top and bottom of the capsule. 36 at the top within which the upper half 25 may be placed. The upper half has an operating handle, as shown. The upper half 28 is in the position shown in Fig. 3 during the taking of a sample, and after taking the sample, the upper half 28 is placed over lower half 21. The capsule in the shelf 33 is then repositioned as will be described.

As will be described presently, the upper half of the transporter or carrier 25 may be placed.

over the lower half by the means !3 operable from outside of the shielding compartment Ill: The sliding tray 26 may be pulled out so that the transporter 25 is moved into compartment l2 and then, as will be described presently, the entire transporter may be lifted out of compartment l2 by means of tongs as shown in Fig. 9.

Within the compartment It is the filling head 39 by means of which the sample or samples of radioactive material are taken from a reactor or the like and placed in a capsule or test tube.

Lower half 21 has a flange.

4?, held there by the vacuum, to catch any drip from the filling head.

The mounting plate 49 for the filling head 36 is mounted on the back of compartment [0 and 1 is attached by bolts extending into holes drilled in the back wall of compartment I0 and then filled with lead after the bolts are inserted. The mounting plate is held in place by Wing nuts on the end of the bolts, as shown in Fig. 2.

The mechanism operable from outside of compartment ID for effecting the operations within the compartment will next be described. This mechanism is designated by numeral l3 and is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6. The portion of this mechanism outside of compartment ID is mounted on a mounting plate as shown in Fig. 1 which is attached to the top of compartment l by stud bolts as shown. Its relative position as respects the filling head 39 and the removable transporter 25 can be observed from Fig. 1.

ures. Bushing 56 has a collar 54 above mounting plate 55. Mounted in the bushing 56 is a tube 59 at the upper end of which is carried .a T fitting 60 having aflanged collar 6| thereon, as shown. Surrounding the tube 59 is a helical biasing spring 62 engaged between the collar 6| and the collar 54. Extending from one end of the T fitting 60 is an operating handle 65. Within the tube 59 is a shaft 66 and this shaft passes through the fitting 69 and its upper end is screw threaded and carries thereon a shaft operating lever 68 which is secured by nut 10, as shown in Fig. 6. The shaft operating lever 68 overlies a bracket 72, mounted by welding on top of the T 68. The bracket member 12 extends frontwardly from the T 60 and it has upstanding sidewalls 13 and 14, the sidewall 14 being bent at an angle at its front end as shown at 15 so as to contiguously engage a flange on the shaft operating lever 68. A curved bolt 19 extends between the side portions 13 and 15 of bracket member 12, also passing through an upstanding portion of shaft operating lever 68. The bolt 19 has nuts secured on its ends and mounted on this bolt is a coil spring 3| which acts as a biasing spring normally urging the shaft operating lever 68 to a clockwise position as shown in Fig. 6. Stop member 82 limits movement of lever 68 to the right.

Extending to the rear, from the T 68, is a stem 83 as may be seen in Fig. 3, and this stem acts as a guide, engaging in a guide slot formed in a slotted guide plate member 84, upstanding from the mounting plate to the rear of the tube 59. as shown, and it has a slot formation therein of a configuration which may best be seen in Fig. 5. The slot formation includes a horizontal portion 85 in the middle portion of which is the guide stem 83 in the position of Fig. 5. The guide slot formation includes a vertical leg or slot 81 at the right side of plate member'84 and two depending leg slot portions 88 of similar configuration at opposite sides of the member 84, the portion 81 being a part of the righthand slot portion 88. Both of the legs 88 have spaced horizontal portions as shown in Fig? 5, and as will be referred to again presently.

Within the compartment I 0 at the lower end of the tube or sleeve 59 a part of the circumference is cut away and at this end the tube" has attached thereto one jaw 9| of a clamping device having curved jaw members, as shown in Fig. 7. The shaft 66 carries at the lower end the other jaw 92 of this clamping device which normally'occupies a position as may be seen in Fig. 3, the jaw members in this figure extending in a direction which would be out of the paper.

From the foregoing description of the manipulation mechanism l3, it will be understood that it is operative to perform certain grasping or clamping and moving operations within the compartment H). The jaw members 9| and 92 are normally in closed position as shown in Fig. 7,

being urged to this position by the biasing spring 8|. By observing Fig. 5, it will be noted that if the operating handle 55 is rotated about 15 degrees into the paper, the stem 83 is brought into the left vertical leg 88 of the cam slot formation in plate 84. In this position, the tube 59"may be reciprocated downwardly in the bushing- 56 against the spring 62 bringing guide stem 83 down to the first horizontal extension in the left hand slot- 88. This would bring the'jaws 9t and .92 into position to grasp the handle of the'topllaalf Member 84 has partial side flanges,

6 28 of transporter 26. The operator then, with his thumb and forefinger draws the shaft operating lever 68 to the right, looking at Fig. 6, which operates the jaws moving jaw 92 away from jaw 9| as shown in broken lines in Fig. 6. By manipulation of the handle 65 the jaws may then be'brought around the handle of carrier half '28 and may then be allowed to come back together to grasp the lifting handle. The tube 59 including the shaft 66 and jaw members may then be moved upwardly by operating handle 65, moving stem 83 back into slot portion 85. The operating handle 65 may then be rotated with stem 83, moving in slot portion 85 until it is over into the other vertical slot portions 81 and 88. By then moving the operating handle 65 downwardly, as can readily be observed, the upper carrier half 28, maybe placed over the carrier half 21.

Asmay be readily observed, by operations corresponding to the above, the test tube may be picked up from the lower carrier half 21 and moved up to the filling head 39 for Withdrawing a sample of radioactive solution. In these operations, the guide follower stem 83 would be moved down into the lower horizontal extension of the right leg 88 to pick up the test tube and then it would be moved up into the vertical guide slot portion 81 for bringing the test tube up into contact with the gasket 41 as described above.

After the sample has been taken and the upper carrier half 29 has been placed in position over the lower carrier half, the tray 20 is withdrawn to the position as indicated by broken lines in Fig. 3 in the manner described above. Normally after the sample has been taken and removed, the capsule or test tube shown in shelf 33 is placed against gasket 41 as described above. It is to be observed that it is impossible to move the manipulating mechanism to any undesired position. The carrier or transporter 26 may then be removed from the compartment l2 by means of the tongs shown in'Fig. 9. The tongs comprise members and 96 which are pivoted together at an intermediate point as shown in detail in Fig. 10. The members 95 and 96 have bifurcated elements 91 and 98 welded thereto. A pivot pin llll extends through the legs of elements 9! and 98, as shown. The upper end of the member 95 has transverse operating handle 103 and the upper end of the member 96 is formed as a bent arm, as'shown. The lower end of the members 95 and 98 are more widely spaced from each other, as shown, and are of similar configuration, each having at its end an arcuate gripper element as may be seen at I05 and I 86 in Fig. 11.- These arcuate grippers are arranged 'to engage underneath the flange 36 extending around the point at which the upper and lower halves of the carrier 26 engage eachother, as may be seen in Fig. 11. The members 95 and 96 are normally biased toward, each other by means of the coil spring H8 engaging on a bolt Illextending through the two members and secured by nuts 2 and H3. From the foregoing, it will be observed that the lower portions of the tongs may be drawn apart while the tongs are placed over the carrier 26 and then are allowed to come together under the influence of the coil spring H0 so that the carrier is gripped underneath its central band and it may then be lifted out of the compartment l2.

"All of' the operations performed from outside of. the compartment Ill by. the device I3 may be viewed by the operator who looks down through .:thecompartment ll into the mirror I8. .It is 7 to be seen that the operation of filling th test tube with radioactive solutions and returning-it to'its place in the carrier 26 and replacing the upper half of the carrier 26 are performed without any danger of exposing the operator to radiation from the radioactive materials since the lead shielding barriers are always interposed between the operator and the operation. The carrier 26 is, itself, made of shielding material as described above, and thus when it is moved into the: compartment 12, the operator is still protected from radiation. @From the foregoing, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that I have provided a very effective and satisfactory means for effecting the operation of withdrawing samples of radioactive solutions and removing them for processing and transportation to other places for analysis. The means for performing the operations behind a barrier are positive, certain and effective in operation, and are readily adaptable to many repeated similar operations. By reason-of the arrangement whereby the. operator is able to view the operation, any hazard which might be present due to spillage or other accident is eliminated. Theforegoing disclosure is representative of a preferred form of my invention. Various modifications, equivalents, and alternatives may be adopted by those skilled in the artv in accordance with the principles illustrated herein, and, accordingly, it is intended that the disclosure be interpreted in an illustrative sense and that scope of the invention be governed by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the character described, in

combination, means forming a radiation shielding container, means within the container and operable from exteriorly thereof for withdrawing a sample of radioactive solutionfrom a supply thereof, -a transportable shielded receptacle in the co ntainer for receiving the sample of solution, said container having a second compartment communicating with the main compartment through an opening at the lower part of the compartments and means comprisinga sliding panel on which the transportable receptacle rests and operable from outside of the container whereby the, transportable receptacle. may be moved into the second compartment. 2. The structure of claim 1 including a mirror positioned so that images are reflected therein .from within the container through an opening .therein.

3.111 apparatus of the character described, in combination, means comprising a radiation shielding container having means therein for ,withdrawing a sample of radioactive solution from a supply thereof, said container having an auxiliary compartment adjacent the main compartment and communicating therewith through an opening, means including a mirror positioned in said auxiliary compartment adjacent said opening so as to reflect imagesv from the main compartment, said auxiliary compartment having an opening whereby an operator may see reflections in said mirror, said last mentioned opening being spaced from said first opening .andout of the line of sightinto the main compartment.

:4; The structure of claim. 3 including a third compartment communicatingwith the main com- 'partment through an opening, a shielded port- ;abl'e re'ceptaclewithin said container, andimeans 8 operable from outsidethe container for moving said receptacle into said third compartment through said last mentioned opening.

5. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, meansforminga radiation shielding container having therein liquid dispensin means operable to withdraw a sample of radioactive solution from a supply thereof, a, trans,- portable shielded receptacle in the container adapted to receive the sample, said container having an opening in the side wall thereof for removing said receptacle,. said opening having shielding barriers disposed adjacent it to block radiation through the opening from within the container,v and manipulating means within the container including an operating stem therefor extending through a side wall of the container.

6. The structure of claim 5 including a mirror positioned to enable an operator to view in the mirror manipulations in the container reflected through an opening therein.

'7. Inapparatus of the character described, in combination, means forming a radiation shielding container having therein liquid dispensing means operable to withdraw a sample of radio-active solution from a supply thereof, a transportable shielded receptacle in the container adapted to receive the sample, said container having an opening in the side wall thereof for removing said receptacle, said opening having shielding barriers disposed adjacent it to block radiation through the opening from within the container, andmanipulating means within the container including an operating stem therefo extending through a side wallof the container, said manipulating means comprising clamping members and operating means therefor comprising a concentric sleeve and shaft movable in the direction of their length and having means to rotate the sleeve and the shaft relatively to operate the clamping mem- .bers.

8. In. apparatus of the character described, in

combination, means forming a radiation shielding container having therein liquid dispensing means operable to withdraw a sample of radioactive solution from a supply thereof, a transportable shielded receptacle in the container adapted to receive the sample, said container having an opening in: the side wall thereof for removing said receptacle, said opening having shielding barriers disposed adjacent it to block radiation through the opening from within the container, and manipulating means within the container including an operating stem therefor extending through a side wall of the container, said manipulating means comprising clamping members and operating means therefor comprising a concentric sleeve and shaft movable in the direction of their length, the sleeve and shaft being rotatable together and having means to rotate them relativelyto ,operate the clamping members and guiding means outside the container to guide the longitudinal and rotational movements'of the sleeve and shaft.

9. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means forming a radiation shielding container, means for performing manipulations within the container from outside thereof :omprising a concentric-sleeve and shaft extending into the container through a bushing in a side wall thereof, said sleeve-and shaft each having a member at its inner end mutually cooperatable to effect a clamping action, said sleeve and shaft being, reciprocatable in the bushing in the side wall of the, container, and means ;f or;rotatin g 9 said sleeve and shaft relatively to each other whereby a clamping action is performed by the clamping members.

10. The structure of claim 9 including means to rotate the sleeve and shaft as a unit and guiding means outside of the container to guide the longitudinal and rotational movements of the sleeve and shaft.

11. The structure of claim 9 including a stem extending at right angles to the said sleeve and shaft and engaged in a slot formed in a plate parallel to the sleeve and shaft, the said slot having a configuration such that as the stem is moved in the slot predetermined reciprocatory and rotational movements are imparted to the sleeve and shaft.

12. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means forming a radiation shielding container, liquid dispensing means therein operable to withdraw a sample of radioactive solution from a supply thereof, manipulating means within the container having operating mechanism extending through the side wall thereof for 10 effecting manipulations within the container, said container having an opening in the side wall thereof, means comprising a mirror disposed opposite said opening to reflect images of operations within the container, and shielding barriers providing an opening enabling an operator to view said mirror from a position out of the line of sight into said first opening.

WAVERLY Q. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,819,058 Arnold, Jr Aug. 18, 1931 2,477,648 Piggot et a1 Aug. 2, 1949 OTHER REFERENCES Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, vol. 41, No. 2, Feb. 1949, pgs. 228-238.

Claims (1)

1. IN APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, IN COMBINATION, MEANS FORMING A RADIATION SHIELDING CONTAINER, MEANS WITHIN THE CONTAINER AND OPERABLE FROM EXTERIORLY THEREOF FOR WITHDRAWING A SAMPLE OF RADIOACTIVE SOLUTION FROM A SUPPLY THEREOF, A TRANSPORTABLE SHIELDED RECEPTACLE IN THE CONTAINER FOR RECEIVING THE SAMPLE OF SOLUTION, SAID CONTAINER HAVING A SECOND COMPART-

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