US3664083A - Method of automatically packaging radio active sources and apparatus therefor - Google Patents

Method of automatically packaging radio active sources and apparatus therefor Download PDF

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Publication number
US3664083A
US3664083A US16780A US1678070A US3664083A US 3664083 A US3664083 A US 3664083A US 16780 A US16780 A US 16780A US 1678070 A US1678070 A US 1678070A US 3664083 A US3664083 A US 3664083A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
station
envelope
tray
perforations
needle
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Expired - Lifetime
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US16780A
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English (en)
Inventor
Jean Fradin
Paul Lengagne
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Individual
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Individual
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B57/00—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21F—PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT; TREATING RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED MATERIAL; DECONTAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS THEREFOR
    • G21F7/00—Shielded cells or rooms
    • G21F7/06—Structural combination with remotely-controlled apparatus, e.g. with manipulators
    • G21F7/065—Remotely manipulated machinery
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21G—CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS; RADIOACTIVE SOURCES
    • G21G4/00—Radioactive sources
    • G21G4/04—Radioactive sources other than neutron sources
    • G21G4/06—Radioactive sources other than neutron sources characterised by constructional features

Definitions

  • the method according to the invention is to automate the various steps in the packaging of radioactive sources in accordance with a preset logic program.
  • the method according to the invention has the advantage of making it unnecessary for operators to work in unpleasant conditions, of cutting out mistakes during handling, of providing a very uniform product and a high output, and of eliminating faulty items from the output.
  • this invention relates to an automatic method of packing radioactive sources, the method mainly comprising moving a circular tray automatically and periodically in a shielded enclosure past a number of equidistant working stations arranged in a circle and corresponding to the various respective stages of packaging and to supervisory operations, the tray being formed with equidistant peripheral perforations to the number of working stations, a logic circuit initiating, for each perforation, the starting or not starting of a working station in dependence upon the result output by the immediately preceding working station.
  • the invention also relates to an apparatus for automatically packing radioactive sources according to such method, mainly characterized in that it comprises a circular tray which can rotate around its axis relatively to a frame and whose rotation is controlled by a set of solenoid valves, the tray being formed on its periphery with equidistant perforations, the apparatus comprising working stations to the number of perforations, the working stations being rigidly secured to the frame and distributed regularly around the tray periphery so that when any one station is above a tray perforation, each other station is above another perforation in the tray, each working station carrying out a step in the packaging operation or a supervisory operation until the step in which the sealed radioactive sources are ejected from the apparatus, the same comprising a logic circuit controlled by the working stations which transmit signals to the logic circuit, the same being so devised that for each tray perforation, each working station determines the advisability of starting the next working station upon the subsequent arrival thereat of such perforation.
  • the invention also relates to sealed radioactive sources prepared by means of such method, the sources being mainly distinguished in that they comprise a metal envelope closed at both ends by at least one welded metal ball, the envelope containing a grain of a radioactive element or radioactive compound.
  • FIG. 1 shows a sealed radioactive source according to the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view in developed form showing the various tray perforations and the corresponding working stations P, to P FIG. 3 shows the first working station P, but also applies basically to the stations P and P FIG. 4 shows the second station P
  • FIG. 5 shows some of station P
  • FIG. 6 shows some of station P
  • FIG. 7 shows station P with details of the gripper system;
  • FIG. 8 shows an alternative form of station P and FIGS. 9 and 10 show two alternative supply facilities for station P,, FIG. 9 showing a vertical loader and FIG. 10 showing a horizontal loader.
  • a sealed radioactive source is shown in the form of a metal envelope 1 containing a grain 2 of radioactive compound and closed by a metal ball 3 welded as indicated by the reference 4.
  • Tray 5 of the apparatus according to the invention is shown in developed form in FIG. 2 but is in fact circular.
  • tray 5 and the working stations of which there are eight in the present case is received in a hermetic enclosure (not shown) which is shielded (by 50 or mm of lead) and which backs on to another enclosure (not shown) in which radioactive grains eg of pollucite. which is a cesium silicoaluminate, are prepared by pressing, sintering and machining.
  • the grains are conveyed by a vibrator to the automated enclosure and are returned by vibrator to the first enclosure after they have been packed into sealed sources.
  • the packing apparatus comprises a rotating tray or table or the like, eight working stations and a logic drive, supervisory and safety facility.
  • the indexing rotating tray is driven by a pneumatic actuator (not shown) and can take up eight positions; it is formed on its periphery with eight equidistant perforations representing eight working positions each receiving a bottom welding electrode gripper 6, more details of which can be seen in FIG. 7.
  • Tray 5 is rotated by a pneumatic actuator driven and controlled by a set of solenoid valves. A 24-volt AC signal brings each working position exactly opposite a working station.
  • the functions of the eight consecutive working stations P, to P are as follows: at P,, supply of stainless steel envelopes l to tray 5, positioning of an envelope 1 in a device 6 of the tray (each perforation or working position of the tray initially has a device 6); at P a check on whether the envelope 1 is present and is correctly orientated i.e., with its blind aperture facing upwards; at P supply of radioactive grains 2 and filling of envelope 1 with a single grain 2; at P,, a check to ensure that the grain 2 does not exceed the required maximum height; at P a check that the grain 2 is actually in the envelope 1 and is of the correct height; at P a supply of steel covering balls 3 and the placing of a ball 3 on the steel casing 1 containing a radioactive grain 2; at P welding together of the ball 3 and envelope 1; and at P delivery of the finished sealed sources, and of unwelded envelopes with or without a grain 2, to different storage places.
  • the good indexing of the tray 5 is accurate enough to cope with the reduced diametric clearance of from 0.1 to 0.2 mm between the envelope 1 and the grain 2 and also enables the speed of tray rotation to be so controlled that the ball 3 does not leave its position when changing stations for welding.
  • the devices 6 are in three parts a central part in the form of a divided copper cone 7, a cylindrical annular portion 8 having a female cone in which the first part is positioned, and a spring 9 which bears the system. With the spring uncompressed, the device 6 is free, does not clamp and is near the top of the tray 5.
  • the spring 9 is compressed only at station P (welding), at which the device 6 serves both as a gripper and becomes rigidly connected to the bottom electrode 10 of a resistance welding facility.
  • the envelopes 1 can be supplied in two different ways:
  • FIG. 9 shows a vertical loader 16 used instead of vibrating bowl feeding.
  • a spring 17 urges casings 1 against slider 13.
  • FIG. 10 shows a horizontal loader 18.
  • needle 19 which, if the envelope is positioned correctly i.e., with its opening at the top penetrates thereinto. If the envelope is incorrectly positioned, needle 19 strikes the end of casing 1 and compresses spring 20 which transmits its movement to the envelope 1. If the needle 19 can penetrate into the envelope 1, a moving magnetic contact 21 rigidly secured to needle 19 closes a circuit and transmits a signal to the logic circuit which then prepares the next operations.
  • the grains 2 are supplied by means of a vibrating bowl 27 which delivers grains to a distributor and aligns them therein.
  • a grain 2 is removed by suction through a duct 26 from the bottom of the distributor and goes to a slider operated by a solenoid and is vehicled to a slope 25 along which the grain drops into the steel envelope 1.
  • This kind of suction vehicling may also be of use at station P, for conveyance of the envelopes, the suction having to be adjusted so that the envelope 1 does not jam.
  • station P Some of station P is shown in FIG. 5. A check similar to the check given at station P (FIG. 4) is made at station P except that needle 19 terminates in a tip 22 having the same characteristics as the ball 3 which will be welded subsequently to seal the envelope. lf the tip 22 can actually take up the position of the ball, the grain 2 cannot be in excess of the proper height. A contact on needle 19 initiates the next sequences of events. At station P in contrast to what happens at station P the checking is by direct contact between needle 19 and casing 1. The whole of station P must therefore be insulated from the frame of the apparatus by an insulating plate 23, for instance, of polythene; the plate 23 is shown in FIG. 4 but is used only at station P Station P (checking for presence of grain and for minimum height of grain).
  • FIG. 4 still applies since the check given at station P is similar to the check given at station P the only difference being that the sensor does not descend so far.
  • the needle touches a grain 2 of appropriate height to trigger off the sequence of logic operations. If the needle 19 makes half its stroke, a grain is present but is too short, in which event a contact cancels the sequence of operations.
  • the balls 3 are either by gravity or by vibrating bowl.
  • the balls 3 drop on to a slider, which takes a ball and places it on the lips of the envelope by way of a positioning duct, the movement being produced by an electromagnet.
  • the balls 3 are supplied by the vibrating bowl in just the same way as the supply of envelopes in FIG. 3.
  • the welding station is e.g. a 5 kVA resistance welding facility. Welding is performed in an argon atmosphere (2 liters/minute) with a force of 20 newtons and for 0.04 second (two periods).
  • the bottom electrode makes contact with the cylindrical part 8 of the spring-biased device 6.
  • the top of the machine (top and bottom electrodes) is installed in the shielded enclosure containing the complete apparatus according to the invention, and the body of the machine (power, drive and supervisory facili ties) is outside the enclosure.
  • the machine is driven by a pneumatic actuator driven by a set of solenoids (not shown).
  • the top electrode 24 descends to keep the ball 3 in bearing engagement of the envelope lips and to engage the central portion 7 of device 6 in the annular portion 8 thereof, so that the article to be welded is clamped and contact is made until the clamping force reaches the preset value, whereupon the welding current is switched off and a signal is transmitted to the logic circuit which initiates the next step.
  • Station P delivery or ejection of articles.
  • the ejection station has a slider formed with two or three apertures.
  • the slider can take up a further position in the case in which the station P automatically loads the tray with envelopes. Wrongly oriented envelopes are ejected through this third aperture at the end of the sequence to return to the vibrating distributor bowl of station P
  • the logic drive, supervisory and safety facility (not shown) of the apparatus according to the invention is very simple, comprising dynamic relays, reversing switches, contactors, electromagnets and a control ofthe off-load circuit. It can perform all the sequences of the program for the manufacture hereinbefore described.
  • the control stations either allow following sequences to be linked together in the order of manufacture or do not allow such linking together.
  • the operating cycle can be stopped by safety features.
  • the method according to the invention is of use for making sources of a material other than pollucite, and the form of sealing may be other than what has been described.
  • the envelope can take the form ofa cylinder open at both its ends.
  • An apparatus for automatically packaging radioactive sources comprising a frame, a tray provided on its periphery with equidistant perforations arranged in a circle and each containing a gripper, equidistant working stations rigidly secured to said frame and arranged in a circle, the number of said stations being equal to that of said perforations, so that, when any one of said stations is above one of said perforations, each other station is above another of said perforations, means for causing said tray to rotate around its axis relatively to said frame, said working stations including, in succession, at least a first station provided with first distributing means for supplying metal envelopes to said tray and positioning an envelope in one of said grippers, a second station provided with a first needle adapted to move towards said tray and carrying a first contact adapted to transmit a signal, a third station provided with second distributing means for supplying radioactive grains and filling said envelope with one grain, a fourth station for checking maximum grain heights, said fourth station being provided with a second needle adapted
  • a vibrating bowl is adapted to supply said envelope automatically
  • an electromagnetically operated pusher is adapted to collect an envelope supplied by said vibrating bowl, then to tip such envelope into the grippers located in the tray perforations.
  • a vibrating bowl is adapted to supply the radioactive grains.
  • said contact is a magnetic contact providing a signal, if said first needle drops to the bottom of the envelope.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Butt Welding And Welding Of Specific Article (AREA)
  • Package Closures (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
US16780A 1969-03-07 1970-03-05 Method of automatically packaging radio active sources and apparatus therefor Expired - Lifetime US3664083A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR6906546A FR2038451A5 (de) 1969-03-07 1969-03-07

Publications (1)

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US3664083A true US3664083A (en) 1972-05-23

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US16780A Expired - Lifetime US3664083A (en) 1969-03-07 1970-03-05 Method of automatically packaging radio active sources and apparatus therefor

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US (1) US3664083A (de)
CH (1) CH523175A (de)
DE (1) DE2010711C3 (de)
FR (1) FR2038451A5 (de)
GB (1) GB1278530A (de)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3800496A (en) * 1972-02-18 1974-04-02 Automatisme & Technique Machine for filling receptacles in particular fountain pen cartridges
US4364485A (en) * 1981-05-15 1982-12-21 Schering Corporation Injectable fluid container and method
US4827493A (en) * 1987-10-05 1989-05-02 Amersham Corporation Radiographic source

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2435747A (en) * 1943-06-25 1948-02-10 Adlake Co Method and apparatus for sealing containers
US3440797A (en) * 1965-05-06 1969-04-29 British Oxygen Co Ltd Apparatus for filling and sealing containers

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2435747A (en) * 1943-06-25 1948-02-10 Adlake Co Method and apparatus for sealing containers
US3440797A (en) * 1965-05-06 1969-04-29 British Oxygen Co Ltd Apparatus for filling and sealing containers

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3800496A (en) * 1972-02-18 1974-04-02 Automatisme & Technique Machine for filling receptacles in particular fountain pen cartridges
US4364485A (en) * 1981-05-15 1982-12-21 Schering Corporation Injectable fluid container and method
US4827493A (en) * 1987-10-05 1989-05-02 Amersham Corporation Radiographic source

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CH523175A (fr) 1972-05-31
DE2010711A1 (de) 1970-09-10
GB1278530A (en) 1972-06-21
DE2010711C3 (de) 1975-01-23
FR2038451A5 (de) 1971-01-08
DE2010711B2 (de) 1971-12-23

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