Method and apparatus for removably mounting a top nozzle on a nuclear reactor fuel assembly

In a fuel assembly having a top nozzle and control rod guide thimbles, a method is described of removably mounting the top nozzle on the ends of the guide thimbles, comprising the steps of: (a) releasably mating hollow outer sockets defined in the top nozzle with hollow inner sockets defined on the ends of the guide thimbles. The inner sockets are movable between compressed conditions for removing and inserting the inner sockets from and into the outer sockets in mounting and removing the top nozzle on and from the guide thimbles and expanded conditions for mating the inner and outer sockets together and the top nozzle on the guide thimbles; (b) supporting elongated locking tubes such that end portions thereof extend into the outer sockets defined in the top nozzle; and (c) moving all of the locking tubes at the same time between unlocking and locking positions to displace their end portions axially within the outer sockets between first and second locations