Nuclear reactor fuelling machine

The refuelling machine described comprises a rotatable support structure having a guide tube attached to it by a parellel linkage mechanism, whereby the guide tube can be displaced sideways from the support structure. A gripper unit is housed within the guide tube for gripping the end of a fuel assembly or other reactor component and has means for maintenance in the engaging condition during travel of the unit along the guide tube, except for a small portion of the travel at one end of the guide tube, where the inner surface of the guide tube is shaped so as to maintain the gripper unit in a disengaging condition. The gripper unit has a rotatable head, means for moving it linearly within the guide tube so that a component carried by the unit can be housed in the guide tube, and means for rotating the head of the unit through 1800 relative to its body, to effect rotation of a component carried by the unit. The means for rotating the head of the gripper unit comprises ring and pinion gearing, operable through a series of rotatable shafts interconnected by universal couplings. The reason for provision for 1800 rotation is that due to the variation in the neutron flux across the reactor core the side of a fuel assembly towards the outside of the core will be subjected to a lower neutron flux and therefore will grow less than the side of the fuel assembly towards the inside of the core. This can lead to bowing and possible jamming of the fuel assemblies. Full constructional details are given. See also BP 1112384. (U.K.)