Small Handling Pole Locking Assembly

• US 20090242065A1
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ge-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ge-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Inventors: Whitling, Robert, Jones, William Dale, Francisco, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 8,002,491 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 138/120
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 1/04 telescopic; extensible; sectional
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/04 with bayonet catch
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/69 Redundant disconnection blocking means
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/042 with a locking element, e.g. pin, ball or pushbutton, engaging in a hole in the wall of at least one tube
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/105 locking in discrete positions, e.g. in extreme extended position
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 19/16 Articulated or telescopic chutes or tubes for connection to channels in the reactor core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7007 Bayonet joint
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7083 having means to prevent removal of retainer

Abstract

In various embodiments, the system includes a tubular female end portion of the first pole section and a male end portion of the second pole section that is insertable into the female end portion. The system additionally includes a locking nut threadingly engaged with the male end portion that is rotatable on the male end portion to longitudinally transition the locking nut into contact with the female end portion to fixedly interlock the male and female end portions. Furthermore, the system includes a biased locking sleeve assembly slidably and rotatably mounted on a locking assembly portion of the second pole. The locking sleeve assembly can include a locking sleeve and a biased plunger slidingly positioned within an interior of the locking sleeve for applying a locking force to the locking nut.

Claims

1. A system for coupling a first pole section to a second pole section, said system comprising:

a tubular female end portion of the first pole section and a male end portion of the second pole section that is insertable into the female end portion;

a locking nut threadingly engaged with the male end portion, the locking nut rotatable to longitudinally transition the locking nut into contact with the female end portion to fixedly couple the male end portion with the female end portion; and

a biased locking sleeve assembly slidably and rotatably mounted on a locking assembly portion of the second pole, the locking sleeve assembly including,

a locking sleeve having a collar portion and neck portion;

a plunger slidingly positioned within an interior of the collar portion; and

a biasing device located within the interior of the collar portion, between the neck portion and the plunger, for forcing the plunger against the locking nut.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the locking sleeve neck portion comprises a plurality of locking slots engageable with a locking sleeve retaining pin extending through the locking assembly portion to place the locking sleeve in a locked position, and wherein the biasing device exerts a locking load on the locking nut, via the plunger, sufficient to inhibit rotation of the locking nut, when the locking sleeve is in the locked position.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the locking sleeve neck portion further comprises a pair of retraction slots engageable with the locking sleeve retaining pin to place the locking sleeve in an unlocked position, and wherein the load on the locking nut, via the biasing device and plunger, is reduced to allow rotation of the locking nut and separation of the male and female end portions, when the locking sleeve is in the unlocked position.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the locking slots comprise slots radially located within an interior surface of a distal end portion of the locking sleeve neck portion and the locking sleeve retaining pin extends through the locking assembly portion such that opposing ends of the retaining pin are insertable into the locking slots to retain the locking sleeve in the locked position.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the retraction slots comprise a pair of opposing slots formed in the interior surface of the distal end portion of the locking sleeve neck portion such that the opposing ends of the retaining pin are insertable into the retraction slots to retain the locking sleeve in the unlocked position, the retraction slots having a greater longitudinal length than the locking slots.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a protection sleeve mounted on the locking assembly portion, the protection sleeve including a protective hood that extends over the retaining pin and is sized to receive the locking sleeve neck portion.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the locking sleeve neck portion comprises an alignment indicator on an exterior surface of the neck portion indicative of the location of the retraction slots formed in the interior surface of the neck portion.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the locking slots have a length sized to position a distal end of the locking sleeve collar portion in close proximity to the locking nut when the locking sleeve is in the locked position such that when the locking nut is rotated to longitudinally transition the locking nut toward the locking sleeve, the locking nut will abut the distal end of the locking sleeve collar portion preventing the locking nut from longitudinally transitioning a sufficient distance to allow separation of the male and female end portions.

9. A system for coupling a first pole section to a second pole section, said system comprising:

a tubular female end portion of the first pole section, the tubular female end portion including a pair of opposing substantially J-shaped connecting slots, each having a backbone section open at a distal end of the female end portion;

a male end portion of the second pole section having a connecting pin extending therethrough, the male end portion insertable into the female end portion such that opposing ends of the connecting pin are inserted into the backbone sections of the connecting slots and radially transitionable to a hook section of the respective connecting slots;

a locking nut threadingly engaged with the male end portion at a proximal end of the male end portion, the locking nut rotatable to longitudinally transition the locking nut into contact with the female end portion such that the connecting pin ends are moved into the hook sections of the connecting slots to fixedly interlock the male end portion with the female end portion;

a locking sleeve retaining pin extending through a locking sleeve assembly portion of the second pole between the locking nut and a proximal end of the locking sleeve assembly portion; and

a biased locking sleeve assembly slidably and rotatably mounted on the locking sleeve assembly portion between the locking nut and the locking sleeve retaining pin, the locking sleeve assembly including,

a locking sleeve having a collar portion and neck portion;

a plunger slidingly positioned within an interior of the collar portion; and

a biasing device located within the interior of the collar portion, between the neck portion and the plunger, for forcing the plunger against the locking nut.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the locking sleeve neck portion comprises a plurality of locking slots engageable with the locking sleeve retaining pin to place the locking sleeve in a locked position, and wherein the biasing device exerts a locking load on the locking nut, via the plunger, sufficient to prevent or considerably inhibit rotation of the locking nut and separation of the locking nut and female end portion when the locking nut has been transitioned into contact with the female end portion and moved the connecting pin into the hook sections of the connecting slots, when the locking sleeve is in the locked position.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the locking sleeve neck portion further comprises a pair of retraction slots engageable with the locking sleeve retaining pin to place the locking sleeve in an unlocked position, and wherein the load on the locking nut, via the biasing device and plunger, is reduced to allow rotation of the locking nut and separation of the male and female end portions, when the locking sleeve is in the unlocked position.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the locking slots comprise slots radially located within an interior surface of a distal end portion of the locking sleeve neck portion and the locking sleeve retaining pin extends through the locking sleeve assembly portion between the locking sleeve and locking sleeve assembly portion proximal end such that opposing ends of the retaining pin are insertable into the locking slots to retain the locking sleeve in the locked position.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the retraction slots comprise a pair of opposing slots formed in the interior surface of the distal end portion of the locking sleeve neck portion such that the opposing ends of the retaining pin are insertable into the retraction slots to retain the locking sleeve in the unlocked position, the retraction slots having a greater longitudinal length than the locking slots.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a protection sleeve mounted on the locking sleeve assembly portion, the protection sleeve including a protective hood that extends over the retaining pin and is sized to receive the locking sleeve neck portion.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the locking sleeve neck portion comprises an alignment indicator on an exterior surface of the neck portion indicative of the location of the retraction slots formed in the interior surface of the neck portion.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the locking slots have a length sized to position a distal end of the locking sleeve collar portion in close proximity to the locking nut when the locking sleeve is in the locked position such that when the locking nut is rotated to longitudinally transition the locking nut toward the locking sleeve, the locking nut will abut the distal end of the locking sleeve collar portion preventing the locking nut from longitudinally transitioning a sufficient distance to allow the connecting pin ends from moving out of the hook sections, thereby preventing separation of the male and female end portions.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the first pole section comprise a tool that includes the tubular female end portion for having the male end portion inserted therein to fixedly interlock the male end portion with the tool.

18. A method for coupling a first pole section to a second pole section, said method comprising:

inserting a tubular female end portion of the first pole section over a male end portion of the second pole section such that opposing ends of a connecting pin extending through the male end portion are inserted into backbone sections of opposing J-shaped connecting slots formed in the female end portion;

rotating at least one the male and female end portion relative to each other to radially transition the connecting pin ends to hook sections of the respective connecting slots rotating a locking nut threadingly engaged with the male end portion at a proximal end of the male end portion to longitudinally transition the locking nut into contact with the female end portion, thereby moving the connecting pin ends into the hook sections to fixedly interlock the male end portion with the female end portion;

longitudinally transitioning a biased locking sleeve assembly mounted on a locking sleeve assembly portion of the second pole toward the locking nut such that a biased plunger of the locking sleeve assembly exerts a locking force on the locking nut sufficient to prevent or considerably inhibit rotation of the locking nut and separation of the locking nut and female end portion; and

rotating a locking sleeve of the locking sleeve assembly to engage a pair of locking slots radially located within an interior surface of a distal end portion of a neck portion of the locking sleeve with a locking sleeve retaining pin extending through the locking sleeve assembly portion, thereby locking the locking sleeve assembly in a locked position where the locking force exerted by the biased plunger is maintained on the locking nut.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the locking sleeve comprises a pair of retraction slots formed in the interior surface of the distal end portion of the locking sleeve neck portion, the retraction slots engageable with the locking sleeve retaining pin to place the locking sleeve in an unlocked position, and wherein the locking force on the locking nut, via the biased plunger, is removed to allow rotation of the locking nut and separation of the male and female end portions, when the locking sleeve is in the unlocked position.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the locking slots have a length sized to position a distal end of the locking sleeve in close proximity to the locking nut when the locking sleeve is in the locked position such that when the locking nut is rotated to longitudinally transition the locking rout toward the locking sleeve, the locking nut will abut the distal end of the locking sleeve preventing the locking nut from longitudinally transitioning a sufficient distance to allow the connecting pin ends from moving out of the hook sections, thereby preventing separation of the male and female end portions.