High crown anti-rotation bolt

• US 7,993,086 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2008
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Areva NP Incorporated (AES Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Areva NP Incorporated (AES Corporation)
• Inventors: Kruse, Brian, Ring, Brian, Enneking, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Saether; Flemming
• Application Number:
  US12/157,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20090311072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,151 Days
• Field of Search: 411/114, 411/115, 411/166, 411/949, 411/962, 411/127, 411/128, 411/979, 411/141, 411/142, 411/121
• US Class Current: 411/141
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/105 locking the bold head or nut into a hole or cavity, e.g. with the cup washer, ring or sleeve deformed into a dimple in the cavity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 411/979 Resilient

Abstract

The present disclosure shows an anti-rotation bolt for fastening reactor plates to prevent subsequent SCC problems wherein the bolt head has a circumferential series of anti-rotation tabs extending from the head of the bolt which are moved in by a restrainer cone which is placed on top of the bolt to allow its insertion into the plates and is removed for locking the tabs into detents formed in one of the plates to provide anti-rotation. The cone is again moved over the tabs during the removal of same leaving the bolt undamaged and fit for reuse.

Claims

1. An anti-rotation bolt for fastening together members of a nuclear reactor comprising:

a threaded shank portion;

a first head portion attached to said threaded shank portion and having a series of tab members extending there from;

a second head portion located between said tab members of said first head portion having drive engaging means thereon for torqueing the bolt; and

wherein

said tab members are bendable inwardly to move them out of any engagement with obstructive preventing rotation upon an exerted predetermined force and are returnable to their original position upon removal of said predetermined force;

the shank portion, first head portion, and second head portion are integral; and

each of said tab members comprises an angled section extending away from said first head portion and a vertical section extending from said angled section.

2. An anti-rotation bolt as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tab members comprise eight equally spaced members.

3. An anti-rotation bolt as set forth in claim 1 wherein each vertical tab member has one angled side.

4. An anti-rotation bolt as set forth in claim 3 wherein said bolt is made from stainless steel material.

5. An anti-rotation bolt as set forth in claim 3 wherein said bolt is made from austenitic stainless steel or a nickel base alloy.

6. An anti-rotation bolt as set forth in claim 1 including a conical ring section pressed over said tab members in a first position to exert said predetermined force.

7. An anti-rotation bolt as set forth in claim 6 wherein said conical ring section comprises a tubular section having an angled internal surface along a lower section of said tubular section.

8. An anti-rotation bolt as set forth in claim 6 wherein said conical ring section is pressed over said tab members during torqueing of said bolt and is removed there from upon completion.

9. An anti-rotation bolt as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tab members are positioned to retain the first and second head portions in place.

10. An anti-rotation assembly having two parts bolted together comprising:

a first part having a counter-bore section and a second section extending down there from with a series of detents formed in the walls of the counter-bore section;

a second part joined to said first part and having a threaded section aligned with the second section of said first part;

a bolt having a threaded shank section and a first head portion with a series of flexible tab members extending there from and a drive section for driving said bolt into said first and second parts, said bolt further including a second head portion located between said tab members of said first head portion having drive engaging means thereon for torqueing the bolt; and

retaining cone means for preventing said flexible tabs from engaging the detents of said first part when said bolt is being driven into said threaded section of said second part; and

wherein;

said retainer cone means allows said flexible members of said bolt to engage said detents of said first part when said bolt is driven into position in said first and second part joining them together;

said tab members are bendable inwardly to move them out of any engagement with obstructive preventing rotation upon an exerted predetermined force and are returnable to their original position upon removal of said predetermined force; and

each of said tab members comprises an angled section extending away from said first head portion and a vertical section extending from said angled section.

11. An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said tab members comprise eight equally spaced members.

12. An assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein each vertical tab member has one angled side.

13. An assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said retainer cone means comprises a conical ring section pressed over said tab members in a first position to exert said predetermined force.

14. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said conical ring section comprises a tubular section having an angled internal surface along a lower section of said tubular section.

15. An assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said conical ring section is pressed over said tab members during torqueing of said bolt and is removed there from upon completion.