1. A method of transferring a radioactive payload from a first shielding container to a second shielding container comprising:
a) positioning a shield-gate apparatus atop the first shielding container, the shield-gate apparatus comprising a body, a passageway extending along an axis through the body from a first opening in a top surface of the body to a second opening in a bottom surface of the body, and one or more movable shielding gates;
b) opening the one or more shielding gates of the shield-gate apparatus;
c) lifting a removable shielding lid of the first shielding container through the passageway until the removable shielding lid is above the one or more shielding gates and closing the one or more shielding gates of the shield-gate apparatus;
d) positioning a shielding block atop the shield-gate structure to enclose the first opening, the shielding block comprising a central axis and a first tool port offset from the central axis of the shielding block;
e) removing a first shielding plug from the first tool port and opening the one or more shielding gates of the shield-gate apparatus;
f) rotating the shielding block about the central axis of the shielding block to a first rotational position;
g) inserting a first tool through the first tool port and removing one of a plurality of fasteners that secure a removable pressure vessel lid to a pressure vessel body using the first tool, the radioactive payload positioned within the pressure vessel;
h) rotating the shielding block about the central axis from the first rotational position to a second rotational position;
i) removing another one of the plurality of fasteners using the first tool;
j) removing a second radiation shielding plug from a second tool port of the shielding block that is aligned with the central axis of the shielding block;
k) inserting a second tool through the second tool port and lifting the pressure vessel lid through the passageway using the second tool until the pressure vessel lid contacts the shielding block;
l) lifting both the shielding block and the removable pressure vessel lid using the second tool until the removable pressure vessel lid is above the one or more gates of the shield-gate apparatus and closing the one or more shielding gates of the shield-gate apparatus;
m) positioning a second shielding container atop the shield-gate apparatus and opening the one or more shielding gates of the shield-gate apparatus; and
n) lifting the radioactive payload through the passageway and into a second cavity of the second shielding container.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more shielding gates are movable between: (1) a closed state in which the one or more shielding gates block the passageway; and (2) an open state in which the one or more shielding gates do not obstruct the passageway.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the removable shielding lid has a bottom portion having a transverse cross-section that substantially corresponds to a transverse cross-section of the first opening in the top surface of the body of the shield-gate apparatus in both size and shape, and wherein step c) further comprises maintaining the removable shielding lid in a position in which either: (1) a bottom surface of the removable shielding lid is disposed within the passageway at a height above the one or more shielding gates; or (2) the bottom surface of the removable shielding lid is substantially flush with the top surface of the body of the shield-gate apparatus, during the closing of the one or more shielding gates.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the removable pressure vessel lid has a bottom portion having a transverse cross-section that substantially corresponds to a transverse cross-section of the first opening in the top surface of the body of the shield-gate apparatus in both size and shape, and wherein step l) further comprises maintaining the shielding block and the removable pressure vessel lid in a position in which either: (1) a bottom surface of the removable pressure vessel lid is disposed within the passageway at a height above the one or more shielding gates; or (2) the bottom surface of the removable pressure vessel lid is substantially flush with the top surface of the body of the shield-gate apparatus, during the closing of the one or more shielding gates.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein in the first rotational position, a first port axis of the first tool port is substantially coaxial with a first fastener axis of the one of the plurality of fasteners, and wherein in the second rotational position, the first port axis of the first tool port is substantially coaxial with a second fastener axis of the another one of the plurality of fasteners.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the shield-gate apparatus further comprises a retaining feature, and wherein step d) further comprises positioning the shielding block atop the shield-gate structure so that the retaining feature prevents relative transverse movement between the shielding block and the shield-gate apparatus while allowing relative rotation between the shielding block and the shield-gate apparatus about the central axis of the shielding block.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the second shielding container comprises a shield-gate and a structure protruding from a bottom surface of the shield-gate, and wherein step m) further comprises positioning the second shielding container atop the shield-gate apparatus so that interaction between the structure and the retaining feature of the shield-gate apparatus prevents relative transverse movement between the second shielding container and the shield-gate apparatus.
8. A method of providing access to a radioactive payload located within a first cavity of a first shielding container, the method comprising:
a) positioning a shield-gate apparatus atop the first shielding container, the shield-gate apparatus comprising a body, a passageway extending along an axis through the body from a first opening in a top surface of the body to a second opening in a bottom surface of the body, and one or more movable shielding gates that are open; and
b) lifting a removable shielding lid of the first shielding container through the passageway and closing the one or more shielding gates of the shield-gate apparatus, wherein the removable shielding lid is maintained in a position in which either: (1) a bottom surface of the removable shielding lid is disposed within the passageway at a height above the one or more shielding gates; or (2) the bottom surface of the removable shielding lid is substantially flush with the top surface of the body of the shield-gate apparatus, during the closing of the one or more shielding gates.
9. A method of providing access to a radioactive payload located within a pressure vessel disposed within a first cavity of a first shielding container, the method comprising:
a) positioning a shield-gate apparatus atop the first shielding container, the shield-gate apparatus comprising a body, a passageway extending along an axis through the body from a first opening in a top surface of the body to a second opening in a bottom surface of the body, and one or more movable shielding gates that are open;
b) positioning a shielding block atop the shield-gate apparatus to enclose the first opening;
c) inserting a tool through a tool port in the shielding block and engaging with the tool a removable pressure vessel lid that has been unfastened from a pressure vessel body;
d) lifting the removable pressure vessel lid through the passageway until the removable pressure vessel lid contacts the shielding block with the tool; and
e) lifting both the shielding block and the removable pressure vessel lid using the tool until the removable pressure vessel lid is above the one or more gates of the shield-gate apparatus and closing the one or more shielding gates of the shield-gate apparatus.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein step e) further comprises maintaining the shielding block and the removable pressure vessel lid in a position in which either: (1) a bottom surface of the removable pressure vessel lid is disposed within the passageway at a height above the one or more shielding gates; or (2) the bottom surface of the removable pressure vessel lid is substantially flush with the top surface of the body of the shield-gate apparatus, during the closing of the one or more shielding gates.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein step c) further comprises removing a shielding plug from the tool port prior to inserting the tool through the tool port.
12. A method of working within a first cavity of a first shielding container containing a radioactive payload, the system comprising:
a) positioning a shield-gate apparatus atop the first shielding container, the shield-gate apparatus comprising a body, a passageway extending along an axis through the body from a first opening in a top surface of the body to a second opening in a bottom surface of the body, and one or more movable shielding gates that are open;
b) positioning a shielding block atop the shield-gate apparatus to enclose the first opening, the shielding block comprising a tool port that is offset from an axis of rotation of the shielding block;
c) inserting a tool through the tool port and into the first cavity;
d) rotating the shielding block relative to the first shielding container about the rotational axis from a first rotational position to a second rotational position, wherein the tool performs work at the first rotational position and at the second rotational position.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein step d) further comprises preventing relative transverse movement between the shielding block and the shield-gate apparatus during said rotation.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein relative transverse movement between the shielding block and the shield-gate apparatus during said rotation is prevented by interaction between a retaining feature of the shield-gate apparatus and the shielding block.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for centering and adjusting a tension of a spoked running wheel having a rim and a plurality of spokes, the apparatus comprising:
a support device for clamping the running wheel in a position that is centered relative to a radial center plane, wherein the support device includes symmetrically arranged support plates that exert a pulling-tilting movement on the rim to center the rim relative to the running wheel axis center plane;
a measurement device slidingly disposed on a guide portion of one of the support plates for measuring an axial and radial runout of the rim by sensing a gap size of a rim width centered relative to the running wheel radial plane;
a nipple wrench including a support unit for adjusting the tension of the spoke running wheel; and
an attachment device for securing the nipple wrench onto a nipple portion of the spoke, wherein the attachment device includes a sliding guide device that is placed over the spoke nipple to adjust a tension of the spoked running wheel by adjusting a position of the spoke nipple.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support device for clamping the running wheel is installed symmetric to a running wheel axis radial center plane.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the measurement device includes measurement tracing pins that are positioned on each side of a radial segment of the rim and sense the gap size of the rim width centered relative to the running wheel radial plane.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the measurement device includes an electronic distance sensor disposed on the guide portion of one of support plates for measuring a gap size.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nipple wrench support unit includes a holding device having a holding support for holding the running wheel axle and for clamping the hub sockets with radial slide bearings positioned parallel to the running wheel axis radial center plane.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the holding support includes the sliding guide device comprising a running wheel axis sliding guide device associated with the measurement device.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein fine measurement device is installed so that it can move parallel to the framing wheel axis radial center plane in the radial direction of the running wheel.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the measurement device includes a display identifying running wheel rim defects and radial or axial deviations of running wheel rim.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein file measurement device includes an opto-electronic device for transmitting and receiving flat beams running symmetrical and orthogonal to the framing wheel axis center plane and that intersect in a predetermined rim segment to measure the gap size without physical contact of file rim.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a motor-driven device that displaces the flat beam measurement device along the guide portion of the support device to automatically adjust the measurement body corresponding to a size of the rim.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nipple wrench comprises a motor-driven nipple wrench wherein the sliding guide device is displaceable along the spoke axis, the sliding guide device having a slotted socket that is disposed over the spoke nipple and that is rotatable over a predetermined rotational angle.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the sliding guide device includes:
two parallel guides that open tapering outwardly in the running wheel spoke direction; and
a holding support device for axis-parallel contact on the running wheel spoke.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the attachment device further includes at least a radial joint device that moves parallel or perpendicular or orthogonal to the running wheel radial plane using the sliding guide device.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the motor-driven nipple wrench is mounted so that it can move in the plane orthogonal to the running wheel radial plane using the linear sliding device.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the motor-driven nipple wrench is installed in the plane orthogonal to the running wheel radial plane with radial joint devices moving parallel to the running wheel radial plane.
16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the motor-driven nipple wrench is installed in the plane orthogonal to the running wheel radial plane with radial joint devices moving perpendicular to the running wheel radial plane.
17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the motor-driven nipple wrench includes a translational movement device for attaching the nipple wrench to the spoke nipple.
18. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the motor-driven nipple wrench includes a torsion measurement device having:
a spring-guided ball disposed on the spoke;
an angle transmitter adjacent the spoke for measuring rotational movement of the spoke; and
a nipple position sensor disposed on file spring-guided ball, wherein spoke tension is determinable using the angular position of the spoke and the nipple position.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein a rotating wrench socket having a shape corresponding to a nipple square is attached to the nipple square, and a rotational angle measurement means is attached to a tensioning socket attached to the spoke nipple square in the spoke axial direction.
20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nipple wrench comprises a manual wrench for measuring the axial tension of the spoke which includes a spoke adhesion device that can be fixed relative to one of the spokes, or one of the rims.
21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the manual nipple wrench for measuring the axial tension of the spoke is installed with an angled contact device that can be fixed relative to one of the rims.
22. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the axial runout and the radial runout of the running wheel rim is displayed in a scale field using the support device arranged axis-symmetrical to the running wheel axis center plane and to two measurement tracing pins and coupled movably with the two measurement tracing pins and that the support device can be adjusted in the running wheel radial direction centered relative to the appropriate rim width and movements of the lateral measurement tracing pin acting in the same direction can be displayed as axial deviations from an ideal line.
23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a lateral measurement tracing pin can be coupled via the measurement body to a radial measurement tracing pin device movable in the running wheel axial direction, for groove-free rim side surfaces, both the support device coupled with the lateral and radial measurement tracing pins and also the two parallel display measurement plates can display the radial deviations of the rim together with its axial deviations.