ROMOTE-CONTROL MANIPULATOR FOR INTERVENTIONS IN A VESSEL WITH A PIPELINE OF A STEAM GENERATOR, PARTICULARLY FOR NUCLEAR STEAM GENERATORS

摘要

Telemanipulator for operation in a waterbox of a steam generator for attachment underneath the tubeplate of the latter. The device has expandable grippers mounted on arms carried by a bearer unit, for engaging and locking as required in the orifices in the tubeplate, with means enabling independent movement of the apparatus underneath the tubeplate while remaining always suspended by at least two grippers. The bearer unit has four independent arms each equipped with two expandable grippers, and on the portion of it opposite from the tubeplate it supports an arm having a number of members hinged together, the end member of the arm being equipped with tool attachment means, the whole of the arm being in turn revolvable about the axis of the unit perpendicular to the tubeplate, with remote-controlled means for adjusting and maintaining the angular position of the arm with respect to the bearer unit and the angular position of each of the members of the arm relative to one another. The invention is applicable especially to steam generators in nuclear power stations.