958,974. Handling radio-active material. COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE. Nov. 7, 1960 [Nov. 6, 1959], No. 38158/60. Heading B4Q. [Also in Division B7] Apparatus for conveying radio-active material between a number of stations 3 . . . 5 arranged in line comprises a fluid-tight tunnel 1 arranged beneath the stations, apertures 10 in the tunnel being aligned with station apertures 11, bellows 12 forming a seal therebetween. At least one bucket 13 is supported by rollers 14 on the floor of the channel and carries at each end on its underside three magnets 16, the magnet pole faces being spaced a small distance from the floor. A chain or belt 17 supported by rollers 18 beneath the tunnel has secured thereto a control carriage 19 having magnets 22 aligned with the magnets 16. The magnetic attraction between the opposed pairs of magnets 16, 22 holds the rollers 20 of the carriage 19 against the outside of the tunnel wall and ensures that movement of the carriage by the chain 17 causes a corresponding movement of the bucket. In operation, the bucket is positioned beneath a station and the corresponding apertures 10, 11 are opened to permit transfer of the material into or from the bucket, these apertures then being closed and the bucket moved to another station. The tunnel may be filled with an inert gas through an opening 7 in an end wall 6.
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