Gripping device, especially for use in manipulating control bars in a nuclear reactor

摘要

A device for gripping bundles of control bars or rods for extracting the control bars from and introducing the control bars into fuel cells of nuclear reactors in which the control bars are in bundles connected by a spider-like head at the top and the gripping device includes a plate with a perforation through which the head can pass. When the head is released from the fuel cell and lifted upwardly through the plate, the plate provides lateral guidance for the control rods thereby facilitating replacement of the control rods into a fuel cell. The gripping device includes a reciprocable gripper body in a gripper tool detachably connectable thereto and to said head and guided on said plate by guide members projecting from the plate.