APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY LOADING A REINFORCING SLEEVE AND MANDREL INTO A TUBE

摘要

An apparatus and method for remotely inserting and positioning a sleeve-loaded mandrel (189) within a damaged tube (214) mounted in the tubesheet (2) of a nuclear steam generator (3). The apparatus of the invention generally comprises a frame (4), a mounting mechanism (25) for detachably and pivotally mounting the frame (4) to the open end of one of a first tube (212) in the tubesheet (2), an advancing assembly (100) supported by the frame (4) for remotely inserting and advancing the sleeve-loaded mandrel (189) to a position across a damaged section of the selected tube (214), and a drive train (82) for pivotally positioning the advancing assembly (100) into alignment with the open end of the selected tube (214). In the preferred embodiment, the advancing means (100) is formed from a pair of hydraulically operated grippers (102, 104) one of which is reciprocably movable with respect to the other.