Process and device for positioning hair-pin springs on plate, particularly for fuel assembly grids

摘要

The device of the invention allows a hair-pin spring with two legs to be inserted astride a plate having windows for locally welding the legs together. This device receives one plate at a time and moves it lengthwise, and a corridor guides each spring in turn, the spring being moved along the corridor towards its insertion position. A mask movable parallel to the plane of the plate from the edge furthest from the zone through which the introduction takes place allows the window to be covered furthest from the zone through which the introduction takes place so as to avoid jamming.