WILLIAM J WACHTER
Engineers in Wexford, PA

4889681, Dec 26, 1989

Jun 17, 1986

6/875454

William J. Wachter - Wexford PA
Anton A. Fuierer - Victor NY

U.S. Tool & Die, Inc. - Pittsburgh PA

G21C 1906, G21C 1940

376272

A storage system for the storage of nuclear waste material is disclosed. A storage system includes a plurality of storage canisters of dimensions allowing it to hold spent nuclear fuel rods and a rack structure for maintaining the storage canisters in a definite horizontal and vertical array. A storage system is of particular value for use in underwater nuclear waste storage areas. When used underwater, the system includes buoyant chamber positioned above the rack structure and flexibly connected thereto to provide an upper force to reduce the downward load exerted on a floor of the water pool by the storage canisters and the rack structure. The system thereby allows a far greater number of fuel rods to be stored in an underwater nuclear waste storage area than was possible in the past.

4762664, Aug 9, 1988

Dec 12, 1986

6/941155

William J. Wachter - Wexford PA

U.S. Tool & Die, Inc. - Allison Park PA

G21C 1900

376261

A method and apparatus for withdrawing spent fuel rods from a nuclear fuel rod assembly into a different nuclear fuel rod container wherein the spent fuel rods have a higher fuel rod density, whereby a greater number of spent fuel rods can be stored in a water-storage pool. The individual rods are moved from a fuel assembly and through a transition funnel by movable grippers at opposite ends of the funnel. One movable gripper reciprocates between gripping and release positions in a gap between the fuel assembly and the transition funnel. A stationary gripper can be located in the gap at the entry side of the funnel to hold the fuel rods while the movable gripper returns from a release position to the gripping position. Both grippers include members which can be pressed into frictional engagement with the spaced apart array of fuel rods. All of the fuel rods are withdrawn concurrently and are merged toward one another into a tighter array within the transition funnel and emerge as a bundle.

4721597, Jan 26, 1988

Sep 13, 1985

6/775534

William J. Wachter - Wexford PA

U.S. Tool & Die - Allison Park PA

G21C 1910

376261

A method and apparatus for withdrawing spent fuel rods from a nuclear fuel rod assembly into a different nuclear fuel rod container wherein the spent fuel rods have a higher fuel rod density, whereby a greater number of spent fuel rods can be stored in a water storage pool. The individual rods are drawn upwardly through a transition funnel from the fuel rod assembly into a fuel rod container. Individual pulling elements extend through the fuel rod container and through the transition funnel. The pulling members each includes a renewable metal cap and an electrode for welding the cap to the top end of an individual fuel rod within a fuel rod assembly. All of the fuel rods are withdrawn concurrently and are merged toward one another into a tighter array within the fuel rod container.

4016749, Apr 12, 1977

Jul 14, 1975

5/595577

William J. Wachter - Wexford PA

G01M 304

73 455

A method and apparatus are provided for the inspection of nuclear fuel rods to detect defects or failures in such rods. Assemblies of fuel rods are immersed in water and means are provided for causing a change in the relative pressures in the water and within the fuel rod such that material is expelled from the rod through any defects that may exist. Means are provided for detecting the emission of bubbles, or other material expelled from the rod, and for locating the position of the defective rod in the assembly. The method is also applicable to detection of contaminants in new fuel rods which may result in the development of defects in the rod.

5384813, Jan 24, 1995

Mar 5, 1993

8/027088

Joseph M. Loftis - Pittsburgh PA
William J. Wachter - Wexford PA

Ionics, Inc. - Watertown MA

G21C 1940

376272

A storage rack for storing nuclear fuel rod assemblies is provided with an array of cell housings having damping elements which are preloaded against the outer walls of the individual cells. The damping elements are slabs which when preloaded against the cell walls provide a coulomb damping function which is highly effective in absorbing vibration from rough handling or seismic events. The cell housings may be located in alternating positions in the array and cells may be formed from the outer walls of the surrounding cell housings. The cell housings are held together in the array by support bars which are affixed to the top and bottom ends of the cell housings. The support bars may include recesses to align the cell housings.

4010375, Mar 1, 1977

May 27, 1975

5/580949

William J. Wachter - Wexford PA
Thomas R. Robbins - Crofton MD

G21F 500

250507

A rack is provided for the storage of spent nuclear fuel assemblies in a water-filled storage pit. The rack consists of an array of storage cells containing the fuel assemblies and poison boxes consisting of water-filled enclosures having walls incorporating a neutron-absorbing material. The poison boxes function as neutron traps, and the storage cells and poison boxes are arranged in such a manner that each poison box is immediately adjacent at least one storage cell, and adjacent storage cells are in contact on at least one side of each cell. This results in maximizing the number of fuel assemblies that can be stored in a given space.

4746487, May 24, 1988

Jun 10, 1981

6/272331

William J. Wachter - Wexford PA

U.S. Tool & Die, Inc. - Allison Park PA

G21C 1940

376272

A storage rack for spent nuclear fuel rods is provided having multiple parallel tubes of polygon cross-section with their confronting surfaces having embossed buttons in engagement and having at least one pad of neutron poison material interposed between the confronting surfaces. The tube cells are secured together such that the neutron poison material effectively establishes each individual cell as a neutron isolation chamber and further functions to dampen mechanical vibrations which may be applied to the assembled storage rack.

4889680, Dec 26, 1989

Feb 2, 1988

7/151545

William J. Wachter - Wexford PA

U.S. Tool & Die, Inc. - Pittsburgh PA

G21C 1932

376261

A method of withdrawing spent fuel rods from a nuclear fuel rod assembly into a different nuclear fuel rod container wherein the spent fuel rods have a higher fuel rod density, whereby a greater number of spent fuel rods can be stored in a water storage pool. The individual rods are drawn upwardly through a transition funnel from the fuel rod assembly into a fuel rod container. Individual wires extend through the fuel rod container, through the transition funnel and are secured to the top ends of the individual fuel rods within a fuel rod assembly. All of the fuel rods are withdrawn concurrently and are merged toward one another into a tighter array within the fuel rod container.

4400344, Aug 23, 1983

Nov 14, 1977

5/851038

William J. Wachter - Wexford PA
Thomas R. Robbins - Crofton MD

G21C 1900

376272

A rack is provided for either temporary or permanent storage of spent nuclear fuel assemblies. The rack consists of a checkerboard array of substantially square cells. Alternate cells in each row include neutron-absorbing poison material, either in the cell wall or otherwise, while the other cells are storage cells for the fuel assemblies. For temporary storage, the poison cells also contain a moderator which may be water or which may be a solid hydrogen compound. For permanent storage fuel assemblies that have decayed to a lower level of radioactivity, the moderator is eliminated so that all the cells can contain spent fuel assemblies, and the entire rack structure is encased in concrete for shielding.

5195756, Mar 23, 1993

May 20, 1991

7/703009

William J. Wachter - Wexford PA

Electric Power Research Institute - Palo Alto CA

F16J 1518, F16F 134, F16F 120, F16B 4300

277106

A live-load device for applying a compressive force to packing or gasket material in a valve or pipe conduit junction. The device incorporates spring-washers having resilient blades for imparting a spring force. The spring force is transmitted from each blade through a ball-bearing seated at a selected one of a plurality of contact points along the blade tip. The spring constant of the device is selected by positioning the ball-bearing at a particular one of the contact points. This adjustment capability makes the spring device universally adaptable to a wide variety of valves and conduit junctions.