Neutron-absorber release device

Patent · 31 December 1975

OSTI ID:862701

VAN Erp, Jan B ^[1]; Kimont, Edward L ^[2]

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1. Hinsdale, IL
2. Evergreen Park, IL

A resettable device is provided for supporting an object, sensing when an environment reaches a critical temperature and releasing the object when the critical temperature is reached. It includes a flexible container having a material inside with a melting point at the critical temperature. The object's weight is supported by the solid material which gives rigidity to the container until the critical temperature is reached at which point the material in the container melts. The flexible container with the now fluid material inside has insufficient strength to support the object which is thereby released. Biasing means forces the container back to its original shape so that when the temperature falls below the melting temperature the material again solidifies, and the object may again be supported by the device.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 3992257
• OSTI ID: 862701
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/376/74/976/
below
biasing
biasing means
container
critical
critical temperature
device
environment
falls
falls below
flexible
flexible container
fluid
fluid material
forces
inside
insufficient
material
material inside
means
melting
melting temperature
melts
neutron-absorber
original
original shape
provided
reached
reaches
release
release device
released
releasing
resettable
rigidity
sensing
shape
solid
solid material
solidifies
strength
sufficient strength
support
supported
supporting
temperature
weight