Apparatus for manipulating radioactive material to and from a storage unit

Claim 2

For use with apparatus for manipulating radioactive material including a radioactive source, a source cable supporting the source, a storage unit for storing the source, manipulating means including a flexible propelling cable for moving said source into and out of said unit, and coupling means having a pair of mating male and female connectors for connecting said manipulating means to said source cable and to said storage unit, an improved male connector comprising: a connector body supporting said propelling cable such that an end fitting therefore is presented for engagement with an end fitting on said source cable; and support means mounting pin means adapted to be received in socket means in said female connector for to-and-fro movement along the propelling cable relative to said body for exposing, upon rearward axial movement thereof, said propelling cable end fitting to enable connection with said source cable end fitting and for enabling, upon forward axial movement thereof, engagement of said pin means with said socket means after said connection has been made.

Claim 3

The apparatus defined by claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a pair of semicylindrical shells hinged on said body and coaxial therewith when in the closed position and an annular member carrying said pin means concentric with said shells and slideable thereover for effecting engagement of said pins with said socket means in said female connector.

Claim 4

For use with apparatus for manipulating radioactive material including a radioactive source, a source cable supporting the source, a storage unit for storing the source, manipulating means including a flexible propelling cable for moving said source into and out of said unit, coupling means for connecting said manipulating means to said source cable and to said storage unit, comprising: a male conNector anchored to said manipulating means and comprising a bore for slideably receiving said propelling cable and stop means for abuttingly engaging an end fitting on said propelling cable to prevent retraction of said propelling cable fitting into said bore; and a female connector anchored to said source storage unit for receiving said male connector in locking engagement, said female connector having manually operable cable locking means for retentively locking said source cable in said female connector with an end fitting for said source cable projecting from said female connector for connection with said propelling cable end fitting, said cable end fittings having a total axial length which is sufficiently greater when said fittings are unconnected then when said fittings are connected as to prevent interlocking engagement of said female and male connectors except when said fittings are connected.

Claim 5

For use with apparatus for manipulating radioactive material including a radioactive source, a source cable supporting the source, a storage unit for storing the source, manipulating means including a flexible propelling cable for moving said source into and out of said unit, coupling means for connecting said manipulating means to said source cable and to said storage unit, comprising: a male conNector anchored to said manipulating means and comprising a bore for slideably receiving said propelling cable and stop means for abuttingly engaging an end fitting on said propelling cable to prevent retraction of said propelling cable fitting into said bore; and a female connector anchored to said source storage unit for receiving said male connector in locking engagement, said female connector having manually operable cable locking means for retentively locking said source cable in said female connector with an end fitting for said source cable projecting from said female connector for connection with said propelling cable end fitting, said cable end fittings having a total axial length which is sufficiently greater when said fittings are unconnected then when said fittings are connected as to prevent interlocking engagement of said female and male connectors except when said fittings are connected.

Claim 6

The apparatus defined by claim 3 wherein said stop means comprises a shoulder on said bore.

Claim 7

The apparatus defined by claim 4 wherein said end fittings comprise a neck and slot arrangement wherein a neck formed on one fitting is received in a side-entered slot on the other fitting.

Claim 8

For use with apparatus for manipulating radioactive material including a radioactive source, a source cable supporting the source, a storage unit for storing the source, manipulating means including a flexible propelling cable for moving said source into and out of said unit, coupling means for connecting said manipulating means to said source cable and to said storage unit, comprising: a male connector anchored to said manipulating means and having a bore for slideably receiving said propelling cable; and a female connector anchored to said storage unit for receiving said male connector in locking engagement, said female connector having a bore for slideably receiving said cable and comprising: cable securing means mounted for radial movement into and out of retentive engagement with said source cable, control means for driving said cable securing means and for effecting said locking engagement of said male and female connectors, said control means effecting a release of said cable when moved to a predetermined setting to allow the propulsion of said source from said storage unit, and blocking means responsive to movement of said source cable out of said female connector for blocking said securing means and said control means when said source is out of said storage unit to prevent actuating of said control means to uncouple said male and female connectors except when said source is in said storage unit.

Claim 9

For use with apparatus for manipulating radioactive material including a radioactive source, a source cable supporting the source, a storage unit for storing the source, manipulating means including a flexible propelling cable for moving said source into and out of said unit, coupling means for connecting said manipulating means to said source cable and to said storage unit, comprising: a male connector anchored to said manipulating means and having a bore for slideably receiving said propelling cable; and a female connector anchored to said storage unit for receiving said male connector in locking engagement, said female connector having a bore for slideably receiving said cable and comprising: cable securing means mounted for radial movement into and out of retentive engagement with said source cable, control means for driving said cable securing means and for effecting said locking engagement of said male and female connectors, said control means effecting a release of said cable when moved to a predetermined setting to allow the propulsion of said source from said storage unit, and blocking means responsive to movement of said source cable out of said female connector for blocking said securing means and said control means when said source is out of said storage unit to prevent actuating of said control means to uncouple said male and female connectors except when said source is in said storage unit.

Claim 10

The apparatus defined by claim 6 wherein said blocking means comprises an axially spring-biased sleeve coaxial with said bore.

Claim 11

For use with apparatus for manipulating radioactive material including a radioactive source, a source cable supporting the source, a storage unit for storing the source, manipulating means including a flexible propelling cable for moving said source into and out of said unit, coupling means for connecting said manipulating means to said source cable and to said storage unit, comprising: a male connector anchored to said manipulating means, said connector having a bore for slideably receiving said propelling cable and connector pin means projecting therefrom; and a female connector anchored to said storage unit and having socket means for receiving in locking engagement said connector pin means on said male connector, said female connector having a bore for slideably receiving said cable and comprising: cable securing means including locking pin means mounted for radial movement into and out of blocking engagement with said source cable, control means including radial camming means in driving engagement with said locking pin means, said camming means engaging said connector pin means upon actuation thereof for effecting said locking engagement of said male and female connectors, said control means Effecting a release of said cable when moved to a predetermined setting to allow the propulsion of said source from said storage unit, and axially spring-biased sleeve means coaxial with said bore and responsive to movement of said source cable out of said female connector for blocking said locking pin means and said control means when said source is out of said storage unit to prevent actuating of said control means to uncouple said male and female connectors except when said source is in said storage unit.

Claim 12

For use with apparatus for manipulating radioactive material including a radioactive source, a source cable supporting the source, a storage unit for storing the source, manipulating means including a flexible propelling cable for moving said source into and out of said unit, coupling means for connecting said manipulating means to said source cable and to said storage unit, comprising: a male connector anchored to said manipulating means, said connector having a bore for slideably receiving said propelling cable and connector pin means projecting therefrom; and a female connector anchored to said storage unit and having socket means for receiving in locking engagement said connector pin means on said male connector, said female connector having a bore for slideably receiving said cable and comprising: cable securing means including locking pin means mounted for radial movement into and out of blocking engagement with said source cable, control means including radial camming means in driving engagement with said locking pin means, said camming means engaging said connector pin means upon actuation thereof for effecting said locking engagement of said male and female connectors, said control means Effecting a release of said cable when moved to a predetermined setting to allow the propulsion of said source from said storage unit, and axially spring-biased sleeve means coaxial with said bore and responsive to movement of said source cable out of said female connector for blocking said locking pin means and said control means when said source is out of said storage unit to prevent actuating of said control means to uncouple said male and female connectors except when said source is in said storage unit.