Floating absorber shutoff device for nuclear reactor

Claim 1

IN A NUCLEAR REACTOR, SAID REACTOR INCLUDING A CORE AND A MODERATOR LIQUID WITHIN SAID CORE, A CHANNEL IN SAID CORE EXTENDING VERTICALLY THROUGH SAID CORE AND ABOVE THE NORMAL LEVEL OF THE SURFACE OF THE MODERATOR LIQUID AND THE INTERIOR OF SAID CHANNEL BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE MODERATION LIQUID, A BUOYANT NEUTRON ABSORBER MATERIAL IN SAID CHANNEL, A PRESSURE GAS SUPPLY SOURCE, A CONDUIT CONNECTING THE UPPER END OF SAID CHANNEL TO THE SOURCE, THE PRESSURE OF SAID GAS SUPPLY SOURCE BEING GREATER THAN THAT ON THE SAID SURFACE OF SAID MODERATOR LIQUID IN SAID CORE, VALVE MEANS IN SAID CONDUIT FOR PREVENTING FLOW OF PRESSURE GAS INTO SAID CHANNEL, AND PUMP MEANS FOR EVACUATING GAS FROM SAID CHANNEL, AND FOR CAUSING LIQUID ENTRY INTO SAID CHANNEL AND RISING OF THE SURFACE OF THE LAST MENTIONED LIQUID ABOVE THE LEVEL OF SAID SURFACE OF LIQUID IN SAID CORE, SAID ABSORBER FLOTATING IN THE LIQUID IN SAID CHANNEL, AND THE LEVEL OF THE SURFACE OF THE LIQUID IN SAID CHANNEL BEING CHOSED WHEREBY SAID ABSORBER RISES ABOVE SAID LEVEL OF THE SURFACE OF MODERATOR LIQUID IN SAID CORE, SAID ABSORBER DROPPING INTO SAID CORE BELOW THE SAID LEVEL OF THE SURFACE OF THE MODERATOR LIQUID IN SAID CORE UPON OPENING OF SAID VALVE AND CONSEDQUENT CONNECTION OF SAID CHANNEL TO SAID PRESSURE GAS SOURCE, A DUMP SPACE BELOW SAID CORE FOR RECEIVING MODERATOR, LIQUID UPON ITS RELEASE FROM SAID CORE, MEANS FOR MAINTAINING GAS IN SAID DUMP SPACE UNDER PRESSURE AND MEANS RETAINING SAID MODERATOR LIQUID WITHIN SAID CORE IN THE PRESENCE OF CHOSEN GAS PRESSURE WITHIN SAID DUMP SPACE, AND MEANS CONNECTING SAID CONDUIT TO GAS IN SAID DUMP SPACE, SAID PRESSURE GAS SUPPLY SOURCE COMPRISING SAID GAS IN SAID DUMP SPACE.