Apparatus for applying and end plug to an end of a nuclear fuel rod tube

The apparatus includes a plugger guide (76) having thgerethrough a longitudinal bore (78) with one end for receiving an end plug (26), with an opposite end (82) for receiving the tube end (40) to be plugged, and with a cross-sectional dimension enabling the plugger guide and a tube end portion including said end (40) to be telescopically moved over and into, respectively, one another for applying the end plug to the tube end, the plugger guide (76) being adapted to maintain the tube end accurately aligned with the end plug during such telescoping movement. The apparatus includes further a carriage (50) supporting the plugger guide (76), a plunger assembly including a plunger (98), and drive means (88) for operating the plunger assembly and the carriage in a manner causing one end plug at a time to be transferred from a magazine (86) into the plug receiving end (80) of the plugger guide bore (78) and to be applied to the end (40) of the fuel rod tube.