Abstract

An adjustable support system for supporting and immobilizing a longitudinally extending main shaft in a nacelle of a wind turbine when a gearbox has been dismounted involves: a transverse beam rigidly mounted in the nacelle and extending over the main shaft; a saddle having an arcuate recess to engage with the main shaft from above the main shaft, the saddle movably connected to the transverse beam; a flexible strap that engages the main shaft from below the main shaft to support the main shaft from below; and, a transverse saddle adjuster connected to the saddle and configured to adjust transverse position of the saddle relative to the main shaft.

IPC Classes  ?

• F03D 80/50 - Maintenance or repair

Abstract

A lock for preventing rotation of a rotor of a wind turbine has a rotatable lock pin, a pin support supportable in a nacelle of the wind turbine and a mechanism for rotating the lock pin. The pin support has a hub-facing face proximate a rotor hub. The rotatable lock pin is rotatably mounted on the pin support. The lock pin has a cammed portion extending away from the hub-facing face toward the hub. The lock pin inserted into a complementary rotor lock aperture on the rotor hub when the pin support is supported in the nacelle. Rotation of the lock pin causes engagement of an exterior surface of the cammed portion with an interior surface of the rotor lock aperture to immobilize the lock pin against the interior surface to prevent relative motion between the lock pin and the aperture to prevent rotation of the rotor.

IPC Classes  ?

• F03D 80/50 - Maintenance or repair
• F03D 80/80 - Arrangement of components within nacelles or towers
• F03D 7/02 - Controlling wind motors the wind motors having rotation axis substantially parallel to the air flow entering the rotor

Abstract

A lift system mountable in a nacelle of a wind turbine has a boom having a proximal end mountable in the nacelle and a distal end extending over a hub of a rotor of the wind turbine when the lift system is mounted in the nacelle. The lift system has a frame structure for mounting the proximal end of the boom in the nacelle, a winch mounted to the boom, a fastener situated below the boom and operatively connected to the winch by at least one cable, and a trolley movably mounted to the boom to permit translation of the trolley longitudinally along the boom thereby permitting longitudinal movement of the fastener with respect to the boom.

IPC Classes  ?

• B66C 23/18 - Cranes comprising essentially a beam, boom or triangular structure acting as a cantilever and mounted for translatory or swinging movements in vertical or horizontal planes or a combination of such movements, e.g. jib cranes, derricks or tower cranes specially adapted for use in particular locations or for particular purposes
• F03D 13/10 - Assembly of wind motorsArrangements for erecting wind motors
• B66C 1/10 - Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting, lowering, or hauling gear of cranes, or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting forces to articles or groups of articles by mechanical means
• F03D 80/50 - Maintenance or repair

Abstract

A lift system mountable in a nacelle of a wind turbine has a mounting interface removably securable to a generator in the nacelle of the wind turbine, and a knuckle boom rotatably and removably mounted on the mounting interface. The knuckle boom has an extendable boom arm having a translatable boom section slidably mounted on the boom arm. Modularity of the lift system permits lifting components of the lift system up to the nacelle using an existing service crane of the wind turbine, and rapidly dismounting the knuckle boom to permit closing doors of the nacelle in the event of inclement weather without dismounting all of the lift system components.

IPC Classes  ?

• F03D 80/50 - Maintenance or repair
• F03D 13/10 - Assembly of wind motorsArrangements for erecting wind motors
• F03D 13/20 - Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motorsMasts or towers for wind motors
• B66C 23/20 - Cranes comprising essentially a beam, boom or triangular structure acting as a cantilever and mounted for translatory or swinging movements in vertical or horizontal planes or a combination of such movements, e.g. jib cranes, derricks or tower cranes specially adapted for use in particular locations or for particular purposes with supporting couples provided by walls of buildings or like structures

Abstract

A lift system for lifting an openable top portion of a nacelle of a wind turbine has first and second laterally spaced apart jacks pivotally connectable to a bottom portion of the nacelle and the top portion proximate a rear end of the nacelle. The first and second jacks are actuatable to raise and lower a rear of the top portion. The lift system further has a support member pivotally connectable to the bottom portion and the top portion proximate a front end of the nacelle. A front of the top portion is pivotable on the support member when the first and second jacks are actuated without raising or lowering the top portion where the support member is pivotally connected. The lift system permits opening the top portion where the top portion has a U-shaped lip into which a complementary inverted U-shaped lip of a rotor fairing is inserted, and permits opening substantially rectangular or non-rectangular nacelles.

IPC Classes  ?

• F03D 80/80 - Arrangement of components within nacelles or towers
• F03D 13/10 - Assembly of wind motorsArrangements for erecting wind motors
• F03D 80/50 - Maintenance or repair

Abstract

A lock for preventing rotation of a rotor of a wind turbine has a rotatable lock pin, a pin support supportable in a nacelle of the wind turbine and a mechanism for rotating the lock pin. The pin support has a hub-facing face proximate a rotor hub. The rotatable lock pin is rotatably mounted on the pin support. The lock pin has a cammed portion extending away from the hub-facing face toward the hub. The lock pin inserted into a complementary rotor lock aperture on the rotor hub when the pin support is supported in the nacelle. Rotation of the lock pin causes engagement of an exterior surface of the cammed portion with an interior surface of the rotor lock aperture to immobilize the lock pin against the interior surface to prevent relative motion between the lock pin and the aperture to prevent rotation of the rotor.

IPC Classes  ?

• F03D 80/50 - Maintenance or repair
• F03D 80/80 - Arrangement of components within nacelles or towers
• F03D 7/02 - Controlling wind motors the wind motors having rotation axis substantially parallel to the air flow entering the rotor

Abstract

A nacelle-mountable lift system for mounting and dismounting a rotor blade of a wind turbine involves a jib crane, the jib crane having a base removably mountable on a nacelle of the wind turbine and a jib mounted on the base. The jib has a boom arm supported on the base by at least one support strut extending between the base and the boom arm. A winch is mounted on the boom arm. At least two sheaves are rotatably mounted on the boom arm. A holder is connectable to the blade. At least two lift cables pass over the at least two sheaves connecting the holder to the winch. The boom arm is positionable to position the holder beyond a rotor hub of the wind turbine when the crane is mounted on the nacelle.

IPC Classes  ?

• B66C 23/20 - Cranes comprising essentially a beam, boom or triangular structure acting as a cantilever and mounted for translatory or swinging movements in vertical or horizontal planes or a combination of such movements, e.g. jib cranes, derricks or tower cranes specially adapted for use in particular locations or for particular purposes with supporting couples provided by walls of buildings or like structures
• F03D 13/40 - Arrangements or methods specially adapted for transporting wind motor components
• B66C 23/68 - Jibs foldable or otherwise adjustable in configuration
• F03D 80/80 - Arrangement of components within nacelles or towers
• F03D 80/50 - Maintenance or repair

Abstract

A lift system mountable in a nacelle of a wind turbine has a boom having a proximal end mountable in the nacelle and a distal end extending over a hub of a rotor of the wind turbine when the lift system is mounted in the nacelle. The lift system has a frame structure for mounting the proximal end of the boom in the nacelle, a winch mounted to the boom, a fastener situated below the boom and operatively connected to the winch by at least one cable, and a trolley movably mounted to the boom to permit translation of the trolley longitudinally along the boom thereby permitting longitudinal movement of the fastener with respect to the boom.

IPC Classes  ?

• B66C 23/18 - Cranes comprising essentially a beam, boom or triangular structure acting as a cantilever and mounted for translatory or swinging movements in vertical or horizontal planes or a combination of such movements, e.g. jib cranes, derricks or tower cranes specially adapted for use in particular locations or for particular purposes
• F03D 13/10 - Assembly of wind motorsArrangements for erecting wind motors
• B66C 1/10 - Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting, lowering, or hauling gear of cranes, or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting forces to articles or groups of articles by mechanical means
• F03D 80/50 - Maintenance or repair

Abstract

A lift system mountable in a nacelle of a wind turbine has a mounting interface removably securable to a generator in the nacelle of the wind turbine, and a knuckle boom rotatably and removably mounted on the mounting interface. The knuckle boom has an extendable boom arm having a translatable boom section slidably mounted on the boom arm. Modularity of the lift system permits lifting components of the lift system up to the nacelle using an existing service crane of the wind turbine, and rapidly dismounting the knuckle boom to permit closing doors of the nacelle in the event of inclement weather without dismounting all of the lift system components.

IPC Classes  ?

• F03D 80/50 - Maintenance or repair
• F03D 13/10 - Assembly of wind motorsArrangements for erecting wind motors
• F03D 13/20 - Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motorsMasts or towers for wind motors
• B66C 23/20 - Cranes comprising essentially a beam, boom or triangular structure acting as a cantilever and mounted for translatory or swinging movements in vertical or horizontal planes or a combination of such movements, e.g. jib cranes, derricks or tower cranes specially adapted for use in particular locations or for particular purposes with supporting couples provided by walls of buildings or like structures

Abstract

A nacelle-mountable lift system for mounting and dismounting a rotor blade of a wind turbine involves a jib crane mountable on the nacelle and a blade sheath. The blade sheath is connectable to the hook of the jib crane by lines attachable to the top end of the sheath. The holder is raiseable and lowerable by a winch mounted on the crane to raise and lower the sheath with the rotor blade retained therein when the rotor blade is disconnected from the hub or to raise and lower the sheath to retain the rotor blade in or release the rotor blade from the sheath when the rotor blade is connected to the hub.

IPC Classes  ?

• B66C 23/20 - Cranes comprising essentially a beam, boom or triangular structure acting as a cantilever and mounted for translatory or swinging movements in vertical or horizontal planes or a combination of such movements, e.g. jib cranes, derricks or tower cranes specially adapted for use in particular locations or for particular purposes with supporting couples provided by walls of buildings or like structures
• F03D 13/40 - Arrangements or methods specially adapted for transporting wind motor components
• B66C 23/68 - Jibs foldable or otherwise adjustable in configuration
• F03D 80/80 - Arrangement of components within nacelles or towers
• F03D 80/50 - Maintenance or repair