Blade transportation

• US 20090274529A1
• Filed: 05/02/2008
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gamesa Innovation and Technology SL (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Gamesa Innovation and Technology SL (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Broderick, Daniel A., Lofranco, Lou M., Moya Garcia, Juan
• Granted Patent: US 7,967,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 410/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/40 for carrying long loads, e.g. with separate wheeled load supporting elements E04G21/14 takes precedence; signal devices to be attached to overhanging load B60Q7/02
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 45/003 Fixing of logs, beams, barrels, pipes, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2585/687 aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2585/6887 body parts, e.g. doors, body panels
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/40 Arrangements or methods specially adapted for transporting wind motor components
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2230/61 using auxiliary equipment for lifting or holding
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Transportation tooling of the type that borders the blade at its root and at an intermediate point. This tooling is used in combination with platforms placed on the transportation elements and said platforms can move transversely and turn or rotate with respect to the means of transportation without affecting blade integrity. A method for blade transportation with the point of one blade facing the point of the adjacent blade so as to use the minimum space on the means of transportation. The rail tooling takes into account the maximum corner radius that the train will encounter while absorbing the bending and torsion stress acting on the blades.

Claims

1. Blade transportation, using various supports that border the blade at different points of the same that allow for it to be handled from the place of manufacture to the means of transportation where they are fastened, allowing for movement between the fastening supports and the means of transportation, characterized in that it includes a root support frame 50 and an intermediate support frame 60, both supports with a quadrangular frame and inner auxiliary elements, and the distance between the supports equal to the length of the carrier vehicle, where:

the root support frame 50 is supported and fastened on a ball joint platform 240 with wheels 230 at both ends and a central ball joint 220 that connects the ball joint platform 240 and the carrier vehicle and

the intermediate support 60 is placed on an X-shaped support 270 crossed by a wide flange beam actuated bar 280 that extends from one vehicle to the adjacent vehicle, the support of the intermediate support frame 270 rests on a cross section rail 300 inside of which there are rolling elements 310 in continuous contact with a wide flange 281 shaped like a double T sitting on a plate 320, the actuated bar 280 is joined to the support 270 at one of its ends and rests on an actuator stand 290 on the other end.

2. Blade transportation, according to claim 1, characterized in that the root support frame 50 is formed by a frame 120 inside of which there is a lower bed 130 and an upper bed 140 both of semicircular shape, the contact areas of the auxiliary elements with the blade 10 have a rubber surface 150 and the lateral flanges 160 that comprise the frame 120 can be completely separated on both sides for later connection and fastening with bolts or fastening elements.

3. Blade transportation, according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate support frame 60 is a frame consisting of an upper frame 170 and a lower frame 180 that can be coupled and uncoupled, whose lower frame 180 has at its base an auxiliary element 200 that includes a ball joint 210 through which is coupled a clamp 70 with hinges 80 and hydraulic opening and closing 90 at the ends, with reinforcing elements 100 on the outside and a rubber surface 110 on the inside.

4. Blade transportation, according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate support frame 60 is coupled on a plate 320 over which it slides transversely to the blade actuated by the actuated bar 280 and the root support frame 60 turns on its lateral wheels 230 pivoting on ball joint 220 that fastens the rail car 250 and the ball joint platform 240 that supports the support frame, both movements are produced when the carrier vehicle and the adjacent vehicle become unaligned.

5. Blade transportation, according to claim 1, characterized in that the carrier vehicle is a rail car 250 of a train of standard dimensions and two blades 10, 11 are transported between three rail cars 250, 251, 252.

6. A method for blade transportation characterized by placing a support frame 50 that clamps the root joint 20, placing another support frame 60 at the intermediate point of the blade 30, hoisting the blade 10 and depositing it on a rail car 250 without sides or covering so that the root support frame 50 is placed at one end of the rail car 250, the intermediate support frame 60 is fastened on the other end of the rail car 250 and connects with the adjacent rail car 251 by means of an actuated bar 280 that rests on an actuator stand 290, and the blade point 40 hangs in the air at the middle of the adjacent rail car 251.

7. A method for blade transportation according to claim 6, characterized by placing the blade 10 on the root support frame 50 first on the lower bed 130 supporting the root joint 20 on the semicircular rubber surface 150, after which the lower part of the root joint 20 is screwed to the root support frame lower bed 130, after which the upper part of the support is assembled by means of the lateral flanges of the structure and finally, the upper part of the support and the upper part of the root joint 20 are screwed.

8. A method for blade transportation according to claim 6, characterized in that in order to place the blade 10 on the intermediate support frame 60 the clamp 70 used in the interior of the support frame 60 is previously placed over the intermediate section of the blade 30, and to do so first the hydraulic opening and closing 90 is opened, the clamp 70 is opened, the blade 10 is placed in the clamp and the clamp 70 is closed over it, then the clamp 70 is inserted over a ball joint 210 placed on the lower frame 180 of the intermediate support frame 60 and finally the support frame is closed adding the upper frame 170 that is assembled by means of its lateral flanges.

9. A method of blade transportation according to claim 6, characterized in that when the rail car 250 that transports a blade 10 and the adjacent rail car 251 that transports another blade 11 become unaligned due to taking a curve 330, the root support frame 50 of the first blade 10 turns, the intermediate support frame 60 slides on its plate 320 and turns on the actuator stand 290 while the blade point 40 moves outside the width of the adjacent rail car 251 without colliding with the point of the adjacent blade 11.