Railcar fixtures for transportation of wind turbine blades and method involving same
First Claim
1. A transport system for transporting a wind turbine blade along a railroad, said transport system comprising:
- a first railcar and a second railcar coupled together;
a root end fixture mounted to the first railcar for connecting with and supporting a root end portion of the wind turbine blade so that the wind turbine blade extends longitudinally along at least the first and second railcars;
a mid-frame fixture mounted to the second railcar for supporting a midsection of the wind turbine blade; and
a tip end fixture mounted to the second railcar, the tip end fixture comprising a pair of uprights having upper ends that are spaced apart from each other, a halo for mounting on a tip end portion of the wind turbine blade, and a restraint device interconnecting the halo with both of the uprights for exerting a restraining force on the halo to stop movement of the tip end portion outside of a preselected range of movement in opposite lateral directions.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A transport system for transporting a wind turbine blade on first and second railcars that serve as load cars. A root end fixture on the first railcar is connected to a root end portion of the wind turbine blade. A mid-frame fixture on the second railcar supports a reinforced midsection of the wind turbine blade using a pair of support saddles. A tip end fixture restrains a tip end portion of the wind turbine blade against lateral movement outside of a preselected range of movement in opposite lateral directions and causing bending of the blade about the mid-frame fixture when the restraint device imparts sufficient restraining force to the tip end portion of the blade.
39 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A transport system for transporting a wind turbine blade along a railroad, said transport system comprising:
-
a first railcar and a second railcar coupled together; a root end fixture mounted to the first railcar for connecting with and supporting a root end portion of the wind turbine blade so that the wind turbine blade extends longitudinally along at least the first and second railcars; a mid-frame fixture mounted to the second railcar for supporting a midsection of the wind turbine blade; and a tip end fixture mounted to the second railcar, the tip end fixture comprising a pair of uprights having upper ends that are spaced apart from each other, a halo for mounting on a tip end portion of the wind turbine blade, and a restraint device interconnecting the halo with both of the uprights for exerting a restraining force on the halo to stop movement of the tip end portion outside of a preselected range of movement in opposite lateral directions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 20)
-
-
8. A transport system for transporting a wind turbine blade along a railroad, said transport system comprising:
-
a first railcar and a second railcar coupled together; a root end fixture mounted to the first railcar for connecting with and supporting a root end portion of the wind turbine blade so that the wind turbine blade extends longitudinally along at least the first and second railcars; a mid-frame fixture mounted to the second railcar for supporting a midsection of the wind turbine blade and comprising a frame assembly and a pair of support saddles that are carried by the frame assembly and within which a midsection of the wind turbine blade may be supported; and a tip end fixture mounted to the second railcar, the tip end fixture comprising a pair of uprights having upper ends that are spaced apart from each other, a halo for mounting on a tip end portion of the wind turbine blade, and a restraint device interconnecting the halo with both of the uprights for exerting a restraining force on the halo to stop movement of the tip end portion outside of a preselected range of movement in opposite lateral directions. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A transport system for transporting a wind turbine blade along a railroad, said transport system comprising:
-
a first railcar and a second railcar coupled together; a root end fixture mounted to the first railcar for connecting with and supporting a root end portion of the wind turbine blade so that the wind turbine blade extends longitudinally along at least the first and second railcars, the root end fixture comprising a frame for engagement with the root end portion of the wind turbine blade and rocking connectors that attach the frame to an upper bolster plate and allow pivoting of the frame about a horizontal axis oriented in the transverse direction; a mid-frame fixture mounted to the second railcar for supporting a midsection of the wind turbine blade and comprising a frame assembly and a pair of support saddles that are carried by the frame assembly and within which a midsection of the wind turbine blade may be supported; and a tip end fixture mounted to the second railcar, the tip end fixture comprising a pair of uprights having upper ends that are spaced apart from each other, a halo for mounting on a tip end portion of the wind turbine blade, and a restraint device interconnecting the halo with both of the uprights for exerting a restraining force on the halo to stop movement of the tip end portion outside of a preselected range of movement in opposite lateral directions. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
-
Specification