Transit bracket assembly for wind turbine tower section
AssigneeBNSF Logistics, LLC
InventorsWilliam Stuart, Peter W. Stuart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bracket assembly for securing a tower section to a deck includes a lower support bracket, columns, and a pair of upper upper support brackets, which all have vertical plates with circular apertures. Each circular aperture spans at least two tower flange bolt holes. Attachment yokes are inserted into the circular apertures, and each have at least two bolt apertures, which match the bolt holes size and spacing. The yokes are rotated to align the holes for insertion of bolts. Specific yokes are provided to fit various tower sizes. The brackets can be stacked, and the yoke arrangement substantially reduces bolt torque requirements.
Claims19
A bracket assembly for securing a tower section to a deck, the tower section having a flange face with a plurality of bolt holes, the assembly comprising:
- a lower support bracket having a horizontal base for resting upon the deck, and having a vertical plate extending upwardly therefrom, the vertical plate having a proximal face for engaging the tower section flange face and a distal face, and wherein the vertical plate includes first and second apertures along the tower section and each sized to span at least two bolt holes of the plurality of bolt holes;
- first and second attachment yokes each having a retention flange and at least two bolt apertures sized and spaced to match the size and spacing of the at least two bolt holes spanned by said first and second apertures, to thereby enable alignment of the bolt apertures with the bolt holes by aligning the first and second attachment yokes within the first and second apertures to enable insertion of retention bolts therethrough;
- first and second sections of circular pipe welded to the vertical plate and disposed about said first and second apertures, respectively, and each having a width greater than said first and second attachment yoke retention flanges;
- first and second upper support brackets each having a turnbuckle eyelet;
- and
- a turnbuckle coupled between the first and second upper support bracket turnbuckle eyelets and configured to enable adjustment of tension forces between the first and second upper support brackets.
A method of securing a tower section to a deck, comprising:
- resting a horizontal base of a lower support bracket on a deck;
- positioning a tower section such that a flange face of the tower section engages a proximal face of the lower support bracket and first and second apertures of a vertical plate each span at least two bolt holes of a plurality of bolt holes;
- engaging a rim of first and second attachment yokes with the first and second apertures such that yoke faces of the first and second attachment yokes are flush with the proximal face of the vertical plate while retention flanges of the first and second attachment yokes engage a distal face;
- aligning the first and second attachment yokes such that at least two bolt apertures in each align with at least two bolt holes to enable insertion of retention bolts therethrough;
- attaching first and second vertical columns to first and second lower column attachment members, respectively, such that they extend upwardly;
- attaching upper column attachment members of an upper support bracket having a turnbuckle eyelet coupled thereto, to an upper portion of the vertical columns;
- connecting a turnbuckle between first and second turnbuckle eyelets, and adjusting tension forces between the first and second upper support brackets;
- positioning the tower section such that a flange face of the tower section engages a proximal face of the upper vertical plates, such that upper apertures are along the tower section and span at least two bolt holes of the plurality of bolt holes;
- engaging the rim of the upper attachment yokes with the upper apertures such that the yoke faces are flush with the proximal faces of the upper vertical plates, respectively, while the retention flanges engage the distal faces;
- and
- aligning the upper attachment yokes such that the at least two bolt apertures in each align with the at least two bolt holes, thereby enabling insertion of retention bolts therethrough.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.