Slew ring repair and damage prevention
AssigneeWind Solutions, LLC
InventorChristopher James Winslow
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for slew ring repair includes a drive mechanism and a tool coupled thereto. The tool may include a fixture structurally configured to secure the tool to a frame on a top end of a wind tower, and a rotatable shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, where the proximal end is coupled to the drive mechanism and the distal end is structurally configured to insert within a housing on the top end of the wind tower that contains a slew ring of a wind turbine disposed on the wind tower. The tool may further include a grinder disposed on the distal end of the rotatable shaft, where the grinder is structurally configured to engage the slew ring while being rotated by the drive mechanism for repair or maintenance of the slew ring.
Claims20
A system for slew ring repair, comprising:
- a drive mechanism;
- and
- a tool coupled to the drive mechanism, the tool comprising:
- a fixture structurally configured to secure the tool to a frame on a top end of a wind tower;
- a rotatable shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end coupled to the drive mechanism, the distal end structurally configured to insert within a housing on the top end of the wind tower, the housing containing a slew ring of a wind turbine disposed on the wind tower;
- and
- a grinder disposed on the distal end of the rotatable shaft, the grinder structurally configured to engage the slew ring while being rotated by the drive mechanism for repair of the slew ring.
A tool, comprising:
- a fixture structurally configured to secure the tool to a frame on a top end of a wind tower;
- a shaft having a distal end structurally configured to insert within a housing on the top end of the wind tower, where the housing contains a slew ring of a wind turbine disposed on the wind tower;
- and
- a debris remover disposed on the distal end of the shaft.
A method for slew ring maintenance, the method comprising:
- inserting at least a portion of a tool within a housing on a top end of a wind tower, the housing containing a slew ring of a wind turbine disposed on the wind tower, the portion of the tool comprising a movable shaft having a grinder disposed on a distal end thereof;
- placing the grinder in contact with the slew ring;
- securing the tool to a frame on the top end of the wind tower;
- and
- moving the movable shaft thereby moving the grinder relative to the slew ring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.