Wind Turbine Blade Railroad Fixture System and Method
AssigneeBNSF Logistics, LLC
InventorJohn L. Ferris
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rail fixture system for wind turbine blades on a consist three flatcars, includes a root-support fixture that enables lateral movement, a mid-support fixture with a pair of lateral guides on opposing sides of the to limit the blade's lateral movement, and blade-pusher posts adjacent a curved portion of the blade, coupled to gravity weights, that intermittently engage sides of the blade and apply gravity forces in response to relative lateral movement thereof around rail curves, and which bends the blade, applies a fulcrum force against the lateral guides, and translates the root end of the blade in an opposing lateral direction.
Claims28
A fixture system for rail transport of a wind turbine blade that extends longitudinally from a root-end through a middle-portion to a curved-portion, upon a consist of a root-support flatcar, a mid-support flatcar, and a blade-pusher flatcar, comprising:
- a root-support fixture, disposed upon the root-support flatcar, which includes an articulated mount, connected to a bolster that supports the root-end, and which enables a lateral translation path of said bolster together with the root-end;
- a mid-support fixture, disposed upon the mid-support flatcar, having a blade sling slung from a support-frame to support the middle-portion, and having a first and a second lateral blade-guide on opposing sides of the middle-portion to limit lateral movement thereof, and to act as a fulcrum with respect to lateral forces applied elsewhere upon the blade;
- a first blade-pusher fixture, disposed upon the blade-pusher flatcar, having a first laterally articulated mount with a first blade-pusher post extending therefrom that is aligned to intermittently engage a first side of the curved-portion, and coupled to a first gravity weight through a first tension line to thereby apply a first gravity force laterally to the first side of the curved portion, and to enable lateral movement of said first blade-pusher post, in response to lateral movement in a first direction of the blade relative to the consist during transport, and wherein said first gravity force partially bends the blade, applies a first fulcrum force against said first lateral blade-guide, and translates the root end in an opposing lateral direction, and
- a second blade-pusher fixture, disposed upon the blade-pusher flatcar, having a second laterally articulated mount with a second blade-pusher post extending therefrom that is aligned to intermittently engage a second side of the curved-portion, and coupled to a second gravity weight through a second tension line to thereby apply a second gravity force laterally to the second side of the curved portion, and to enable lateral movement of said second blade-pusher post, in response to lateral movement in a second direction of the blade relative to the consist during transport, and wherein said second gravity force partially bends the blade, applies a second fulcrum force against said second lateral blade-guide, and translates the root end in an opposing lateral direction.
A fixture system for rail transport of a wind turbine blade that extends from a root-end through a middle-portion to a curved-portion, upon a consist of a root-support flatcar, a mid-support flatcar, and a blade-pusher flatcar, comprising:
- a root-support fixture, disposed upon the root-support flatcar, which supports the root-end, and which enables lateral movement of the root-end during transport;
- a mid-support fixture, disposed upon the mid-support flatcar, which supports the middle-portion, and which includes a pair of lateral guides on opposing sides of the middle-portion to limit lateral movement thereof, and to act as a fulcrum with respect to lateral forces applied elsewhere upon the blade;
- a blade-pusher fixture, disposed upon the blade-pusher flatcar, having a blade-pusher post aligned to intermittently engage a side of the curved-portion, said blade-pusher post coupled to a gravity weight through a tension line to apply gravity force laterally to the curved portion, and to move laterally, in response to lateral movement of the blade relative to the consist during transport, and wherein said gravity force partially bends the blade, applies a fulcrum force against one of said pair of lateral guides, and translates the root end in an opposing lateral direction, and wherein
- loads applied to the root-support flatcar by said root support fixture produce first unbalanced loads thereupon, and wherein loads applied to the mid-support flatcar by said mid-support fixture produce second unbalanced loads thereupon;
- a first counterweight for disposition upon the root-support flatcar at a loaded-position selected to counterbalance said first unbalanced loads during loaded transport, and wherein said first counterweight is repositionable to a second position selected to balance the root-support flatcar during unloaded transport;
- a second counterweight for disposition upon the mid-support flatcar at a loaded-position selected to counterbalance said second unbalanced loads during loaded transport, and wherein said second counterweight is repositionable to a second position selected to balance the mid-support flatcar during unloaded transport.
A fixture system for rail transport of a wind turbine blade that extends from a root-end through a middle-portion to a curved-portion, upon a consist of a root-support flatcar, a mid-support flatcar, and a blade-pusher flatcar, comprising:
- a root-support fixture, disposed upon the root-support flatcar, which supports the root-end, and which enables lateral movement of the root-end during transport;
- a mid-support fixture, disposed upon the mid-support flatcar, which supports the middle-portion, and which includes a pair of lateral guides on opposing sides of the middle-portion to limit lateral movement thereof, and to act as a fulcrum with respect to lateral forces applied elsewhere upon the blade;
- a blade-pusher fixture, disposed upon the blade-pusher flatcar, having a blade-pusher post aligned to intermittently engage a side of the curved-portion, said blade-pusher post coupled to a gravity weight through a tension line to apply gravity force laterally to the curved portion, and to move laterally, in response to lateral movement of the blade relative to the consist during transport, and wherein said gravity force partially bends the blade, applies a fulcrum force against one of said pair of lateral guides, and translates the root end in an opposing lateral direction, and wherein
- the curved-portion of the blade dictates placement of said mid-support fixture at a position that overhangs the mid-support flatcar, and further dictates placement of said blade-pusher fixture to overhang the blade-pusher flatcar, and wherein
- said mid-support fixture is repositionable upon the mid-support flatcar between an overhung position for loaded transport, and a non-overhung position for unloaded transport, and wherein
- said blade-pusher fixture is repositionable upon the blade-pusher flatcar between an overhung position for loaded transport, and a non-overhung position for unloaded transport.
A method of transporting by rail, a wind turbine blade that extends from a root-end through a middle-portion to a curved-portion upon a consist of a root-support flatcar, a mid-support flatcar, and a blade-pusher flatcar, using a fixture system including a root-support fixture with an articulated mount connected to a bolster that enables lateral movement thereof, a mid-support fixture having a blade sling slung from a support-frame with first and second lateral blade-guides, and, first and second blade-pusher fixtures, each having a laterally articulated mount with corresponding first and second blade-pusher post extending therefrom, and each with corresponding first and second gravity weights coupled with corresponding first and second tension lines, the method comprising the steps of:
- attaching the root-support fixture to the root-support flatcar and supporting the root-end upon the bolster, thereby enabling lateral movement of the bolster and the root-end of the blade together during transport;
- attaching the mid-support fixture to the mid-support flatcar and supporting the middle-portion of the blade upon the sling, and locating the first and second lateral guides on opposing sides of the middle-portion, thereby limiting lateral movement of the blade, and enabling the lateral guides to act as fulcrums with respect to lateral forces applied elsewhere upon the blade;
- attaching the first blade-pusher fixture to the blade-pusher flatcar, and aligning the first blade-pusher post to intermittently engage a first side of the curved-portion, and coupling the first blade pusher post to the first gravity weight through the first tension line, thereby applying a first gravity force laterally to a first side of the curved portion, and enabling lateral movement of the first blade-pusher post, in response to lateral movement in a first direction of the blade relative to the consist during transport, and thereby enabling the first gravity force to partially bend the blade, apply a first fulcrum force against the first lateral blade-guide, and translate the root end in an opposing lateral direction, and
- attaching the second blade-pusher fixture to the blade-pusher flatcar, and aligning the second blade-pusher post to intermittently engage a second side of the curved-portion, and coupling the the second blade pusher post to the second gravity weight through the second tension line, thereby applying a second gravity force laterally to a second side of the curved portion, and enabling lateral movement of the second blade-pusher post, in response to lateral movement in a second direction of the blade relative to the consist during transport, and thereby enabling the second gravity force to partially bend the blade, and apply a second fulcrum force against the second lateral blade-guide, and translate the root end in an opposing lateral direction.
A method of transporting by rail, a wind turbine blade that extends from a root-end through a middle-portion to a curved-portion upon a consist of a root-support flatcar, a mid-support flatcar, and a blade-pusher flatcar, using a fixture system including a root-support fixture that enables lateral movement, a mid-support fixture that includes a pair of lateral guides, a blade-pusher fixture that includes a blade-pusher post, a gravity weight and connected tension line, and a first and second counterweight, the method comprising the steps of:
- attaching the root-support fixture to the root-support flatcar and supporting the root-end load thereupon, wherein the load produces first unbalanced loads upon the root-support flatcar, and wherein the root-support fixture enables lateral movement of the root-end during transport;
- attaching the mid-support fixture to the mid-support flatcar and supporting the middle-portion load thereupon, wherein the load produces second unbalanced loads upon the mid-support flatcar;
- aligning the pair of lateral guides on opposing sides of the middle-portion, thereby limiting lateral movement thereof, and enabling the pair of lateral guides to act as a fulcrums with respect to lateral forces applied elsewhere upon the blade;
- attaching the blade-pusher fixture to the blade-pusher flatcar, and aligning the blade-pusher post for intermittently engaging a side of the curved-portion;
- coupling the gravity weight to the blade-pusher post using the tension line, thereby enabling application of gravity force laterally to the curved portion, and enabling lateral movement of the blade-pusher post, responsive to lateral movement of the blade relative to the consist during transport, and thereby, bending the blade, applying a fulcrum force against one of the pair of lateral guides, and translating the root end in an opposing lateral direction;
- counterbalancing the first unbalanced loads by selectively placing the first counterweight upon the root-support flatcar at a loaded-position for use during loaded transport;
- counterbalancing the second unbalanced load by selectively placing the second counterweight upon the mid-support flatcar at a loaded-position during loaded transport;
- repositioning the first counterweight at an unloaded position selected to balance the root-support flatcar during unloaded transport;
- reposition the second counterweight at an unloaded position selected to balance the mid-support flatcar during unloaded transport.
A method of transporting by rail, a wind turbine blade that extends from a root-end through a middle-portion to a curved-portion upon a consist of a root-support flatcar, a mid-support flatcar, and a blade-pusher flatcar, using a fixture system including a root-support fixture that enables lateral movement, a mid-support fixture that includes a pair of lateral guides, a blade-pusher fixture that includes a blade-pusher post, a gravity weight and connected tension line, and wherein the curved-portion of the blade dictates placement of the mid-support fixture at a position that overhangs the mid-support flatcar, and further dictates placement of the blade-pusher fixture to overhang the blade-pusher flatcar, the method comprising the steps of:
- attaching the root-support fixture to the root-support flatcar and supporting the root-end load thereupon, wherein the root-support fixture enables lateral movement of the root-end during transport;
- attaching the mid-support fixture to the mid-support flatcar at a loaded-transport position, wherein a portion of the mid-support fixture overhangs a side of the mid-support flatcar, and supporting the middle-portion load upon the mid-support fixture;
- aligning the pair of lateral guides on opposing sides of the middle-portion, thereby limiting lateral movement thereof, and enabling the pair of lateral guides to act as a fulcrums with respect to lateral forces applied elsewhere upon the blade;
- attaching the blade-pusher fixture to the blade-pusher flatcar, and aligning the blade-pusher post to a loaded-transport position for intermittently engaging a side of the curved-portion, wherein a portion of the blade-pusher fixture overhangs the blade-pusher flatcar at the loaded-transport position;
- coupling the gravity weight to the blade-pusher post using the tension line, thereby enabling application of gravity force laterally to the curved portion, and enabling lateral movement of the blade-pusher post, responsive to lateral movement of the blade relative to the consist during transport, and thereby, bending the blade, applying a fulcrum force against one of the pair of lateral guides, and translating the root end in an opposing lateral direction;
- unloading the blade from the consist;
- repositioning the mid-support fixture to a non-overhung, unloaded-transport position, wherein the mid-support fixture does not overhang the mid-support flatcar, and
- repositioning the blade-pusher fixture to a non-overhung, unloaded transport, position wherein the blade-pusher fixture does not overhang the blade-pusher flatcar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.