# US 2021/0340962 A1 · Rotor lock for wind turbine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0340962 A1 - Document ID: US20210340962A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/271,334 - Filed: 2019-08-27 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-31 - Assignees: LiftWerx Holdings Inc. - Applicants: LiftWerx Holdings Inc. - Inventors: Glen D. AITKEN; Hubert BOTER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210340962A1 ## CPC - F03D 15/00: Transmission of mechanical power - F03D 80/50: Maintenance or repair - F03D 7/0268: {Parking or storm protection} - F03D 80/88: {of mechanical components} - F16D 63/006: {Positive locking brakes} - F05B 2260/31: Locking rotor in position - F05B 2260/506: using cams or eccentrics - Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction - F03D: WIND MOTORS - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES - F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A lock for preventing rotation of a rotor of a wind turbine has a rotatable lock pin, a pin support supportable in a nacelle of the wind turbine and a mechanism for rotating the lock pin. The pin support has a hub-facing face proximate a rotor hub. The rotatable lock pin is rotatably mounted on the pin support. The lock pin has a cammed portion extending away from the hub-facing face toward the hub. The lock pin inserted into a complementary rotor lock aperture on the rotor hub when the pin support is supported in the nacelle. Rotation of the lock pin causes engagement of an exterior surface of the cammed portion with an interior surface of the rotor lock aperture to immobilize the lock pin against the interior surface to prevent relative motion between the lock pin and the aperture to prevent rotation of the rotor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A lock for preventing rotation of a rotor of a wind turbine, the lock comprising: a pin support supportable on main bearing supports or main bearing support extensions in a nacelle of the wind turbine, the pin support comprising a beam and first and second clamps situated proximate ends of the beam, the clamps mountable on the main bearing supports or main bearing support extensions, the beam comprising a hub-facing face proximate a rotor hub of the wind turbine and a gearbox-facing face opposite the hub-facing face when the pin support is supported on the main bearing supports or main bearing support extensions, the beam further comprising support apertures through the beam extending between the hub-facing face and a gearbox-facing face; first and second rotatable lock pins inserted through the support apertures to rotatably mounted the lock pins on the pin support, each lock pin comprising a first cylindrical portion having a first central axis rotatably mounted through one of the support apertures and a cammed portion comprising a second cylindrical portion having a second central axis, the second cylindrical portion having a smaller diameter than the first cylindrical portion, the second cylindrical portion extending from an end of the first cylindrical portion such that the first and second central axes are not colinear, the cammed portion protruding from and extending away from the hub-facing face of the pin support toward the hub, the first cylindrical portion protruding from the gearbox-facing face, the lock pins inserted into complementary first and second rotor lock apertures, respectively, on the rotor hub when the pin support is supported on the main bearing supports or main bearing support extensions; first and second lock pin brackets, the first lock pin connected to the first bracket proximate a first end of the first bracket, the second lock pin connected to the second bracket proximate a first end of the second bracket; and, a turnbuckle for rotating the lock pins, the turnbuckle comprising a frame and first and second ends, the first end of the turnbuckle connected to the first bracket proximate a second end of the first bracket, the second end of the turnbuckle connected to the second bracket proximate a second end of the second bracket, whereby rotation of the frame of the turnbuckle causes the second end of the first bracket and the second end of the second bracket to move arcuately thereby causing the first and second lock pins connected proximate the first ends of the first and second brackets to rotate so that exterior surfaces of the cammed portions engage with interior surfaces of the complementary apertures to apply forces in opposite directions at the interior surfaces of the apertures to immobilize the lock pins in the respective apertures against the interior surfaces to prevent relative motion between the lock pins and the apertures to prevent rotation of the rotor. ### Claim 2 A lock for preventing rotation of a rotor of a wind turbine, the lock comprising: a pin support supportable in a nacelle of the wind turbine, the pin support having a hub-facing face proximate a rotor hub of the wind turbine when the pin support is supported in the nacelle; a rotatable lock pin rotatably mounted on the pin support, the lock pin having a cammed portion extending away from the hub-facing face of the pin support toward the hub, the lock pin inserted into a complementary rotor lock aperture on the rotor hub when the pin support is supported in the nacelle, rotation of the lock pin causing engagement of an exterior surface of the cammed portion with an interior surface of the aperture to immobilize the lock pin against the interior surface of the aperture to prevent relative motion between the lock pin and the aperture to prevent rotation of the rotor; and, a mechanism for rotating the lock pin. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The lock of claim 2, wherein: the lock pin comprises a first cylindrical portion rotatably mounted through a support aperture in the pin support, the first cylindrical portion having a first central axis; and, the cammed portion of the lock pin is a second cylindrical portion of the lock pin having a second central axis, the second cylindrical portion having a different diameter than the first cylindrical portion, the second cylindrical portion extending from an end of the first cylindrical portion such that the first and second central axes are not colinear. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The lock of claim 2, wherein the mechanism for rotating the lock pin comprises a turnbuckle linked to the lock pin such that rotation of a frame of the turnbuckle causes rotation of the lock pin. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The lock of claim 4, further comprising a lock pin bracket, the lock pin connected to the bracket proximate a first end of the bracket and the turnbuckle connected to the bracket proximate a second end of the bracket, whereby rotation of the frame of the turnbuckle causes the second end of the bracket to move arcuately thereby causing the lock pin connected proximate the first end of the bracket to rotate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The lock of claim 2, further comprising fasteners for securing the pin support on main bearing supports or main bearing support extensions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The lock of claim 2, wherein the pin support is supportable on main bearing supports or main bearing support extensions in the nacelle. ### Claim 8 A lock for preventing rotation of a rotor of a wind turbine, the lock comprising: a pin support supportable in a nacelle of the wind turbine, the pin support having a hub-facing face proximate a rotor hub of the wind turbine when the pin support is supported in the nacelle; first and second rotatable lock pins rotatably mounted on the pin support, each of the lock pins having a cammed portion extending away from the hub-facing face of the pin support toward the hub, the lock pins inserted into complementary first and second rotor lock apertures, respectively, on the rotor hub when the pin support is supported in the nacelle, rotation of the lock pins causing engagement of exterior surfaces of the cammed portions with interior surfaces of the complementary apertures to immobilize the lock pins against the interior surfaces of the apertures to prevent relative motion between the lock pins and the apertures to prevent rotation of the rotor; and, a mechanism for rotating the lock pins. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The lock of claim 8, wherein the mechanism for rotating the lock pins comprises a turnbuckle linked to the first and second lock pins such that rotation of a frame of the turnbuckle causes rotation of the lock pins. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The lock of claim 9, wherein the first and second lock pins apply force at the interior surfaces of the first and second apertures in opposite directions to immobilize the lock pins in the respective apertures. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The lock of claim 9, further comprising first and second lock pin brackets, the first lock pin connected to the first bracket proximate a first end of the first bracket, and a first end of the turnbuckle connected to the first bracket proximate a second end of the first bracket, the second lock pin connected to the second bracket proximate a first end of the second bracket, and a second end of the turnbuckle connected to the second bracket proximate a second end of the second bracket, whereby rotation of the frame of the turnbuckle causes the second end of the first bracket and the second end of the second bracket to move arcuately thereby causing the first and second lock pins connected proximate the first ends of the first and second brackets to rotate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The lock of claim 8, wherein: each lock pin comprises a first cylindrical portion rotatably mounted through a support aperture in the pin support, the first cylindrical portion having a first central axis; and, the cammed portion of each lock pin is a second cylindrical portion of the lock pin having a second central axis, the second cylindrical portion having a different diameter than the first cylindrical portion, the second cylindrical portion extending from an end of the first cylindrical portion such that the first and second central axes are not colinear. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The lock of claim 12, wherein the second cylindrical portion has a smaller diameter than the first cylindrical portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The lock of claim 12, wherein the pin support comprises: a beam; and, first and second clamps situated proximate ends of the beam, the clamps mountable on main bearing supports or main bearing support extensions, whereby the support aperture for each lock pin is a through aperture through the beam between the hub-facing face and a gearbox-facing face of the beam, the lock pin inserted through the through aperture so that the cammed portion protrudes from the hub-facing face and the first cylindrical portion protrudes from the gearbox-facing face. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The lock of claim 8, wherein the pin support is supportable on main bearing supports or main bearing support extensions in the nacelle.