Improvements relating to wind turbine pitch systems

Abstract

A linear actuator for a pitch system of a wind turbine, comprising an actuator body and an actuator rod which is movable linearly with respect to the actuator body along an actuator axis. In one example, the linear actuator is in the form of a hydraulic actuator or ‘ram’ such that the actuator body is a hydraulic cylinder and the actuator rod is a cylinder rod. The actuator rod has a rod end and a rod end coupling attached to the rod end. The rod end coupling comprises a housing that receives the rod end, wherein at least one interference element is received in a recess in a circumferential part of the rod end. The at least one interference element is constrained in a radial direction within the recess by the housing, wherein the recess is shaped to prevent axial movement of the interference element in an outward axial direction away from the actuator body thereby to prevent axial movement of the housing in the outward axial direction and wherein the rod end coupling further comprises a connector bearing, wherein the housing bears against the connector bearing which prevents axial movement of the housing in an inner axial direction towards the actuator body relative to the actuator rod.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.