Crane with tower connection mechanism

Abstract

A crane (1) connectable to a tower (20) of a wind turbine, wherein the tower (20) comprises a set of one or more crane connection flanges (22) fixed to and extending outwardly from an outer surface (21) of the tower (20) said crane connection flanges of said set of one or more crane connection flanges being arranged circumferentially around the tower and having upper and/or lower engagement surfaces (23), wherein the crane (1) comprises a base portion (10), an arm (31) and at least two flange connection mechanisms (40), said arm (31) extending from the base portion (10) and at least one of said at least two flange connection mechanisms being connected to said arm, wherein said at least two flange connection mechanisms are configured for connecting to a crane connection flange of the set of one or more crane connection flanges (22) of the tower, wherein each of the at least two flange connection mechanisms (40) comprises two cartridges (50), wherein each cartridge (50) comprises at least one upper flange engaging element for engaging an upper engagement surface and/or at least one lower flange engaging element for engaging a lower engagement surface (23) of a crane connection flange of the set of one or more crane connection flanges (22) of the tower; wherein the two cartridges (50) of each flange connection mechanism (40) are separated by a distance (D1) from each other in a horizontal direction, and wherein the flange connection mechanism comprises a vertical load balancing mechanism arranged between the two cartridges such that the vertical forces exerted by the upper and/or lower flange engaging elements of the two cartridges on a flange with which the flange engaging elements of the flange connection mechanism is connected to are the same. In this way, the forces on the flange of the tower will be spread out and balanced.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.