Crane for handling of wind turbine generator components and method of hoisting of such a crane
OwnerJeppe Sartori Søe, Jesper Stærke Rosengreninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A crane capable of handling major components during installation or servicing of wind turbines includes a main body on which is mounted a crane arm, and a lifting point at or near an upper end of the main body to which a hoisting cable assembly is joined or around which a lifting cable is passed and which carries a major part of the crane weight as it is hoisted up a tower of the wind turbine, wherein the lifting point is laterally adjustable relative to the main body in a direction which is generally towards or away from the tower when in its lifting orientation in order to allow control of the crane balance.
Claims14
A crane for use in handling of components during installation or servicing of a wind turbine, the wind turbine including a tower and a nacelle at a top of the tower, the crane comprising:
- a main body configured to be movably mounted to the wind turbine tower;
- a tower-engaging element coupled to the main body and configured to bear against the tower when the main body is mounted to the tower;
- a crane arm mounted on the main body and movable relative to the main body;
- a lifting point adjacent an upper end of the main body, the lifting point being laterally adjustable relative to the tower-engaging element;
- at least one hoisting cable operatively coupled to the wind turbine adjacent an upper end of the wind turbine and further operatively coupled to the lifting point of the crane for hoisting the crane along the wind turbine tower;
- and
- a drive configured to effect lateral adjustment of the lifting point relative to the tower-engaging element,
- wherein the lifting point is laterally adjustable independent of the position of the main body along the tower and independent of movement of the crane arm during use.
A method of hoisting a crane for use in installation or servicing of components of a wind turbine, comprising:
- providing a crane having a main body, a tower-engaging element coupled to the main body, a crane arm mounted on the main body and movable relative to the main body, a lifting point adjacent an upper end of the main body, the lifting point being laterally adjustable relative to the tower-engaging portion, at least one hoisting cable coupled to the lifting point of the crane, and a drive configured to effect lateral adjustment of the lifting point relative to the tower-engaging element, wherein the lifting point is laterally adjustable independent of the position of the main body along the tower and independent of movement of the crane arm during use;
- mounting the crane to a tower of the wind turbine;
- coupling the at least one hoisting cable to a nacelle of the wind turbine or an upper region of the tower;
- hoisting the crane up the tower;
- and
- adjusting the position of the lifting point as the crane is hoisted to control the crane balance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.