U.S. patent application number 10/082878 was filed with the patent office on 2002-07-04 for guide rail climbing lifting platform and method.
Invention is credited to Brennan, Donald D., Burkhart, George M., Diedrich, Carl W., Fredrickson, Ralph Douglas, Leisening, Brent R..
Application Number | 20020084142 10/082878 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22476851 |
Filed Date | 2002-07-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020084142 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Brennan, Donald D. ; et
al. |
July 4, 2002 |
Guide rail climbing lifting platform and method
Abstract
A guide rail system is used to erect towers, to place equipment
on towers and for maintenance of towers. The guide rail may be
added to existing towers. a climbing lifting platform is attached
to the guide rails and is used to transport items up and down the
tower. The platform may also be used to carry up tower sections
during erection of the tower.
Inventors: |
Brennan, Donald D.;
(Lancaster, PA) ; Leisening, Brent R.; (Lititz,
PA) ; Diedrich, Carl W.; (Lancaster, PA) ;
Burkhart, George M.; (Millersville, PA) ;
Fredrickson, Ralph Douglas; (St. Cloud, MN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
VIDAS, ARRETT & STEINKRAUS, P.A.
6109 BLUE CIRCLE DRIVE
SUITE 2000
MINNETONKA
MN
55343-9185
US
|
Family ID: |
22476851 |
Appl. No.: |
10/082878 |
Filed: |
February 26, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10082878 |
Feb 26, 2002 |
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09586013 |
Jun 2, 2000 |
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6357549 |
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60137321 |
Jun 3, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
182/133 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B66B 9/187 20130101;
E04H 12/342 20130101; Y02P 70/50 20151101; Y02E 10/72 20130101;
F03D 13/10 20160501; F05B 2230/61 20130101; Y02P 70/523
20151101 |
Class at
Publication: |
182/133 |
International
Class: |
A63B 027/00 |
Claims
1. A tower comprising in combination: a) a plurality of generally
tubular sections each having a top and a bottom, including a lower
tubular section to be anchored to the ground and at least one
higher tubular section constructed and arranged to be securable on
top of a lower section; b) each said tubular section including a
guide rail extending from said bottom to said top and being
constructed and arranged such that stacked and secured tubular
sections may be arranged such that the guide rail is continuous
from the bottom to the top of the tower thus formed; and c) a guide
rail climbing lifting platform attachable to said guide rails with
a carriage track system, said platform including a climbing
mechanism for raising and lowering said platform on said guide
rails and for securing said carriage track system to said guide
rails, said platform further including a carriage assembly for
carrying items up and down said tower.
2. The tower of claim 1 further including a wind turbine generator
connected atop the highest tubular section.
3. The tower of claim 1 wherein said guide rail climbing lifting
platform includes apparatus for moving said carriage assembly
horizontally over said tower and for raising and lowering said
carriage assembly when positioned over said tower.
4. The tower of claim 1 wherein said climbing mechanism includes a
lower pair of latch pins on said platform which engage with pin
receiving holes in said rails and a pair of lift cylinders having
lower and upper ends, the lower ends of said lift cylinders being
mounted to said lift platform and said upper end of said lift
cylinders being slidably connected to said guide rail, said upper
end of said lift cylinders being securable to said guide rail pin
receiving holes via an upper pair of latch pins.
5. The tower of claim 4 wherein said lift cylinders are controlled
by a hydraulic control mechanism that causes said lift cylinders to
extend and retract and said upper and lower pins to engage and
disengage alternatively such that said platform may be driven up
and down said guide rails with one set of latch pins always being
latched to said guide rail pin receiving holes.
6. The tower of claim 1 wherein said climbing mechanism includes a
plurality of latch pins constructed and arranged to engage with
said guide rail, said latch pins being controlled by a hydraulic
control mechanism which lifts and lowers said platform on said rail
with at least one latch pin always being secured to said guide
rail.
7. The tower of claim 1 wherein a payload on said platform is
carried by said guide rails to a base on which said tower is
erected by mounting the lowermost rails against said base.
8. A vertically oriented tower having a series of interconnected
modular tubular sections along a vertical height connected by
joints, each said tubular section including a guide rail aligned
with a guide rail from an adjacent tubular section such that a
continuous guide rail extends from the bottom to the top of said
tower, said tower including a guide rail climbing lifting platform
attachable to said guide rail and including a mechanism for moving
along said guide rail, said platform defining a carriage assembly
to which items may be placed for delivery up or down said
tower.
9. A kit for adapting structures to include a guide rail and guide
rail lifting platform system comprising: a) a plurality of guide
rail sections each having mechanisms for attaching the guide rail
sections to a structure; b) a guide rail climbing lifting platform
attachable to said guide rail and including a mechanism for moving
along said guide rail, said platform defining a carriage assembly
to which items may be placed for delivery up or down said
structure.
10. The kit of claim 9 wherein said structure is a tower.
11. A method for building towers comprising the steps of: a)
preparing a base; b) erecting a first generally tubular section on
said base, said tubular section including a guide rail along its
length; c) attaching a guide rail climbing lifting platform to said
guide rail, said platform including a mechanism for moving along
said guide rail, said platform defining a carriage assembly to
which items may be placed for delivery up or down said tower; d)
placing another tubular section onto said carriage assembly and
lifting said platform on said guide rails and sliding said another
tubular section over the top of said first tubular section and
securing said sections together; and e) lowering said platform to
receive another tubular section and repeating said process until
the desired tower height is achieved.
12. A method for servicing wind generating towers comprising the
steps of: a) attaching a guide rail to the outside of the tower; b)
attaching a guide rail climbing lifting platform to said guide
rail, said platform including a a mechanism for moving along said
guide rail, said platform defining a carriage assembly to which
items may be placed for delivery up or down said tower; and c)
utilizing said platform to raise and lower repair or replacement
components on said tower.
13. A method for constructing wind generating towers comprising the
steps of: a) preparing a base; b) erecting a first generally
tubular section on said base, said tubular section including a
guide rail along its length; c) attaching a guide rail climbing
lifting platform to said guide rail, said platform including a a
mechanism for moving along said guide rail, said platform defining
a carriage assembly to which items may be placed for delivery up or
down said tower; d) placing another tubular section onto said
carriage assembly and lifting said platform on said guide rails; e)
sliding said another tubular section over the top of said first
tubular section and securing said sections together; e) lowering
said platform to receive another tubular section and repeating said
process until the desired tower height is achieved; and f) lowering
said platform to receive wind generating turbine components and
raising each of said wind generating turbine components on said
platform to the top of said tower until all components are
assembled.
14. A tower comprising in combination: a) a plurality of generally
tubular sections each having a top and a bottom, including a lower
tubular section to be anchored to the ground and at least one
higher tubular section constructed and arranged to be securable on
top of a lower section; b) each said tubular section including a
guide rail extending from said bottom to said top and being
constructed and arranged such that stacked and secured tubular
sections may be arranged such that the guide rail is continuous
from the bottom to the top of the tower thus formed; and c) a guide
rail climbing lifting platform attachable to said guide rails with
a carriage track system, said platform including a climbing
mechanism for raising and lowering said platform on said guide
rails and for securing said carriage track system to said guide
rails, said platform further including a carriage assembly for
carrying items up and down said tower, said carriage assembly
including apparatus for moving said carriage assembly horizontally
over said tower and for raising and lowering said carriage assembly
when positioned over said tower.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0001] Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to lifting devices and, more
specifically, to a platform capable of both lifting heavy objects
that are needed for elevated construction and facilitating the
modular construction of tall structures.
[0003] Many construction projects require the moving of materials
and machinery up hundreds of feet above the ground. Some examples
of projects that would require the lifting of materials are the
construction of office buildings or high rise apartment complexes.
Often the construction of towers or industrial smokestacks, such as
concrete towers or steel towers, requires the lifting of heavy
modular units to complete construction. One example of a tower that
requires a lifting device for both the modular construction of the
tower and for lifting heavy machinery to the top of the tower is a
wind turbine tubular tower. These wind turbine tubular towers can
easily reach 300 feet in height and upon completion require the
lifting of a wind turbine generator and rotor blade assembly to the
top of the wind turbine tubular tower.
[0004] Different methods are commonly used when either constructing
towers or lifting heavy objects to great heights. Often a large
industrial crane is used to facilitate these sort of construction
projects. The large industrial cranes can assist in lifting the
various components needed for the modular assembly of construction
projects. Additionally, large industrial cranes can also place
heavy machinery on the top of towers as needed.
[0005] For loads over 120,000 pounds and heights over 300 feet few
cranes currently exist that can be used on public roads at a
reasonable expense. Unfortunately, there are disadvantages to
relying on the use of large industrial cranes in some construction
situations. Depending on the terrain, it may be difficult to place
the crane in a suitable operational position. In some situations,
there may not be enough room to either properly position the large
industrial crane or even to move the crane to the project site.
Wind turbine farms are just one example of a situation in which it
is difficult to use a large industrial crane. Wind turbine farms
usually have many wind turbine tubular towers placed in close
proximity to each other to maximize the amount of energy that can
be generated by the wind turbine farm. Often the roads throughout
the wind turbine farm are too small to be used by a large
industrial crane in order to erect additional wind turbine tubular
towers. Furthermore, the use of a large industrial crane that has
suitable height and load capabilities for either the assembly or
repair of wind turbine tubular towers is often overly
expensive.
[0006] Wind turbine farms may be scattered over many square miles.
Large industrial cranes may be transported into such farms, but
often must be disassembled and reassembled over and over in order
to reach each of the wind tower locations. This loses valuable time
and increases the costs tremendously.
[0007] The transportation of large industrial cranes through wind
turbine farms also presents problems when existing wind turbine
generators or existing wind turbine tubular towers need to be
repaired. Wind turbine generators and wind turbine tubular towers
are often struck by lightning that can damage the wind turbine
generator or rotor blades, thus necessitating the repair or
replacement of the wind turbine generator and parts of the wind
turbine tubular tower.
[0008] High piers or towers, such as observatory towers, also
require the use of lifting devices, such as cranes, to facilitate
construction. However, the use of cranes is subject to many of the
drawbacks detailed above.
[0009] Another method that can be utilized to facilitate the
construction of towers is to use helicopters to lift modular
components during the construction of the towers. The use of
helicopters, however, is expensive and is often an impractical
solution once budgetary concerns are considered.
[0010] The art described in this section is not intended to
constitute an admission that any patent, publication or other
information referred to herein is "prior art" with respect to this
invention, unless specifically designated as such. In addition,
this section should not be construed to mean that a search has been
made or that no other pertinent information as defined in 37 C.F.R.
.sctn.1.56(a) exists.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention provides a guide rail climbing lifting
platform that overcomes the above drawbacks and provides a device
that does not require as much physical space to access a project
site. The guide rail climbing lifting platform is capable of
supporting the tremendous weights necessary to facilitate the
modular assembly of towers. Furthermore, the present invention is
an ideal device for lifting heavy machinery to elevated points
along tall structures. The inventive guide rail climbing lifting
platform uses a hydraulic system to travel along guide rails that
are attached to the side of a structure. The guide rails can either
be an integral part of the structure or they can be attached to a
structure using a retrofitting process. The rails transfer the
weight of the lifting platform and the payload directly to the base
platform. The vertical load is not placed on the tower.
[0012] This guide rail climbing lifting platform allows more
economical and efficient repairs to be made to existing towers due
to the present invention's efficient design. The guide rail
climbing lifting platform is a far less expensive option than using
a comparable large industrial crane of similar lifting capabilities
(measured in terms of the height to which an object can be lifted
and in terms of the amount of weight that can be lifted).
[0013] Furthermore, the present invention is ideally suited for the
construction and repair work that must be performed in wind turbine
farms. The guide rail climbing lifting platform does not require
large amounts of operational space proximate to the base of the
tower. Furthermore, the guide rail climbing lifting platform can be
transported along much smaller roads than large industrial cranes
are capable of using.
[0014] Accordingly, the guide rail climbing lifting platform of the
present invention provides both a convenient and economical way for
erecting towers in a modular fashion and provides an economical way
for lifting heavy machinery to points along a vertical
structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] A detailed description of the invention is hereafter
described with specific reference being made to the drawings in
which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a guide rail climbing
lifting platform, shown at two different positions along a tower,
in accordance with the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged partial side elevational view
of a portion of the guide rail climbing lifting platform of FIG.
1;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a greatly enlarged side elevational view of
another portion of the guide rail climbing lifting platform of FIG.
1;
[0019] FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a tower
segment of FIG. 1 taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the guide rail climbing lifting
platform positioned at the top of a partially constructed steel
tower;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the largest tower segment being
supported by an adjustable carriage assembly;
[0022] FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the tower segment of
FIG. 6 supported by the adjustable carriage assembly of FIG. 6;
[0023] FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the smallest tower segment
being supported by the adjustable carriage assembly of FIG. 6;
[0024] FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the smallest tower
segment being supported by the adjustable carriage assembly of FIG.
6;
[0025] FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of a guide rail climbing
lifting platform positioned to transfer an additional tower segment
onto the end of a previously positioned tower segment;
[0026] FIG. 11 illustrates the alignment of a nacelle, that
encloses a wind turbine generator mounted on a short tower segment,
with the top of a partially constructed tower;
[0027] FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of the guide rail
climbing lifting platform of FIG. 1, shown in two positions,
transporting the short tower segment and the nacelle of FIG. 11 to
the top of the tower;
[0028] FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the guide rail
climbing lifting platform supporting the short tower segment on a
carriage assembly at the top of the partially constructed
tower;
[0029] FIG. 14 is a hydraulic circuit illustrating the various
components used to control the operation of the guide rail climbing
lifting platform;
[0030] FIG. 15 is a partial enlarged view of the hydraulic circuit
of FIG. 14;
[0031] FIG. 16 is a partial enlarged view of the hydraulic circuit
of FIG. 14;
[0032] FIG. 17 is a partial enlarged view of the hydraulic circuit
of FIG. 14;
[0033] FIG. 18 is a front elevational view of the guide rail
climbing lifting platform of FIG. 1, shown in two positions,
transporting a rotor blade assembly to the top of the tower;
[0034] FIG. 19 is a side elevational view of the guide rail
climbing lifting platform of FIG. 1, shown in position to place the
rotor blade assembly onto a wind turbine generator;
[0035] FIG. 20 is a front elevational view of the guide rail
climbing lifting platform of FIG. 1, shown transporting a single
rotor blade between the base of the tower and the rotor blade
assembly; and
[0036] FIG. 21 is a side elevational view of the guide rail
climbing lifting platform of FIG. 1, secured to the rotor blade
projecting downwards from the rotor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0037] Certain terminology is used in the following description for
convenience only and is not limiting. The words "right," "left,"
"lower," and "upper" designate directions in the drawings to which
reference is made. The words "inwardly" and "outwardly" refer to
directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center
of the guide rail climbing lifting platform assembly and designated
parts thereof. The terminology includes the words above
specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar
import.
[0038] In many instances only one of a pair of components that are
recited is actually shown in FIGS. 1-13. When only one component
(e.g. the first latch pin 46a) of a pair of recited components
(e.g. the first and second latch pins 46a, 46b) is actually shown
in the referenced figure, it is understood that the second
component of the recited pair is symmetrically positioned on the
opposite side of the platform assembly and that the second
component operates in a similar fashion.
[0039] Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein in like
numerals indicate like elements throughout, there is shown in FIGS.
1-21 a preferred embodiment of a guide rail climbing lifting
platform, also referred to as a platform assembly, generally
designated 10. The guide rail climbing lifting platform is an ideal
device for erecting modular wind turbine tubular towers and for
lifting heavy machinery or devices. As shown in FIG. 1 and
discussed in more detail hereinafter, the platform assembly 10 can
transport a tower segment 84 to the top of a steel tower 72. By
incrementally moving upward along the guide rails 40, the platform
assembly 10 is able to move from a lower position, shown at the
bottom of FIG. 1, to an upper position, shown at the top of FIG. 1.
Once the tower segment 84 is positioned at the upper end of the
steel tower 72, the tower segment 84 is ready to be aligned over
and attached to the steel tower 72. Thus the steel tower 72 can be
formed using multiple tower segments 84, each of which can be
anywhere from 40 to 50 feet long.
[0040] The guide rail climbing lifting device allows for the
modular construction of towers without the use of a large heavy
industrial crane. While a light crane (not shown) is necessary to
place the tower segment 84 onto the platform assembly 10 shown at
the bottom of FIG. 1, the size of the crane required is much
smaller than that which would be necessary if the tower segment 84
were to be lifted by a crane directly to the top of the steel tower
72.
[0041] While in the drawings depicting the preferred embodiment a
steel tower 72 is shown as being approximately 300 feet in height,
it is understood by those of ordinary skill in the art from this
disclosure that the present invention is not limited to towers of
any particular height. Nor is the present invention limited to any
particular size of the individual tower segments. For instance, the
platform assembly 10 can be used to construct towers taller than
300 feet using individual tower segments 84 that are each 20 feet
long. Additionally, the guide rail climbing lifting platform 10 can
also be used with concrete towers.
[0042] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 5, the guide rail climbing
lifting platform 10 supports the tower segment 84 on the left side
of the steel tower 72 and has a first and a second carriage track
20a, 20b that each extend along opposite sides of the steel tower
72. In FIG. 1 only the first carriage track 20a can be seen. As the
platform assembly 10 transports upwards along the guide rail 40
towards the top of the steel tower 72, the first and second
carriage tracks 20a, 20b extend beyond the right side of the steel
tower 72. Once the additional tower segment 84 has been brought to
the top of the steel tower 72, the distance denoted "x" between the
center line 85 of the tower segment 84 and the center line 73 of
the steel tower 72 is approximately 10 feet. The distance "x"
varies depending on the structure being climbed, the size of the
guide rail climbing lifting platform, and the weight of the objects
being lifted by the platform assembly 10.
[0043] FIG. 3 shows a portion of the platform assembly 10. The
guide rail climbing lifting platform assembly 10 has a first and a
second carriage track 20a, 20b that do not extend past the guide
rails 40. As such, the guide rail climbing lifting platform 10 of
FIG. 3 is preferable for lifting machinery and objects upwards
along structures that are wider than the upper portion of the
platform assembly 10, such as apartment buildings, office
buildings, aircraft hangers, stadiums, and warehouses.
[0044] Both types of the guide rail climbing lifting platform 10
use the same mechanisms to travel along the guide rails 40 and
operate in a similar manner. As such, the climbing operation of
both guide rail climbing lifting platforms 10 will be described
with reference to the components shown in the guide rail climbing
lifting platform of FIG. 3. The guide rail climbing lifting
platform shown in FIGS. 1-13 and 18-21 also possesses and utilizes
each of the components detailed in FIG. 3. The omission of some of
these components in FIGS. 1-13 and 18-21 is only for the purpose of
simplifying the figures.
[0045] Referring to FIG. 3, the operation of the platform assembly
10 is as follows. Initially, first and the second latch pins 46a,
46b are engaged with the guide rails 40. The lower end of the
platform assembly 10 has a pair of lower wheels 52 that abut and
roll along the guide rails 40. Each lower wheel 52 is rotatably
mounted on a first cylinder support 34. Each first cylinder support
34 is secured to a lower deck 32 that extends therefrom. A vertical
support or strut 38 extends upwardly generally parallel to the
guide rails 40 from the end of the lower deck 32 closest to the
guide rails 40. A lower flange 58 is attached in a cantilever
fashion to an outer edge of each vertical support 38 using bolts 60
proximate to the lower deck 32. The distal end of the lower flange
58 includes an aperture for slidably receiving the respective latch
pin 46a or 46b. The first and second latch pins 46a, 46b extend
from the lower flange 58 into registry with a correspondingly sized
pin receiving hole 70 in the guide rails 40. There are a series of
pin receiving holes 70 spaced along the length of the guide rails
40 at predetermined intervals, as described in more detail
hereinafter. The first and second latch pins 46a, 46b and the pin
receiving holes 70 cooperate to fix the platform assembly 10 to the
guide rails 40 at a selected vertical position, as is also
described in more detail hereinafter.
[0046] The upper end of the platform assembly 10 is secured to the
guide rails 40 using a pair of upper flanges 62. One upper flange
62 is attached to the upper end of each vertical support 38 and
extends therefrom generally perpendicularly in a cantilever
fashion. Each upper flange 62 is secured to its vertical support 38
via standard fasteners, such as bolts 60. The distal end of each
upper flange 62 includes a pair of upper wheels 56 that sandwich
its respective guide rail 40. That is, one upper wheel 56 is
located on either side of a respective guide rail 40. Since the
upper flanges 62 are braced via upper wheels 56 against both sides
of the guide rails 40, the platform assembly 10 is maintained at a
constant orientation relative to the guide rails 40. Additionally,
the upper flanges 62, and the associated upper wheels 56, prevent
the rotation of the platform assembly 10 around the lower flanges
58.
[0047] With reference to FIG. 3, the platform assembly 10 is also
vertically fixed along the guide rails 40 by the first and second
slide pins 48a, 48b, as described in more detail below. The first
and second slide pins 48a, 48b are reciprocally mounted within a
correspondingly sized aperture in first and second slide assemblies
55 that are separately mounted to roll along each of the guide
rails 40. The first and second slide assemblies 55 are attached to
the distal end of the first and second lift rods 43a, 43b,
respectively. The first and second lift rods 43a, 43b extend from
first and second lift cylinders 42a, 42b that are attached to the
platform assembly 10 proximate to the lower deck 32.
[0048] While in the preferred embodiment the first and second lift
cylinders 42a, 42b are pinned to the platform assembly 10 at
cylinder support 34, it is understood from this disclosure that the
present invention is not limited to the method of securing the
first and second lift cylinders 42a, 42b to the platform assembly
10. For instance, the first and second lift cylinders 42a, 42b can
be bolted to the platform assembly 10 at various locations along
the platform assembly that would allow the first and second lift
rods 43a, 43b to properly operate, as explained in more detail
hereinafter.
[0049] The first and second lift rods 43a, 43b are attached to the
first and second slide assemblies 55, respectively, via a pin
connection 44. Each slide assembly 55 engages the guide rail 40
using four slide wheels 54 for each guide rail 40. Two slide wheels
54 are arranged on both sides of the guide rail 40 to maintain
stability in the slide assembly 55. FIG. 3 shows the platform
assembly after having secured the first and second slide pins 48a,
48b to the guide rails 40.
[0050] To begin the lifting process, with the first and second
slide pins 48a, 48b locked to the guide rails 40, the first and
second latch pins 46a, 46b are disengaged from the guide rails 40.
Once the first and second latch pins 46a, 46b have been disengaged
from the guide rails 40, the first and second lift rods 43a, 43b
are retracted into the first and second lift cylinders 42a, 42b.
This causes the platform assembly 10 to move in the upward
direction, as viewed in FIG. 3. While moving upward, both the upper
wheels 56 and the lower wheels 52 roll along the sides of the guide
rails 40.
[0051] As the first and second lift rods 43a, 43b are retracted
into the first and second lift cylinders 42a, 42b, the platform
assembly 10 moves upwards until the first and second latch pins
46a, 46b are aligned with the next set of pin receiving holes 70 in
the guide rails 40. Once the first and second latch pins 46a, 46b
are aligned with the next set of pin receiving holes 70 in the
guide rails 40, the first and second latch pins 46a, 46b are
engaged with the pin receiving holes 70 in the guide rails 40.
Thus, the platform assembly 10 is vertically supported by both the
latch pins 46a, 46b and the slide pins 48a, 48b.
[0052] Next, the first and second slide pins 48a, 48b disengage
from the guide rail 40 and the first and second lift cylinders 42a,
42b drive the first and second lift rods 43a, 43b upwards. This
causes each slide assembly 55 to travel upward along the guide
rails 40 until the slide pins 48a, 48b are aligned with the next
set of pin receiving holes 70. The pairs of pin receiving holes 70
are preferably located approximately every 10 feet along the guide
rails to correspond with the stroke distance of the first and
second lift rods 43a, 43b. However, it is understood that the pin
receiving holes 70 could be spaced along the guide rails 40 at
other intervals so long as the distance of each interval is not
greater than the stroke distance of the first and second lift
cylinders 42a, 42b.
[0053] Then, once the first and second slide pins 48a, 48b are
aligned with the next pair of pin receiving holes 70 in the guide
rails 40, the first and second slide pins 48a, 48b are engaged with
the guide rails 40. Thus, the platform assembly 10 is again
supported by both the first and second latch pins 46a, 46b and by
the first and second slide pins 48a, 48b. This sequence of
operations is repeatedly performed until the platform assembly 10
reaches the desired position along the guide rails 40.
[0054] The top portion of the platform assembly 10, as viewed in
FIG. 5, is formed using first and second lower support beams 18a,
18b to support and underlie each of the first and second carriage
tracks 20a, 20b. As shown in FIG. 3, an equipment deck 16 is
positioned inside of the platform assembly 10. The equipment deck
16 can be used to store supplies (not shown) and is also used to
support a diesel powered pump unit 50 and certain components of a
hydraulic system described below (not shown in FIG. 3). The left
most side of the platform assembly 10, as viewed in FIGS. 1-3, is
constructed using first and second side support beams 12. The first
side support beam 12 is attached at one end to the lower deck 32
and at the opposite end to the first lower support beam 18a. The
second side support beam 12 (not shown) is attached at one end to
the lower deck 32 and at the opposite end to the second lower
support beam 18b. Side support beams 14 are similar to beams 12 but
are on the right most side of the platform of FIG. 1.
[0055] The structural components of the platform assembly 10 are
preferably constructed of a high strength light weight material,
such as steel, and joined in a manner well known to those of skill
in the art, such as by fasteners or by welding. It is understood by
those of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure that the
present invention is not limited to constructing the platform
assembly 10 in any particular manner so long as it is capable of
traversing the guide rails 40 and can support heavy loads.
[0056] The guide rails 40 are attached to the tower using a
plurality of tower mounts 66 that are directly attached to the
steel tower 72. The guide rail supports 68 are attached to the
tower mounts 66. The guide rail supports 68 engage the guide rails
40 and stably maintain the guide rails 40 in an aligned position.
As can be seen in FIG. 3, the guide rails 40 are preferably
assembled in 10 feet segments when they are retrofit onto an
existing tower. While the preferred embodiment uses guide rails 40
that are already attached to the tower that is being climbed by the
platform assembly 10, it is understood by those of skill in the art
that the present invention is not limited to use with towers having
pre-existing guide rail structures. For instance, the platform
assembly 10 can be used to incrementally install guide rails 40 in
10 feet increments along a pre-existing tower.
[0057] As shown in FIG. 4, the tower mounts 66 can be directly
formed or welded onto the steel tower 72. Furthermore, the guide
rails 40, the guide rail supports 68, and the tower mounts 66 can
be integrally constructed with the steel tower segments 84 to
simplify the construction of the steel tower 72. While the
preferred embodiment uses the platform assembly 10 to self erect
steel towers, it is understood by those of ordinary skill in the
art from this disclosure that the present invention is not limited
to use with steel towers. For instance, the platform assembly 10
can be used with concrete towers, such as those that are used to
form high piers, and can be used to construct observation towers,
or other similar vertical structures. To attach tower mounts 66 to
the concrete tower, inserts are formed in the concrete tower as the
tower is being slip formed in a manner well understood by those of
ordinary skill in the art (not shown). Then the tower mounts 66 are
secured inside of the inserts (not shown).
[0058] When trying to retrofit steel towers for use with the guide
rail climbing lifting platform 10, the guide rails 40 are attached
by bolting the tower mounts directly to the steel tower. It is
understood by those of ordinary skill in the art from this
disclosure that the platform assembly 10 of the present invention
can be used in a retrofit manner with existing towers regardless of
the material with which the existing tower is constructed.
[0059] Referring to FIG. 5, a top plan view of the platform
assembly 10 shows the platform assembly 10 attached to a partially
constructed steel tower 72. The end of the tower segment 84 that
forms the top of the partially constructed steel tower 72 has an
inner flange 86. An inner flange 86 is located at both ends of each
tower segment 84 to allow the various tower segments to be bolted
together. Each inner flange 86 has a plurality of bolt holes 74
that are located in the inner flange 86. Attached to, or formed
with, the steel tower 72 are tower mounts 66 that are connected to
the guide rail supports 68. Attached to the guide rail support 68
that is shown in the lower portion of FIG. 5 is a ladder 80. A fall
arrester 82 is attached to the ladder 80 to increase the safety
with which a worker can traverse the ladder 80. As also shown in
FIG. 5, the first and second slide pins 48a, 48b are engaged with
the pin receiving holes 70 in the guide rails 40.
[0060] The upper portion of the platform assembly 10, as shown in
FIG. 5, is constructed using the first and second carriage tracks
20a, 20b that are each supported by the first and second lower
support beams 18a, 18b, respectively. The first and second carriage
tracks 20a, 20b and the first and second lower support beams 18a,
18b are connected using a first cross beam 26 and a second cross
beam 28. While in the preferred embodiment the first and second
carriage tracks 20a, 20b are connected using only two cross beams,
as mentioned above, it is understood by those of skill in the art
that the present invention is not limited to the manner in which
the upper portion of the platform assembly 10 is formed. For
instance, the upper portion of the platform may be formed using
first and second carriage tracks 20a, 20b that are connected by
more than two, e.g. four, cross beams. Depending on the height,
weight, or type of machinery that is to be lifted and depending on
the type of structure to be climbed, it could be preferable to have
a solid platform, that does not have a hole 30 therein, or it could
be preferable to have an upper portion of the platform that does
not extend beyond the guide rails. Using a platform assembly that
has first and second carriage tracks 20a, 20b that do not extend
beyond the guide rails 40 would be useful when using the platform
assembly with office buildings and apartment buildings. This would
allow for the easy transportation of large or heavy objects to
various levels of the office building or the apartment
building.
[0061] The first and second carriage tracks 20a, 20b and the first
and second cross beams 26, 28 define an A-shaped structure wherein
the opening 30 is in the upper portion of the platform assembly 10.
In addition, the first and second carriage tracks 20a, 20b extend
beyond the guide rails 40 to flank both sides of the steel tower
72. The extension of the first and second carriage tracks 20a, 20b
along both sides of the steel tower 72 is shown, in a side
elevational view, in FIG. 1 and, in a top plan view, in FIG. 5.
[0062] Referring to FIG. 2, a load can be supported on an
adjustable carriage assembly 90 that moves along the carriage
tracks 20a, 20b via guided continuous roller bearings 92. In
addition, first and second transverse hydraulic cylinders 182a,
182b are used to laterally control the motion of the adjustable
carriage assembly 90 on top of the carriage tracks 20a, 20b.
[0063] Referring to FIG. 6, a tower segment 84 is supported by an
adjustable carriage assembly 90 that is slidably guided along the
first and second carriage tracks 20a, 20b (shown in FIG. 5). The
tower segment 84 has four bolt-on brackets 94 that are attached
around the circumference of the tower segment 84. The bolt-on
brackets 94 vertically support the tower segment 84 on top of the
adjustable carriage assembly 90. The bolt-on brackets 94 each have
a bearing surface 94a that engages the adjustable carriage assembly
90.
[0064] The tower segment 84 shown in FIG. 6 has the largest
diameter that can be accommodated by the adjustable carriage
assembly 90. As also shown in FIG. 7, the carriage assembly 90 is
constructed using lateral carriage beams 96 that support bolt-on
brackets 94 on opposite sides of the tower segment 84. The lateral
carriage beams 96 are bolted into bolt holes 102 that are located
in the carriage cross beams 98. Both the lateral carriage beams 96
and the carriage cross beams 98 are adjustable to allow the
carriage assembly 90 to support tower segments 84 having various
diameters.
[0065] As shown in FIG. 7, two of the four bolt on brackets 94 are
supported by the carriage cross beams 98 and the remaining bolt-on
brackets 94 are supported by the lateral carriage beams 96. As
shown in phantom, the bottom end of the tower segment 84 extends
below the upper surface of the platform engaging carriage beams
104. The platform engaging carriage beams 104 move along the first
and second carriage tracks 20a, 20b using guided continuous roller
bearings 92. The guided continuous roller bearings 92 each engage,
via rollers (not shown), the side of the first or second carriage
tracks 20a, 20b that faces upwardly. In addition, the guided
continuous roller bearings 92 also have rollers (not shown) that
engage the bottom and/or side surface of the first and second
carriage tracks 20a, 20b to grip the first and second carriage
tracks 20a, 20b. Thus, the guided continuous roller bearings 92
both prevent the adjustable carriage assembly 90 from disengaging
from the first and second carriage tracks 20a, 20b and maintain the
adjustable carriage assembly 90 in proper alignment over the first
and second carriage tracks 20a, 20b.
[0066] Referring now to FIG. 2, as detailed above, the platform
engaging carriage beams 104 are not adjustable and are held in a
constant position, that is aligned over the carriage tracks 20a,
20b, by the guided continuous roller bearings 92. The carriage
assembly 90 is transversely secured by the first and second
transverse cylinders 182a, 182b (only one is shown) which also
control the horizontal position of the carriage assembly 90, as
described in more detail below. The transverse cylinders 182a, 182b
also prevent the carriage assembly 90 from being displaced
laterally along the first and second carriage tracks 20a, 20b of
the platform assembly 10.
[0067] The first and second transverse cylinders 182a, 182b are
each attached to the platform assembly 10 via a transverse brace
110 in the form of a pillow block. Each transverse brace 110 is
mounted at the end of its respective carriage track 20a, 20b distal
from the tower 72. The hydraulic cylinders 182a, 182b are attached
to the transverse brace 110 by a pin connection 110a. The hydraulic
cylinders 182a, 182b each include an extendable transverse rod
184a, 184b which is connected to its respective adjustable carriage
beam 104 of the carriage assembly 90 using a sliding block 106.
That is, the first transverse rod 184a is attached via the sliding
block 106 to one platform engaging carriage beam 104 and the second
transverse rod 184b is attached to the other, oppositely
positioned, platform engaging carriage beam 104 via another sliding
block 106. Each sliding block 106 is pinned to the end of one of
the first and second transverse rods 184a, 184b and to one of the
platform engaging carriage beams 104. The carriage beams 104 have a
plurality of sliding block receiving holes 108 spaced at
predetermined intervals along the length of the carriage beam 104,
for reasons described hereinafter.
[0068] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the stroke of each
transverse rod 184a, 184b is approximately 4 feet. As such, to move
the carriage assembly 90 the approximate 10 feet between the center
line 85 of the tower segment 84 and the center line 73 of the steel
tower 72 requires that successive operations using the hydraulic
cylinders 182a, 182b take place, as described in more detail below.
The center line of tower 72 and lift platform 10 is designated as
center line 76. While in the preferred embodiment the transverse
rods 184a, 184b have a stroke of 4 feet, it is understood by those
of ordinary skill from this disclosure that the hydraulic cylinders
may be constructed using hydraulic rods having a larger stroke
distance. For instance, transverse cylinders having a stroke
distance of 15 feet can be used with the platform assembly 10. In
addition, non-hydraulic mechanisms may be used which are well known
in the art such as a rack and pinion system. When transverse
cylinders 182a, 182b that are used have a greater stroke distance
than the distance between the centerline 85 of the additional tower
segment 84 and the centerline 73 of the steel tower 72, the
carriage assembly 90 can be properly positioned over the steel
tower 72 using only one extension of the transverse rods 184a,
184b. The changes to the preferred embodiment necessary to
incorporate larger hydraulic cylinders, such as those having stroke
distances in excess of 15 feet, are well known to those of ordinary
skill in the art in light of this disclosure.
[0069] The incremental movement of the adjustable carriage assembly
90 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. The preferred method
of incrementally moving the adjustable carriage assembly 90, and an
associated load, along the first and second carriage tracks 20a,
20b towards the steel tower 72 is to use the sliding blocks 106 in
combination with multiple extensions of the transverse rods 184a,
184b. First, each carriage beam 104 is attached to a sliding block
106 at the sliding block receiving hole 108 closest to the steel
tower 72. The transverse rods 184a, 184b are extended causing the
adjustable carriage assembly 90 to move approximately 4 feet to the
right, as viewed in FIG. 2.
[0070] Then, workers remove the pin from one of the sliding blocks
106 from a carriage beam 104, retract the associated transverse rod
184a or 184b into the associated hydraulic cylinder 182a or 182b,
and re-pin the sliding block 106 to a sliding block receiving hole
108 that is next closest to the associated hydraulic cylinder 184a
or 184b. Afterwards, the above procedure is repeated for the
sliding block 106 that has not been adjusted. It is preferable to
only detach one sliding block at a time to maintain stability of
the carriage assembly 90, and its associated load, on the first and
second carriage tracks 20a, 20b. Once both of the sliding blocks
106 have been re-positioned, the transverse rods 184a, 184b are
again extended causing the adjustable carriage assembly 90 to move
another 4 feet to the right. This process is repeated until the
adjustable carriage assembly is properly aligned over the steel
tower 72.
[0071] It is understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that
other methods could be used to move the tower segment 84, along
with the carriage assembly 90, over the top of the steel tower 72
without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention. For instance, an alternative method to incrementally
moving the adjustable carriage assembly 90 along the first and
second carriage tracks 20a, 20b is to successive re-bolt and
re-position the hydraulic cylinders 182a, 182b along the length of
the first and second carriage tracks 20a, 20b (not shown).
[0072] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the adjustable carriage assembly
90 is shown supporting the tower segment 84 having the smallest
diameter. The platform engaging carriage beams 104 remain
positioned to be appropriately aligned over the first and second
carriage tracks 20a, 20b. However, both the carriage cross beams 98
and the lateral carriage beams 96 have been adjusted to account for
the small diameter of the tower segment 84. As discussed above, the
tower segment 84 has bolt on brackets 94 attached about its
circumference to allow the lateral carriage beams 96 and the
carriage cross beams 98 to vertically support the tower segment 84.
The carriage cross beam 98 that is shown on the right side of both
FIGS. 8 and 9 is bolted to bolt receiving holes 102 that are
located towards the midpoint of the platform engaging carriage
beams 104. Additionally, the lateral carriage beams 96 are bolted
to bolt receiving holes 102 that are located closer to the center
of the carriage cross beams 98. Thus, the adjustable carriage
assembly 90 can accommodate tower segments 84 having various
diameters. This facilitates the modular construction of towers, as
the design of many towers calls for a narrowing peak, as shown in
FIG. 1. The range of sizes that can be accommodated by the
adjustable carriage assembly 90 can be altered depending on the
applications for which the adjustable carriage assembly 90 is
used.
[0073] Referring now to FIGS. 5, 7 and 9, the bottom surface 94a of
the bolt-on brackets 94 ( i.e. the surface of the bolt-on brackets
94 that contacts the adjustable carriage assembly 90) that are
attached to the tower segment 84 have a bearing surface 94a that
allows the tower segment 84 to be slightly rotated to align the
bolt holes 74 in the inner flange 86 at the bottom of the
additional tower segment 84 with the bolt holes at the top of the
existing tower 72, as shown in FIG. 5. The use of bearing-type
bolt-on brackets 94 allows the tower segment 84 to be rotated
approximately 5-10 degrees to align the guide rails 40 of the tower
segment 84 with the guide rails 40 of the steel tower 72.
[0074] Often, it is desirable to mount a permanent structure to the
top of a tower. The preferred embodiment of the steel tower 72
shown in FIGS. 1-13 is a wind turbine tubular tower. As such, it is
desirable to mount a wind turbine generator (not shown) to the top
of the wind turbine tubular tower once the steel tower 72 is
completed.
[0075] Referring now to FIGS. 11-13 and 18-21, one method of
attaching the wind turbine generator to the wind turbine tubular
tower is to place a nacelle 120 over the wind turbine generator
(not shown). Then, the wind turbine generator and the nacelle 120
are attached to a short tower segment 122. The nacelle 120 is an
enclosure for the wind turbine generator that reduces the wind
resistance experienced by the wind turbine generator. The wind
turbine generator and the nacelle 120 are mounted to the short
tower segment 122, as shown in FIG. 11, prior to lifting the wind
turbine generator to the top of the steel tower 72 with the
platform assembly 10. The short tower segment 122 may, for example,
have a length of approximately 3 to 5 feet.
[0076] The nacelle (and the enclosed wind turbine generator) 120
are attached to the short tower segment 122 so that the nacelle 120
and the wind turbine generator can rotate 360 degrees on top of the
short tower segment 122. This allows the nacelle 120 to be facing
the side of the platform assembly 10 during the lifting operation,
as shown in FIG. 12. This reduces the moment force that the
platform assembly 10 is subject to during the lifting process.
[0077] Once the nacelle 120 and the short tower segment 122 are
located at the top of the steel tower 72 (as shown in FIG. 13), it
is necessary to align the bolt holes 74 in the inner flanges 86 of
both the upper end of the tower 72 and the lower end of the short
tower segment 122. FIG. 12 shows the platform assembly 10
supporting the short tower segment 122 and the attached nacelle
120, at both the base of the steel tower 72 and at the top of the
steel tower 72. FIG. 13 illustrates, in phantom line, the
protrusion of the short tower segment 122 below the adjustable
carriage assembly 90.
[0078] When loading either a tower segment 84, a short tower
segment 122, or a wind turbine generator onto a partially
constructed steel tower 72, it is first necessary to bring the
platform apparatus to the top of the steel tower 72, as shown in
FIGS. 1, 10, 12, and 13. Afterwards, as shown in FIG. 2, the
transverse cylinders 182a, 182b are used to extend the transverse
rods 184a, 184b to move the carriage assembly 90 over the center
line 73 of the steel tower 72, as discussed above. Once the tower
segment 84, the short tower segment 122, or the nacelle 120 is
aligned over the center line 73 of the steel tower 72, the bolt-on
bearing brackets 94 are used to rotate the additional tower
component into the appropriate alignment with the uppermost tower
segment 84 of the steel tower 72, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 21. This
is necessary to both properly align the guide rails 40 and the bolt
holes 74. The additional tower component (e.g. any one of a tower
segment 84, a short tower segment 122, a nacelle 120 and any other
machinery supported by the platform assembly) is engaged with the
upper end of the steel tower 72 by lowering the platform assembly
10 until the bottom end of the additional tower component engages
the top end of the steel tower 72.
[0079] Once the additional tower component is engaged with the top
end of the steel tower 72, the additional component is bolted to
the end of the steel tower 72 by workers that are positioned inside
of the steel tower 72. To facilitate the movement of workers inside
of the steel tower 72 an internal stairwell (not shown) can be
formed inside of each tower segment 84 to allow a worker to climb
up inside of the steel tower 72.
[0080] Once the nacelle 120, and the enclosed wind turbine
generator, are mounted on the top of the steel tower 72, the
nacelle 120 and the wind turbine generator are rotated so that the
front of the nacelle 120 (i.e. the side onto which the rotor 126
and rotor blades 124 are attached) faces the front of the platform
assembly 10, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 21.
[0081] After the nacelle 120 has been rotated 90 degrees, the
platform assembly is used to lift the rotor 126, and the attached
rotor blades 124 to the top of the steel tower as shown in FIG. 18.
Once the rotor 126 and the rotor blades 124 are aligned properly
with the nacelle 120, the rotor assembly is attached to the wind
turbine generator as shown in FIG. 19.
[0082] Referring now to FIGS. 14-17, a hydraulic circuit
illustrates the control of the first and second latch pins 46, the
first and second slide pins 48a, 48b, the first and second lift
cylinders 42a, 42b, and the first and second transverse cylinders
182a, 182b. A diesel powered pumping unit 50, also shown on the
equipment deck 16 in FIG. 3, drives a variable displacement piston
pump 152. In the preferred embodiment, the diesel power pumping
unit is a three cylinder air cooled pumping unit that is rated at
29 horsepower at 1800 rpm and the variable displacement piston pump
152 is pressure and flow compensated with a horse power limiter.
The variable displacement piston pump 152 pumps fluid from a
hundred gallon reservoir 160 past a third check valve 174c to a
pressure filter 156. Afterwards the fluid flows into a simplified
load sense sectional valve, generally designated 132. The
simplified load sense sectional valve 132 contains five hydraulic
switches that control the various hydraulic cylinders.
Additionally, fluid is returned from the simplified load sense
sectional valve 132 to the reservoir 160 after passing through the
return filter 158. Preferably both the return filter 158 and the
pressure filter 156 are ten micron filters. In addition, a system
pressure relief valve 154 is also capable of passing fluid through
the return filter 158 to the reservoir 160.
[0083] The hydraulic switches inside the simplified load sense
sectional valve 132 are standard spool valves which allow fluid to
be pumped along different paths to the various hydraulic cylinders.
All of the hydraulic switches can be positioned to use either a
first flow path 144 or a second flow path 146. Additionally, the
hydraulic switches controlling the first and second lift cylinders
42a, 42b and hydraulic switches controlling the first and second
transverse cylinders 182a, 182b can also be positioned to use a
third flow path 148. The details of the individual hydraulic
switches will be discussed along with the corresponding hydraulic
components below.
[0084] The first and second latch pins 46a, 46b are controlled by
the latch pin hydraulic switch 140. The latch pin hydraulic switch
140 is capable of switching between positions using a first flow
path 144 and a second flow path 146. In addition, the latch pin
hydraulic switch 140 is biased by a fourth hydraulic switch biasing
element 150d, such as a spring, into a position using the second
flow path 146. In the preferred embodiment, the first and second
latch pin cylinders 162a, 162b have a 2 inch bore, a 1.375 inch
diameter rod, and an 8 inch stroke.
[0085] When the latch pin hydraulic switch 140 is in a position
that uses the second flow path 146, fluid is pumped into the first
and second latch pin cylinders 162a, 162b to force the first and
second latch pins 46a, 46b to extend outward (thus, engaging the
guide rail and vertically stabilizing the platform assembly
10).
[0086] When the latch pin hydraulic switch 140 is positioned to use
the first flow path 144, fluid is pumped into the first and second
latch pin cylinders 162a, 162b to force the first and second latch
pins 46a, 46b to retract into the first and second latch pin
cylinders 162a, 162b (thus disengaging the latch pins 46a, 46b from
the guide rails 40). The latch pin hydraulic switch 140 is moved to
the first flow path 144 by a solenoid 140a which is remotely
controlled by an operator located at the operating panel described
below.
[0087] The biasing of the latch pin hydraulic switch 140 into a
position using the second flow path 146 is a safety feature that
causes the latch pins 46a, 46b to have, as a default position, the
extended position. In addition, a second safety is designed into
the system by using a first and a second latch pin biasing element
164a, 164b to bias the first and second latch pins 46a, 46b into an
extended position in the event of a loss of fluid. Thus, to retract
the first and second latch pins 46a, 46b it is necessary to both
have proper fluid flow and to override the bias of the latch pin
hydraulic switch 140.
[0088] The slide pin hydraulic switch 138 controls the first and
second slide pins 48a, 48b. The slide pin hydraulic switch 138 is
movable between a position using a first flow path 144 and a
position using a second flow path 146. The slide pin hydraulic
switch 138 is biased into a position using the second flow path 146
by a third hydraulic switch biasing element 150c. In the preferred
embodiment, the first and second slide pin cylinders 166a, 166b
have a 2 inch bore, a 1.375 inch diameter rod, and an 8 inch
stroke.
[0089] When the slide pin hydraulic switch 138 is in a position
using the second flow path 146, fluid is pumped to the first and
second slide pin cylinders 166a, 166b to extend the first and
second slide pins 48a, 48b outward from the first and second slide
pin cylinders 166a, 166b. When the slide pin hydraulic switch 138
is in a position using the first flow path 144, fluid is pumped to
the first and second slide pin cylinders 166a, 166b to retract the
first and second slide pins 48a, 48b into the first and second
slide pin cylinders 166a, 166b. The slide pin hydraulic switch 138
is moved to the first flow path 144 by a solenoid 138a which is
remotely controlled by an operator located at the operating panel
described below.
[0090] As a safety feature, the slide pin hydraulic switch 138 is
biased by the third hydraulic switch biasing element 150c, such as
a spring, into a position using the second flow path 146. This
causes the first and second slide pins 48a, 48b to, by default,
extend from the first and second slide pin cylinders 166a, 166b and
engage the guide rails 40. An additional safety is built into the
first and second slide pins 48a, 48b by inserting a first and a
second slide pin biasing element 168a, 168b into the first and
second slide pin cylinders 166a, 166b. The first and second slide
pin biasing elements 168a, 168b bias the first and second slide
pins 48a, 48b into the extended position in the event of a lack of
fluid flow. Thus, the first and second slide pins 48a, 48b are only
retracted into the first and second slide pins cylinders 166a, 166b
when there is proper fluid flow in the conduits and the slide pin
hydraulic switch 138 is moved out of its biased position.
[0091] Additionally, in the preferred embodiment of the guide rail
climbing lifting platform additional safe guards are built into the
operating panel that controls the hydraulic cylinders of the
platform assembly 10. The hydraulic cylinders are controlled from
an operating panel that is located close to the ground level
proximate to the base of the steel tower 72. From a remote point on
the ground, or from a position in the tower, a controller operates
the operating panel (not shown) to manipulate the hydraulic
switches and control the hydraulic cylinders of the platform
assembly 10. The operating panel includes appropriate electronic
lock outs well understood by those of ordinary skill in the art
that will not allow the operator to disengage the first and second
latch pins 46a, 46b when the first and second slides pins 48a, 48b
are not engaged with the guide rails 40. Similarly, the operating
panel will not allow an operator to disengage the first and second
slide pins 48a, 48b when the first and second latch pins 46a, 46b
are disengaged from the guide rails 40.
[0092] While in the preferred embodiment people are not transported
on the platform assembly 10 as it traverses the steel tower 72 and
the platform assembly 10 is controlled by an operator positioned on
the ground, it is understood by those of skill in the art that the
present invention is not limited to a lifting platform that does
not transport people. For instance, with the addition of further
safeguards (that are well known to those of skill in the art), it
is possible to have workers and operators transported by the
platform while controlling the platform operations. The advantage
of not transporting people on the platform assembly 10 is that the
cost of manufacturing the platform assembly 10 is significantly
reduced due to not having to design the guide rail climbing lifting
platform 10 to comply with OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health
Act) regulations.
[0093] The first and second lift cylinder hydraulic switches 134,
136 are used to control the first and second lift rods 43a, 43b.
Two hydraulic switches are used to control the first and second
lift cylinders 42a, 42b to increase the fluid flow provided to the
first and second lift cylinders 42a, 42b. The first and second lift
cylinder hydraulic switches 134, 136 are adjustable into a position
using either of a first flow path 144, a second flow path 146, and
a third flow path 148. Both the first and second lift cylinder
hydraulic switches 134, 136 are biased into a position using the
third flow path. The first lift cylinder hydraulic switch 134 is
biased into position by a first and a sixth hydraulic switch
biasing element 150a, 150f, such as a spring, and the second lift
cylinder hydraulic switch 136 is biased into position by a second
and a seventh hydraulic switch biasing element 150b, 150g, such as
a spring. In the preferred embodiment, the first and second lift
cylinders 42a, 42b are double acting and have a 6 inch bore, a 3
inch diameter rod, and a stroke of 10 feet.
[0094] The pressure equalizing connection 176 synchronizes the
movement of the first and second lift rods 43a, 43b. The control
orifice used as the pressure equalizing connection 176 is
preferably 0.040 inches. The control orifice used at the pressure
equalizing connection 176 remains small so that, in the event of
conduit breakage, fluid will not escape faster through the pressure
equalizing connection 176 than the variable displacement piston
pump 152 can pump replacement fluid into the first and second lift
cylinders 42a, 42b.
[0095] When the first and second lift cylinder hydraulic switches
134, 136 are in position to use the first flow path 144, fluid is
pumped so as to retract the first and second lift rods 43a, 43b
into the first and second lift cylinders 42a, 42b. When the first
and second lift cylinder hydraulic switches 134, 136 are in
position to use the second flow path 146, fluid is pumped so as to
extend the first and second lift rods 43a, 43b from the first and
second lift cylinders 42a, 42b. When the first and second lift
cylinder hydraulic switches are in position to use the third flow
path 148, the fluid in the conduits is vented to the reservoir 160.
This results in both the first and second lift rods 43a, 43b
staying in their current position. The first and second lift
cylinder hydraulic switches 134, 136 are each moved between the
first, second and third flow paths 144, 146, 148 by solenoids 134a,
136a, respectively, which are remotely controlled by an operator
located at the operating panel described above.
[0096] The first lift rod 43a remains in its current position when
fluid in the conduits connecting the first lift cylinder 42a to the
variable displacement piston pump 152 is vented back to the
reservoir (i.e. when the first and second lift cylinder hydraulic
switches 134, 136 are using the third flow path 148), because of
the combination effect of the first counter balance valve 170a and
the first check valve 174a. As viewed in FIG. 14, fluid in the
upper portion of the first lifting cylinder 42a is prevented from
leaving by the first check valve 174a and by the first counter
balance valve 170a. The first check valve 174a only allows fluid to
pass from the right side towards the left side of the first check
valve 174a. The first counter balance valve 170a does not allow
fluid to pass from the left of the first counter balance valve 170a
to the right side of the first counter balance valve 170a. In the
preferred embodiment the first through the sixth counter balance
valves 170a-170f are designed to have a 4.5:1 ratio.
[0097] A first pilot line 172a connects the conduit attached to the
lower end of the first lifting cylinder 42a, as viewed in FIG. 14,
to the first counter balance valve 170a. The first pilot line 172a
causes the first counter balance valve 170a to release fluid when
the load induced pressure exceeds a predetermined amount.
[0098] Additionally, the pressure equalizing connection 176 does
not allow fluid to leave the first lifting cylinder 42a and return
to the reservoir 160. The pressure equalizing connection 176
retains fluid because the fluid in the pressure equalizing
connection 176 is blocked on each side by the combination of both a
counter balance valve 170a, 170b and a check valve 174a, 174b.
[0099] The operation of the second lift cylinder 42b when the first
and second lift cylinder hydraulic switches 134, 136 are positioned
to use the third flow path 148 is the same as that described above
for the first lift cylinder 42a. Moreover, the second counter
balance valve 170b, the second check valve 174b, and the second
pilot line 172b, serve the same function for the second lift
cylinder 42b that their counterparts serve for the first lift
cylinder 42a.
[0100] The transverse hydraulic cylinder switch 142 controls the
operation of the first and second transverse cylinders 182a, 182b.
The transverse hydraulic cylinder switch 142 is adjustable into a
position using either of a first flow path 144, a second flow path
146, and a third flow path 148. The transverse hydraulic cylinder
switch 142 is biased into a position using the third flow path 148.
The transverse hydraulic cylinder switch 142 is biased into
position by a fifth and an eighth hydraulic switch biasing element
150e, 150h, such as a spring. In the preferred embodiment, the
first and second transverse cylinders 182a, 182b have a 4 inch
bore, a 2.5 inch diameter rod, and a stroke of 4 feet.
[0101] When the transverse hydraulic cylinder switch 142 is in a
position that uses the first flow path 144, fluid is pumped into
the first and second transverse cylinders 182a, 182b to extend the
first and second transverse rods 184a, 184b from the first and
second transverse cylinders 182a, 182b. In addition, the fluid
pumped to the left sides of the first and second transverse
cylinders 182a, 182b, as viewed in FIGS. 14 and 17, is passed
through a rotary flow divider 178 that preferably uses a 50:50
split. A first and second relief valve 180a, 180b are positioned
inside of the rotary flow divider 178. When the transverse
hydraulic cylinder switch 142 is in a position using the second
flow path 146, fluid is pumped to the first and second transverse
cylinders 182a, 182b to retract the first and second transverse
rods 184a, 184b into the first and second transverse cylinders
182a, 182b. When the transverse hydraulic cylinder switch 142 is in
a position using the third flow path 148, fluid that is in the
conduits between the variable displacement piston pump 152 and the
first and second transverse cylinders 182a, 182b is vented to the
reservoir 160. This results in both the first and second transverse
rods 184a, 184b staying in their current position. The position of
the transverse hydraulic cylinder switch 142 is controlled by a
double acting solenoid 142a which is remotely controlled by an
operator located at the operating panel described above.
[0102] The first transverse cylinder 182a remains in its current
position when fluid in the conduits connecting the first transverse
cylinder 182a to the variable displacement piston pump 152 is
vented back to the reservoir (i.e. when transverse hydraulic
cylinder switch 142 is using the third flow path 148), because of
the combination effect of the fifth and the sixth counter balance
valves 170e, 170f, with the sixth and the seventh check valves
174f, 174g. Thus, a combination check valve and counterbalance
valve on each end of the first transverse cylinder 182a prevents
fluid from leaving the first transverse cylinder 182a.
[0103] As viewed in FIG. 14, fluid in the left portion of the first
transverse cylinder 182a is prevented from leaving by the
combination effect of the seventh check valve 174g and by the fifth
counter balance valve 170e. The seventh check valve 174g only
allows fluid to pass from the top side towards the bottom side of
the seventh check valve 174g, as viewed in FIGS. 14 and 17. The
fifth counter balance valve 170e does not allow fluid to pass from
the bottom side of the fifth counter balance valve 170e to the top
side of the fifth counter balance valve 170e. The sixth counter
balance valve 170f and the sixth check valve 174f operate in a
manner similar to their counterparts attached to the left side of
the first transverse cylinder 182a, as viewed in FIG. 14.
[0104] The use of counter balance valves in a dual counter balance
arrangement prevents the first transverse rod 184a from being
displaced due to pressures exerted on the adjustable carriage
assembly 90. This is necessary to prevent wind forces from causing
the first transverse rod 184a to extend or retract without commands
from the operator.
[0105] The fifth and the sixth pilot lines 172e and 172f are
attached to the fifth and the sixth counter balance valves 170e,
170f. The fifth and sixth pilot lines 172e, 172f cause the fifth
and the sixth counter balance valves 170e, 170f to allow fluid to
pass when the load induced pressure exceeds a predetermined
level.
[0106] The operation of the second transverse cylinder 182b when
the transverse hydraulic cylinder switch 142 is positioned to use
the third flow path 148 is the same as that described above for the
first transverse cylinder 182a. Moreover, the third and the fourth
counter balance valves 170c, 170d, the fourth and fifth check
valves 174d, 174e, and the third and the fourth pilot lines 172c,
172d, serve the same function for the second transverse cylinder
182b as their counterparts serve for the first transverse cylinder
182a.
[0107] While a currently preferred embodiment of a possible
hydraulic circuit for controlling the operation of the guide rail
climbing lifting platform 10 has been described, it is understood
by those of skill in the art from this disclosure that the present
invention is not limited to any specific hydraulic circuit or
control system. Nor is the invention limited to components having
the specifications detailed above. For example, different numbers
of hydraulic switches can be used, flow paths can be changed,
counterbalance valve ratios can be varied, a flow divider can be
omitted, a PLC could be added for enhanced control, other
components can be added, etc. In addition, the size of the
hydraulic cylinders can also be varied depending on the particular
application for which the platform assembly 10 is being
designed.
[0108] The platform assembly 10 also simplifies the maintenance of
wind turbine tubular towers 72 and their associated wind turbine
generators. Wind turbine generators are often struck by lightning
that can result in damage to either the steel tower 72, the nacelle
120, the wind turbine generator, or the rotor blades 124. Thus,
necessitating the repair or replacement of various components of
the steel tower 72, the wind turbine generator, or the rotor blades
124. The platform assembly 10 is capable of performing repairs more
economically than repairs performed by a large industrial crane.
FIG. 20 illustrates a replacement rotor blade 124 being transported
upwards along a wind turbine tubular tower 72. The rotor 124 is
connected to the platform assembly 10 using a saddle structure, or
a swing structure, 116. This saddle structure 116 supports the
lower end of the rotor blade 124 as viewed in FIG. 20. The portion
of the rotor blade 124 that passes through the platform assembly 10
has at least one guide (not shown) attached to the platform
assembly 10 and placed around a cross-section of the rotor blade
124. Thus, the lower end of the rotor blade 124 is able to be
rotated about a pivot point formed by the guide (not shown).
Additionally, the position of the rotor blade 124 can be adjusted
vertically relative to the platform assembly 10 by adjusting the
length of the sides of the saddle structure 116. Thus, once the
rotor blade 124 is positioned proximate to the rotor 126, the top
end of the rotor blade 124 can have its position adjusted to
facilitate the attachment of the rotor blade 124 to the rotor 126.
While in the preferred embodiment a saddle structure 116 and at
least one guide are used to attach a rotor blade 124 to the
platform assembly 10, it is understood from this disclosure by
those of skill in the art that the present invention is not limited
to any particular method of securing the rotor blade 124 to the
platform assembly.
[0109] Thus, to replace a damaged rotor blade 124, the platform
assembly 10 is brought to the base of the wind turbine tubular
tower 72 and attached to the guide rails 40 that remained attached
to the wind turbine tubular tower 72.
[0110] After the platform assembly 10 is secured to the guide rails
40, the rotor 126 is rotated so that the damaged rotor blade 124
points towards the ground. After the damaged rotor blade 124 has
been properly positioned, as shown in FIG. 21, the rotor 126 is
locked in position. This prevents the remaining rotor blades 124
from swinging downwards after the damaged rotor blade 124 is
removed. Afterwards, an operator raises the platform assembly 10 to
the top of the wind turbine tubular tower.
[0111] Then, workers secure the damaged rotor blade 124 to the
platform assembly 10 and detach the rotor blade 124 from the rotor
126 (FIG. 21 illustrates a rotor blade 124 secured to the platform
assembly 10 and ready for either attaching to or detaching from the
rotor 126).
[0112] After the rotor blade 124 is detached from the rotor 126, an
operator lowers the platform assembly 10 to the base of the wind
turbine tubular tower 72. Then, workers remove the damaged rotor
blade 124 and attach a replacement rotor blade 124 to the platform
assembly 10.
[0113] Once the replacement blade is attached to the platform
assembly 10, as described above, an operator again raises the
platform assembly 10 to the top of the wind turbine tubular tower
72, as shown in FIG. 20. After the platform assembly 10 has reached
the top of the tower 72, workers attach the replacement rotor blade
124 to the rotor 126 as shown in FIG. 21. Then, the rotor blade 124
is detached from the platform assembly 10 and the platform assembly
is again lowered to the base of the wind turbine tubular tower.
[0114] Referring to FIGS. 1-21, the guide rail climbing lifting
platform 10 operates as follows. Initially, a small crane (not
shown) is used to place the lowermost tower segment 84 on the
ground. The guide rails 40 are already installed on the lowermost
tower segment. Next, the platform assembly 10 is attached to the
guide rails 40 and positioned proximate to the base of the
partially assembled steel tower 72, as shown in FIG. 1. The first
and second latch pins 46a, 46b are engaged with the guide rails 40.
The first and second slide pins 48a, 48b are also engaged with the
guide rails 40 while the first and second lifting rods 43a, 43b are
fully extended, as shown in FIG. 3.
[0115] Before the next or second from the ground tower segment 84
is positioned on the adjustable carriage assembly 90, the first and
second transverse rods 184a, 184b are attached to the carriage
assembly 90 using sliding blocks 106. The sliding blocks 106 are
attached to the sliding block receiving holes 108 closest to the
tower 72. This causes the adjustable carriage assembly to be
securely positioned on the platform assembly 10.
[0116] Then, a small crane places the next tower segment 84 (or
another additional tower component) onto the adjustable carriage
assembly 90. The tower segment 84 has bolt-on brackets 94 that
engage the adjustable carriage assembly 90 to vertically support
the tower segment 84.
[0117] Afterwards, the latch pin hydraulic switch 140 is moved out
of its biased position and into a position using a first flow path
144. The causes fluid to be pumped to the first and second latch
pin cylinders 162a, 162b to force the first and second latch pins
46a, 46b to retract inside of the first and second latch pin
cylinders 162a, 162b, thereby compressing the first and second
latch pin biasing elements 164a, 164b. Thus, the first and second
latch pins 46a, 46b are disengaged from the guide rails 40.
[0118] Then, the first and second lift cylinder hydraulic switches
134, 136 are moved out of their biased positions and into positions
using the first flow path 144. This causes fluid to be pumped to
the first and second lift cylinders 42a, 42b to cause the first and
second lift rods 43a, 43b to retract inside of the first and second
lift cylinder 142a, 142b. As the first and second lift rods 43a,
43b are retracted, the platform assembly 10 is moved upwards.
[0119] The platform assembly 10 continues to move upwards until the
first and second lift rods 43a, 43b are retracted. Once the
platform assembly has moved upwards approximately 10 feet, the
first and second lift rods 43a, 43b are fully retracted and the
platform assembly 10 stops moving upward.
[0120] Next, the latch pin hydraulic switch 140 is returned to its
biased position that uses the second flow path 146. This causes
fluid to be pumped to the first and second latch pin cylinders
162a, 162b to force the first and second latch pins 46a, 46b to
extend outwards from the first and second latch pin cylinders 162a,
162b and engage the guide rails 40.
[0121] Once the first and second latch pins 46a, 46b are engaged
with the pin receiving holes 70 in the guide rails 40, the slide
pin hydraulic switch 138 is moved out of its biased position and
into a position that uses the first flow path 144. This causes
fluid to be pumped to the first and second slide pin cylinders
166a, 166b causing the first and second slide pins 48a, 48b to
retract into the first and second slide pin cylinders 166a, 166b
and to disengage from the guide rails 40.
[0122] Then, the first and second lift cylinder hydraulic switches
134, 136 are moved into a position using the second flow path 146.
This causes fluid to be pumped into the first and second lift
cylinders 42a, 42b pushing the first and second lifting rods 43a,
43b upwards and causing the slide assembly 55 to move upwards along
the guide rails 40. Once the slide assembly 55 has been moved
upwards along the guide rails 40 approximately 10 feet, the first
and second slide pins 48a, 48b are aligned with the next set of pin
receiving holes 70 in the guide rails 40.
[0123] Then, the slide pin hydraulic switch 138 is moved into its
biased position that uses the second flow path 146 to cause the
first and second slide pins 48a, 48b to engage the guide rails 40.
The above process is repeated until the guide rail climbing lifting
platform reaches the top of the partially constructed steel tower
72, as shown in FIG. 1.
[0124] Once the guide rail climbing lifting platform reaches the
top of the partially constructed steel tower 72, the transverse
cylinder hydraulic switch 142 is moved out of its biased position
and into a position that uses the first flow path 144 to pump fluid
into the first and second transverse cylinders 182a, 182b. This
causes the first and second transverse rods 184a, 184b to extend
outward from the first and second transverse cylinders 182a, 182b
to force the adjustable carriage assembly 90, as shown in FIG. 2,
to move to the right. Once the first and second transverse rods
184a, 184b are fully extended, a worker repositions one of the
sliding blocks 106 to engage a sliding block receiving hole 108
that is closer to the first transverse cylinder 182a.
[0125] Once one of the transverse rods has had its sliding block
106 adjusted to engage a sliding block receiving hole 108 that is
closer to the transverse cylinder, the same procedure is repeated
for the other transverse rod. After both the first and second
transverse rods 184a, 184b are adjusted to engage a closer sliding
block receiving hole 108 via their respective sliding blocks 106,
the first and second transverse rods 184a, 184b are again extended
to push the adjustable carriage assembly 90 further to the right,
as viewed in FIG. 2. This procedure is continued until the center
line 73 of the tower segment 84 is aligned with the center line 73
of the partially constructed steel tower 72.
[0126] After the additional tower segment 84 is properly positioned
over the partially constructed steel tower 72, the bearing contacts
94a on the bottom of the bolt-on brackets 94 allow the tower
segment 84 to be rotated approximately 5-10 degrees in order to
align the bolt holes 74 in the inner flange 86 of the tower segment
84 with the bolt holes 74 in the inner flange 86 of the top portion
of the partially constructed tower 72.
[0127] When the tower segment 84 is properly aligned with the
partially constructed steel tower 72, using the lifting rods 43a,
43b, the platform assembly 90 is lowered to bring the tower segment
84 into contact with the steel tower 72. Then, workers secure the
additional tower segment 84 to the steel tower 72 using bolts and
the guide rails 40 are secured in alignment with each other. The
lifting platform 10 is then lowered to the ground using the same
procedure described above whereupon the next tower segment 84 is
loaded on the carriage assembly 90 by the small crane. The next
tower segment 84 is then raised to the top of partially constructed
tower 72 and put in place as the next tower segment, using the same
procedure described above. This process is repeated until all of
the tower segments 84 are in place to make up the steel tower 72.
Lastly the nacelle 120 and other elements of the wind turbine, such
as the rotor and rotor blades 124 (shown in FIGS. 18-21), are
raised to the top of the steel tower 72 and installed.
[0128] As described above, the guide rail climbing lifting platform
10 greatly simplifies the erecting of modular towers for use as
wind turbine tubular towers. Furthermore, the guide rail climbing
lifting platform 10 is ideal for the lifting of the wind turbine
generators including the nacelle 120, rotor 126, rotor blades 124,
replacement parts, and repair parts to the top of the wind turbine
tubular towers and is capable of further simplifying later repairs
to the wind turbine generators.
[0129] The guide rail and climbing lifting platform as described
may be used in connection with tower construction, repair and
maintenance generally and is not limited to wind turbine towers.
The use of the term "tubular towers" herein is intended to refer to
towers which have a hollow interior and includes cross-sectional
tubes that may be of any configuration, including but not limited
to square and round cross-sections. Of course, it is generally
contemplated that the tower may be smaller in diameter as it
increases in height such that "tubular tower" also encompasses
straight walled and tapering walled towers. The term "tubular
towers" as used herein also includes open towers made of girders so
long as guide wires are not in the way. In fact, the benefits of
the invention may be achieved with any free standing structure
where guide wires would not interfere with the platform
movement.
[0130] The invention is also suited for off-shore wind towers since
the system would only require a conventional work barge and
standard crane rather than an extremely expensive ocean going
vessel with a permanently mounted large crane.
[0131] It should be noted that the system can be used to lay down
its own rails or to remove the rails after completion of the
erection if aesthetics dictate removal. The rails may be
reinstalled later for maintenance if required.
[0132] While this invention may be embodied in many different
forms, there are shown in the drawings and described in detail
herein specific preferred embodiments of the invention. The present
disclosure is an exemplification of the principles of the invention
and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular
embodiments illustrated.
[0133] This completes the description of the preferred and
alternate embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art
may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiment
described herein which equivalents are intended to be encompassed
by the claims attached hereto.
* * * * *