Overhead travelling crane assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11795037-B2
Application number	US-202017433321-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2020
Priority date	Mar 4, 2019
Publication date	Oct 24, 2023
Grant date	Oct 24, 2023

Abstract

Provided is an overhead travelling crane assembly including an overhead rail and a hoist unit realized to travel along the rail, characterized by a parking lock mounted to the hoist unit, which parking lock includes a brake assembly which, in its default position, prevents movement of the hoist unit along the overhead rail; and a release means realized to release the brake assembly to allow movement of the hoist unit along the overhead rail. Also provided is a method of operating such an overhead travelling crane assembly; and a wind turbine including such an overhead travelling crane assembly in the nacelle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An overhead travelling crane assembly comprising an overhead rail and a hoist unit configured to travel along the rail, and a parking lock mounted to the hoist unit, wherein the parking lock comprises:
a brake assembly which, in its default position, prevents movement of the hoist unit along the overhead rail; and
a release means configured to release the brake assembly to allow movement of the hoist unit along the overhead rail;

wherein
the brake assembly comprises a pair of pivot arms arranged to rotate in opposite directions about a pivot point; and
the release means comprises a pull-strap suspended from the lower ends of the pivot arms configured to rotate the pivot arms outward about the pivot point.

2. The overhead travelling crane assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the release means is manually operated.

3. The overhead travelling crane assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the brake assembly comprises a brake pad arranged to press against a surface of the overhead rail.

4. The overhead travelling crane assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the brake pad is made of a high-friction material.

5. The overhead travelling crane assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the brake pad is made of polyurethane rubber.

6. The overhead travelling crane assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the hoist unit travels along the overhead rail by a set of rollers or wheels arranged on the inside of the overhead rail.

7. The overhead travelling crane assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the brake assembly is spring-loaded.

8. The overhead travelling crane assembly according to claim 1 , comprising at least one pair of through-holes formed on opposite sides of the overhead rail, and wherein the brake assembly comprises a pin shaped to extend through the through-holes.

9. A method of operating the overhead travelling crane assembly according to claim 1 , comprising:
opening the parking lock by pulling on the pull-strap;
moving the hoist unit to another location along the overhead rail by exerting a traction force on the pull-strap; and
closing the parking lock by reducing the traction force on the pull-strap.

10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising inserting a safety pin through holes provided at upper ends of the pivot arms and through-holes formed in the overhead rail.

11. The method according to 10 , further comprising inserting a retainer through the tip of the safety pin.

12. A wind turbine comprising a nacelle mounted on top of a tower, and the overhead travelling crane assembly according claim 1 installed in the nacelle.

13. The wind turbine according to claim 12 , wherein the hoist unit comprises a winch and a drive unit configured to operate the winch.

14. The wind turbine according to claim 12 , wherein the overhead travelling crane assembly is configured to transfer a load between the nacelle and the base of the tower.

Assignees

• Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy As

Inventors

• Jayadeva Bharath
• Kumar Mithilesh

Classifications

• B66C19/00 Primary

  Cranes comprising trolleys or crabs running on fixed or movable bridges or gantries (B66C17/00 takes precedence; base supporting structures with legs B66C5/00; jib cranes B66C23/00) · CPC title

• B66C7/16

  Devices specially adapted for limiting trolley or crane travel; Arrangements of buffer-stops (buffer-stops of interest apart from this application B61K7/18; limit-switch arrangements, limit circuits B66D1/56) · CPC title

• B66C9/18

  with means for locking trolleys or cranes to runways or tracks to prevent inadvertent movements · CPC title

• F03D13/10

  Assembly of wind motors; Arrangements for erecting wind motors · CPC title

• F03D13/20

  Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors · CPC title