Fixation arrangement adapted to releasably fix a wind turbine tower segment to a support of a transport vessel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12467434-B2
Application number	US-202217703634-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2022
Priority date	Mar 26, 2021
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

Fixation arrangement adapted to releasably fix a wind turbine tower segment (4) to a support (3) of a transport vessel (20), comprising at least two fixation means (2), wherein each fixation means (2) comprises a base member (6) fixed or to be fixed to the support (3), a lever arm (8) connected to the base member (2) and pivotable around a pivot axis (9), and a tensioning means (13) for clamping the lever arm (8) with a clamping section (10) against the tower segment (4), wherein the tensioning means (13) comprises at least one tensioning element (14) supported relative to the base member (6) and movable from a non-clamping position in a clamping position and back, wherein the tensioning element (14) directly or indirectly interacts with the lever arm (8) which is pivoted into a clamping engagement of the clamping section (10) with the tower segment (4) when the tensioning element (14) moves from a non-clamping position into a clamping position and which is released when the tensioning element (14) moves back to the non-clamping position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A fixation arrangement adapted to releasably fix a wind turbine tower segment to a support of a transport vessel, the fixation arrangement comprising a plurality of fixation means, wherein each of the fixation means comprises a base member fixable to the support and each of the fixation means comprises:
a) a lever arm connected to the base member and pivotable around a pivot axis, the lever arm comprising two sections, a first section extending from a first end of the lever arm to the pivot axis and a second section extending from the pivot axis to a second end of the lever arm, the second section comprising clamping means for clamping to a flange of the wind turbine tower segment when the clamping means is directly above the flange, the base member with lever arm being fixable on the support in a desired position wherein, solely by pivoting the lever arm around the pivot axis, the lever arm is movable from a non-clamping position wherein the lever arm is not disposed above the flange to a clamping position wherein the clamping means of the lever arm is disposed directly above the flange so as to enable the clamping means to clamp onto the flange; b) at least one tensioning element configured for directly or indirectly engaging with the lever arm; and c) means for moving the at least one tensioning element linearly along the base member in a horizontal direction toward and away from the lever arm; wherein, with the base member and lever arm fixed on the support in the desired position, the at least one tensioning element and lever arm are configured and arranged with respect to one other such that (i) a force applied by the moving means to move the at least one tensioning element toward the lever arm causes the at least one tensioning element to engage the lever arm with the lever arm in the non-clamping position and to apply to the lever arm a force consisting of an angular force that causes the lever arm to rotate around the pivot axis from the non-clamping position to the clamping position, and (ii) a force applied by the moving means to move the at least one tensioning element away from the lever arm causes the clamping means to disengage from the support and the lever arm to swing around the pivot axis to a position wherein the lever arm is nearer to upright than horizontal such that the wind turbine tower segment can be released and lifted from the support without interference from the lever arm.

2 . The fixation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one tensioning element is releasably movable into at least one recess provided at the lever arm, wherein the at least one tensioning element and the recess comprise interacting surfaces with at least one of the interacting surfaces being slanted, so that by the interaction of the surfaces during the movement of the at least one tensioning element into the at least one recess the lever arm is pivoted around the pivot axis.

3 . The fixation arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the recess is provided at a first end of the lever arm and the clamping section is arranged at a second end of the lever arm, with the pivot axis being arranged between the first end and the second end.

4 . The fixation arrangement according to claim 3 , wherein the pivot axis is arranged closer to the second end than to the first end.

5 . The fixation arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the lever arm is movable by means of a controllable hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder from the non-working position into a position allowing the movement of the at least one tensioning element or the tensioning pin into the recess.

6 . The fixation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one tensioning element comprises a slanted surface, wherein the at least one tensioning element further comprises a tensioning pin movable on the slanted surface of the at least one tensioning element from a non-engaging position into an engaging position, in which the at least one tensioning element engages at least one recess provided at the lever arm, wherein the at least one tensioning element, when moved from the non-clamping position into the clamping position, interacts with the tensioning pin which in turn interacts with the lever arm.

7 . The fixation arrangement according to claim 6 , wherein the tensioning pin is cylindrical with a flat bottom surface sliding on the slanted surface, and the recess is at least in part adapted to the cylindrical surface of the tensioning pin.

8 . The fixation arrangement according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one tensioning element comprises a catch adapted to disengage the tensioning pin from the recess when the at least one tensioning element moves from the clamping position to the non-clamping position.

9 . The fixation arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the tensioning pin comprises a distance element rotatably arranged at the tensioning pin and adapted to rotate from a first lifted position to a second lowered position in which it is arranged between the tensioning pin and the catch.

10 . The fixation arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the tensioning pin is moved by an elastic spring from the non-engaging position to the engaging position or that the distance element is automatically moved from the first lifted position to in the second lower position and back by a mechanical forced guidance or both.

11 . The fixation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one tensioning element has a wedge-like cross section comprising a bottom surface and a top surface, wherein the top surface is a slanted surface.

12 . The fixation arrangement according to claim 11 , wherein the slanted surface is angled under 1°-5°.

13 . The fixation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one tensioning element is movably supported on the base member.

14 . The fixation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one tensioning element is movable by of a controllable hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder.

15 . The fixation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the lever arm is adapted to be driven by gravity to move around the pivot axis from the clamping position into the non-clamping position when being released from the at least one tensioning element.

16 . The fixation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the lever arm is movable by hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder from the clamping position into the non-clamping position after removing the at least one tensioning element or the tensioning pin from the recess and from the non-clamping position into a position allowing movement of the at least one tensioning element or the tensioning pin into the recess.

17 . The fixation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the support is a grillage to which each of the fixation means is fixed.

18 . The fixation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein each of the fixation means is linearly and radially movable.

19 . A transport vessel, comprising the fixation arrangement according to claim 1 .

20 . A method for transporting a wind turbine tower segment with a transport vessel, the method comprising the steps of:
(i) providing the fixation arrangement according to claim 1 , (ii) positioning the wind turbine tower section is on the support of the vessel, (ii) positioning the plurality of fixation means of the fixation arrangement on the transport vessel relative to the support such that the plurality of fixation means can be fixed to the support by

Assignees

• Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy As

Inventors

• Antonsen Jacob
• Bramm Michael
• Jacobsen Morten Fogh
• Kaarsholm Soeren Majdal
• Nicolaisen Tom

Classifications

• B25B5/122

  with fluid drive · CPC title

• B63B25/002

  for goods other than bulk goods (detachable decks B63B25/18; palletised articles B63B25/22; frozen goods B63B25/26; deck loads B63B25/28) · CPC title

• F05B2260/02

  Transport, e.g. specific adaptations or devices for conveyance · CPC title

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• F05B2260/30

  Retaining components in desired mutual position · CPC title