The invention relates to a crane as a component of a wind farm installation vessel which consists of a vessel body and a plurality of jack-up legs arranged in vertically movable manner thereon, wherein the crane is arranged rotatably about one of the jack-up legs. According to the invention, the crane is rotatably mounted on an eccentric platform which itself is arranged rotatably about the jack-up leg.

The invention relates to a crane as a component of a wind farm installation vessel which consists of a vessel body and a plurality of jack-up legs arranged in vertically movable manner thereon, wherein the crane is arranged rotatably about one of the jack-up legs. According to the invention, the crane is rotatably mounted on an eccentric platform which itself is arranged rotatably about the jack-up leg.

Disclosed is a knuckle boom crane, for offshore application, the knuckle boom crane including a crane house, a knuckle boom carried by the crane house, a component for operating the crane house and the knuckle boom, and a controller for piloting the operating component. The controller include a active compensation module that is designed to pilot the operating means, taking into account data coming from a motion reference unit, in such a way as to stabilize a downstream end of the jib, advantageously in a horizontal plane and/or a vertical position, still preferably in all directions.

Disclosed is a knuckle boom crane, for offshore application, the knuckle boom crane including a crane house, a knuckle boom carried by the crane house, a component for operating the crane house and the knuckle boom, and a controller for piloting the operating component. The controller include a active compensation module that is designed to pilot the operating means, taking into account data coming from a motion reference unit, in such a way as to stabilize a downstream end of the jib, advantageously in a horizontal plane and/or a vertical position, still preferably in all directions.

A method for up-ending a longitudinal structure, being one of a foundation of an offshore wind turbine or a wind turbine tower to be installed on top of a previously installed foundation, wherein use is made of a crane The method includes providing a longitudinal structure with an upper end and a lower end in a substantially horizontal orientation; connecting the middle hoisting block of three main hoisting systems and one outer hoisting block of the three main hoisting systems to the upper end of the longitudinal structure; connecting another other outer hoisting block of the three main hoisting systems to the lower end of the longitudinal structure; and operating respective winches of the three main hoisting systems until the longitudinal structure is in a substantially vertical orientation with the upper end above the lower end.

A method for up-ending a longitudinal structure, being one of a foundation of an offshore wind turbine or a wind turbine tower to be installed on top of a previously installed foundation, wherein use is made of a crane The method includes providing a longitudinal structure with an upper end and a lower end in a substantially horizontal orientation; connecting the middle hoisting block of three main hoisting systems and one outer hoisting block of the three main hoisting systems to the upper end of the longitudinal structure; connecting another other outer hoisting block of the three main hoisting systems to the lower end of the longitudinal structure; and operating respective winches of the three main hoisting systems until the longitudinal structure is in a substantially vertical orientation with the upper end above the lower end.

A slew bearing including a stationary bearing ring to be fixed to a base, and a moveable bearing ring which is to be fixed to a moveable object and which is concentric with the stationary bearing ring, the stationary bearing ring and moveable bearing ring being configured to enable rotation of the moveable bearing ring relative to the stationary bearing ring, wherein the moveable bearing ring comprises a top ring member, a bottom ring member, and a middle ring member in between the top and bottom ring member, the top, middle and bottom ring members each being formed by a plurality of ring segments wherein vertical joints between ring segments of adjacent ring members are not aligned to each other, wherein the top, middle and bottom ring member comprise a plurality of holes distributed about the circumference of the moveable ring, respectively, wherein the top, middle and bottom ring member are connected to each other by a plurality of bolts received in the corresponding holes of the moveable ring member, and wherein at least one hole in the middle ring member and a corresponding hole in the top ring member and/or a corresponding hole in the bottom ring member are provided with a tubular alignment member having an outer diameter equal to the corresponding holes, an inner diameter allowing to receive a bolt, and a length large enough to extend from the middle ring member to the top ring member and/or the bottom ring member, respectively.

A slew bearing including a stationary bearing ring to be fixed to a base, and a moveable bearing ring which is to be fixed to a moveable object and which is concentric with the stationary bearing ring, the stationary bearing ring and moveable bearing ring being configured to enable rotation of the moveable bearing ring relative to the stationary bearing ring, wherein the moveable bearing ring comprises a top ring member, a bottom ring member, and a middle ring member in between the top and bottom ring member, the top, middle and bottom ring members each being formed by a plurality of ring segments wherein vertical joints between ring segments of adjacent ring members are not aligned to each other, wherein the top, middle and bottom ring member comprise a plurality of holes distributed about the circumference of the moveable ring, respectively, wherein the top, middle and bottom ring member are connected to each other by a plurality of bolts received in the corresponding holes of the moveable ring member, and wherein at least one hole in the middle ring member and a corresponding hole in the top ring member and/or a corresponding hole in the bottom ring member are provided with a tubular alignment member having an outer diameter equal to the corresponding holes, an inner diameter allowing to receive a bolt, and a length large enough to extend from the middle ring member to the top ring member and/or the bottom ring member, respectively.

A telescoping extendable boom and a foldable telescoping extendable boom for transporting an item, are disclosed. The foldable telescoping extendable boom having tubular elements (12) and (14) and (15, 17, 18, 19) and (20) each arranged with a longitudinally extending track (25, 29) inside the tubular element. Each longitudinally extending track (25, 29) supports a single shuttle (26) and (30) respectively, internally inside its tubular element (17) and (15), respectively, for movement therealong. Each shuttle (26) and (30) is equipped with a clamp (27) and (30) to selectively clamp the item (298). The longitudinally extending tracks (25, 29) of immediately connecting telescoping tubular elements (17) and (15) are located opposite each other. The inner tubular elements inside said telescoping extendable boom are arranged at their near ends to allow their shuttles to access shuttles of outer tubular elements to enable the clamps (27) and (31) thereof to transfer a said item (298) therebetween.

A crane includes a base, an upperstructure rotationally mounted on the base, a boom, and a gantry. The boom is pivotally attached to the upperstructure at a front attachment location and supports a load line operable to raise a payload. The gantry is mounted on the upperstructure and supports a boom line coupled to the boom. The gantry includes at least one front leg mechanically coupled to the front attachment location and inclined away from the boom to apply, to the front attachment location, a horizontal force component towards the boom opposed by a horizontal force component applied by the boom towards the front leg. The upperstructure includes a frustoconical turret forming an upper circle and a lower circle. The front attachment location is aligned over the upper circle of the frustoconical turret.