TOOL ARRANGEMENT FOR UNLOADING A TOWER OR A TOWER SEGMENT FROM A TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE AND/OR FOR STORING THE TOWER OR THE TOWER SEGMENT

Abstract

Provided is a tool arrangement for unloading a tower or a tower segment from a transportation vehicle and/or for storing the tower or the tower segment, including a bottom tool device with an attachment to removably attach the bottom tool device to a bottom mounting section of the tower or the tower segment, wherein the tool arrangement further includes a top tool device with an attachment to removably attach the top tool device to a top mounting section of the tower or the tower segment, wherein the bottom tool device and the top tool device each include a lift to lift the tower or the tower segment, when the tower or the tower segment is in a non-erected position and attached to the respective tool device.

Claims

1. A tool arrangement for unloading a tower or a tower segment from a transportation vehicle and/or for storing the tower or the tower segment, comprising a bottom tool device with an attachment to removably attach the bottom tool device to a bottom mounting section of the tower or the tower segment, wherein the tool arrangement further comprises a top tool device with an attachment to removably attach the top tool device to a top mounting section of the tower or the tower segment, wherein the bottom tool device and the top tool device each comprise a to lift the tower or the tower segment, when the tower or the tower segment is in a non-erected position and attached to the respective tool device.

2. The tool arrangement according to claim 1, wherein each lift is or comprises at least two extendable pillars.

3. The tool arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the pillars are arranged at the sides of the bottom tool device and the top tool device.

4. The tool arrangement according to claim 2 wherein the bottom tool device and/or the top tool device comprise at least two vertical beams, wherein the pillars are extendable from the vertical beams.

5. The tool arrangement according to claim 2, wherein on each pillar a foot plate of the lift is movably, or pivotably, attached.

6. The tool arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the bottom tool device and/or the top tool device comprises pneumatic or hydraulic or electric device for operating and/or positioning the attachment and/or for operating the lift.

7. The tool arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the bottom tool device comprises a first device section with the attachment and a second device section adapted to be arranged on the ground and being attachable or attached to the first device section, wherein the bottom tool device comprises a pivot axis at least when the first and the second device sections are attached to each other, wherein the tower or the tower segment, when fixed to the bottom tool device, is pivotable around the pivot axis for being pivoted from the non-erected position to an erected position, wherein, when the tower or the tower segment is fixed to the bottom tool device, the pivot axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tower or the tower segment.

8. The tool arrangement according to claim 7, wherein axis former are arranged at the first and the second device section, which axis former engage with each other when the first device section is attached to the second device section building the pivot axis.

9. The tool arrangement according to claim 8, wherein axis former comprise a rod or at least two separate pins arranged at the first or the second device section and a rod or pin support arranged at the second or the first device section, wherein the rod or the pins engage in the rod or pin support building the pivot axis.

10. The tool arrangement according to claim 2 wherein the second device section is attachable to the first device section by arranging the second device section on the ground beneath the first device section and bringing the pillars of the lift of the bottom tool device the extended state to the non-extended state.

11. The tool arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the attachment of the bottom tool device and/or of the top tool device comprises a first attachment device and a second attachment device, wherein the relative position between the first attachment device and the second attachment device is adjustable.

12. The tool arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the attachment devices are clamping devices.

13. The tool arrangement according to claim 12, wherein each clamping device comprises a first clamping part and a second clamping part adapted to clamp the bottom mounting section or the top mounting section of the tower or the tower segment in between.

14. The tool arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the first device section of the bottom tool device and/or the top tool device is or comprises an, especially horizontal, main beam, wherein the first attachment device and/or the second attachment device is, along a longitudinal main beam axis, movably mounted on the main beam.

15. The tool arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the first device section of the bottom tool device and/or the top tool device is or comprises a V-shaped beam arrangement with a first beam and a second beam, wherein the first attachment device is, along a longitudinal first beam axis, movably arranged on the first beam and the second attachment device is, along a longitudinal second beam axis, movably arranged on the second beam.

16. The tool arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the longitudinal axes of the first and the second beam are perpendicular to each other.

17. The tool arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the first beam acts as a guiding rail for the first attachment device and the second beam acts as a guiding rail for the second attachment device or the first beam comprises a, regarding its longitudinal axis, extendable first beam bar and the second beam comprises a, regarding its longitudinal axis, extendable second beam bar, wherein the respective attachment device is attached to the respective beam bar.

18. The tool arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the bottom tool device and/or the top tool device, especially the or a V-shaped beam arrangement or a horizontal beam, comprises a support section, wherein the tower or the tower segment rests on the support section if the tower or the tower segment is in the non-erected position and attached to the respective tool device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0067] A tool arrangement 1 according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a bottom tool device 2 and a top tool device 3. The tool arrangement 1 is provided to simply pivot the tower 4 from a non-erected position (FIGS. 1-4) to an erected position (FIG. 5) and to unload the tower 4 from a transport vehicle and store the tower 4 on a construction site with only little effort (FIGS. 11 and 12).

[0068] The tower 4 is exemplarily a hollow, tubular and pre-casted tower segment of a tower structure of a wind turbine. The tower 4 has a circular cross section and comprises a bottom mounting section 5 on its lower axial end and a top mounting section 6 on its upper axial end. Exemplarily, the mounting sections 5, 6 are mounting flanges pointing radially inwards and comprising several holes. The complete tower structure of the wind turbine consists of several towers 4 standing one above the other, wherein the towers 4 are attached to each other by the mounting sections 5, 6 by screws and nuts or other suitable attachment means.

[0069] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the bottom tool device 2 comprises an attachment means 7 consisting of two attachment devices 8. The attachment devices 8 are mounted on a first device section 9 of the bottom tool device 2. The first device section 9 is removably attachable to the bottom mounting section 5 of the tower 4 by the attachment means 7. In FIG. 1, the first device section 9 is not attached to the bottom mounting section 5 and in FIG. 2 the first device section 9 is attached to the bottom mounting section 5. As will be described later in more detail, for this purpose the attachment means 7 are moved along a horizontal axis to attach the first device section 9 to the tower 4.

[0070] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the second device section 10 of the bottom tool device 2 will be explained in more detail. As it will be described later, in FIG. 3 the first device section 9 is standing on the ground carrying the weight of the tower 4. The second device section 10 is also arranged on the ground beneath the first device section 9.

[0071] The first device section 9 and the second device section 10 are attachable to each other by axis forming means 11 or axis former. FIG. 3 shows the device sections 9, 10 not attached to each other and FIG. 4 shows the device sections 9, 10 attached to each other. The axis forming means or axis former 11 engage with each other when the device sections 9, 10 are attached to each other and build a pivot axis 12 of the bottom tool device 2. Hence, the tower 4, when fixed to the bottom tool device 2, can be pivoted around the pivot axis 12, wherein the pivot axis 12 is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis 48 of the tower 4 and parallel to the second device section 10 to the ground where the tower 4 will be erected.

[0072] Rotating the tower 4 around the pivot axis 12 allows for pivoting the tower 4 from the non-erected position (FIG. 4) to the erected position (FIG. 5). For this, the tower 4 only needs to be lifted or hoisted by a crane, e.g., by a rope attached to the top mounting section 6 of the tower 4. Another crane securing the tower 4 on the bottom mounting section 5 while erecting the tower is not required, since the bottom tool device 2 provides a safe and secure support of the lower tower end while getting erected.

[0073] Next, the attachment means 7 of the bottom tool device 2 will be described in more detail. The first device section 9 comprises a horizontal main beam 13, wherein the attachment devices 8 are movably mounted on the main beam 13 along a longitudinal axis of the main beam 13. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the mechanism attaching the attachment devices 8 to the bottom mounting section 5. After positioning the first device section 9 to the bottom mounting section 5, the attachment devices 8 are moved away from each other along the longitudinal axis of the main beam 13 leading the attachment devices 8 to engage behind the bottom mounting section 5. Hence, as shown in FIG. 2, the bottom mounting section 5 is clamped between each of the attachment devices 8 and the main beam 13 of the first device section 9. Since, as will be described later in more detail, the tower 4 furthermore rests on support sections 34, a safe and secure fixation, especially during the erecting process, of the tower 4 is ensured.

[0074] Next, the axis forming means 11, consisting of two pins 14 and two pin supports 15, will be described in more detail. The first device section 9 comprises the pins 14 and the second device section 10 comprises the pin supports 15. The pins 14 are adapted to be inserted into the U-shaped pin supports 15, wherein the longitudinal axis of the pins 14 are aligned to each other forming the pivot axis 12. Inserting the pins 14 into the pin supports 15 is illustrated by FIGS. 3 and 4. The tower 4, together with the first device section 9, is lowered to insert the pins 14 into the pin supports 15. Details concerning this lowering will be described later in more detail.

[0075] Next, the second device section 10 will be described in more detail. The second device section 10 comprises a ground plate 16 with several ground spikes 17 protruding from the plate 16. The spikes 17 are provided to protect the second device section 10 from slipping on the ground while the tower 4 is erected. When the tower 4 is lowered (like shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) the weight of the tower 4 leads the ground plate 16 getting pressed towards the ground, leading the spikes 17 getting sticked into the ground. To ensure a stable and secure footing, the ground can be gravelled.

[0076] The top tool device 3 is a frame-like structure comprising a V-shaped beam arrangement 18 with a first beam 19 and a second beam 20, wherein the longitudinal axes of the beams 19, 20 are perpendicular to each other (FIG. 6). The first beam 19 comprises an extendable first beam bar 21 and the second beam 20 comprises an extendable second beam bar 22. Each attachment means 23 is an attachment device 24 located at the axial front end one of the beam bars 21, 22. The attachment devices 24 are clamping devices comprising a first clamping part 25 and a second clamping part 26.

[0077] Details of attaching the top tool device 3 to the top mounting section 6 are illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, where an enlarged view of the attachment device 24 of the second beam bar 22 is shown. In FIG. 7, the top tool device 3 is not attached to the top mounting section 6. In FIG. 8 the beam bars 21, 22 are extended to position the top mounting section 6 between the clamping parts 25, 26. Next, the top mounting section 6 can be attached to the top tool device 3 by clamping the clamping parts 25, 26. Extending the beam bars 21, 22 and clamping the attachment devices 24 occurs via hydraulic or pneumatic means (not shown).

[0078] Further aspects of the top tool device 3 are illustrated in FIG. 9. Due to the right angle between the first beam 19 and the second beam 20, the attachment devices 24 can be clamped to the top mounting section 6 diametrically opposed to each other. Along this diameter, the top tool device 3 comprises a first hoisting fastener 27 and a second hoisting fastener 28 to connect the top tool device 3 to hoisting means or hoist 29, i.e. to ropes of a crane. The hoisting fasteners 27, 28 can be loops or hooks.

[0079] After being erected, the tower 4 is hoisted to the position where it has to be mounted by the crane. If the tower 4 is the undermost tower section of the complete tower, the tower 4 has to be hoisted or brought to the foundation where it has to be mounted. Otherwise, the tower 4 has to be hoisted to the (already erected and mounted) tower section, on whose top mounting section the bottom mounting section 5 of the tower 4 will be mounted. However, after the tower 4 has been erected and before it gets hoisted to its designated position, the bottom tool device 2 has to be detached from the bottom mounting section 5 of the tower 4. For this purpose, immediately after the tower 4 has been erected and still hangs on the hoisting means 29 of the crane, staff can detach the attachment means 7. After this, the crane can hoist the tower 4 away, wherein the bottom tool device 2 remains at its position on the ground.

[0080] Since the hoisting fasteners 27, 28 are positioned along the circular diameter of the tower 4, a tilt of the tower 4 is avoided while it is hoisted away.

[0081] After the tower 4 has been hoisted to its designated position and mounted, the top tool device 3 can be detached from the top mounting section 6, e.g., by climbing staff. Next, the top tool device 3 can be hoisted or brought away from the tower 4 by the crane. To avoid the top tool device 3 swinging around the axis provided by the hoisting fasteners 27, 28, respectively, a third hoisting fastener 30 of the top tool device 3 is provided to be connected with another hoisting means 31, e.g., another rope, of the crane.

[0082] Another aspect concerning the top tool device 3 is shown in FIG. 10, where, compared to FIG. 4, the top tool device 3 is shown in part from its back side. The top tool device 3 comprises two support sections 32 attached to a horizontal beam 33 on which the V-shaped beam arrangement 18 is attached. The tower 4 rests on the support sections 32 when the tower is in the non-erected position and attached to the top tool device 3. The support sections 32 of the top tool device 3 are arranged symmetrically to the symmetry axis of the also symmetric V-shaped beam arrangement 18. Hence, the weight of the tower 4 is not only held by the attachment devices 24 but also by the support sections 32. Additionally, or alternatively, a support section can also be provided on the V-shaped beam arrangement 18, especially on its lower edge.

[0083] In analogy to this, the bottom tool device 2 also comprises two support sections 34, which are attached to a bar 49 protruding vertically downwards from the main beam 13 (see e.g., FIG. 1). The support sections 34 are positioned symmetrically to a vertical symmetry axis of the bottom tool device 2.

[0084] The support sections 32, 34 are rotatably attached to the respective tool device 2, 3. Hence, the contact area of the support sections 32, 34 automatically adjusts to the diameter of the tower 4 when the tool device 2, 3 gets attached to the respective mounting section 5, 6.

[0085] Next, aspects concerning the transportation of the tower 4 to the construction side and the unloading process of the tower 4 from a transport vehicle, especially from a truck 45, will be described in detail. Typically, before getting transported to the construction site, the tower 4 is loaded on the truck 45. The tower 4 is fastened to the truck 45 by attaching it on a trailer of the truck 45 by, e.g., tension belts. Even before transporting the tower 4 to the construction side, the first device section 9 of the bottom tool device 2 is attached to the bottom mounting section 5 and the top tool device 3 is attached to the top mounting section 6. FIG. 11 shows the situation, where the tool devices 2, 3 are attached to the tower 4, wherein the tower 4 is loaded on the truck 45.

[0086] To simplify the unloading process of the tower 4 from the truck 45, the first device section 9 of the bottom tool device 2 comprises a lifting means 35 and the top tool device 3 comprises a lifting means 36. The lifting means 35 comprises two extendable pillars 37 which can be extended from vertical beams 38 of the first device section 9 of the bottom tool device 2. In analogy to this, the lifting means 36 also comprises two extendable pillars 39, which are extendable from vertical beams 40 of the top tool device 3. The pillars 37, 39 are not extended while the tower 4 is transported to the construction side by the truck 45 (see FIG. 11). In this situation, the weight of the tower 4 weighs on the truck 45.

[0087] After arriving at the construction site, after placing the truck 45 to the position where the tower 4 shall be unloaded and after removing or loosening the tension belts, the pillars 37, 39 of the tool devices 2, 3 are extended towards the ground by hydraulic and pneumatic means. During the extending process, the pillars 37, 39 or, more precisely, foot plates 50, which are attached to the lower front edge of each of the pillars 37, 39, get in contact with the ground (which should be firm and stable). Each of the foot plates 50 is pivotally attached to the respective pillar 37, 39 via a hinge joint 51 (see FIGS. 6 and 10), so that the orientation of the foot plates 50 are automatically adjusted to a possible unevenness of the ground. All pillars 37, 39 or foot plates 50, respectively, get in touch with the ground at the same time. After this, the pillars 37, 39 are extended further (exemplarily some centimetres or decimetres) so that the weight of the tower 4 does not weigh on the truck 45 anymore, but on the pillars 37, 39. Additionally the tower 4 will be lifted or raised during this process, ideally by the same distance as the pillars 37, 39 are further extended after getting into contact with the ground.

[0088] Although in this situation the truck 45 is still located beneath the tower 4, the truck 45 is not connected to the tower 4 anymore. Since the distance between the pillars 37 of the bottom tool device 2 (which is exemplarily located at the side of the tower 4 facing the truck 45), and also the distance between the pillars 39 of the bottom tool device 3 is larger than the width of the truck 45 respectively its trailer, the truck 45 respectively the trailer can just drive straight ahead to leave the position where the tower 4 has been unloaded. FIG. 12 shows the tower 4 with the tool devices 2, 3 being attached to the mounting sections 5, 6 and the pillars 37, 39 being extended after the truck 45 is leaving the tower 4. FIG. 13 shows the tower 4 after the truck 45 has left the construction site.

[0089] Hence, the tool arrangement 1 allows for unloading the tower 4 from the truck 45 without the need of a crane. So far, for unloading the tower 4 even two cranes have been required, wherein each side of the tower 4 has been hoisted by one of the two cranes, the truck 45 has been driven away and the cranes have lowered the tower 4 to store it on supporting feet.

[0090] Supporting feet are often used as supporting means for towers in the non-erected or lying position. Such supporting feet typically comprise a plain contact area adapted to rest on the ground and an arched or two chock-like contact areas adapted to support the tower 4 on its outer wall. Instead of support feet, the tool arrangement 1 can be used to store the tower 4 temporarily on the construction site, being supported by the tool devices 2, 3 (see. FIG. 13). For this, no further action is needed to store the tower 4 after being unloaded from the truck 45 as described above. Since the tool devices 2, 3 are attached to the tower 4 on its attachment means 5, 6, a contact of the outer wall to the ground or tower feet, leading to an unwanted deformation or scratches of the tower 4, during the storage of the tower 4 is avoided.

[0091] As a next step (again referring to FIG. 13) the tower 4 can be erected. First, the second device section 10 of the bottom tool device 2 is located beneath the first device section 9, as shown in FIG. 3. Retracting the pillars 37, 39 makes the axis forming means 11 to engage with each other forming the pivot axis 12 (as shown in FIG. 4).

[0092] To supply the top tool device 3 (and possibly also the bottom tool device 2), especially the hydraulic means, with electricity, the top tool device 3 comprises a power pack 41. The power pack 41 comprises an accumulator (not shown) and is freely rotatable about a horizontal axis to be always aligned horizontally, especially during erecting the tower 4. For this purpose, the power pack 41 is equipped with weights at its lower side avoiding battery liquid getting spilled.

[0093] As shown in FIG. 14, the tool arrangement 1 further comprises transportation means 42 with two fork pockets 43. The transportation means 42 can be removably attached to the tool devices 2, 3, wherein a telescopic handler 44 can be used to lift the respective tool device 3, 4 to attach it to the tower, which is already loaded on the truck 45.

[0094] FIG. 15 shows three top tool devices 3 which are stacked. Each of the top tool devices 3 comprises four storing pillars 46 which are detachably attached to the vertical beams 38. The axes of the storing pillars 46 and the vertical beams 38 are rectangular to each other. The storing pillars 45 enable the top tool devices 3 to be stacked for, e.g., transportation or storing or the like. When the top tool devices 3 are stacked, each storing pillar 46 rests on a respective storing pillar support, which can be a recessed section of the adjacent top tool device 3.

[0095] Especially for sea transportation, several towers 4 are often stacked one upon the other in the non-erected position as shown in FIG. 16. To enable a secure stacking, the tool arrangement 1 further comprises a frame-like connecting piece 47 which is removably attachable to the bottom tool device 2 and to the top tool device 3 on opposite sides of the connecting piece 47. The tool devices 2, 3 can be attached to the connecting piece 47 by attaching means like screws, clamping devices or the like (not shown).

[0096] Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of preferred embodiments and variations thereon, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0097] For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of “a” or “an” throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and “comprising” does not exclude other steps or elements.