System for traveling on a cylindrical or frustoconical surface

Abstract

The invention relates to a travel system for cylindrical and/or conical surfaces, in particular for the outer surface or the inner surface of a pipe or mast (1), having: an assembly platform (4a, 4b); a plurality of connected undercarriage elements (6), preferably identical undercarriage elements (6), which form a closed ring in a circumferential direction, in particular together with the assembly platform (4a, 4b) integrated between two undercarriage elements (6); a clamping system (7) which connects at least the undercarriage elements (6) to each other and with which the distance between the connected undercarriage elements (6) can be changed; at least one other undercarriage element (8) which is situated on the assembly platform (4a, 4b) at an axial distance from the ring of connected undercarriage elements (6); wherein at least the undercarriage elements (6) connected to the ring, preferably also the undercarriage element (8) axially spaced therefrom, are each in the form of a continuous track system. The invention also relates to a continuous track vehicle (11), in particular a 2-track continuous track vehicle (11), having at least one chain guided around two spaced deflection wheels (17), in particular deflection gears (17), running surface elements (20) being secured to the links (18) of the chain, wherein the running surface elements (20) each comprise rollers (21) for contacting a driving surface, the axes of rotation of the rollers being oriented in the direction in which the deflection wheels (17) are spaced or the running surface elements (20) being displaceable relative to the associated link (18) by at least one actuator (24).

Claims

1. A system for traveling on a cylindrical or frustoconical surface, the system comprising: an assembly platform; a plurality of connected undercarriage elements that form a closed circumferential annular array with the assembly platform integrated between two of the undercarriage elements; a respective continuous-track drive on each of the undercarriage elements; a plurality of scissor-joint gripping structures that each circumferentially connect a respective two of the connected undercarriage elements to one another and with which a spacing between the respective connected undercarriage elements can be changed, each gripping structure being of variable circumferential length and having a plurality of crossed scissor levers that are pivoted centrally at intersections, each gripping structure having circumferentially and axially spaced end connectors each carrying a respective support element of the respective undercarriage element and each pivotable on the respective connector by 180 between a first orientation in which the respective undercarriage element is radially inward with respect to the gripping structure and a second orientation in which the respective undercarriage element is radially outward with respect to the gripping structure; respective actuators each for changing the circumferential length of a respective one of the gripping structures and the circumferential spacing between the respective undercarriage elements; and a plurality of continuous-track drives on the assembly platform at an axial spacing from the annular array of the connected undercarriage elements.

2. The travel system defined in claim 1, wherein each gripping structure has at least two scissor-joint chains or scissor-joint lattices spaced apart radially from and arranged next to one another.

3. The travel system defined in claim 1, wherein each continuous-track drive comprises a continuous-track truck.

4. The travel system defined in claim 3, wherein each undercarriage element has a support element connectable to the respective gripping structure and supporting the respective continuous-track drive truck for movement about a radial and drivable pivot axle.

5. The travel system defined in claim 3, wherein each continuous-track truck has links carrying respective interchangeable tread elements.

6. A system for traveling on a cylindrical or frustoconical surface, the system comprising: an assembly platform; a plurality of connected undercarriage elements that form a closed circumferential annular array with the assembly platform integrated between two of the undercarriage elements, each undercarriage element having a support element connectable to the respective gripping structure and supporting the respective continuous-track drive truck for movement about a radial and drivable pivot axle; a respective continuous-track drive on each of the undercarriage elements; a plurality of scissor-joint gripping structures that each circumferentially connect a respective two of the connected undercarriage elements to one another and with which a spacing between the respective connected undercarriage elements can be changed, each gripping structure being of variable circumferential length and having a plurality of crossed scissor levers that are pivoted centrally at intersections; respective actuators each for changing the circumferential length of a respective one of the gripping structures and the circumferential spacing between the respective undercarriage elements; and a plurality of continuous-track drives on the assembly platform at an axial spacing from the annular array of the connected undercarriage elements, each continuous-track drive having a respective continuous-track truck, each continuous-track truck having two such continuous tracks and being pivotal perpendicular to the respective radial pivot axle about a respective drivable axle extending in a direction of travel between the respective two continuous tracks, the two axles being parallel.

7. The travel system defined in claim 6, wherein at least one of the two continuous-track trucks is mounted on a support so as to be pivotal about an axis perpendicular to a direction of travel and perpendicular to the radial pivot axle, with the other dual-track continuous-track truck being also fastened to the support and not being pivotal about the same axis.

8. A system for traveling on a cylindrical or frustoconical surface, the system comprising: an assembly platform; a plurality of connected undercarriage elements that form a closed circumferential annular array with the assembly platform integrated between two of the undercarriage elements; a respective continuous-track drive on each of the undercarriage elements; a plurality of scissor-joint gripping structures that each circumferentially connect a respective two of the connected undercarriage elements to one another and with which a spacing between the respective connected undercarriage elements can be changed, each gripping structure being of variable circumferential length and having a plurality of crossed scissor levers that are pivoted centrally at intersections; and a plurality of continuous-track drives on the assembly platform at an axial spacing from the annular array of the connected undercarriage elements, each continuous-track drive having a respective continuous-track truck having links carrying respective interchangeable tread elements, the links of each continuous-track truck having tread elements that can be displaced relative to the respective link.

9. The travel system defined in claim 8, further comprising: controllable linear actuators displacing the tread elements and extending between each link and the respective tread element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) Embodiments of the invention are explained with reference to the figures that describe the application of the travel system according to the invention to a wind-turbine generator. However, the features described in the following also apply to other applications, i.e. to all possible types of application.

(2) In the drawing:

(3) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

(4) FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the invention;

(5) FIG. 3 is a large-scale view of two of one of the track drives the invention;

(6) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the drive trucks of this invention;

(7) FIG. 5 shows details of the treads of the drive trucks of this invention;

(8) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a variant of this invention; and

(9) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another system according to the invention.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(10) FIG. 1 shows a section of a tubular mast 1 of a wind-turbine generator that tapers frustoconically toward the top. A travel system according to the invention carries a maintenance facility 2 here in order to service a rotor blade 3 and is secured to the mast 1.

(11) The travel system comprises an assembly platform 4 with a first support 4a that is approximately horizontal here, and a second support 4b that is perpendicular thereto, that is, vertical. The supports form a T-shape.

(12) Additional supports 5 are fastened hereto in order to carry the maintenance facility 2. These elements do not constitute an essential part of the invention.

(13) First continuous-track drives 6 are arranged to the right and left side of the first support 4a on the ends thereof from which a gripping structure 7 extends circumferentially around the mast and that connects these first continuous-track drives 6 to other continuous-track drives 6 offset angularly therefrom.

(14) Here, the continuous-track drives are each constructed from two dual-track track drives that are radially inward of the gripping structure 7. By changing the length of, in this case, shortening, the gripping structure 7, the spacing between the continuous-track drives 6 is reduced, thereby reducing the diameter or circumference of the annular array that the connected continuous-track drives lie on. The treads of the continuous-track drives are thus pressed radially inward against the mast surface, thereby holding the travel system in place by friction.

(15) An additional continuous-track drive 8 is arranged at an axial spacing from the connected continuous-track drives 6 (relative to the mast/ring) that can be structurally identical to the continuous-track drives 6 that, for their part, are all identical to one another.

(16) A tilting moment about a horizontal axis can thus be resisted by this additional continuous-track drive 8.

(17) FIG. 2 shows the formation of the annular array of the connected continuous-track drives 6 on the side of the mast 1 facing away from the assembly platform. It can be seen here that each continuous-track drive 6 has a support element 9 that is parallel to the direction of longitudinal extension of the mast and perpendicular to the plane spanned by the annular drive array.

(18) This support element 9 of the continuous-track drives 6 is fastened, preferably detachably, by connectors 10 to the ends of the gripping structure 7 extending circumferentially.

(19) The gripping structure 7 is embodied as scissor joint elements in the manner of a so-called lazy tongs, with scissor levers 7a that are pivoted together centrally at intersections 7b and at the respective ends 7c. The length circumferentially of each element of the scissor gear lattice or scissor joint network can be changed by linear drives (not shown here) between the intersections. The scissor joint lattice of a gripping structure 7 is duplicated radially.

(20) Here, the continuous-track trucks 11 of the continuous-track drives 6 are arranged radially on the inside with respect to the scissor joint lattice 7. These continuous-track trucks are illustrated in detail in FIG. 3.

(21) This FIG. 3 shows pivotal mounting of the continuous-track trucks 11 on a common support 12 on a mounting flange 13 of the support element 9 that is not shown here. The mount is such that the continuous-track trucks 11 can be rotated about a pivot axle 14 that extends radially. An actuator is integrated into the mount for controlling the rotation by motor.

(22) The continuous-track drive 11 of the type shown here has two dual-track continuous-track trucks 11 that each have two continuous tracks 11a. The two continuous-track trucks are arranged on both sides of the pivot axle 14 and are mounted on the support 12 so as to rotate about axles 15 parallel to the direction of travel, i.e. the direction of circulation of the tracks, and in the direction in which the deflection wheels are spaced apart. As a result, the flat undersides of the tread elements 16 of the continuous-track trucks 11 can preferably conform tangentially to the circumferentially curved surface of the mast. The two continuous-track trucks 11 can be hung loosely, i.e. in a freewheeling manner, in the axles 15. FIG. 3 also shows that a continuous-track truck 11 (the one to the right in the figure) is additionally fastened, preferably in a motor-driven manner, on the support 12 so as to rotate about an axle 15 that is perpendicular to the axle 14 and perpendicular to the axle 15.

(23) This enables the two vehicles 11 to tilt toward each other perpendicular to the direction of travel. In this embodiment, all of the cited axles 14, 15, and 15 are thus perpendicular to one another.

(24) FIG. 4 shows a possible embodiment of a dual-track continuous-track truck 11. The continuous-track truck has deflection wheels 17 that are spaced apart in the direction of travel and around which the tracks are guided. The links 18 are guided on and/or in rails 19 between the deflection wheels.

(25) Each link 18 carries a respective tread element 20 on the outside whose contact surface is made of an elastomer. These tread elements 20 can be removed and replaced thanks to a screw connection with the links 18.

(26) FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a tread element 20 that have several rollers 21 whose axes of rotation extend in the direction of travel, i.e. in the direction of motion. This enables a track drive to also be displaced circumferentially, for example by having at least one of the rollers 21 be driven. The rollers can be covered by a circulating belt 22.

(27) FIG. 6 shows a different embodiment for achieving the mobility of the travel system circumferentially. Here, the tread elements 20 are connected to the links (not shown) by connectors 23, with an actuating system being located between the connectors and the tread elements 20 with which the tread elements can be displaced stepwise relative to the links.

(28) For this purpose, two pairs of linear actuators 24 are arranged at an angle of 0<alpha<180 degrees between connector 23 and tread element 20. By retraction and extension of the linear actuators 24, a tread element 20 can be lifted from the surface of a mast, moved laterally, and lowered again onto the surface. This can take place during the circulation of the track. Through the successive actuation of the linear actuators 24 of different tread elements 20, a stepping movement circumferentially of the mast can be produced. The path of motion of each tread element is forcibly guided by the two guide gears 25, each of which consists of two levers that are fastened to each other and to the respective connector 23 and tread element 20 in this example.

(29) FIG. 7 shows an embodiment in which the scissor gear lattice of the gripping structure 7 carries rollers 26 at the upper pivots of the respective scissor lever. The set of all rollers 26 forms a roller contact surface circumferentially around the mast 1 on which a maintenance cabins/unit 27 can be guided around the mast.

(30) Even though the embodiments according to the invention of the track drives 11 have been described here in an application in a mast travel system, it should be noted that the track drives 11 shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 can also be part of an undercarriage element of any tracked vehicle, such as an excavator or tank, for example.