Tower Lifting Platform With Counterweight Crane for Securing Members
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lifting systems for elongated structures, such as wind turbine towers, face challenges in balancing and moving securing members due to their weight and the difficulty in finding the point of balance, which can lead to unwanted forces and sticking issues.
Innovation Solution
A lifting system with a platform attached to the tower, featuring a crane movable along one side and a winch as a counterweight on the other, allows adjustment of the horizontal distance between the tower and crane to balance the securing members at their center of gravity, using a removable module design for easy assembly and disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If securing members are moved along the tower using a lifting arrangement, then the securing members can be positioned at desired heights, but the securing members may become unbalanced and hang askew, imposing shear forces on the tower and getting stuck
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies counterweight principle by positioning the crane on one side of the platform and the winch on the opposite side. The winch acts as a counterweight to balance the crane and the securing members being lifted. This balancing arrangement prevents the securing members from hanging askew and eliminates shear forces on the tower, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
2Weight of moving object
If the crane is made heavy to lift securing members, then lifting capacity is sufficient, but the platform becomes unbalanced and requires complex balancing arrangements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses asymmetric arrangement where the crane and winch are positioned on opposite sides of the platform at different distances from the tower. The crane is positioned closer to the tower while the winch is positioned farther away. This asymmetric positioning creates a natural balance where the lighter winch at greater distance counterbalances the heavier crane, eliminating the need for additional complex balancing mechanisms while maintaining sufficient lifting capacity.
3Speed
If the crane is positioned close to the tower, then the securing members can be lifted vertically, but the platform becomes unbalanced and experiences unwanted forces
Solution Approach 1:
The winch positioned on the opposite side of the platform acts as a counterweight to the crane. When the crane lifts securing members vertically close to the tower, the winch on the opposite side provides counterbalancing force, maintaining platform stability and preventing unwanted forces or tilting, thus resolving the contradiction between vertical lifting speed and platform balance.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a lifting system (1) comprising a tower (3), a jib (4) for lifting components to an elongated structure (2), a plurality of securing members (5) for securing the tower (3) to the elongated structure (2), and a lifting device (6) for lifting the securing members (5) and moving the securing members (5) up and down along the tower (3). The lifting device (6) comprises a platform (7) attached to an upper portion of the tower (3), protruding on two opposite sides of the tower (3) so that a first portion (7a) of the platform is protruding on a first side of the tower (3) and a second portion (7b) of the platform is protruding on a second side of the tower, a crane (10) arranged on the first portion (7a) of the platform, and a winch (12) for operating the crane arranged on the second portion (7b) of the platform. The crane (10) is arranged movable along the first portion (7a) of the platform so that the horizontal distance between the tower (3) and the crane (10) can be adjusted.