Title of Invention

A DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING LENGTHY STRUCTURAL MEMBERS

Abstract

A device for transporting lengthy structural members comprising at!least one holder disposed in the vertical plane for receiving and gripping the said members in the horizontal plane, said holder being hingeably fixed at its base to the floor¬board of the transporting vehicle; means for moving the said holder to the horizontal plane and then again to the feett couL-plane, when required, for causing the said members to occupy the vertical plane and then again, when required, to revert to the horizontal plane.

Full Text

This invention relates to a device for transporting lengthy structural members, particularly, though not exclusively, structural members in the nature of windmill blades. Windmill blades are usually transported by road over long distances from the place where they are manufactured or stored to the place where they are installed on wind farms. Transportation by road is normally done by trucks; however, during transport the blades, accommodated on the trucks in the horizontal plane, are prone to foul with roadside buildings, walls and the like, especially while negotiating narrow or sharp curves in villages and small towns through which the vehicles have to pass. Not infrequently, it becomeffnecessary to arrange with the owners of the property adjoining the road to demolish, in consideration of compensation, parts of walls and like obstructions to enable smooth passage of the trucks or other transport vehicles. It is therefore the principal object of this invention to propose a device for transporting lengthy structural members (not restricted to wind mill blades) which avoids the fouling of such members with the surroundings and the consequent problems encountered during such transport, Another object of this invention is to propose a device as aforesaid which is simple in its manufacture and operation. Yet another object of this invention is to propose a device as aforesaid which, apart from its simplicity in manufacture and operation, is effective in use. Various other objects of this invention and advantages to be inferred theretfromwill be apparent from the decryption thereof to follow: The device for transporting lengthy structural members according to this invention comprises at least one holder disposed in the vertical plane for receiving and gripping the said members in the horizontal plane, said holder being hingeably fixed at its base to the floor-board of the transporting vehicle; means for moving the said holder to the horizontal plane and then again to the Vertical plane, when required, for causing the said members to occupy the vertical plane and then again, when required, to revert to the horizontal plane. This invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example and not by way of limitation, one of possible embodiments of the device proposed herein Fig. 1 illustrating the embodiment with the windmill blades in the horizontal position Fig. 2 illustrating the embodiment with the windmill blades in the vertical position. At least one holder H (of which there can be more than one if necessary, although only one is depicted for the sake of clarity) is disposed in the vertical plane for receiving and gripping the windmill blades B, said blades being normally disposed in the horizontal plane. The holder |H is hingeably fixed at its base to the floor-board of the transporting vehicle at E. Means are,provided for moving the said holder H to the Horizontaland then again to the vertical plane when required, for causing the said blades to occupy the vertical plane and then again, when required, to revert to the horizontal plane. In the vertical position of the blades there is no possibility of their fouling with the surrounding buildings, walls and the like. The blades are made to assume the horizontal position as soon as the zone of obstructions is crossed. The holder H is provided with a slot S and a roller R located in the slot. Instead of a roller a pin can be employed and what is described herein with regard to a roller is equally applicable to a pin. An arm A is also provided for moving the roller R to and fro in the slot S for moving the said holder H to the horizontal plane and then again to the vertical plane, when required. A prime mover P moves the arm angularly and thus causes the roller R to move to and fro in the slot. The arm A is pivotably fixed to the floor-board of the vehicle for enabling the arm to be moved angularly and thus cause the roller R to move to and fro in the slot S. According to one lorm or construction, tne arm A consists of segments T slidably connected to each other to be extensible and retractable, during angular movement of the said arm. According to ajnother variation, the arm consists of tubular segments telesboping into each other, said segments containing fluid. The pressure of the fluid will be increased to cause the segments to extend; and decreased to cause the segments to retract. This is! achieved by a pump creating both compressive and suction pressures, the pump being driven by a prime mover, such as:, the piiime mover P. ! Although a truck is mentioned as the most commonly used vehicle for transporting structural members, this invention encompasses other vehicles as well So also«although the above description refers to windmill blades, this by no means excludes other structural members which encounter the same or similar difficulties during transport. We Claim: 1A device for transporting lengthy structural members comprising atileast one holder disposed in the vertical plane for receiving and jgripping the said members in the horizontal plane, said holder being hingeably fixed at its base to the floor¬board of the transporting vehicle; means for moving the said holder to the horizontal plane and then again to the vertical plane, when required, for causing the said members to occupy the vertical plane and then again, when required, to revert to the horizontal plane. 2. A device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the holder is provided with a slot and a roller located in the slot; an arm for moving the ifpller to and fro in the slot for moving the said holder to the Horizontallane and then again to the Vertical plane, when required; a prime mover for moving the arm angularly and thus causing the roller to move to and fro in the slot. 3. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the arm is pivotably fixed to the vehicle for enabling the arm to be moved angularly and thus cause the roller to move to and fro in the slot. 4. A device as calimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the arm consists of segments slidably connected to each other to be extensible and retractable. 5. A device as calimed in any one of the Claims 1 to 3 wherein the ami consists of tubular segments telescoping into each other, said segments containing fluid; a pump driven by the prime mover, to create suction and compression pressures within the segments to cause said segments, when required, to extend and retract. 6. A device for transporting lengthy structural members substantially as herein described and illustrated.

Documents:

1665-che-2006-abstract.pdf

1665-che-2006-correspondnece-others.pdf

1665-che-2006-description(complete).pdf

1665-che-2006-drawings.pdf

1665-che-2006-form 1.pdf

1665-che-2006-form 18.pdf

1665-che-2006-form 26.pdf