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CN-115485435-B - Erection and lifting tool

CN115485435BCN 115485435 BCN115485435 BCN 115485435BCN-115485435-B

Abstract

An object, such as a foundation component of an offshore wind turbine, e.g. a mono pile, is erected and lifted. Use is made of an erecting and lifting tool, wherein, in case the tool is suspended from one or more lifting cables, for example in case the tool is suspended from a crane hook of a crane, and in case the frame of the tool is initially in a vertical orientation, a procedure is performed, which procedure comprises operating one or more displacement actuators, thereby moving the cable displacement member and engaging the cable engagement surface with the one or more lifting cables at a height above the pivot axis. Further continuing the movement of the cable displacement member and thereby exerting a cable displacement force on the one or more lifting cables, in response causes the frame to pivot to its horizontal orientation.

Inventors

  • J.A.J. Donkels

Assignees

  • 伊特里克公司

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20210302
Priority Date
20200311

Claims (15)

  1. 1. An erection and lifting tool (1) for erecting and lifting an object (201), the tool being configured to be suspended from one or more lifting cables (101), the tool comprising a frame (3) provided with functional components operable for coupling the object (201) to the tool, and the frame being provided with cable attachment members (2) by means of which the frame (3) of the tool (1) is pivotably connected to the one or more lifting cables (101) so as to be pivotable relative to the one or more lifting cables about a substantially horizontal pivot axis (P) between: -a vertical orientation (3 v), wherein the centre of gravity (C) and the pivot axis (P) of the frame are aligned on a vertical line (L), and A horizontal orientation (3 h), wherein the tool is capable of engaging with the object in the horizontal orientation of the object, and then erecting the object to the vertical orientation of the object by means of the tool, Wherein, in the horizontal orientation (3 h) of the frame (3), the center of gravity (C) is offset from the pivot axis (P) by a horizontal distance (D), It is characterized in that The tool (1) further comprises a cable displacement mechanism, the mechanism comprising: A cable displacement member (4) mounted to the frame (3) and movable relative to the frame (3), said cable displacement member having a cable engagement surface (41), One or more displacement actuators (42) operable between the cable displacement member (4) and the frame (3), Wherein the cable displacement mechanism is configured to perform a procedure with the tool (1) suspended from one or more lifting cables (101) and with the frame (3) initially in a vertical orientation (3 v), the procedure comprising: -operating one or more displacement actuators (42), thereby moving the cable displacement member and engaging the cable engagement surface (41) with the one or more lifting cables (101) at a height (H) above the pivot axis (P), further continuing the movement of the cable displacement member and thereby exerting a cable displacement force (S) on the one or more lifting cables (101), thereby in response causing the frame (3) to pivot to a horizontal orientation (3H) of the frame (3).
  2. 2. An erection and lifting tool (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cable displacement member (4) comprises one or more cable displacement arms (43), each cable displacement arm (43) comprising an inner end (46) pivotally connected to the frame (3), and the cable engagement surface (41) being remote from the inner end (46).
  3. 3. The erection and lifting tool (1) according to claim 1, wherein the attachment means (2) comprises a pivot joint fastened to the frame (3) and connectable to one or more lifting cables (101).
  4. 4. The erection and lifting tool (1) according to claim 2, wherein one or more pivoting cable displacement arms (43) form part of a four-bar mechanism (3, 43, 47, 48) together with: -one or more driven link members (47), each of said driven link members being pivotally mounted at its inner end to the frame (3), and -One or more intermediate link members (48) each pivotally connected at its inner end to the outer end of a respective one of the driven link members and at its outer end to a position between the inner end (46) and the outer end of a respective one of the cable displacement arms (43), and A section of the frame between the inner end of the driven link member and the inner end of one or more cable displacement arms, Wherein the one or more displacement actuators (42) are arranged to drive the one or more driven link members (47) to pivot in a direction towards the lifting cable (101) and via the one or more intermediate link members (48) to thereby drive the one or more arms (43) to pivot in a direction of and opposite to the one or more lifting cables and to thereby engage with the one or more lifting cables (101) and subsequently apply a cable displacement force (S) to the one or more lifting cables (101).
  5. 5. The erection and hoisting tool (1) according to claim 1, wherein the inner end of the cable displacement member (4) is pivotally mounted to the frame (3) at a position above the pivot axis (P) when the frame is in a horizontal orientation (3 h).
  6. 6. The erection and lifting tool (1) according to claim 2, wherein the one or more displacement actuators are one or more hydraulic cylinders, one end of which is connected to the frame (3), and wherein an extension of one or more hydraulic cylinders drives one or more cable displacement arms (43) to pivot towards and away from one or more lifting cables (101).
  7. 7. An erection and lifting tool (1) according to claim 4, wherein the cable displacement member (4) comprises one or more cable displacement arms (43), each cable displacement arm (43) comprising an inner end (46) pivotally connected to the frame (3) and the cable engagement surface (41) being remote from the inner end (46), Wherein the one or more displacement actuators are one or more hydraulic cylinders, one end of which is connected to the frame (3), and wherein an extension of the one or more hydraulic cylinders drives one or more cable displacement arms (43) to pivot towards and away from the one or more lifting cables (101), Wherein the other end of the one or more hydraulic cylinders is mounted to one or more driven link members (47) and connected to one or more cable displacement arms via the driven link members (47) and one or more intermediate link members (48).
  8. 8. The erection and lifting tool (1) according to claim 1, comprising a locking mechanism (44) operable between the cable displacement member (4) on the one hand and the frame (3) on the other hand, the locking mechanism being configured to secure the position of the cable displacement member (4) relative to the centre of gravity (C) in the horizontal orientation of the frame in order to hold the frame in the horizontal orientation (3 h).
  9. 9. The erection and lifting tool (1) according to claim 8, wherein the locking mechanism (44) comprises one or more displacement actuators (42) configured to secure the position of the cable displacement member (4) relative to the centre of gravity (C) in a horizontal orientation of the frame in order to hold the frame in the horizontal orientation.
  10. 10. The erection and lifting tool (1) according to claim 6 comprising a locking mechanism (44) operable between the cable displacement member (4) on the one hand and the frame (3) on the other hand, the locking mechanism being configured to secure the position of the cable displacement member (4) relative to the centre of gravity (C) in a horizontal orientation of the frame in order to hold the frame in the horizontal orientation (3 h), wherein the locking mechanism (44) comprises one or more displacement actuators (42) configured to secure the position of the cable displacement member (4) relative to the centre of gravity (C) in a horizontal orientation of the frame in order to hold the frame in the horizontal orientation, Wherein the one or more displacement actuators are configured to ensure position by maintaining their extension in the horizontal orientation of the frame.
  11. 11. The erection and hoisting tool (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cable engagement surface (41) extends in a horizontal direction for a distance of between 5 and 10 meters.
  12. 12. The erection and lifting tool (1) according to claim 1, wherein the functional part (3) is operable for gripping a longitudinal end of the wind turbine assembly in a horizontal orientation (3 h) of the frame and maintaining the longitudinal end when the frame is pivoted towards a vertical orientation (3 v) during erection of the wind turbine assembly from its horizontal orientation to the vertical orientation.
  13. 13. A mounting vessel for mounting a base member of an offshore wind turbine, the vessel being provided with a crane and a tool according to claim 1.
  14. 14. Method for erecting and lifting an object, wherein an erecting and lifting tool according to claim 1 is used, wherein a procedure is performed with the tool (1) suspended from one or more lifting cables (101) and with the frame (3) initially in a vertical orientation (3 v), the procedure comprising: -operating one or more displacement actuators (42), thereby moving the cable displacement member and engaging the cable engagement surface (41) with the one or more lifting cables (101) at a height (H) above the pivot axis (P), and further continuing the movement of the cable displacement member and thereby exerting a cable displacement force (S) on the one or more lifting cables (101), thereby in response causing the frame (3) to pivot to a horizontal orientation of the frame (3).
  15. 15. Method according to claim 14, wherein the procedure is performed after picking up the tool by means of a crane, wherein the frame (3) is initially in a vertical orientation (3 v) in order to place the tool and its frame in a horizontal orientation, and subsequently engage the tool with the object in the horizontal orientation.

Description

Erection and lifting tool Technical Field The present invention relates to an erection and lifting implement suspended from one or more lifting cables (e.g. from a crane hook of a crane). The tool is envisaged for installing wind turbines, in particular for erecting and lifting mono-blocks of offshore wind turbines. The tool can also be used for other purposes, for example, erecting other piles, for example piles for securing a casing base to the seabed, for mooring etc. The tool may also be used to erect other wind turbine components, such as, for example, a tower, or a telescopic foundation. Background In the field of cell pile installation, erection of a cell pile from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation typically requires the use of erection and lifting tools. In a known embodiment, the tool comprises a frame provided with a functional part operable to be coupled to an upper end of the cell pile, for example to a flange at the upper end, or to engage an interior of the upper end of the cell pile by frictionally gripping a portion of the upper end, for example by an annular array of friction gripping members of the tool. An example of a rather complex erection and lifting tool is disclosed in EP 3574149. Another example is disclosed in DE202009006507U1 and fig. 9d and 9e thereof. In the tool of EP3574149, a stable and heavy pivot arm is pivotally mounted at its inner end to an attachment member of the frame, with the lower end of the cable attached to the outer or free end of the pivot arm. The hydraulic cylinder arrangement is arranged to cause forced pivoting of the pivot arm relative to the frame of the tool, thereby moving the frame between its vertical and horizontal orientations. The latter orientation is useful when the tool is coupled to a horizontally oriented cell pile prior to erection of the cell pile. In the tool of DE202009006507U1, there is no such stable and heavy pivot arm. Alternatively, one or more cables are pivotally connected at their lower ends to the attachment member of the frame via shackles. This arrangement does not allow any controlled pivoting of the frame to a horizontal orientation. The tool is mounted to the horizontally arranged cell pile by first lifting the tool using another cable connected to a stationary stabilizing arm of the frame extending in the longitudinal direction, for example using another crane (e.g. a smaller crane). When the frame is in a horizontal orientation, the cable is attached to this stabilizing arm at a point vertically above the center of gravity. Disclosure of Invention The present invention aims to provide an improved or at least alternative erection and lifting tool that provides controlled movement of the frame between a horizontal orientation and a vertical orientation. The invention proposes an erection and lifting tool according to claim 1. The invention is based on the insight that by applying a cable displacement force to one or more hoisting cables above the pivot axis where the cables are connected to the frame, a pivoting movement of the frame is obtained somewhere along the length of the one or more cables, without the use of a strong and heavy pivot arm as in EP 3574149. It should be noted that in the tool of the present invention, the weight of the tool and the weight of the object being erected/lifted by said tool are absorbed by one or more cables attached to the attachment member of the frame, and the cable displacement mechanism only applies the force required for controlled pivoting of the frame of the tool. This can reduce the weight and size of the tool compared to EP 3574149. Compared to DE 202009006507U1, the handling of the tool is simplified. Preferably, the cable displacement member comprises one or more pivoting cable displacement arms. For example, the tool includes two laterally spaced apart cable displacement arms connected at their outer ends by a horizontal cable engagement member (e.g., a horizontally extending tube). One or more pivoting cable displacement arms are pivotally connected at their inner ends to the frame. One or more displacement actuators are operable between the frame on the one hand and the cable displacement arm on the other hand. These displacement actuators are provided to drive movement of the cable displacement members, which causes the cable displacement members to engage one or more lifting cables while the frame is still vertical, and exert a force on the lifting cables such that in response a controlled pivoting of the frame to a horizontal orientation is caused. In a preferred embodiment, the cable displacement member (e.g., comprising one or more pivoting cable displacement arms) forms one integral rigid component that is moveable (e.g., pivotable) as a unit relative to the frame. One or more of the displacement actuators is operable between the frame and the cable displacement member. In an embodiment, the one or more cable displacement arms are each implemented as an