NZ561117A

NZ561117A - Working platform for interior of tower such as wind power tower, with scissors carrier structure and overlapping plates

Info

Publication number: NZ561117A
Application number: NZ561117A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Aloys Wobben
Original assignee: Aloys Wobben
Priority date: 2005-03-16
Filing date: 2006-03-16
Publication date: 2011-02-25
Also published as: NO20075276L; EP1861564B1; ES2343368T3; NO339741B1; KR20070112238A; BRPI0608824A2; KR20100021534A; PL1861564T3; US20090173577A1; CY1110120T1; JP4642894B2; CA2600853A1; CN100535361C; JP2008533334A; DE102005012497A1; CA2600853C; SI1861564T1; AU2010202780A1; EP1861564A1; KR101009519B1

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a working platform to be used inside a tower-type building. The aim is to design a working platform, which can be used when the top section of the tower is closed by a structure. For this purpose, the inventive working platform consists of a bearing structure in the form of scissors lattice frame and a platform placed thereon. Said bearing structure in the form of scissors lattice frame enables the inventive working platform to be adapted to various internal diameters of the tower-type building, thereby covering the entire tower cross section. The bearing structure in the form of scissors lattice frame also makes it possible to release the working platform from the tower wall and to fix it in the other part of the tower having the different cross section.

Description

<div class="application article clearfix" id="description"> Received by IPONZ 13 Jan 2011 Aloys WOBBEN Argestrasse 19, 26607 Aurich Working platform 5 The present invention concerns a working platform assembly for use in the interior of a tower-like building. When erecting a tower-like building such as for example a pylon of a wind power installation it is necessary inter alia also to carry out operations 10 in the interior of the tower-like building. For that purpose typically a working platform assembly is fixed to a crane and introduced from above into the interior of the tower-like building. That is only possible however as long as the upper end of the tower-like building is open. As soon as the tower-like building is closed off upwardly it is no longer possible to use a 15 working platform assembly on a crane. As the pylon of a wind power installation can attain for example a height of 100 metres operations in the interior of the pylon are not readily possible. At this juncture as state of the art attention is directed generally to the following publications: DE 366 A; AT 203 033 and US No 1 652 403. 20 Therefore the object of the present invention is to provide a working platform assembly which can be used in the interior of a tower-like building. That object is attained by a working platform assembly as set forth in claim 1 and by a system for the use of a working platform assembly as set 25 forth in claim 8. Thus there is provided a working platform assembly which can be used in the interior of a tower-like building such as for example a pylon of a wind power installation. The working platform assembly has a scissor lattice-like carrier structure. A working platform is arranged on that carrier 30 structure. Therefore there is provided a working platform assembly which can be adapted to different cross-sections. That is of significance in particular in Received by IPONZ 13 Jan 2011 2 relation to tower-like buildings whose cross-sections narrow upwardly so that the available area for a working platform assembly varies accordingly. The invention is based on the notion of providing a scissor lattice-like support arrangement as the carrier structure for a working platform 5 assembly, which support arrangement climbs upwardly in the interior of a tower or pylon with the building progress and has a working platform assembly. Such a working platform assembly or internal platform assembly can advantageously be used in relation to towers or pylons which are made from pre-cast concrete parts. 10 The pre-cast concrete parts used for erecting a tower or pylon have at their inner periphery holders on which the inner platform assembly or parts thereof can be suspended. Preferably those holders are disposed at predetermined heights and spacings. Holders can either be mounted at the outset in the pre-cast concrete parts or they can be subsequently fitted 15 therein. The holders which are arranged in a distributed configuration permit the working platform assembly to behave in a similar fashion to a mountain climber who drives hooks into a mountain face above his position and then continues to climb up to those hooks. Subsequent fitment of those hooks is basically possible but is time-20 consuming. Thus the holders are preferably fitted at the start so that a working platform assembly can quickly climb up or down on those holders. It will be noted however that subsequent installation may be appropriate if the alternative is temporary dismantling of the wind power installation pod as that requires considerably more effort. 25 In a preferred embodiment of the invention arranged around the central carrier element is an actuating element which acts on the lower scissor lattice bars which bear against the central carrier element. The lower scissor lattice bars can be subjected to a tensile force by the actuating element. That results in retraction of the scissor lattice and thus a 30 reduction in the size of the working platform assembly so that it can be moved into a part of the tower which is of smaller cross-section. In contrast acting on the scissor lattice bars with a pressure force results in extension of the scissor lattice structure and thus an increase in the size of the Received by IPONZ 13 Jan 2011 3 working platform assembly. If the working platform assembly already extends through the entire tower cross-section and bears against the wall of the tower the pressing force exerted on the scissor lattice bars can provide for adjusting the contact pressure with which the peripheral edge of 5 the working platform assembly bears against the tower wall. Further configurations of the invention are set forth in the appendant claims. The embodiments by way of example of the present invention are described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying 10 drawings in which: Figures 1 to 4 each show a cross-section through a tower-like building in the erection of the building in accordance with the first embodiment, Figure 5 shows a sectional view of a tower-like building with a 15 working platform assembly disposed therein, Figure 6 shows a cross-section through a tower-like building with a corresponding working platform assembly, Figure 7 shows a further cross-section of a tower-like building with a working platform assembly in accordance with the first embodiment, and 20 Figure 8 shows a simplified view of an individual plate of the working platform assembly. Figure 1 shows a cross-section through a tower-like building with a working platform assembly in accordance with the first embodiment. The building 100 which is in the course of construction, preferably a pylon of a 25 wind power installation, has two pre-cast concrete parts 10, 11 which were produced at the outset and which are arranged one upon the other. The working platform assembly 50 is lowered into the interior of the tower-like building by means of a crane cable 20. In this case the working platform assembly 50 substantially comprises a carrier structure which comprises 30 scissor lattice-like carrier arms, and a working platform 7. Figure 2 shows a cross-section through a tower-like building with a working platform assembly in accordance with the first embodiment. While Figure 1 shows a situation in which the working platform assembly is Received by IPONZ 13 Jan 2011 4 introduced into the interior of the tower-like building, Figure 2 shows the situation in which the working platform assembly has been extended and extends completely across the tower cross-section. That is substantially achieved by the scissor lattice-like carrier arms 5 being extended until they 5 are in contact with the inside wall of the tower-like building. A plurality of Tirak winches 1 are provided in the lower region of the working platform assembly. They are preferably each mounted to an outer end of each scissor lattice arm. People and material and tooling can be disposed on the platform 7 which preferably extends over the entire cross-section of the 10 interior of the tower-like building. In that respect the platform 7 takes over the function of a working platform assembly and the people can there perform working steps in order to erect the tower-like building. Figure 3 shows a further cross-section through the tower-like building with a working platform assembly in accordance with the first 15 embodiment. While only two pre-cast concrete parts 10 and 11 are shown in a condition of already being fitted in position in each of Figures 1 and 2, Figure 3 shows the situation in which a further pre-cast concrete part 12 is being mounted on the two pre-cast concrete parts 10 and 11 which have already been installed. In order on the one hand to secure the working 20 platform assembly and on the other hand to permit it to climb in the interior of the tower, provided in the inside wall of the pre-cast concrete parts are holders 3 on which cables (not shown) are suspended. Those cables pass through the Tirak winches so that the platform assembly according to the invention can move in a vertical direction along the cables 25 within the tower by suitable actuation of the Tirak winches. A power supply for the working platform assembly and its Tirak winches can be provided for example by a cable from below. Figure 4 shows a cross-section of a tower-like building with a working platform assembly in accordance with the first embodiment. Here, 30 all three pre-cast concrete parts 10, 11 and 12 have now been assembled and the working platform assembly 50 has to be moved upwardly in order to permit operations to be carried out in the upper pre-cast concrete part 10 and/or fitment of the subsequent pre-cast concrete part. For that Received by IPONZ 13 Jan 2011 5 purpose one of the workers can climb by means of a ladder 15 to the holder 3 on the inside wall of the third pre-cast concrete part 12 in order to appropriately fix a cable of the Tirak winch 1 there. As an alternative to the ladder 15 it is also possible to use a telescopic bar. Preferably the number 5 of holders 3 at the inside wall of the tower-like building should be at least equal to the number of Tirak winches so that the cables of the Tirak winches can be suitably fixed thereto. For that purpose, the brake on a respective winch is released so that the cable can be pulled upwardly. After the cable has been attached to the upper holder the cable is fixed in the 10 winch again so that the platform assembly is also again carried by that cable. Thereupon the next winch is released and attached to the corresponding upper holder 3, and so forth. During those preparatory operations for displacing the working platform assembly within the tower it is repeatedly not held for a short time 15 by a respective winch or the associated cable. The load of the working platform assembly must then be respectively carried by the other holders and cables. Figure 5 shows a cross-section through a tower-like building with a working platform assembly in accordance with the first embodiment. The 20 scissor lattice-like carrier arms 5 of the working platform assembly are to be seen here. In addition the working platform assembly has rollers 16 (here 6 items) externally on the working platform assembly. When the working platform assembly is extended the rollers then come into contact with the inside wall of the tower-like building so that the working platform 25 assembly 50 can be more easily moved upwardly or downwardly and damage to the inside wall of the tower and/or the working platform assembly during the movement is avoided. The platform includes a predetermined number of plates, which is greater by 1 than the number of carrier arms. All plates are of a circular 30 round configuration in the present embodiment. One of those plates includes a central rod (see reference 60 in Figure 5) in order to close the central part of the platform. Received by IPONZ 13 Jan 2011 6 The other plates are each arranged on a respective carrier arm and fixed to the outer end of the carrier arm. Those plates are further provided with an opening. That opening extends outwardly in a straight line in a radial direction from the centre of the plate. In that respect the opening is 5 of a width which is slightly greater than the diameter of the central rod. In situ each of those plates is so oriented that its opening faces towards the central rod. Figure 6 shows a detailed sectional view through the working platform assembly shown in Figures 1 to 4. In this case the scissor lattice-10 like carrier arms 5 are extended on the right-hand side. In that way a larger internal cross-section of the tower-like building can be covered by the working platform assembly. Figure 7 shows a further detailed cross-section of the tower-like building with the working platform assembly in accordance with the first 15 embodiment. This Figure shows a situation in which the working platform assembly is disposed within a pre-cast concrete part 12 in the upper region of the tower-like building. In this case, the cross-section of that pre-cast concrete part is smaller than the cross-section of the pre-cast concrete part 10 shown in Figure 6. Accordingly the scissor lattice-like carrier arms 5 of 20 the working platform assembly are adapted to the cross-section which decreases in size when the working platform assembly is displaced upwardly, by the arms being retracted. Accordingly there can be provided an internal platform assembly or working platform assembly which can itself climb up or down in the tower. 25 For example in the case of a pylon of a wind power installation it is no longer necessary to go up or down from the pod in a basket with a winch. Rather there is now provided an internal platform assembly which can extend completely across the pylon and which can easily climb up where precisely working operations are to be executed. Furthermore by virtue of 30 the configuration of the scissor lattice-like carrier arms 5 it can adapt to different pylon cross-sections. As soon as the working platform assembly is no longer required it can be retracted by the scissor lattice-like carrier arms being contracted. Received by IPONZ 13 Jan 2011 7 Thereafter the working platform assembly can be removed again for example through a door in the pylon of a wind power installation. Preferably the working platform assembly has a central rod 60 and scissor lattice/carrier arms 5 pivotably mounted thereto. Arranged on the carrier 5 arms 5 are plates 7 which then form the working platform. The so-called through-pass winches or Tirak winches are provided beneath the carrier arms. With Tirak or through-pass winches of that kind, the working platform assembly can itself climb up or down on cables extending through the winches. The cables of the Tirak winches 1 are preferably fixed to 10 holders 3 at the inside of the tower-like building so that the Tirak winches can run up or down on the cables. Preferably a plurality of Tirak winches are provided at the periphery of the working platform assembly. For moving up or down the cables of the Tirak winches have to be successively released from the holders and fitted to the next higher or next lower 15 holder, depending on whether the working platform assembly is to be moved up or down. Preferably there are at least five Tirak winches at the periphery of the working platform assembly so that there are also at least five cables with the corresponding holders 3. The plates 7 of the working platform are preferably of such a 20 configuration that they overlap each other so that the working platform can adapt to the different cross-sections within a tower-like building. That adaptation operation takes place as follows. As the plates 7 of the working platform overlap and do not lie in front of each other in butting relationship, they can move relative to each other. That movement of a 25 plate 7 inevitably occurs upon actuation of the scissor lattice. When the scissor lattice is retracted the plate which is fixed thereto moves towards the central rod and vice-versa. As each of the plates fixed to a carrier arm has an opening which is directed towards the central rod and is somewhat wider than same 30 retraction of a carrier arm with the concomitant movement of the corresponding plate 7 does not result in the plate 7 colliding with the central rod. Rather the opening moves towards the central rod and receives it. The length of the opening is a measurement of the extent to which the Received by IPONZ 13 Jan 2011 8 platform can be pushed together or the scissor lattice-like carrier arm can be retracted. A simplified representation of a plate 7 is shown in Figure 8. The rollers 6 at the periphery of the working platform assembly 50 5 are provided so that the working platform assembly rolls against the inside of the tower wall and does not scrape along it there. The working platform assembly which is adjustable in its cross-section can provide a working platform which is adapted to the cross-section of a tower-like building which narrows upwardly. The above-10 described working platform assembly is found to be particularly advantageous when a pod of a wind power installation is already arranged on the pylon of the wind power installation and there is thus no longer any possible way of gaining access to the interior of the pylon of the wind power installation by means of a crane from above. In such a situation the 15 working platform assembly which can be collapsed or which can be dismantled can be introduced through the door in the lower region of the pylon and appropriately set up so that it can then move up and down along the pylon by means of the holders 3 which are disposed in the pylon segments. Received by IPONZ 13 Jan 2011 9 </div>

Claims

<div class="application article clearfix printTableText" id="claims"> CLAIMS

1. A working platform assembly for use in the interior of a tower-like building characterised by a scissor lattice-like carrier structure, a working platform arranged on the carrier structure, wherein the carrier structure has at least three scissor lattice-like carrier arms spaced at a uniform arcuate distance, a central carrier element to which the scissor lattice-like carrier structures are pivotably mounted in radial orientation and are radially extendable, wherein the working platform has a plurality of mutually partially overlapping plates, wherein the plates are each arranged on a respective carrier arm and fixed to an outer end of the carrier arm, wherein each of the plates has an opening, wherein the opening extends from the centre point of the plate in a radial direction towards the central carrier element.

2. A working platform assembly according to claim 1 characterised by a winch at the peripheral end of each carrier arm.

3. A working platform assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterised by an actuating element which is arranged around the central carrier element and acts on the lower scissor lattice bars bearing against the central carrier element and is arranged along the central carrier element.

4. A working platform assembly according to one of the preceding claims characterised by a holder for attaching cables which are fixed to the wall in the interior of the tower-like building at predetermined spacings, wherein the cables are guided through the winches. Received by IPONZ 13 Jan 2011 10

5. A working platform assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. </div>