1. A method for attaching a fence rail to a support structure, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) attaching a bracket to the support structure;
(b) attaching a retention clip to the fence rail;
(c) inserting said fence rail within said bracket;
(d) engaging the retention clip with the bracket to attach the fence rail to the bracket; and
(e) placing a cap on the bracket to cover the retention clip.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises inserting at least one screw through said bracket into the support structure.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises attaching said retention clip on an end of said fence rail.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises inserting a screw through said retention clip and said fence rail.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises inserting said fence rail within an opening defined by a plurality of walls of said bracket.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises engaging the retention clip with a catch disposed on said bracket.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein step (d) further comprises inserting said catch between resilient prongs of said retention member.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein step (d) further comprises engaging at least one tooth on said resilient prongs with a complementary tooth on said catch.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) comprises inserting at least one ridge formed on said cap within at least one groove formed on said bracket.
10. A method for attaching a fence rail to a support structure, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) forming a bracket having a back wall, said back wall having a front face and an opposing rear face, said back wall further comprising a rail support extending from said front face of said back wall for receiving said fence rail;
(b) attaching said bracket to said support structure such that said rear face faces said support structure;
(c) attaching a retention clip to the fence rail; and
(d) inserting said fence rail in said rail support such that said retention clip resides between said rear face and said support structure to attach said fence rail to said bracket.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein step (b) comprises inserting at least one fastener through said back wall.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein step (c) comprises inserting at least one fastener through said retention clip.
13. The method of claim 10, further comprising step (e) engaging at least one resilient prong disposed on said retention member with a catch disposed on said rear face of said back wall.
14. The method of claim 10, further comprising (f) placing a cap on said bracket to cover said retention clip.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising inserting at least one ridge formed on said cap within at least one groove formed on said bracket.
16. The method of claim 13, further comprising engaging at least one tooth on said at least one resilient prong with a complementary tooth on said catch.
17. The method of claim 13, further comprising engaging two resilient prongs disposed on said retention member with said catch.
18. The method of claim 12, further comprising recessing said fastener beneath a surface of said retention clip.
19. The method of claim 10, wherein step (a) further comprises forming said rail support of a plurality of walls.
20. A method for attaching a fence rail to a support structure, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) attaching a bracket to the support structure, said bracket having a back wall, said back wall having a front face and an opposing rear face such that said rear face faces said support structure;
(b) attaching a retention clip to the fence rail;
(c) inserting said fence rail within said bracket;
(d) engaging the retention clip with the bracket to attach the fence rail to the bracket; and
(e) placing a cap on the bracket to cover the retention clip;
wherein step (a) comprises inserting at least one screw through said bracket into the support structure;
wherein step (b) comprises attaching said retention clip on an end of said fence rail;
wherein step (b) further comprises inserting a screw through said retention clip and said fence rail;
wherein step (c) comprises inserting said fence rail within an opening defined by a plurality of walls of said bracket;
wherein step (d) comprises engaging the retention clip with a catch disposed on said rear face of said bracket;
wherein step (d) further comprises inserting said catch between resilient prongs of said retention member;
wherein step (d) further comprises engaging at least one tooth on said resilient prongs with a complementary tooth on said catch; and
wherein step (e) comprises inserting at least one ridge formed on said cap within at least one groove formed on said bracket.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A drive train assembly for a wind turbine comprising:
a gearbox;
a rotor;
a gearbox input shaft connected to the gearbox and a rotor rotation shaft connected to the rotor,
the rotor rotation shaft having a radially outer surface and the gearbox input shaft having a front surface, the gearbox input shaft and the rotor rotation shaft being connected to each other by a union with a flange comprising a base portion with a vertical end surface and a band extending axially from the base portion;
the flange further comprising a plurality of bolts extending through the base portion of the flange and into the front surface of the gearbox input shaft,
wherein the band has a radially internal surface and forms an interference joint between the radially outer surface of the rotor rotation shaft and the radially internal surface of the band, the flange being banded on the rotor rotation shaft by means of the interference joint; and
wherein the interference joint includes a keyway between the rotor rotation shaft and the radially internal surface of the flange.
2. The drive train assembly according to claim 1, wherein the keyway is inside the rotor rotation shaft extending along an outer edge of the periphery of said rotor rotation shaft, and a key is inside the keyway.
3. The drive train assembly according to claim 1, wherein the flange is a single part and made of structural steel.
4. A drive train assembly for a wind turbine comprising:
a gearbox;
a rotor;
a gearbox input shaft connected to the gearbox and a rotor rotation shaft connected to the rotor,
the rotor rotation shaft having a radially outer surface and the gearbox input shaft having a front surface, the gearbox input shaft and the rotor rotation shaft being connected to each other by a union with a flange comprising a base portion with a vertical end surface and a band extending axially from the base portion, the base portion comprising a plurality of bolts extending through the base portion of the flange and into the front surface of a gearbox module of the gearbox input shaft, wherein
the flange has a radially internal surface and forms an interference joint between the radially outer surface of the rotor rotation shaft and the radially internal surface of the band, the flange being banded on the rotor rotation shaft by means of the interference joint, and
the flange been banded on the rotor rotation shaft by prior heating to a banding temperature, assembling the heated flange to the rotor rotation shaft, and allowing the heated flange on the rotor rotation shaft to cool so that the joint becomes banded on the rotor rotation shaft after cooling; and
wherein the interference joint includes a keyway between the rotor rotation shaft and the radially internal surface of the flange.
5. The drive train assembly according to claim 4, wherein the keyway is inside the rotor rotation shaft extending along an outer edge of the periphery of said rotor rotation shaft, and a key is inside the keyway.
6. The drive train assembly according to claim 4, wherein the flange is a single part and made of structural steel.
7. A drive train assembly for a wind turbine comprising:
a gearbox;
a rotor;
a gearbox input shaft connected to the gearbox and a rotor rotation shaft connected to the rotor,
the rotor rotation shaft having a radially outer surface and the gearbox input shaft having a front surface, the gearbox input shaft and the rotor rotation shaft being connected to each other by a union with a flange comprising a base portion with a vertical end surface and a band extending axially from the base portion, the base portion comprising a plurality of bolts extending through the base portion of the flange and into the front surface of a gearbox module of the gearbox input shaft, wherein
the flange has a radially internal surface and forms an interference joint between the radially outer surface of the rotor rotation shaft and the radially internal surface of the band, the flange being banded on the rotor rotation shaft by means of the interference joint, and
the radially internal surface of the flange has an increased friction coefficient achieved by surface treatment, and
the flange which has been banded on the rotor rotation shaft by prior heating to a banding temperature, assembling the heated flange to the rotor rotation shaft, and allowing the heated flange on the rotor rotation shaft to cool so that the joint becomes banded on the rotor rotation shaft after cooling; and
wherein the interference joint includes a keyway between the rotor rotation shaft and the radially internal surface of the flange.
8. The drive train assembly according to claim 7, wherein the keyway is inside the rotor rotation shaft extending along an outer edge of the periphery of said rotor rotation shaft, and a key is inside the keyway.
9. The drive train assembly according to claim 7, wherein the flange is a single part and made of structural steel.
10. A drive train assembly for a wind turbine comprising:
a gearbox;
a rotor;
a gearbox input shaft connected to the gearbox and a rotor rotation shaft connected to the rotor,
the rotor rotation shaft having a radially outer surface and the gearbox input shaft having a front surface, the gearbox input shaft and the rotor rotation shaft being connected to each other by a union with a flange comprising a base portion with a vertical end surface and a band extending axially from the base portion, the base portion comprising a plurality of bolts extending through the base portion of the flange and into the front surface of a gearbox module of the gearbox input shaft, wherein
the flange is a single part and made of structural steel,
the flange has a radially internal surface and forms an interference joint between the radially outer surface of the rotor rotation shaft and the radially internal surface of the band, the flange being banded on the rotor rotation shaft by means of the interference joint, and
the radially internal surface of the flange has an increased friction coefficient achieved by surface treatment, and
the flange been banded on the rotor rotation shaft by prior heating to a banding temperature, assembling the heated flange to the rotor rotation shaft, and allowing the heated flange on the rotor rotation shaft to cool so that the joint becomes banded on the rotor rotation shaft after cooling; and
wherein the interference joint includes a keyway between the rotor rotation shaft and the radially internal surface of the flange.
11. The drive train assembly according to claim 10, wherein the keyway is inside the rotor rotation shaft extending along an outer edge of the periphery the width of said rotor rotation shaft and internal surface of the flange, and a key is inside the keyway.
12. A drive train assembly for a wind turbine comprising:
a gearbox;
a rotor;
a gearbox input shaft connected to the gearbox and a rotor rotation shaft connected to the rotor,
the rotor rotation shaft having a radially outer surface and the gearbox input shaft having a front surface, the gearbox input shaft and the rotor rotation shaft being connected to each other by a union with a flange comprising a base portion with a vertical end surface and a band extending axially from the base portion, the base portion comprising a plurality of bolts extending through the base portion of the flange and into the front surface of a gearbox module of the gearbox input shaft, wherein
the flange is a single part and made of structural steel,
the flange has a radially internal surface and forms an interference joint between the radially outer surface of the rotor rotation shaft and the radially internal surface of the band, the flange being banded on the rotor rotation shaft by means of the interference joint, and
the radially internal surface of the flange has an increased friction coefficient achieved by surface treatment, and
the interference joint includes a keyway between the rotor rotation shaft and the internal surface of the flange, wherein the keyway is inside the rotor rotation shaft extending along an outer edge of the periphery of said rotor rotation shaft, and a key is inside the keyway, and
the flange has been banded on the rotor rotation shaft by prior heating to a banding temperature, assembling the heated flange to the rotor rotation shaft, and allowing the heated flange on the rotor rotation shaft to cool so that the joint becomes banded on the rotor rotation shaft after cooling.