EQUIPMENT FOR HANDLING A WIND TURBINE COMPONENT AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING SUCH EQUIPMENT AND HANDLING A WIND TURBINE COMPONENT USING SUCH EQUIPMENT
FIG8 is a disassembled perspective view of the mounting block shown in FIG7
The assembly of a sling 90 in accordance with the invention is shown in FIG8, which illustrates the mounting block 94 being positioned on the lifting cable 92. First, an end 150 of the lifting cable 92 is inserted into and through apertures 140 of both bushings 118 and 120 of the mounting block 94 such that the noses 132 of the bushings 118, 120 face each other and the outer faces 144 of the bushings 118, 120 face away from each other. This threading of the bushings 118, 120 is illustrated in FIG8. The bushings 118, 120, which may be generally slidable on the lifting cable 92 are spaced apart by an amount that permits the block main body 96 to be positioned therebetween. In this regard, the block main body 96 may be lowered such that a length of cable 92 between the two bushings 118, 120 passes through the gaps 152 in the side surfaces 102, 104 adjacent the lower surface 100 so as to be positioned within cable passage 116 of the block main body 96. With the block main body so positioned, the bushings 118, 120 may be positioned within the openings 122 in the side surfaces 102, 104 of the block main body 96. More particularly, the bushings 118, 120 may be moved in a direction generally parallel to the lifting cable 92 and toward one another so that the nose 132 of each bushing 118, 120 extends through the openings 122 and the shoulder 134 engages an abutting surface 156 to seat the bushings 118, 120 within the block main body 96.
perspective view
94
mounting block mounting blocks
96
body
['1. Equipment for handling a wind turbine component, comprising: a lifting cable (92); and a mounting block (94) for coupling the lifting cable (92, 172) to the wind turbine component, the mounting block (94) comprising: a block main body (96) having a cable passage (116) defined therethrough; a pair of bushings (118, 120) coupled to the block main body (96) in the cable passage (116), each bushing (118, 120) having an outer face (144), an inner face (146) and an aperture (140), going through said bushing, defined by an aperture wall (142), wherein the lifting cable (36) extends through the aperture (140) of each of the bushings (62), characterised in that  at least an outer region of the aperture wall (142), adjacent the outer face (144) of the bushing, forms a closed loop about the lifting cable (92, 172) and is substantially circumferentially continuous.']