US 12,031,521 B1
Bulkhead removal device and method
Daniela Roeper, Waterloo (CA); Jonathan Parkin, Vancouver (CA); Caner Oktayer, West Babylon, NY (US); Jonathan M. Kuriloff, Saint James, NY (US); and John C Senft, IV, Babylon, NY (US)
Assigned to FabricAir Canada Inc., Waterloo (CA)
Filed by FabricAir Canada Inc., Waterloo (CA)
Filed on Aug. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/459,422.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/087,378, filed on Oct. 5, 2020.
Int. Cl. F03D 13/30 (2016.01); F03D 1/06 (2006.01)
CPC F03D 13/30 (2016.05) [F03D 1/0675 (2013.01); F05B 2230/10 (2013.01); F05B 2230/50 (2013.01); F05B 2230/80 (2013.01); F05B 2240/30 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A bulkhead removal device, for removing at least one bulkhead from a wind turbine blade, the device comprising:
a bulkhead cutting system for cutting at least one bulkhead in a wind turbine blade, wherein the at least one bulkhead is peripherally attached to an interior wall of the wind turbine blade;
a positioning system, physically connected to the bulkhead cutting system, for positioning a cutting tool of the bulkhead cutting system at the bulkhead; and
a deployment assembly for moving the bulkhead cutting system inside the wind turbine blades.
 
9. A bulkhead removal device, for removing at least one bulkhead peripherally attached to an interior wall of a wind turbine blade, the device comprising:
a tool assembly further comprising a bulkhead cutting system and a positioning system,
wherein the bulkhead cutting system is physically connected to the positioning system;
wherein the bulkhead cutting system further comprises a cutting tool configured to cut a bulkhead;
wherein the positioning system is adjustable in size and allows for positioning the cutting tool at the bulkhead cutting system to cut the bulkhead; and
a deployment assembly connected to the tool assembly,
wherein the deployment assembly comprises a rod configured to allow insertion of the bulkhead removal device inside a wind turbine blade, a pivotally coupled adjustable support member, a plurality of non-adjustable support members, wherein the adjustable support member can be positioned to brace against a wall inside the wind turbine blade and the adjustable and non-adjustable support members centrally position the bulkhead removal device inside the wind turbine blade when the adjustable support member is braced against the wall inside the wind turbine blade.