Patent ID: 8579085

Claim:
A suspended access chair ( 10 ) for accessing a wind turbine blade ( 15 ) mounted on a tower, comprising: a) a chair frame assembly ( 100 ); b) an operator seat ( 110 ) secured to the chair frame assembly ( 100 ); c) an upper frame assembly roller ( 120 ) secured to the chair frame assembly ( 100 ) at a level above the operator seat ( 110 ) and a lower frame assembly roller ( 130 ) secured to the chair frame assembly ( 100 ) at a level below the operator seat ( 110 ), the upper frame assembly roller ( 120 ) vertically spaced from the lower frame assembly roller ( 130 ) by an upper to lower roller vertical separation distance ( 131 ), and the upper frame assembly roller ( 120 ) horizontally spaced from the lower frame assembly roller ( 130 ) by an upper to lower roller offset distance ( 132 ), wherein the upper frame assembly roller ( 120 ) and the lower frame assembly roller ( 130 ) are configured for rolling contact along an edge of the wind turbine blade ( 15 ); d) a primary dextral gripping arm ( 200 ) having a primary dextral gripping arm proximal end ( 201 ), a primary dextral gripping arm distal end ( 202 ), and at least one dextral gripping arm roller ( 211 ) configured for rolling contact along a portion of the wind turbine blade ( 15 ), wherein the primary dextral gripping arm ( 200 ) is pivotally connected to the chair frame assembly ( 100 ); e) a primary dextral gripping arm adjustor ( 205 ) for adjusting a position of the primary dextral gripping arm ( 200 ), wherein the primary dextral gripping arm adjustor ( 205 ) is secured to the chair frame assembly ( 100 ) and the primary dextral gripping arm ( 200 ); f) a primary sinistral gripping arm ( 300 ) having a primary sinistral gripping arm proximal end ( 301 ), a primary sinistral gripping arm distal end ( 302 ), and at least one sinistral gripping arm roller ( 311 ) configured for rolling contact along a portion of the wind turbine blade ( 15 ), wherein the primary sinistral gripping arm ( 300 ) is pivotally connected to the chair frame assembly ( 100 ); g) a primary sinistral gripping arm adjustor ( 305 ) for adjusting a position of the primary sinistral gripping arm ( 300 ), wherein the primary sinistral gripping arm adjustor ( 305 ) is secured to the chair frame assembly ( 100 ) and the primary sinistral gripping arm ( 300 ); and h) a hoist ( 600 ) mounted on the chair frame assembly ( 100 ), wherein the hoist ( 600 ) is capable of raising and lowering the suspended access chair ( 10 ) along a suspension rope ( 20 ) to gain access to the wind turbine blade ( 15 ).