Abstract: A guidewire manipulation system may include a cylindrical drum, having a cylindrical outer drum surface with a helical groove for housing a flexible guidewire and an anchoring mechanism for attaching the flexible guidewire to the drum. The system may also include an outer shell or belt disposed around the drum, forming an opening through which the flexible guidewire exits. The system may also include a first actuator coupled with the drum for rotating the drum about a first axis, and a second actuator coupled with the drum for rotating the system about a second axis.

Abstract: A method of making a wind turbine blade having at least one pultruded strip of fibrous reinforcing material integrated with a shell of the blade is described. The method comprises the steps of: providing at a first location a feed apparatus for dispensing a pultruded strip of fibrous reinforcing material; supporting a coiled pultruded strip of fibrous reinforcing material for rotation in the feed apparatus; causing the coiled strip to rotate in the feed apparatus at the first location; and feeding a free end of the strip from the feed apparatus in a feed direction towards a second location remote from the first location. An associated feed apparatus for use in the method is also described.

Abstract: A deployable structure comprises: a mount comprising a first point and a second point opposite and a third point, a storage reel able to rotate about an axis Z, a tape spring able to switch from a configuration in which it is wound about the axis Z in the storage reel into a configuration in which it is deployed along an axis X substantially perpendicular to the axis Z, the first and second points forming a double support with the tape spring to keep the tape spring in the deployed configuration. The third point is able to form a simple support with the tape spring, the storage reel is able to move with respect to the third point and the storage reel is pressed against the third point to guide the deployment of the tape spring.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a drum to draw in or let out a line and a motor and transmission coupled to the drum to apply a torque thereto. A power sensor measures an amount of current drawn and/or voltage supplied to the motor as the motor applies torque to the line. A processor calculates an amount of weight that is attached to the line based on the amount of power consumed by the motor. Alternatively, if the motor is operated in generator mode, a current sensor may measure an amount of current generated by the motor and the processor may calculate an amount of weight that is attached to the line based at least partly on an amount of current that is generated by the motor.

Abstract: A system includes multiple lifting devices, where each lifting device includes a drum to draw in or let out a line, and a motor and transmission coupled to the drum to apply a torque thereto. A grouping module groups the lifting devices for synchronized operation in lifting a shared load. A load distribution management module monitors an amount of weight carried by each of the grouped lifting devices and provides feedback to a user to enable more optimal distribution of the shared load amongst the grouped lifting devices.

Abstract: A wire-pulling device, in particular for laying electric cables in a building, comprising a frame (16), a spool of a flexible elongate element (6a) wound into a coil, and means for unwinding the member and advancing same into a section of a duct of an electric facility. The spool is mounted on a rotary drum (2) driven by a mechanism (13). The drum (2) has a U-shaped section in which the flexible elongate member is located. The flexible elongate member is fed into a rigid guide member arranged tangentially relative to the periphery of the rotary drum. The drum (2) drives a set of guide rollers (19) arranged at the periphery thereof. Each roller has a central section (3) having a diameter that is larger than that of the side sections (4) thereof that surround same. The two side sections engage with the ends of the arms of the U while the central section contacts the flexible elongate member (6) arranged between the arms of the U.

Abstract: A system for storing, rotating and feeding a high pressure hose. A first portion of the hose is disposable about the drum and a guide arm engages a second portion of the hose. An actuator assembly rotates a cage and the guide arm so that the guide arm rotates relative to the cage such that the hose is rotated. Relative rotation in one direction causes the first portion of the hose to uncoil from the drum and displace along the guide arm and causes a third portion of the high pressure hose in an output port to displace out of the output port away from the guide arm. Relative rotation in an opposite direction causes the second portion of the high pressure hose to coil about the drum and causes the third portion of the high pressure hose to displace into the housing.

Abstract: A system for storing, rotating and feeding a high pressure hose. A first portion of the hose is disposable about the drum and a guide arm engages a second portion of the hose. An actuator assembly rotates a cage and the guide arm so that the guide arm rotates relative to the cage such that the hose is rotated. Relative rotation in one direction causes the first portion of the hose to uncoil from the drum and displace along the guide arm and causes a third portion of the high pressure hose in an output port to displace out of the output port away from the guide arm. Relative rotation in an opposite direction causes the second portion of the high pressure hose to coil about the drum and causes the third portion of the high pressure hose to displace into the housing.

Abstract: An elongated truss boom structure is adapted to be flattened and coiled to a stowed configuration. The truss boom includes longerons, battens, and diagonals A fixed ladder shaped structure is formed by a plurality of fixedly coupled battens which interconnect two adjacent longerons. The truss boom is flattened for stowage by arranging all of the longerons coplanar to the plane of the fixed ladder shaped structure. The longerons preferably have a corrugated cross section. For stowage the longeron is heated and compressed into a ribbon shaped cross section, and upon deployment the longeron is heated to restore its corrugated cross section. A mechanical assembly machine includes a drum, a stowed flattened truss boom rolled into a coil around the drum, a device for unrolling the coil, an actuating and locking mechanism, and a control arm which connects the actuating and locking mechanism to the drum.