Top-loading tower crane systems and associated methods

A tower crane for performing a lifting a load, the tower crane comprising:

• an extendable tower assembly having a central axis and comprising a plurality of separate tower sections;
• a climbing assembly comprising a climbing frame positioned on the tower assembly and a latching assembly to transport the climbing assembly vertically along the tower assembly;
• and
• a boom assembly positioned atop the tower assembly and comprising a crane floor, a boom supported on the crane floor, a lifting member coupled to the boom, a slew bearing coupled to the crane floor and configured to permit the crane floor to rotate about a rotational axis, and a slew bearing transport assembly supported on the crane floor and configured to transport the slew bearing rectilinearly along a transport axis that extends orthogonal the central axis between a first bearing position along the transport axis and a second bearing position along the transport axis that is spaced from the first bearing position.

A method for lifting a load using a tower crane, the method comprising:

• (a) positioning a boom assembly of the tower crane atop a tower assembly of the tower crane;
• (b) transporting by a transport actuator a slew bearing of the boom assembly from a first bearing position to a second bearing position that is spaced from the first bearing position, wherein a tower opening is formed exposing an upper end of the tower assembly when the slew bearing is in the second bearing position;
• (c) lifting by lifting member of a boom of the tower crane a tower section to be added to the tower assembly of the tower crane, wherein the lifting member is separate from the transport actuator;
• (d) vertically lowering by the boom the tower section through the tower opening and landing the tower section onto an upper end of the tower assembly;
• and
• (e) connecting the tower section to the upper end of the tower assembly to add the tower section to the tower assembly.