System to field install solar racking components and torque beams and methods of use

A system to field install racking components and torque beams to posts in a field, said system comprising:

• a trailer base with structural supports;
• a first pair of left and right cantilever axles affixed to opposite sides of said structural supports, each of said left and right cantilever axles including an independent hydraulic circuit dedicated to controlling up-and-down movement to adjust the side pitch of said trailer base along a horizontal axis;
• a track affixed to each of said left and right cantilever axles, said cantilever axles pivotably configured to level said trailer base on a horizontal axis via said independent hydraulic circuits;
• a first vertical lift system slidably connected to said trailer base, said first vertical lift system having at least two tabletop rails running lengthwise in parallel with said trailer base and connected crosswise by at least two cross braces, said at least two tabletop rails and said at least two cross braces configured to raise and lower the torque beams on a vertical axis relative to said trailer base to position the torque beams above the post;
• and
• a second vertical lift system slidably connected to a rear of said trailer base, said second vertical lift system having at least two lift assist rails running lengthwise in parallel with said trailer base and connected crosswise by a cross brace, said at least two lift assist rails and said cross brace configured to raise and lower on a vertical axis relative to said trailer base to extract the torque beam from the torque beams positioned on said first vertical lift system and to align the torque beam with the post.

A method of performing a field install of solar racking components and torque beams to posts in a field, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a trailer base with structural supports, having a first pair of left and right cantilever axles affixed to opposite sides of said structural supports, each of said left and right cantilever axles including an independent hydraulic circuit dedicated to controlling up-and-down movement to adjust the side pitch of said trailer base along a horizontal axis, and a wheel affixed to each of said left and right cantilever axles, each of said left and right cantilever axles pivotably configured to level said trailer base on a horizontal axis via said independent hydraulic circuits;
• providing a first vertical lift system slidably connected to said trailer base, said first vertical lift system having at least two tabletop rails running lengthwise in parallel with said trailer base and connected crosswise by at least two cross braces, said at least two tabletop rails and said at least two cross braces configured to raise and lower on a vertical axis the torque beams on a vertical axis relative to said trailer base to position the torque beams above the post,
• providing a second vertical lift system slidably connected to a rear of said trailer base, said second vertical lift system having at least two lift assist rails running lengthwise in parallel with said trailer base and connected crosswise by a cross brace, said at least two lift assist rails and said cross brace configured to raise and lower on a vertical axis relative to said trailer base to extract the torque beam from the torque beams positioned on said first vertical lift system and to align the torque beam with the post;
• loading one or more torque beams on said at least two tabletop rails;
• adjusting said first pair of left and right cantilever axles using their respective independent hydraulic circuits to level said trailer base by controlling side pitch;
• raising said at least two tabletop rails using said first vertical lift system to move the torque beams above the posts;
• transporting said trailer base system to a position between a first set of the posts;
• selecting one of the torque beams from the torque beams positioned on said at least two tabletop rails via movement of said second vertical lift system;
• lowering said second vertical lift system to position one of the torque beams proximate the first set of the posts;
• and
• attaching one of the torque beams to the first set of the posts.

A system to field install racking components and torque beams to posts in a field, said system comprising:

• a trailer base with structural supports;
• a first vertical lift system slidably connected to said trailer base, said first vertical lift system having at least two tabletop rails running lengthwise in parallel with said trailer base and connected crosswise by at least two cross braces, said at least two tabletop rails and said at least two cross braces configured to raise and lower the torque beams on a vertical axis relative to said trailer base to position the torque beams above the post;
• a cantilever scissor lift mechanism integrated into said first vertical lift system, said cantilever scissor lift mechanism having a pair of scissor arms extending laterally from each of said at least two tabletop rails, said scissor arms pivotably configured to provide a side lift motion in a horizontal plane to adjust the lateral position of the torque beams relative to the posts;
• and
• a second vertical lift system slidably connected to a rear of said trailer base, said second vertical lift system having at least two lift assist rails running lengthwise in parallel with said trailer base and connected crosswise by a cross brace, said at least two lift assist rails and said cross brace configured to raise and lower on a vertical axis relative to said trailer base to extract the torque beam from the torque beams positioned on said first vertical lift system and to align the torque beam with the post.