Wind turbine tower base access ladder

A wind turbine tower base comprising:

• an opening disposed above a foundation of the wind turbine tower base comprising a lip extending substantially horizontally outwardly therefrom;
• an access ladder comprising:
• a ladder top having a lip engaging structure disposed at a first end of the ladder top for engaging at least a portion of the lip when the ladder top is disposed to at least partially extend in the opening;
• a first ladder section attached at the first end of the ladder top;
• and
• a second ladder section attached at a second end of the ladder top so that the first ladder section and second ladder section extend downwardly from the ladder top on opposite sides of the wind turbine tower base when the ladder top is at least partially disposed in the opening effective for allowing a user to move between an exterior of the wind turbine tower base and interior of the wind turbine tower base via the opening.

A wind turbine tower base access ladder comprising:

• a ladder top comprising a substantially “L” shaped first lip engaging structure disposed at a first end of the ladder top for engaging at least a portion of an outer lip at an opening of a wind turbine tower base when the ladder top is disposed to at least partially extend through the opening;
• a standoff member downwardly extending from the ladder top proximate a second end for supporting the ladder top in a substantially horizontal position against an inner portion of the opening at an interior of the wind turbine tower base;
• a first ladder section attached at the first end of the ladder top;
• a second ladder section attached at the second end of the ladder top so that the first ladder section and second ladder section extend downwardly from the ladder top on opposite sides of the wind turbine tower base when the ladder top is at least partially disposed in the opening effective to allow a user to move between an exterior of the wind turbine tower base and interior of the wind turbine tower base via the opening.

A method for erecting a wind turbine tower using an access ladder comprising:

• constructing a foundation;
• attaching a wind turbine tower base to the foundation;
• installing an access ladder via an opening in the tower base for temporarily accessing an interior of the tower base during construction, wherein the access ladder comprises a ladder top comprising a first lip engaging structure disposed at a first end of the ladder top for engaging at least a portion of an outer lip of an opening of a wind turbine tower base when the ladder top is disposed to at least partially extend in the opening, a first ladder section attached at the first end of the ladder top, and a second ladder section attached at a second end of the ladder top so that the first ladder section and second ladder section extend downwardly from the ladder top on opposite sides of the wind turbine tower base when the ladder top is at least partially disposed in the opening effective for allowing a user to move between an exterior of the wind turbine tower base and interior of the wind turbine tower base via the opening;
• erecting a wind turbine tower on the tower base;
• and
• installing a wind turbine on the tower.