Tilt-up and telescopic support tower for large structures

A tall tower for supporting heavy loads above a tower foundation which comprises a plurality of elongated tubular tower sections including at least an outer tower section and inner tower section each defined by a substantially continuous cylindrical peripheral wall and initially disposed in a generally horizontal position with said inner section nested within said outer section, said outer tower section having a hinge component adjacent its lower edge for pivotal attachment to said tower foundation to enable the nested tower sections to be pivoted from a generally horizontal position to a generally vertical position, said inner tower section supporting said heavy load when nested in said outer section, and a lift mechanism interconnecting said outer and inner tower sections to telescopically raise said inner tower section and said heavy load to an expanded tower height and fastening devices interconnecting said tower sections when in said expanded tower height.

A system for erecting a tall support tower for heavy loads on a tower foundation which comprises a plurality of elongated tower sections with an outer tower section having a lower end pivotally connected to said foundation and an inner tower section nested within said outer tower section while in horizontal position, a gin pole having a pivotally supported lower end, a cable and winch assembly associated with said gin pole and the horizontally positioned nested tower sections, said gin pole, cable and winch assembly lifting and tilting the nested tower sections from a horizontal position to a vertical position with said inner tower section supporting said heavy load, and a lift mechanism interconnecting said tower sections to telescopically raise said inner tower section and said heavy load to an expanded tower height.

The method of erecting a tall support tower having a plurality of elongated telescopic tower sections above a tower foundation comprising the steps of positioning an outer tower section in horizontal position, pivotally connecting one end of the outer tower section to said foundation, assembling an inner tower section in nested relation to said outer tower section, tilting said nested tower sections from a horizontal position to a vertical position and raising the inner tower section to an expanded tower height, said step of tilting the nested tower sections to vertical position including the step of installing a gin pole in upwardly and outwardly angled relation to the final vertical position of the nested tower sections and lifting the nested tower sections by utilizing a winch, cable and pulley system associated with the gin pole and nested tower sections to pivot the nested tower sections about the pivotal connection to the foundation.

A tower for supporting a heavy load from a tower foundation comprising at least two elongated, telescopically associated tower sections including a lower tower section supported vertically on said tower foundation and an upper tower section telescopically nested in relation to said lower tower section, a lift mechanism interconnecting said lower tower section and said upper tower section, said lift mechanism including a plurality of generally parallel vertical jack rod and crawler jack assemblies interconnecting said lower tower section and said upper tower section to move said upper tower section vertically to an elevated position in relation to said lower tower section, each of said jack rod and crawler jack assemblies including a vertical jack rod rigidly fixed interiorly of said lower tower section, and a crawler jack vertically moveable on said jack rod, said jack rods being mounted vertically and generally parallel within said lower tower section, said crawler jacks engaging a lower end of said upper tower section for lifting it to said elevated position.

A tower for supporting a heavy load from a tower foundation comprising at least two elongated, telescopically associated tower sections including a lower tower section supported vertically on said tower foundation and an upper tower section telescopically nested in relation to said lower tower section, a lift mechanism interconnecting said lower tower section and said upper tower section, said lift mechanism including a plurality of generally parallel vertical jack rod and crawler jack assemblies interconnecting said lower tower section and said upper tower section to move said upper tower section vertically to an elevated position in relation to said lower tower section, an upper end portion of said lower tower section and a lower end portion of said upper tower section each including a peripheral radially extending flange, said flanges being disposed in adjacent relation when said upper tower section is in said elevated position and fasteners interconnecting said flanges to retain said upper tower section in said elevated position in relation to said lower tower section, said flange on said lower end portion of said upper tower section including apertures slidably receiving said jack rods of the jack rod crawler jack assemblies to guide vertical movement of said upper tower section in relation to said lower tower section.

A tower for supporting a heavy load from a tower foundation comprising at least two elongated, telescopically associated tower sections including a lower tower section supported vertically on said tower foundation and an upper tower section telescopically nested in relation to said lower tower section, a lift mechanism interconnecting said lower tower section and said upper tower section, said lift mechanism including a plurality of generally parallel vertical jack rod and crawler jack assemblies interconnecting said lower tower section and said upper tower section to move said upper tower section vertically to an elevated position in relation to said lower tower section, a lower end portion of said upper tower section including a plurality of peripheral guide rollers guidingly engaged with a peripheral surface of said lower tower section to guide relative vertical movement of said tower sections.

A tower for supporting a heavy load from a tower foundation comprising at least two elongated, telescopically associated tower sections including a lower tower section supported vertically on said tower foundation and an upper tower section telescopically nested in relation to said lower tower section, a lift mechanism interconnecting said lower tower section and said upper tower section, said lift mechanism including a plurality of generally parallel vertical jack rod and crawler jack assemblies interconnecting said lower tower section and said upper tower section to move said upper tower section vertically to an elevated position in relation to said lower tower section, and a second upper tower section telescopically nested in relation to said upper tower section nested in said lower tower section, a second lift mechanism interconnecting said upper tower sections to simultaneously move said second upper tower section vertically in relation to said upper tower section nested in said lower tower section when said jack rod and crawler jack assemblies move said upper tower section nested in said lower tower section thereby simultaneously moving both upper tower sections vertically in response to vertical movement of said upper tower section nested in said lower tower section by said jack rod and crawler jack assemblies.