Tower apparatus

Abstract

A tower reinforcement apparatus designed to increase the load capacity and stability of a tower to enable the tower to support the weight of additional communication equipment as well as the environmental forces exerted on the tower. The preferred embodiment generally includes upper and lower collar assemblies disposed about the tower, a plurality of mounting blocks having a flat portion that is secured to an outer surface of the tower and an inner surface of the upper or the lower collar assemblies to secure the collar assemblies to the tower, a plurality of flat bars vertically attached to the upper and the lower collar assemblies, and at least one ring disposed between the collar assemblies, the at least one ring is formed to wrap around the tower and the flat bars in order to hold the flat bars in compression with the tower.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A tower reinforcement apparatus comprising: 
 an upper collar assembly parallel with a lower collar assembly, wherein the upper collar assembly is spaced a selected distance from the lower collar assembly,    a plurality of flat bars attached to the upper and the lower collar assemblies,    securing means to attach the upper and the lower collar assemblies to a tower,    at least one ring disposed between the upper and the lower collar assemblies,    wherein the ring encircles the flat bars and the tower so that the flat bars are held in compression with the tower.    
     
     
         2 . The tower reinforcement apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the flat bars are vertically positioned between the upper and the lower collar assemblies.  
     
     
         3 . The tower reinforcement apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the securing means comprising a plurality of mounting blocks, said mounting blocks comprising a flat portion that is secured to an outer surface of the tower and an inner surface of the upper or the lower collar assembly.  
     
     
         4 . The tower reinforcement apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the mounting blocks are secured by welding.  
     
     
         5 . The tower reinforcement apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the upper collar assembly comprising first and second upper collars, said first and said second upper collars each comprising an upper collar mount plate disposed on opposite ends, wherein the upper collar mount plates of the first upper collar are joined with the upper collar mount plates of the second upper collar to form the upper collar assembly.  
     
     
         6 . The tower reinforcement apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the lower collar assembly comprising first and second lower collars, said first and said second lower collars each comprising a lower collar mount plate disposed on opposite ends, wherein the lower collar mount plates of the first lower collar are joined with the lower collar mount plates of the second lower collar to form the lower collar assembly.  
     
     
         7 . The tower reinforcement as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the upper collar assembly and the lower collar assembly are formed to wrap around the tower.  
     
     
         8 . The tower reinforcement as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the upper and the lower collar assemblies each further comprising a plurality of tab plates sized to receive the flat bar.  
     
     
         9 . The tower reinforcement apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the flat bars vertically extend the selected distance between the upper collar assembly and the lower collar assembly.  
     
     
         10 . The tower reinforcement apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein an end of the flat bar is fixedly received by the tab plates.  
     
     
         11 . The tower reinforcement apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one ring is parallel to the upper and the lower collar assemblies.  
     
     
         12 . The tower apparatus as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one ring is spaced apart at intervals of approximately two (2) feet.  
     
     
         13 . The tower reinforcement apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a base flange positioned at a lower end of the tower, said base flange comprising a plurality of brackets sized to receive the flat bar.  
     
     
         14 . A tower reinforcement apparatus for increasing the load capacity and stability of a tower, the tower reinforcement apparatus comprising: 
 an upper collar assembly including a plurality of upper tab plates,    a lower collar assembly including a plurality of lower tab plates, wherein the lower collar assembly is parallel with the upper collar assembly, and said upper collar assembly is spaced a selected distance from the lower collar assembly, said upper collar assembly and said lower collar assembly are each formed to wrap around an outer surface of the tower,    a plurality of flat bars, wherein one end of the flat bar is attached to the upper tab plates of the upper collar assembly and an opposite end of the flat bar is attached to the lower tab plates of the lower collar assembly,    a plurality of mounting blocks,    at least one ring disposed between the upper and the lower collar assemblies,    wherein the ring encircles the flat bars and the tower so that the flat bars are held in compression with the tower.    
     
     
         15 . The tower reinforcement apparatus as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the flat bars are vertically positioned between the upper and the lower collar assemblies.  
     
     
         16 . The tower reinforcement apparatus as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the mounting blocks are secured between the upper collar assembly and the tower.  
     
     
         17 . The tower reinforcement apparatus as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the mounting blocks are secured between the lower collar assembly and the tower.  
     
     
         18 . The tower reinforcement apparatus as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the upper collar assembly comprising first and second upper collars, said first and said second upper collars each comprising an upper collar mount plate disposed on opposite ends, wherein the upper collar mount plates of the first upper collar are joined with the upper collar mount plates of the second upper collar to form the upper collar assembly.  
     
     
         19 . The tower reinforcement apparatus as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the lower collar assembly comprising first and second lower collars, said first and said second lower collars each comprising a lower collar mount plate disposed on opposite ends, wherein the lower collar mount plates of the first lower collar are joined with the lower collar mount plates of the second lower collar to form the lower collar assembly.  
     
     
         20 . The tower reinforcement apparatus as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the flat bars vertically extend the selected distance between the upper collar assembly and the lower collar assembly.  
     
     
         21 . The tower reinforcement apparatus as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the at least one ring is parallel to the upper and the lower collar assemblies.  
     
     
         22 . The tower reinforcement apparatus as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising a base flange positioned at a lower end of the tower, said base flange comprising a plurality of brackets sized to receive the flat bar.