US2010281818A1PendingUtilityA1

Method for building wind turbine tower

52
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: May 7, 2009Filed: May 7, 2009Published: Nov 11, 2010
Est. expiryMay 7, 2029(~2.7 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:George L. Southworth
E04H 12/34E02D 27/42E02D 35/00F05B 2240/912E02D 27/425
52
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A method for erecting a tower includes the steps of providing a first pre-cast section of concrete and positioning it atop a foundation. A radially-inwardly extending ledge is attached to an interior wall of the first pre-cast section and a plurality of jacks is positioned below the ledge in circumferentially spaced apart relation to one another. The ledge and the first pre-cast section are raised to a first height by operating jacks in an ascending mode. A second pre-cast section is positioned beneath the first pre-cast section after the first pre-cast section has been lifted to the first height. The first pre-cast section is lowered onto the second pre-cast section by operating the jacks in a descending mode or the second pre-cast section is lifted by operating the jacks in ascending mode. An assembly building that surrounds a base of the tower protects workers from inclement weather.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method for erecting a tower formed of multiple sections, comprising the steps of:
 providing a foundation for supporting said tower;   providing a first section and positioning said first section atop said foundation;   securing at least one radially-inwardly extending ledge member to an interior wall of said first section;   positioning a jack means below said at least one radially-inwardly extending ledge member;   lifting said at least one radially-inwardly extending ledge member and hence said first section to a first predetermined height by operating said jack means in an ascending mode; and   positioning a second section beneath said first section after said first section has been lifted to said first predetermined height, said first predetermined height being substantially equal to a height of said second section and a predetermined clearance space.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 lowering said first section onto said second section by operating said first plurality of jack means in a descending mode.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the steps of:
 securing a trailing end of said first section to a leading end of said second section.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the steps of:
 securing at least one radially-inwardly extending ledge member to an interior wall of said second section;   positioning said first plurality of jack means below each of said at least one radially-inwardly extending ledge member so that the jack means of said first plurality of jack means are circumferentially spaced apart from one another;   lifting said at least one radially-inwardly extending ledge member and hence said second section to said first predetermined height by operating said first plurality of jack means in an ascending mode; and   positioning a third section beneath said second section after said second section has been lifted to said first predetermined height.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 forming a trench having a predetermined extent in said foundation;   providing a cart adapted to shuttle along said extent between an outer end and an inner end of said trench;   said cart adapted to carry a sub-section of a section from said outer end of said trench toward said inner end so that said sub-section does not contact a top surface of said foundation when said sub-section is in transport;   said cart adapted to lower said subsection so that said sub-section is supported by said foundation and not said cart when said sub-section is delivered by said cart to a position from which said sub-section is to be elevated.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the steps of:
 said cart having a platform that is raised when said cart carries said sub-section to said position from which said sub-section is to be elevated;   said platform of said cart being lowered below a plane defined by said top surface of said foundation after said cart delivers said sub-section to said position from which said sub-section is to be elevated.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 forming a cavity in said foundation;   positioning a vertically-movable platform in said cavity, said platform having a fully retracted position where a top surface of said platform is flush with a top surface of said foundation;   lifting said second section into abutting relation with said first section by elevating said platform;   connecting said first and second sections to one another while said platform is elevated; and   lowering said platform after said step of connecting said first and second sections to one another is accomplished.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 forming a plurality of cavities in said foundation;   providing a second plurality of jack means;   positioning a jack means of said second plurality of jack means into at least some of the cavities of said plurality of cavities;   lifting said second section into abutting relation to said first section by operating said second plurality of jack means in an ascending mode.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the steps of:
 securing a trailing end of said first section to a leading end of said second section.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 securing a radially-inwardly extending ledge member to an interior wall of said second section;   positioning said first plurality of jack means below said radially-inwardly extending ledge member so that the jack means of said first plurality of jack means are circumferentially spaced apart from one another;   lifting said radially-inwardly extending ledge member and hence said second section to said first predetermined height by operating said second plurality of jack means in an ascending mode; and   positioning a third section beneath said second section after said second section has been lifted to said first predetermined height.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing said first plurality of jack means in the form of climbing jacks having steel poles;   arranging said circumferentially spaced apart climbing jacks in equidistantly spaced relation to one another;   positioning a first brace member between at least two opposed steel poles.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:
 positioning said first brace member at a predetermined height within the hollow interior of said first section so that said brace member does not interfere with movements of workers within said hollow interior of said second section when said first section is elevated to a height sufficient to provide clearance for said second section.   
     
     
         13 . A method for erecting a tower, comprising the steps of:
 providing a foundation for supporting said tower;   providing a first section and positioning said first section atop said foundation;   lifting said first section to a first predetermined height;   providing a vehicle adapted to carry a second section from a remote location onto said foundation and aligning said second section with said first section;   mounting a plurality of jack means in said vehicle;   lifting said second section into abutting relation to said first section by operating said jack means in an ascending mode;   securing said first and second sections to one another; and   lowering said jack means after said first and second sections are secured to one another.   
     
     
         14 . A method for erecting a tower, comprising the steps of:
 providing a foundation for supporting said tower;   providing a plurality of cavities in said foundation;   positioning a jack means in at least one of said cavities so that a lifting surface of said jack means is substantially flush with a top surface of said foundation when said jack means is fully retracted;   providing a first section and positioning said first section atop said foundation;   lifting said first section to a first predetermined height;   providing a vehicle adapted to carry a second section from a remote location onto said foundation and aligning said second section with said first section;   forming at least one opening in said vehicle such that said at least one opening is aligned with said at least one jack means when said second section is aligned with said first section;   lifting said second section into abutting relation to said first section by operating said jack means in an ascending mode;   securing said first and second sections to one another; and   fully retracting said jack means after said first and second sections have been secured to one another.   
     
     
         15 . A method for erecting a tower of multiple sections, comprising the steps of:
 providing a foundation for supporting said tower;   positioning a lift plug atop said foundation;   assembling a first section of said tower around said lift plug;   lifting said lift plug and hence said first section to a first elevation, said first elevation being substantially equal to a vertical distance equal to a height of a section of said tower and a clearance distance;   positioning a second section directly below said first section;   lifting said second section into abutting relation to said first section; and   securing a leading end of said second section to a trailing end of said first section.   
     
     
         16 . A method for erecting a tower that includes multiple sections, comprising the steps of:
 providing a foundation for supporting said tower;   positioning a lift plug atop said foundation;   assembling a first section of said tower around said lift plug;   lifting said lift plug and hence said first section to a first predetermined height, said first predetermined height being substantially equal to a vertical distance equal to a height of a section of said tower and a clearance distance;   positioning a second section directly below said first section;   bringing said first and second sections into abutting relation to one another; and   securing a leading end of said second section to a trailing end of said first section.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the steps of:
 bringing said first and second sections into abutting relation to one another by lowering said first section onto said second section.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the steps of:
 bringing said first and second sections into abutting relation to one another by lifting said second section into abutting relation to said first section.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 erecting an assembly building that surrounds a base of said tower to protect workers from inclement weather;   providing an opening in a roof of said assembly building to accommodate erection of said tower.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 embedding respective first ends of a plurality of vertically oriented rebars in said second section so that respective second ends of said rebars extend from a top horizontal end wall of said second section; and   forming a plurality of mating sockets in a horizontal bottom end wall of said first section so that said respective second ends of said vertically oriented rebars are received within said respective sockets when said first section surmounts said second section.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 embedding respective first ends of a plurality of vertically oriented rebars in said first section so that respective second ends of said rebars extend from a bottom horizontal end wall of said first section; and   forming a plurality of mating sockets in a horizontal top end wall of said second section so that said respective second ends of said vertically oriented rebars are received within said respective sockets when said first section surmounts said second section.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 positioning a turbine in surmounting relation to said first section prior to the step of lifting said first section to said first predetermined height.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 forming at least one of the sections of said tower of concrete.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 forming at least one of the sections of said tower of pre-cast concrete.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 forming at least one of the sections of said tower of a non-cementitious material.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 forming at least one of the sections of said tower of steel.

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