Tower assembly with ballast receiving base

Abstract

A support tower, for example for supporting telecommunications equipment thereon, is mounted on a tower base having radially projecting frame members and ballast receptacles at the outer ends of each frame member to receive ballast material to support the tower in a foundationless manner on a ground surface. A coupler is provided for supporting the support tower relative to the radial frame members of the base such that the support tower is pivotal about a horizontal axis between an assembly position along the ground and a raised position. Lifting equipment can thus be connected directly between the support tower and the tower base without the need for auxiliary lifting equipment such as a crane or boom truck, for raising of the tower on site in a low cost manner.

1 . A tower assembly comprising:
 a support tower; and   a tower base for being supported on a ground surface, the tower base comprising:
 i) a tower coupler for supporting a bottom end of the support tower thereon such that the support tower extends longitudinally upward from the tower base; 
 ii) a plurality of frame members extending radially outward from the tower coupler; and 
 iii) a ballast receptacle supported on each frame member at a location spaced radially outward from the tower coupler for receiving ballast material therein. 
   
     
     
         2 . The tower assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the support tower comprises three columns arranged in a triangular configuration relative to one another and wherein the plurality of frame members of the tower base comprises three frame member extending radially outward from the three columns of the support tower respectively. 
     
     
         3 . The tower assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the tower base is a modular assembly in which each frame member is connected between the tower coupler and the respective ballast receptacle using threaded fasteners such that each frame member is readily separable from the tower coupler and the respective ballast receptacle. 
     
     
         4 . The tower assembly according to  claim 1  further comprising a control box housing telecommunications equipment therein which is connected to an antenna on the support tower, the control box being supported at a distal end of one of the frame members opposite from the tower coupler. 
     
     
         5 . The tower assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the tower base is adapted to be supported on the ground surface in a non-penetrating manner. 
     
     
         6 . The tower assembly according to  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of guy-wires connected between the support tower and the tower base wherein the plurality of guy-wires connected between the support tower and the tower base are the only guy-wires connected to the support tower. 
     
     
         7 . The tower assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the tower coupler is pivotally mounted on the frame assembly such that the support tower is pivotal about a generally horizontal axis between an assembly position in which the support tower extends longitudinally outward from the tower base along the ground surface and a raised position in which the support tower extends longitudinally upward from the tower base. 
     
     
         8 . A tower assembly comprising:
 a support tower; and   a tower base comprising:
 i) a plurality of frame members defining a frame assembly for being supported on a ground surface; 
 ii) at least one ballast receptacle supported on the frame assembly for receiving ballast material therein; and 
 iii) a tower coupler supported on the frame assembly for supporting a bottom end of the support tower thereon, the tower coupler being pivotally mounted on the frame assembly such that the support tower is pivotal about a generally horizontal pivot axis between an assembly position in which the support tower extends longitudinally outward from the tower base along the ground surface and a raised position in which the support tower extends longitudinally upward from the tower base. 
   
     
     
         9 . The tower assembly according to  claim 8  wherein the plurality of frame members comprises three frame members extending radially outwardly from the tower coupler to respective ballast receptacles spaced radially outward from the tower coupler at evenly spaced positions in a circumferential direction about the tower coupler, and wherein the tower coupler supports the support tower to extend from the tower coupler diametrically opposite from one of the three frame members in the assembly position. 
     
     
         10 . The tower assembly according to  claim 8  further comprising a lifting strut supported to extend radially outward from a longitudinal axis of the support tower, and a winch for lifting the support tower from the assembly position to the raised position which includes a winch cable operatively connected between the lifting strut and the tower base. 
     
     
         11 . The tower assembly according to  claim 10  wherein the lifting strut is supported to extend radially outward from the pivot axis of the tower coupler. 
     
     
         12 . The tower assembly according to  claim 8  further comprising a tension member supported between the lifting strut and the support tower at a central location along a length of the support tower. 
     
     
         13 . A method of erecting a tower assembly comprising:
 providing a support tower;   providing a tower base including i) a frame assembly, ii) at least one ballast receptacle supported on the frame assembly, and iii) a tower coupler supported on the frame assembly;   supporting the frame assembly on a ground surface;   filling said at least one ballast receptacle with ballast material;   coupling a bottom end of the support tower to the tower coupler of the tower base such that the support tower is pivotal about a generally horizontal pivot axis between an assembly position in which the support tower extends longitudinally outward from the tower base along the ground surface and a raised position in which the support tower extends longitudinally upward from the tower base;   pivotally raising the support tower from the assembly position to the raised position; and   fixing the support tower to the tower base in the raised position.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the frame assembly comprises three frame members extending radially outwardly from the tower coupler to respective ballast receptacles spaced radially outward from the tower coupler at evenly spaced positions in a circumferential direction about the tower coupler, the method further comprising supporting the support tower to extend from the tower coupler diametrically opposite from one of the three frame members in the assembly position. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13  including using a winch operatively connected between the support tower and the tower base to pivotally raise the support tower from the assembly position to the raised position. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15  including providing a lifting strut supported relative to the support tower to extend radially outward from a longitudinal axis of the support tower, and operatively connecting a winch cable of the winch between the tower base and the lifting strut. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13  including supporting the lifting strut to extending radially outward from the pivot axis of the tower coupler. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 13  including connecting a tension member under tension between the lifting strut and the support tower at a central location along a length of the support tower. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 13  including coupling threaded fasteners between the support tower and the tower base to fix the support tower relative to the tower base in the raised position. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 13  including assembling the support tower from a plurality of modular tower sections in the assembly position of the support tower relative to the tower base prior to pivotally raising the support tower from the assembly position to the raised position.