A land-based drilling rig includes a first substructure and a second substructure, the second substructure being positioned generally parallel to the first substructure. The land-based drilling rig also includes a drill rig floor coupled to the first and second substructures, the drill rig floor including a V-door. The side of the drill rig floor has the V-door defining a V-door side of the drill rig floor, where the V-door side of the drill rig floor is parallel to the first substructure. The first and second substructures pivotably support the drill rig floor. The land-based drilling rig also includes a mast, the mast mechanically coupled to one or more of the first substructure, the second substructure, and the drill rig floor. The mast is pivotably coupled to one or more of the first substructure, the second substructure, and the drill rig floor by a mast pivot point. The mast includes a V-door side, the V-door side of the mast parallel to the first or second substructure. In addition, the land-based drilling rig includes a mast hydraulic lift cylinder coupled to the mast at a mast lift point and a choke manifold, the choke manifold positioned on the drill rig floor.

A spool may include a drum rotatably supported on an axle shaft and flanges integrally formed with opposite ends of the drum. The drum has a continuous groove on the outer surface of the drum to guide the movement of the safety wireline. Both of the flanges may include an opening, internal threads circumscribing the opening, and a plurality of mechanical brakes. Each of the mechanical brakes may include a rotor rotatably supported on the axle shaft of the spool and a pawl arranged within the opening. The pawl is pivotally linked to the rotor such that when the rotation of the axle shaft is in a direction and at a rotation speed that exceeds a threshold then the pawl is moved by centrifugal force and engages with the internal threads circumscribing the opening and does not permit the spool to rotate.

A robot may extrude a tower or column. The robot may include an extrusion nozzle, a positioning system, a climbing apparatus, and a controller. The extrusion nozzle may controllably extrude uncured construction material. The positioning system may controllably cause the extrusion nozzle to traverse a perimeter layer of the tower or column. A climbing apparatus may controllably cause the robot to climb. A controller may autonomously: direct the positioning system to cause the nozzle to traverse the perimeter layer of the tower or column; direct the nozzle to extrude uncured construction material during the traverse; direct the climbing apparatus to cause the robot to climb an incremental amount; and repeat each of the foregoing positioning, extrusion, and climbing steps until the extruded tower or column attains a desired height.

A self-building tower comprising a plurality of tower sections adapted to be connected in a sequence to form a modular tower, and a tower feeding system having a feeder sleeve block. The feeder sleeve block is elevated above a horizontal surface by a support column, and has a feeder aperture which allows tower sections to be positioned between the feeder aperture to be fed upwardly through the feeder sleeve block. The feeder sleeve block supports the modular tower in a position perpendicular to the horizontal surface. The tower feeding system has a hoist mechanism for raising each tower section through the feeder aperture, allowing additional tower sections to be attached to the lowermost tower section in the sequence.

Disclosed are tower erection systems and tower climbing systems and associated methods of operation. A tower erection system, in accordance with various embodiments, includes a ground-installed lifting structure, and a lifting frame configured to latch onto individual tower sections and traveling vertically inside the ground-installed lifting structure, lifted by a winch-and-cable or other lifting mechanism. Using this system, a tower may be assembled from multiple sections from the top down. A tower climbing system, in accordance with various embodiments, includes upper and lower climbers that can latch onto the lateral surface of a tower and a lifting mechanism that can move the climbers vertically relative to each other. The system can be used to carry a crane or other heavy equipment up and down along the tower. A climbing crane may be used, for example, during tower construction, or to reach the top of the tower for maintenance or repair.

Disclosed are tower erection systems and tower climbing systems and associated methods of operation. A tower erection system, in accordance with various embodiments, includes a ground-installed lifting structure, and a lifting frame configured to latch onto individual tower sections and traveling vertically inside the ground-installed lifting structure, lifted by a winch-and-cable or other lifting mechanism. Using this system, a tower may be assembled from multiple sections from the top down. A tower climbing system, in accordance with various embodiments, includes upper and lower climbers that can latch onto the lateral surface of a tower and a lifting mechanism that can move the climbers vertically relative to each other. The system can be used to carry a crane or other heavy equipment up and down along the tower. A climbing crane may be used, for example, during tower construction, or to reach the top of the tower for maintenance or repair.

A pole for supporting a cable. The pole includes a plurality of truncated cones arranged in a linear array to form the pole, wherein each truncated cone receives an adjacent truncated cone within its interior. Each truncated cone in the pole is formed from a veneer by moving the longitudinal edges of the veneer towards each other. A method of manufacturing the pole and various uses of the pole are also provided.

To provide a method of toppling a tower structure more safely, simply and quickly than in the conventional manner. In a method of toppling a tower structure that is fixedly supported on a base 20 to demolish the tower structure 10, the method includes a base dividing step of dividing the base 20 into an upper base 22 and a lower base 26, by cutting the base 20 in a substantially horizontal direction, an upper base dividing step of dividing the upper base 22 into a support base portion 23 and a separated base portion 24 by cutting the upper base 22, in a longitudinal direction, from above to a substantially horizontal surface 20a, a removing step of removing the separated base portion 24, and a toppling step of toppling the tower structure 10 together with the support base portion 23 using, as a tumble axis 23a, a lower edge of a longitudinally cut surface 22a of the support base portion 23, in which the tumble axis 23a is located on a toppling direction side of the tower structure with respect to a center of gravity C. Thus, since the tumble axis 23a of the robust base serves as a tumble fulcrum by itself, there is no possibility that breakage of the base is caused even by the concentration of a buckling load, and the tower structure can be toppled in an intended direction.

A method installs a wind turbine. The method provides an assembled turbine in a non-vertical orientation. The turbine includes a tower, and a nacelle coupled to blades at the top end of the tower. The blades define a strike zone when the turbine is assembled. The method forms a hinged connection adjacent to or at the bottom end of the tower. The hinged connection is configured so that the assembled turbine may be tilted upwardly about a pivot point of the hinge. The method also controls a force distribution fixture to apply a force to the tower about the pivot point of the hinged connection to tilt the tower upwardly. The fixture includes a tension member. The tension member is tensioned between the fixture and the strike zone. The tension member at least in part counteracts a bending moment caused by the weight of the assembled turbine during tilt-up.

A modular foundation includes a central portion and a plurality of legs non-rotatably secured to and extending from the central portion. The plurality of legs are substantially equally spaced apart from each other wherein each leg includes a proximal end and a distal end. A ballast support adapter is attached to the distal end of each leg wherein the adapter is configured to support one or more ballast plates such that each leg can be independently positioned for leveling the foundation and supporting the monopole in a vertical position. A platform supports the monopole and is pivotally attached to the central portion wherein the platform is configured to move from a vertical position to a horizontal position.