The present invention broadly comprises a tower and a method and apparatus for constructing a tower, where one embodiment of apparatus includes a foundation, a plurality of lower staves located on the foundation, and a plurality of upper staves located above the lower staves, the upper staves having a poured in place concrete or grout joint between each adjacent upper stave.

This application relates to tower segment handling methods and apparatus, and in particular to methods and apparatus for handling segments of steel wind turbine towers. The wind turbine tower comprises a plurality of cylindrical vertical tower sections, which in the finished tower are mounted on top of one another. The vertical section of the tower has a longitudinal axis and comprises a plurality of wind turbine tower segments, the tower segments have vertical and horizontal edges and combine to form a complete vertical tower section by joining along their vertical edges. Adjacent vertical tower sections are joined to each other along the horizontal edges of the wind turbine tower segments. The tower segments are combined into a tower section using a flat roller bed on which the segments can be assembled. A method of assembling a tower section is discussed.

A technique for reinforcing a telecommunication tower includes attaching a temporary structure to a vertical portion of the tower, transferring antenna equipment from the vertical portion of the tower to the temporary structure, and reinforcing the vertical portion of the tower while the transferred antenna equipment continues to operate. Once the vertical portion of the tower has been reinforced, the antenna equipment is transferred from the temporary structure back to the vertical portion of the tower. The temporary structure may then be moved to any other vertical portion of the tower, where the above acts may be repeated.

A technique for reinforcing a telecommunication tower includes attaching a temporary structure to a vertical portion of the tower, transferring antenna equipment from the vertical portion of the tower to the temporary structure, and reinforcing the vertical portion of the tower while the transferred antenna equipment continues to operate. Once the vertical portion of the tower has been reinforced, the antenna equipment is transferred from the temporary structure back to the vertical portion of the tower. The temporary structure may then be moved to any other vertical portion of the tower, where the above acts may be repeated.

A wind turbine tower that may be assembled fast, including a nacelle and a rotor, the tower comprising at least two stackable annular sections made of concrete connected through a main connecting arrangement adapted to withstand loads induced by the wind turbine rotor, and an auxiliary connector.

A technique for reinforcing a telecommunication tower includes attaching a temporary structure to a vertical portion of the tower, transferring antenna equipment from the vertical portion of the tower to the temporary structure, and reinforcing the vertical portion of the tower while the transferred antenna equipment continues to operate. Once the vertical portion of the tower has been reinforced, the antenna equipment is transferred from the temporary structure back to the vertical portion of the tower. The temporary structure may then be moved to any other vertical portion of the tower, where the above acts may be repeated.

A technique for reinforcing a telecommunication tower includes attaching a temporary structure to a vertical portion of the tower, transferring antenna equipment from the vertical portion of the tower to the temporary structure, and reinforcing the vertical portion of the tower while the transferred antenna equipment continues to operate. Once the vertical portion of the tower has been reinforced, the antenna equipment is transferred from the temporary structure back to the vertical portion of the tower. The temporary structure may then be moved to any other vertical portion of the tower, where the above acts may be repeated.

An extendable and retractable column which is formed from at least three linked sections or chains. The linked sections include a plurality of individual segments linked end to end. As the linked segments are extended, each of the individual segments of the linked chains engage individual segments of adjacent linked sections to form a column. As the linked sections are retracted, each of the individual segments of the linked sections disengage from the individual segment of the adjacent linked sections and the individual linked sections may be rolled up into a multi-sided form for compact storage.

An extendable and retractable column which is formed from at least three linked sections or chains. The linked sections include a plurality of individual segments linked end to end. As the linked segments are extended, each of the individual segments of the linked chains engage individual segments of adjacent linked sections to form a column. As the linked sections are retracted, each of the individual segments of the linked sections disengage from the individual segment of the adjacent linked sections and the individual linked sections may be rolled up into a multi-sided form for compact storage.

A tower assembly having an adjustable height includes at least one base tower section having a cylindrical base wall defining an overall length extending from a first end to a second end. The cylindrical base wall defines an outer diameter that is uniform along the entire length. The tower assembly also includes an upper tower section arranged atop the base tower section. The upper tower section includes a first tower portion integral with a second tower portion. The first tower portion includes a first tower wall portion defining a first length extending from a first end to a second end and includes a tapering cross-section from the first end to the second end. The second tower portion includes a second tower wall portion defining a second length extending from a first end to a second end and defines a uniform cylindrical cross-section from the first end to the second end.