The present invention is an improved apparatus and method for forming a retractable tower or column. The present invention includes pointed hooks wherein the hooks are attached to each section of a section chain, one in a horizontal direction and one in an off-set manner. The section chains are placed on a take up mechanism in an operable position and then raised utilizing a motor. As the section chains are raised, they are guided by a guide tower, rollers, shims, and gear racks into a position whereby hooks from adjacent sections of the section chains form coupled engagements. The coupled engagement of the hooks of the sections of each adjacent section chains thereby form the column.

An extendable and retractable column which is formed from at least three linked sections. The linked sections include a plurality of individual sections linked end to end. As the linked sections are extended, each of the individual sections engage adjacent individual sections to form a column. As the linked sections are retracted, each of the individual sections disengage from the adjacent individual sections and the column may be retracted for compact storage. Methods of forming such an expandable/retractable column are also presented.

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 tubular section includes a plurality of prefabricated concrete formworks (11) in a closed connection to form a regular polygonal structure, each prefabricated concrete formwork (11) includes two prefabricated wall panels (111) spaced apart from each other and a connecting piece (113) connecting the two prefabricated wall panels (111), an accommodation cavity (112) is defined between the two prefabricated wall panels (111), the accommodation cavities (112) of the plurality of prefabricated concrete formworks (11) are in communication with each other, all the accommodation cavities (112) are filled with concrete (16), and the concrete (16) in all the accommodation cavities (112) is solidified to be integral as a whole.

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.

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 deployable boom structure is provided that, in one embodiment, includes one or more perforated tapes, a drive mechanism with a sprocket mechanism for engaging each of the perforated tapes to transition the tapes between an undeployed state and a deployed state, and three battens that each extend between the tapes. At least one of the battens is a sliding batten, i.e., a batten that engages each of the tapes but through which each of the tapes can slide. Lanyards and detents cooperate to fix the location of a sliding batten relative to the tapes after a predetermined length of each of the tapes has slid through the batten. In a particular embodiment, the deployable boom structure is coupled with a solar blanket that can be Z-folded.

A section of concrete intended to form a mast for a windmill, the section including a first portion including a first flange, a second portion including a second flange, a prestressing device including at least one visible part located between the first flange and the second flange, a first attaching device arranged to be connected to the first flange, and/or a second attaching device arranged to be connected to the second flange.

An extendable and retractable column which is formed from at least three linked sections. The linked sections include a plurality of individual sections linked end to end. As the linked sections are extended, each of the individual sections engage adjacent individual sections to form a column. As the linked sections are retracted, each of the individual sections disengage from the adjacent individual sections and the column may be retracted for compact storage.

The present invention is an improved apparatus and method for forming a retractable tower or column. The present invention includes pointed hooks wherein the hooks are attached to each section of a section chain, one in a horizontal direction and one in an off-set manner. The section chains are placed on a take up mechanism in an operable position and then raised utilizing a motor. As the section chains are raised, they are guided by a guide tower, rollers, shims, and gear racks into a position whereby hooks from adjacent sections of the section chains form coupled engagements. The coupled engagement of the hooks of the sections of each adjacent section chains thereby form the column.