A motorized high mast pole inspection device that is self-powered and autonomous with respect to the internal lever of a high mast pole. The inspection device provides a means for mechanically climbing a vertical, cylindrical, tubular high mast light pole. Video monitoring and recording equipment may be deployed on the device for inspecting high mast light poles.

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 assembly includes a first block including a first end; and a second block assembled with the first block at a same height as the first block, the second block including a second end facing the first end of the first block. The first block and the second block are connected to the assembly such that there is no structural connection between the second end of the second block facing the first end of the first block.

A variable height telescoping tower includes a base section and a second lower most section nested within the base section and extendable from within the base section. The second lower most section includes a plurality of vertically spaced lock apertures disposed thereon. A lock member is attached to the base section, and includes an engaging portion movable between a disengaged position at which the engaging portion rests outside of the lock apertures and an engaged position at which the engaging portion is engaged within one of the lock apertures of the second lower most section.

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.

A retractable stand comprises a base, two ribbons, and a locking mechanism. Each ribbon has a coiled portion and an uncoiled portion. The uncoiled portions have a curved cross-sectional shape positioned in opposing relation to each other. The locking mechanism is movable between an unlocked position and a locked position where the at least one ribbon is substantially inhibited from moving relative to the base in at least one direction. The locking mechanism can comprise an auto-locking member biased toward the locked position. The locking mechanism can further comprise a trigger mounted on the base and accessible by the user to move the auto-locking member to the unlocked position. Preferably, the retractable stand further includes a manual locking mechanism that can be manually selectively moved between unlocked and locked positions to selectively lock and unlock a position of at least one of the ribbons relative to the base.

A self-deployable mast, typically for supporting a payload. The mast has top longerons, bottom longerons, and hinge linkages that form a series of moveable parallelograms operable to fold and unfold. The mast further has springs and trusses, with at least one spring and one truss associated with each of the parallelograms. The springs are operable to deploy the mast from a folded position to a deployed position. Each truss is operable to become in tension diagonally across its associated parallelogram once the mast is deployed into a final position. In other embodiments, motors may be used instead of springs.

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.

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. 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.