Tower with exterior cable support and a modular base

A tower with exterior cable support preferably includes a tower structure, a base plate, a middle support structure, a top plate and at least three cables. The tower structure may be a tapered monopole tower, a step mono tower or a lattice tower. The base plate is attached to a base of the tower. The middle support structure is attached to substantially a midway height of the tower. The top plate is secured to substantially a top of the tower. One end of the at least three cables are secured to the base plate, a perimeter of the at least three cables are supported by the middle support structure and the other end of the at least three cables are secured to the top plate. The modular base preferably includes at least four foundation base members, a tower base member, a perimeter wall base and at least four wall members.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to elevated structures and more specifically to a tower with exterior cable support and a modular base, which reduces the cost of construction.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

Towers for windmills require a large base for support. Typical construction utilizes pouring concrete into a form to create the base. However, pouring concrete in a remote area can make transport of the concrete in concrete mixers very difficult. Providing a modular base will enable the base to be transported to the site in pieces and thus reduce the cost of base construction. U.S. Pat. No. 8,499,513 to Jolly discloses a tower foundation. The largest expense of a windmill is the tower. Reducing the cost of the tower will reduce the cost of the windmill. Providing a tower with exterior cable support will enable a mass of the tower structure to be reduced. Thus enabling the material costs of the tower to be lowered. Further, the exterior cable support of the tower will reduce sway, increase rigidity and reduce vibration.

Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a tower with exterior cable support and a modular base, which reduces the cost of construction by providing a modular base and a tower that includes reduced mass, reduced vibration, improved rigidity and reduced sway.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a tower with exterior cable support and a modular base, which reduces the cost of construction. The tower with exterior cable support preferably includes a tower structure, a base plate, a middle support structure, a top plate, at least three cables and at least three spring tensioners. The tower structure may be a tapered monopole tower, a step mono tower or a lattice tower. The base plate is attached to a base of the tower. The middle support structure is attached to substantially a midway height of the tower. The top plate is secured to substantially a top of the tower. One end of the at least three spring tensioners are secured to the base plate. The other end of the at least three spring tensioners are secured to one end of the at least three cables. The at least middle support structure includes at least three projection tips, which are sized to receive a cross section of the cable. The other end of the at least three cables are retained by the top plate. The at least three spring tensions are adjusted to tension the at least three cables.

The modular base preferably includes a foundation base member, a tower base member, a perimeter wall base and at least four wall members. The foundation base member preferably includes two female base sections and two male base sections, which are assembled to each other. The tower base member is placed in a center of the four foundation base member. The perimeter wall base is placed on top of a perimeter of the foundation base member. One end of the four wall members are slipped into wall grooves formed in the tower base member and the other end of the four wall members are slipped into wall grooves formed in an inner perimeter of the perimeter wall base. Preferably, assembly hardware is used to secure the tower base member, the perimeter wall base and the at least four wall members to the foundation base member.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tower with exterior cable support, which reduces the cost of construction by providing a tower that includes reduced mass, reduced vibration, improved rigidity and reduced sway.

Finally, it is another object of the present invention to provide a modular base, which does not require concrete to be cast.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference now to the drawings, and particularly toFIG. 1, there is shown a front view of a tapered tower with exterior cable support1.FIG. 2shows a step tower with exterior cable support2.FIG. 3shows a step tower with exterior cable support3. The tower with exterior cable support1,2,3may be incorporated into new tower structures or retrofitted to existing towers structures. With reference toFIG. 4, the tower with exterior cable support1,2,3preferably include a tower structure10,12,14, a base plate16, a middle support structure18, a top plate20, at least three cables22and at least three spring tensioners24. The tower structure may be the tapered monopole tower10, the step mono tower12or the lattice tower14. The base plate16is attached to a modular tower base100of the tower10,12,14with any suitable method. The base plate16includes at least three anchor loops26.

With reference toFIG. 5, the middle support structure18is attached to substantially a midway height of the tower10,12,14. The middle support structure18preferably includes a tower clamping base28and at least three lateral supports30. The clamping base28is attached to a perimeter of the tower10,12,14. The clamping base28may have any suitable construction. Each lateral support30is attached to the clamping base28and the tower10,12,14. The lateral support30may have any suitable construction. A cable seat32extends from a tip of the lateral support30. The cable seat32is sized to receive a cross section of the cable22.

With reference toFIG. 4, the spring tensioner24includes an adjustment portion34and a spring portion36. One end of the adjustment portion34is attached to the anchor loop26and the other end is retained on one end of the spring portion36. The other end of the spring portion36is secured to one end of the cable22. With reference toFIG. 6, the top plate20is secured to substantially a top of the tower10,12,14. The top plate20preferably includes a base plate38, a clamp bracket40and at least three loop brackets42. The clamp bracket40extends from the base plate38. The clamp bracket40may have any suitable design. Each loop bracket42includes a cable loop44. One end of a tensioner46is attached to the cable loop44and the other end of the tensioner46is secured to the other end of the cable22.

With reference toFIG. 7, a spring loaded top plate48is secured to substantially a top of the tower10,12,14. The top plate48preferably includes a base plate50, a cable plate52, a plurality of compression springs54, a plurality of fasteners56and the clamp bracket40. The base plate50is biased away from the cable plate52with the plurality of compression springs54. A windmill generator (not shown) is mounted to the cable plate52to isolate the tower10,12,14from the vibration of the windmill generator. The plurality of fasteners56retain the base plate50relative to the cable plate52. A plurality of cable rings58are disposed on a perimeter of the cable plate52. With reference toFIG. 8, a spring loaded top plate48′ includes the replacement of the plurality of compression springs54with a plurality of rubber springs60.

With reference toFIG. 9, a complex spring loaded top plate62is secured to substantially a top of the tower10,12,14. The complex spring loaded top plate62preferably includes a base plate64, a support plate66, at least three cable brackets68, a plurality of compression springs70,72, a plurality of fasteners74,76and the clamp bracket40. The base plate64is biased away from the support plate66with the plurality of compression springs70. A windmill generator (not shown) is mounted to the support plate66to isolate the tower10,12,14from the vibration of the windmill generator. The plurality of fasteners74,76retain the base plate64relative to the cable plate66. The at least three cable brackets68are biased away from the support plate66with the plurality of compression springs72. A cable ring78extends from a bottom of the cable bracket68. With reference toFIG. 10, a complex spring loaded top plate62′ includes the replacement of the plurality of compression springs70,72with a plurality of rubber springs80,82.

With reference toFIGS. 11-13, the modular tower base100preferably includes a foundation base member101, a tower base member106, a perimeter wall base108and at least four wall members110. The foundation base member101preferably includes two female base sections102and two male base sections104. The female base section102includes a chamfered edge112, two side undercuts114, a plurality of location pins116and a plurality of thread taps118. The plurality of location pins116extend from a top of the foundation base section102. The male base section104includes the plurality of location pins116, the plurality of thread taps118and two side ledges120. The plurality of location pins116extend from a top of the male base section104. The side ledge120is sized to be received by the undercut114.

The perimeter wall base108includes four wall sections122. Each wall section is terminated with a chamfer124on each end thereof. A wall groove125is formed a middle of the wall section122to receive an end of the wall member110. The tower base member106includes a base plate126, a base cylinder128and a plurality of threaded studs130. The base cylinder128extends from a top of the base plate126. The plurality of threaded studs130extend from a top of the base cylinder128. Four wall grooves132are formed in a perimeter of the base cylinder128to receive an opposing end of the wall member110.

The tower base member106is secured to a center of the foundation base member101with a plurality of fasteners134. Each wall member110includes an undercut136, which is sized to receive the base plate126. The perimeter wall base108is placed on top of a perimeter of the foundation base member101. The four wall members110are slipped into the grooves125and132. The perimeter wall base108and the four wall members110are secured to the foundation base member101with a plurality of L-brackets138, a plurality of T-brackets140and a plurality of fasteners142.