Abstract:
A tower assembly having a tower, the tower assembly for maintaining the tower in a vertically upright position wherein the tower nor any part of the tower assembly penetrates the ground on which the tower is disposed. The tower of the tower assembly has a near end and a removed end, the near end being attached to a tray having a flat floor and upstanding vertical perimeter side walls. A mounting assembly mounts the tower to the tray. A ballast, typically comprising multiple small stones, is provided for laying on top of the flat floor of the tray, so as to provide sufficient weight to prevent the tower from tipping over.

Description:
[0001]    This is a utility patent application, which claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Application Ser. No. 61/927,108, filed Jan. 14, 2014. The following applications are herein incorporated by reference: US Patent Publication No. 2012/0291368, published Nov. 22, 2012; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/870,290, filed Apr. 25,2013, U.S. Pat. No. 8,863,450. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A foundationless tower assembly, more specifically, a tower supported by a ballast receiving tray resting on, but not penetrating, the ground. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Typically, towers and other similar devices, such as towers for supporting an antenna at a removed end thereof, have foundations. Foundations penetrate the ground and are typically made of concrete. They provide stability because of a firm engagement of the tower to the ground. Towers, because of their elongated nature, have inherent instability, and need to be securely engaged with the ground or other support surface. 
         [0004]    In some cases, it may not be possible to penetrate the ground, either for practical reasons or for political considerations. In such a case, where a tower needs to be erected, it may be useful to provide a support assembly for a tower that does not require disturbing the ground. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Applicant provides various embodiments of a tower assembly comprising a tower having a near and a removed end, the removed end for engaging an antenna and a near end adjacent the ground for engaging a tray resting on the ground. The tray is typically constructed with a flat floor and low or high upright side walls, and is designed to receive ballast, such as dirt, soil, a multiplicity of stones or rocks, or other suitable structures thereon. With a tray of sufficient size and stoutness, and with ballast received thereon and/or therein, a suitable foundationless support may be provided for the tower assembly, the support laying on the surface of the ground and not disturbing the ground. 
         [0006]    One particular embodiment of Applicant&#39;s tray includes a mounting assembly for engaging the tower to the tray, which mounting assembly has a leveling mechanism for maintaining the axis of the tower vertical with respect to a generally horizontal support surface. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment, Applicant provides for a tray that includes a breakdown assembly adapted to provide for ease of shipment and minimizing at least one long dimension of a tray. 
         [0008]    A tower assembly comprising a tower having a near end and a removed end; a tray having a flat floor and upstanding vertical perimeter side walls; and a mounting assembly for engaging the tower to the tray, a ballast comprising multiple stones for laying on top of the flat floor of the tray; wherein the mounting assembly has leveling members; wherein the leveling members include multiple fasteners; wherein the leveling members include a plate at the near end of the tower and a plate engaging the tray; wherein the tower comprises a single mast; wherein the single mast includes a swing tube and antenna; wherein the tray includes a rectangular perimeter and multiple members defining cross members; wherein the tray includes a first portion and a second portion, the two portions removably attached with fasteners; wherein the two portions include cooperating telescoping members; wherein the tray includes a rectangular perimeter and multiple members defining cross members; and wherein the tray includes a first portion and a second portion, the two portions removably attached with fasteners. The tower assembly further may include a flexible member for engaging the tray and substantially covering the ballast, further may include rigid diagonal braces for engaging the tray to the mast, the ballast may be railroad ballast. 
         [0009]    A tower assembly comprising a tower having a near end and a removed end, a tray having a flat floor and upstanding vertical perimeter side walls; and a mounting assembly for engaging the tower to the tray, a ballast comprising multiple stones for laying on top of the flat floor of the tray; wherein the mounting assembly has leveling members; wherein the tower comprises a single mast; wherein the single mast includes a swing tube and antenna; wherein the tray includes a rectangular perimeter and multiple members defining cross members; and wherein the tray includes a first portion and a second portion, the two portions removably attached with fasteners., further including a flexible member for engaging the tray and substantially covering the ballast, further including rigid diagonal braces for engaging the tray to the mast; wherein the mounting assembly has leveling members; wherein the leveling members include multiple fasteners; wherein the leveling members include a plate at the near end of the tower and a plate engaging the tray; and wherein the ballast is railroad ballast. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIGS. 1 and 1  Detail A illustrate a side elevational view of the tower assembly, including details of a mounting assembly for mounting the tower of the tower assembly to a tray. 
           [0011]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  are side and top views of the tower assembly. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the tower assembly showing the tray stacked or filled with ballast above grade. 
           [0013]      FIGS. 4 and 4  Detail A is another side view with detail showing features of the tray, the tower and method of mounting the tray to the tower. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 5A ,  5 A Detail, and  5 B are top views showing the breakdown assembly of the tray in assembled form  FIG. 5A ; in disassembled form  FIG. 5B .  FIG. 5C  is a perspective view of the breakdown assembly. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  shows a side view of Applicant&#39;s tower assembly with ballast above ground and additional features. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of the tray in a high wall embodiment thereof. 
           [0017]      FIGS. 8A ,  8 A Detail, and  8 B illustrate side and top views. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9 ,  9  Detail,  FIGS. 10 , and  10  Detail are side views of a diagonally braced embodiment of Applicant&#39;s tower assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0019]    The Figures illustrate a tower assembly  10  for erecting upon ground which ground cannot be disturbed or dug into. Tower assembly  10  may include a vertical tower  12  having a near end  12   a  and a removed end  12   b , the removed end which may include a baseplate  12   c  as, for example ¼ inch metal plate. In one embodiment, a pivotable antenna  13  may be provided at or near the removed end of the tower, the antenna for communication (send and/or receive) to and from a remote location, in one embodiment, the antenna for railroads. In one embodiment, the tower is a monopole and in another embodiment includes a base tube/swing tube combination (see U.S. Publication No. 2012/0291368). 
         [0020]    It is seen that the overall design of Applicant&#39;s tower assembly is to provide tower  12  with a tray  14  engaging the near end  12  of the tower, which tray  14  is adapted to lay upon an outer surface, but not penetrate, a ground elevation, such as the surface of the ground, at the location where the tower assembly is located. That is to say, Applicant provides a tray  14  that is adapted to provide support and stability to tower  12  without penetrating the ground below or near the tower. The tower assembly typically includes ballast  18 , which may be a multiplicity of rocks, for example, rocks about ½ inch to 4 or more inches in longest dimension, in which tray has a frame  22 , the frame include upstanding perimeter members  30 / 32 / 34 / 36  and a floor  24  welded to or otherwise engaged fully beneath the frame. Thus, in general construction, tray  14  has a floor with upstanding side members, so as to at least partially contain the ballast  18  received therein. Floor  24  may be expanded steel mesh and frame  22  may be comprised of multiple square tubing welded up to one another to form the grid pattern as seen, for example, in  FIG. 5A . 
         [0021]    Equipment/accessory box  20  may also be provided as part of the tower assembly for engagement with tray  14 , which equipment/accessory box  20  may contain electronic equipment and may receive cables from the antenna at the end of the tower. 
         [0022]    Frame  22  is seen to include the perimeter members, as well as cross-members  38 / 40 , which cross-members are designed to form a grid pattern and extend from one perimeter member to the opposite, the parallel trending members to provide rigidity and weight to the frame and to help secure ballast. It is seen that perimeter members  30 / 32 / 34 / 36  have some vertical height that act as side walls extending above floor  24  to help prevent lateral movement of the ballast, the ballast preferably providing a weight bearing function to the floor, such that the stabilization weight of the tray and ballast, as well as the moment arms provided by the perimeter, is sufficient to provide stability to the tower so that it will not tip even in a strong wind. 
         [0023]    It is seen that there are a multiplicity of cross-members  38  and a multiplicity of cross-members  40 . It is further seen, for example, with reference to  FIG. 2B , that the cross-members may engage, as by welding or other means, the floor and each other, so as to provide a rigid grid-like frame that resists deflection, twisting, bending or other forces applied to it through engagement with the tower. 
         [0024]    Some of the details of the mounting assembly are illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Mounting assembly  16  may include an upper rectangular support plate  44  welded or otherwise mounted to the upper surface of cross-members  40  and a support plate  42  welded to the lower surface of  40  and between cross-members  38   a / 38   b . A support plate  12   c  may be welded to or otherwise engaged the near end  12   a  of tower  12  and support plate  12   c  may receive a multiplicity of mounting bolts  46  therethrough, which mounting bolts are entrained on holes through plates  42 / 44 / 12   a  to securely and directly fasten plate  12   c  and thus tower  12  to frame  22 . The direct engagement of plate  12   c  flush against plate  44  is not illustrated, but illustrated in  FIG. 4  Detail A is a mounting assembly that provides secure engagement of the tower to the frame, but additionally provides for plate  12   c  to be mounted at a slight angle with respect to the plane of the frame if it is necessary to provide vertical alignment of the tower. This is provided by the use of leveling nuts  50 , one each at the four corners abutting lower surface of plate  12   c , which may be adjusted, with the use of a level, to provide for such vertical alignment with the bolts engaging the top surface of plate  12   c  being tightened down after alignment is provided. Weldments  60  are seen to secure support plates  42 / 44  to the cross-members  40 . 
         [0025]      FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, and  5 C illustrate a breakdown assembly  52  for engaging several of the cross-member  40  and perimeter members  34 / 36  in such a manner that they may disengage tray  14  from one portion  14   a  thereof to the other  14   b , except the frame may be broken into two sections for ease of shipping. Breakdown assembly  52  may include paired corner brackets  54 / 56  provided on, typically, three sides of adjacent sections of the cross-members and perimeter members as seen in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , with fastener  58  for engaging the paired corner brackets, which may be secured by weldment  60  or other suitable means to the adjacent sections of the cross-members/perimeter members as seen in the Figures. Additionally, the floor is typically cut into two sections  24   a / 24   b . Note in  FIG. 5B , cooperating telescoping members  70   a  (male)/ 70   b  (female) on at least some of the cross-members. There is seen that the sections of the cross-members and perimeter members are located so as to avoid cutting the mounting plates for mounting assembly.  FIG. 5C  shows additional optional features, including floor tab/fastener assemblies to engage butting edges of floor sections  24   a / 24   b  together. 
         [0026]      FIG. 7  illustrates for a “high walled” embodiment of frame  22 . Perimeter members and cross-members may allow, in the earlier embodiments, walls of several inches high (measured from the floor up). That is, perimeter members, for example, if they are three, four, five or six by rectangular tube stock may provide perimeter side walls of 6′ (3″×3″ perimeter) up to about 12 inches (6″×6″ perimeter). In the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , side wall members  62   a - 62   d  may extend up the perimeter members, up to 24″ or more high, so as to help contain ballast. Upstanding side wall members  62   a - 62   d  may be ¼ or ⅛ inch sheet metal or sheet steel and provide for additional containment of ballast therein. The ballast used may be railroad ballast. This is angular crushed stone, in one case, about 1 ¾″ or 1 ¼″ to about ½″ limestone. 
         [0027]      FIGS. 8A ,  8 B,  9  and  10  illustrate that diagonal support braces  64 / 66  may be used engaging cross-members and/or perimeter members to portions of the lower end of the tower, so as to help provide stability thereto. Diagonal braces may be engaged to plates on the lower end of the tower and may be engaged to perimeters or cross-members by a plate fastener combination (see, for example, detail  FIG. 9 ). Note that braces  64 / 66  may be asymmetrical in the top view ( FIG. 8B ) to allow for the swing tube to swing. In monopole applications (no swing tube), braces may be symmetrically arranged around the tower and tray. 
         [0028]    Materials for use in the frame perimeter and cross-members may include 3, 4 or 5 inch square tubing or other suitable dimensioned and shaped tubing, ¼ inch, 5/16 inch or ⅜ inch walled or any other suitable wall thickness. I-beams may also be used for the frame. The frame or other metal surface may be galvanized, painted, powder coated or otherwise treated. Guywires (not shown) may extend diagonally downward from the body of the tower to stakes driven into the ground an area away from the tray. Optionally, ballast rock may be soil or other weight providing aggregate. The ballast may be provided with sloped sides (see, for example, in  FIG. 3 ). The trusses or braces as seen in  FIGS. 8-10  may be used to help stabilize and decrease the size and/or load of the tray needed. In the drawings, you may see exemplar dimensions and tray sizes (from about  6 ′ on a side to about  10 ′, and below are examples at 40 and 60 foot tower, moment, shear, and axial, with the tray weight with ballast given in Kips (one Kip=1,000 pounds).
         60 ′ Tower Tray Foundation
           Tower Base Reactions   Moment—99.5 Kip-Ft   Shear—2.8 Kips   Axial—2.7 Kips   Tray weight with ballast: about 24 Kips   
             40 ′ Tower Tray Foundation
           Tower Base Reactions   Moment—42.1 Kip-Ft   Shear—1.6 Kips   Axial—1.6 Kips   Tray weight with ballast: about 13.5 Kips   
               
 
         [0041]    The above are examples only and different size/weight towers may require different tray and ballast specifications. 
         [0042]    Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. On the contrary, various modifications of the disclosed embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications, alternatives, and equivalents that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.