ULTRA-LIGHT, RE-USABLE, EXTENDED-HEIGHT METEOROLOGICAL TOWER APPARATUS AND METHOD

Abstract

A method and apparatus for erecting a lightweight, tall (60 to 80 meters or more) tower that may be temporary and re-usable as a mount for meteorological instruments is described including guys balancing lateral and transverse forces while maintaining the tower in tension. Forces on all guy lines maintain the tower stable from a substantially horizontal assembly position to a vertical operational position. A system of gin poles and pivots help maintain registration and alignment while pulling the assembled tower erect.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/271,494, filed on Jul. 22, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. The Field of the Invention

This invention relates to steel construction, and more particularly to novel methods and apparatus for erecting very tall, lightweight, lattice-type towers.

2. The Background Art

With the advent of wind energy development, the classic real estate injunction that the principal criteria for value are “location, location, and location” is as true as ever. In order to locate wind turbines in locations having the highest velocities and the highest percentages of functional time periods in a day, engineers need information. Long before the commitment is made to build a wind farm, locations must be studied for their wind velocities and the percentage of each day and each month that wind is blowing at any or each given velocity.

Acquiring the information on wind histograms is a problem in and of itself. Near the nap of the earth, hills, trees, buildings, and any other obstruction may affect the available wind. Accordingly, wind turbines are mounted with their generators far above the surface of the earth. Necessarily, to support the force of wind drag, large towers are often constructed in the form of large, tubular structures. However, such structures are only cost effective for production of energy. During the investigative stage, construction of such towers is untenable.

Therefore, what is needed is a lightweight tower than can nevertheless reach to the altitudes at which wind turbines may operate. Placing meteorological instrumentation high in the air becomes an erection problem. Creating a structure that is lightweight, slender (e.g., a foot or two across), and very tall (e.g., 60 to 80 meters tall) is an invitation to buckling failure. What is needed is an apparatus and a method for constructing that apparatus that will permit assembly and erection of a tall, slender, spire to a typical altitude of 60 to 80 meters.

Often, wind-harvesting areas are remote. They may be on mountainsides, mountaintops, and generally are located remotely from population centers, highways, infrastructure support, and the like. Thus, meteorological towers need to be assembled with a minimum of power equipment. It would be an advance in the art to develop an apparatus and method capable of assembly with hand tools, and of complete setup with no more than hand-held tools and a small skid-steer loader small tractor, or the like.

It would be a further advance in the art to provide a meteorological tower apparatus and method fully capable of assembly at ground level, thus obviating any need for heavy equipment, cranes, scaffolding, and the like. It would be a further advance in the art to develop an apparatus and method for erecting such a tower after assembly, without buckling of the slender tower structure itself, without reliance on other supporting structures that must be developed or engaged for erection and removed after installation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In certain embodiments of an apparatus and method in accordance with the invention, a system may be comprised of control implements to control installation of a tall, slender, temporary, re-useable, meteorological tower. At ground level, the system may include a base. Connected to the base, and pivotable with respect thereto is a tower or a mast assembly, which may be pivotably connected, in turn to a gin pole. A gin pole is a lifting mechanism to provide a pull point for lifting the tower upward. A mini-gin pole is connected to a gin pole to provide cable geometry necessary to prevent bending stress on the gin pole at initial lift and a pull point to lift the gin pole upward.

The erection process of the tower includes threading lift cables from a winch up over a pulley or sheave at the top of the mini-gin pole, and down to the top end of a gin pole, while the gin pole is in a horizontal position lying on top of the tower, the tower itself lying substantially horizontally on the ground or on supports distributed along the ground. Upon operation of the winch, the cable is drawn toward the winch, and the gin pole is lifted upward, tilting the triangle whose legs are the gin pole and the mini-gin pole.

As the cables pull over the pulley on top of the mini-gin pole, the gin pole pivots upward about a pivot pin along the lower edge of its base pinned into a side clinch plate around the base end of the tower. Eventually, the cable becomes a line, running straight from the gin pole to the control-side, winch, anchor fixture, leaving the mini gin pole far below.

Once the gin pole is fully erected vertically, its base plate is secured against the side of the clinch plate and the mini-gin pole may be removed from its receiver. The gin pole extending vertically out the side of a clinch plate at the base of and perpendicular to, the tower (which tower is still horizontal) is ready to do its job lifting the tower.

Once the base plate of the gin pole has been clamped to be fixed beside, parallel to, and in contact with the side plate or clinch plate at the bottom of the tower, the gin pole can be connected to a winch. The gin pole will perform the same or similar function for the tower that the mini-gin pole performed for erecting the gin pole. Such a tower cannot be lifted by itself. Almost any unresisted lateral point load anywhere along the tower would buckle the tower.

In an apparatus and method in accordance with the invention, seven (for 60 meters) or nine cables (for 80 meters) are connected from a gusseted pull plate mounted on the top of the gin pole. Typically, about every three sections, and thus about every nine meters or 30 feet along the height of the mast, beginning from the very top end thereof, is secured a guy plate between sections of the mast. The guy plate contains apertures at its corners to receive devises securing a clamped and thimbled end of the wire rope.

As the winch draws the top of the gin pole downward away from the initial position of the far end of the tower, the top end of the gin pole, in turn, draws on the cables connected from the pull plate to the guy plates distributed along the length of the tower.

As the tower begins to become to an erect position with the tower almost vertical, and the gin pole almost horizontal, a buffer underneath the pull side of the gin pole resists the base of the tower against settling onto the base assembly on the ground.

The pull-side guy cables connecting the tower to the top pull plate of the gin pole are the same guy cables that will eventually be connected to ground anchors on the pull side of the tower. Lateral guy lines extend into a plane at 90 degrees in each direction from the pull-side guy cables. Meanwhile, pay-out winches feed control guy cabling off as the tower rises. The guy cabling will ultimately be connected to ground anchors at three different radii along the 3:00, 6:00, 9:00, and 12:00 o'clock positions or directions. The control side of the tower is the 6:00 side, opposite to the pull side at 12:00.

On the control side, it has been found most effective to carefully control the payout of the control-side guy cables to avoid column buckling due to compression and dynamic lateral or transverse loads. The tower is lifted in a fully-guyed configuration. Thus, effectively, a structure having a 130 foot diameter is being raised. The compression member (tower) forms the central axis. Meanwhile, 36 tension members (28 for a 60 meter tower) form the peripheral structures.

In some embodiments, a tower may be made ungradable, by installing it originally with the bottom sections made of stronger material. Later, the tower may be laid back down substantially horizontal to its pre-installed location. Additional tower sections may then be added. Thus, no realignment is required of the base pivot, no new base is required, no new lower heavy-duty sections need to be added, or the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the invention will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of one embodiment of a tower in accordance with the invention, having a height of 60 meters and 7 guy lines in each principal direction;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the installed tower of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is front elevation view of one embodiment of a segment or section of the tower of FIGS. 1-2;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of a connection pin with its locking pins to lock it in place for connecting two adjacent sections of tower structures;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the tower of FIG. 1 following assembly on or near the ground, but prior to lifting up to the vertical erected position illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a schematic front elevation view of an 80 meter tower in accordance with the invention, in the installed position, the front elevation thereof showing the tower and its guy lines or guy wires;

FIG. 7 is a schematic top plan view of the tower of FIG. 6, this tower having a height of approximately 80 meters and 9 guy lines in each of 4 principal directions;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the tower of FIG. 6 following assembly on or near the ground, and prior to lifting up to the vertical erected position illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a tower in FIGS. 1 and 6 in accordance with the invention connected to its base by a pivot, having a gin pole pivotably connected to and extending parallel to the tower prior to installation of the tower in its full upright position;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the tower of FIG. 11, illustrating the guy cables, guy wires, guy lines, or simply guys connected to the now-erected gin pole, and having the lateral guys on the near side illustrated in their anchored positions connected to ground anchors;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the tower of FIGS. 1-10 in the fully vertical, erected position, showing the gin pole in the horizontal position, having fulfilled its purpose, and the pull-side guy lines still connected to the top pull plate of the gin pole (although the tails of those guy lines are not illustrated, and extend loosely, in order to be removed from the gin pole, and anchored to their ground anchors as are the control-side guy lines opposite thereto), while the near side lateral guys are shown all in alignment in a plane between the viewer and the tower, the opposite side guy lines being hidden by the near side guy lines and the tower in this view; and

FIG. 12 is a schematic top plan view of the towers of FIGS. 1-11, showing the locations of the lateral or side guy anchors, the radii for each of the guy circles, as well as the pull-side and control-side anchor locations on the ground, with the base assembly identified in the center of the circle, as though the plan view were a clock face.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the drawings herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the system and method of the present invention, as represented in the drawings, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is merely representative of various embodiments of the invention. The illustrated embodiments of the invention will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, and FIGS. 1-12 in general, a system 10 may include a tower 12. The tower 12 may be mounted on a base 14 which is to be independently anchored. Typically, the base 14 and the tower 12 will pivot with respect to one another in order to provide for installing (e.g., erecting) the tower 12. Meanwhile, anchors 16 or ground anchors 16 surround the tower 12 at regular intervals. In the illustrated embodiment, the anchors 16 are located in four different directions, each 90 degrees from the next and the previous direction. Accordingly, with the anchors 16 distributed opposite each other, and along radii at right angles to each other, guys 18 may be connected from the anchors 16 to various locations on the tower 12 in order to fully stabilize the tower 12 in operation, and even during the erection process.

Referring to FIG. 3, while continuing to refer generally to FIGS. 1-12, a section 20 of the tower 12 may include a principal stringer 22 connected to other principal stringers 22 by a lattice work of braces 24. The braces 24 may in some instances go across between the stringers and perpendicular thereto Likewise, other braces 24 are positioned and on diagonals connecting opposite sides of adjacent horizontal braces 24. Braces 24 may be formed from a continuous rod or heavy wire.

At each end of the stringers 22 are located pin apertures 26. The pin apertures 26 receive locking pins. Meanwhile, the stringers 22 may be manufactured of pipe, tubing, or the like, such as is illustrated and specified in the sheets or plates associated with FIGS. 3-4. Meanwhile, the openings at either end of each stringer 22 may receive connecting pins.

Referring to FIG. 4, a connecting pin 28 provides a central shaft, and a collar 27. The collar 27 may be machined on or may be slipped on and fastened on by a fastener such as welding, riveting, or the like near the center of the shaft in order to render the pin 28 incapable of being lost inside one of the stringers 22. In the illustrated embodiment, locking pins 29 are registered in line with the apertures 26 to penetrate the shafts 25, which are registered by the collar 27. Each of the pins 28 may sink one shaft 25 on one end thereof into one of the stringers 22. Accordingly, a locking pin 29 may then be passed through the pin aperture 26 of the stringer 22, and through a shaft 25 of the connecting pin 28. Likewise, after another section 20 of the tower has been assembled onto the pins 28, another locking pin 29 may then be passed through the appropriate pin aperture 26 of the appropriate stringer 22, now locking two sections 20 together.

Referring to FIG. 5, while continuing to refer generally to FIGS. 1-12, the plan view illustrated looks nearly identical to the elevation view of FIG. 1. Nevertheless, this view is included to illustrate the assembly concept for the tower 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the lateral guys or the side guys 18b, 18d are laid horizontal, substantially on the ground. In one contemplated embodiment, the tower 12 is actually assembled on the ground, or more likely on supports near the ground. For example, hay bales, blocks, or the like may be used to place the sections 20 of the tower 12 in alignment in readiness for attaching them together by pins 28.

Once the tower 12 is completely assembled, guys 18 may be connected on all sides of the tower 12. In an apparatus and method in accordance with the invention, the tower may be completely assembled on the ground, or near the ground, with the lateral guys 18b, 18d connected to their respective anchors 16b, 16d. Nevertheless, some small amount of slack may be left in each of the guys 18b, 18d in order to ease stresses, and the process of erecting the tower 12.

Nevertheless, the plan view of FIG. 5 illustrates the locations of the lateral (3:00 and 9:00) guys 18b, 18d with respect to the tower 12 lying on or near the ground, fully anchored on the ground anchors 16b and 16d.

Referring to FIGS. 6-8 while continuing to refer generally to FIGS. 1-12, the tower 12 of FIGS. 6-8 is approximately 80 meters tall. One notes that the lateral guys 18b, 18d are nine in number, rather than the seven in number used on the 60-meter tower. Likewise, the top plan view of FIG. 7 has guys 18 extending in the four directions, at right angles or opposite one another.

The sections 20 of the tower 12 are provided with the stringers 22, and the bracing 24 as illustrated in FIG. 3. Likewise, the pin apertures 26 in opposite ends of each stringer 22 provide for attachment by the pins 28. The tower 12 may be constructed with stronger sections 20 near the base 14.

The pins 28 are illustrated with their shafts 25 on either end, and collars 27 in the center of the length of a pin 28. The pins 28 may be inserted, by inserting the shafts 25 thereof into the open ends of the stringers 22, after which the locking pins 28 may be inserted through the pin apertures 26, and through the openings in the shafts 25 at opposite ends of the pin 28. This is in order to secure adjacent sections 20 of the tower 12 together. Again the collar 27 provides spacing, and alignment of the length of each shaft 25, in order to locate (e.g., align, register) the pins 28 and the pin apertures 26 in each respective stringer 22 of a section 20.

Referring to FIG. 8, a plan view of the tower 12 of FIGS. 6-8 is shown in a horizontal position on or near the surface of the ground, where it has been assembled in a substantially horizontal plane or position. Meanwhile, it has not yet been tilted up onto its base 14. Nevertheless, the lateral anchors 16b and 16d anchoring the guys 18b, 18d respectively to the earth are already positioned and in use. The guys 18b, 18d are set at a tension level that provides a certain amount of slack, but limits substantially any lateral motion of the tower 12 as it is lifted during the erection process.

Referring to FIG. 9, while continuing to refer generally to FIGS. 9-12, the tower 12 is shown in a horizontal position connected by a pivot 32 to a gin pole 30. Guys 18 are attached. Because of the pivot 32, secured to a portion of the tower 12, the gin pole 30 (a short tower in its own right) may be laid down, and in fact assembled in place horizontally on top of the tower 12. Meanwhile, the tower 12 itself is connected by another pivot 34 to its own base 14. The base 14 may be provided with outriggers 36 extending its footprint, and providing for anchoring to the ground 38.

In the illustrated embodiment, a mini-gin pole is secured into a receiver 42 in the gin pole 30. The mini-gin pole 40 may be provided with a pulley 44 or pulleys 44 on the top thereof. Meanwhile, another pulley 46, pulley block 46, or snatch block 46, as it may be configured or called, may be secured to a cable 47 running over the top of the pulley 44 on the mini-gin pole 40. The block 46 may simply be an anchoring mechanism to connect to the top end of the gin pole 30, where no mechanical advantage is required for the winch used.

Alternatively, the cable 47 may extend from a winch off to the left, up and over the pulley 44 at the top end of the mini-gin pole 40, and then down and through the pulley of the pulley block 46, before passing back over another pulley 44 on the top of the mini-gin pole 40 and then passing back to an anchor point near the winch. In this way, a winch may obtain a 2-to-one advantage in lifting the gin pole 30.

One or more extra guys 18g, may be used (pulled) during pivoting of the gin pole 30 upward to stabilize it. The guy 18g may be a rope pulled by a person by hand or over a capstan winch associated with the main pulling winch 70.

Also shown on the tower 12 are several guy plates 48. The top guy plate 48 is also identified as the top plate 50. That is the top plate 50 is a guy plate 48, but also is typically provided with additional functionality. For example, the top plate 50 may serve to support warning lights, and other requirements for the erected tower 12. Meanwhile, the gin pole 30 may be constructed nearly identically to the tower 12, but with a different length. For example, for a 60 meter tower 12, a typical gin pole 30 may have a length of about 40 feet. Meanwhile, an 80 meter tower 12 may require or benefit from a gin pole 30 having a length of from about 30 to about 100 feet, and typically about 70 feet.

At the bottom end of the tower 12, and optionally at the bottom end of the gin pole 30, may be provided a base plate 52, 54, respectively. The base plates 52, 54 may be connected to the stringers 22 with pins 28 and may have other reinforcing structures. Particularly in the case of the tower 12, stress and strain considerations may advise the use of a system of plates 56 sometimes referred to as clinch plates 56. In certain embodiments, the clinch plates 56 may be bolted to each other, and to the stringers 22 at the bottom end of the bottom section 20 of the tower 12 in order to form a box around the tower to strengthen it.

Likewise, the pivot 34 between the tower 12 and the base 14 may be secured to or formed on the base plate 54 that is itself fastened (e.g., bolted, welded, etc.) to the clinch plates 56 on the tower 12. Thus, the clinch plates 56 may form a box secured to the bottom end of the tower 12, and forming a suitable structure to bolt a base plate 54 onto the tower 12. Accordingly, the base plate 54 will eventually be tipped 90 degrees to rest on the base 14.

When the tower 12 is vertical, the base plate 54 is horizontal, having 2 or more (e.g., 3 or 4) wing plates extending vertically therefrom to bolt to the clinch plates 56 that are also vertical on the tower.

Referring to FIG. 9, while continuing to refer generally to FIGS. 1-12, the gin pole 30 is illustrated with a partially cut out (e.g., shortened) image of the tower 12. In FIG. 9, the mini gin pole 40, supports the cable 47 as it begins to draw (down and left) toward the winch moving the cable 47 in the direction 58. The rising top end of the gin pole 30 eventually will elevate the pull plate 60 at the top end of the gin pole 30 above the maximum height of the pulleys 44 that are themselves declining in altitude as the mini-gin pole tilts down. Thus, eventually, the cable 47 rises off the pulleys 44 and pulls only against the top end of the gin pole 30.

At the top end of the gin pole 30 is an assembly that may be called a pull plate 60. The pull plate 60 connects to the pull-side guys 16a. Likewise, the cable 47 connects to a winch, typically rated at about 10,000 pounds of pull strength (force). The winch by its cable 47 continues to draw on the pull plate 60, thus transferring tension into the pull-side guys 16a. Until the gin pole 30 is positioned at right angles to the tower 12, the pull-side guys 16a are not yet substantially tensioned.

Accordingly, while the tower 12 is in a horizontal position, the various guys 18 may be separated and otherwise made clear, so that no tangling is present. However, the lateral guys 18b, 18d extend in a substantially horizontal plane from the horizontal tower to the ground anchors 16b, 16d, respectively. The ground anchors 16d and guys 18d are not all shown completely, for clarity, as clutter must be reduced in this view of FIG. 9. They mirror anchors 16b and guys 18b, respectively.

The gin pole 30 is being pulled from the pull side, and is connected to the tower 12 on the control side of the gin pole 30. It may however, also benefit from lateral guys 18e, 18f. Since the gin pole 30 may range from 30 to 100 feet long, and use a latticed construction, it needs stabilization similar to the tower 12. The gin pole's 30 lateral guys 18e, 18f may be secured to the innermost ground anchors 16b, 16d.

Once all the guys 18 have been positioned, on all 4 directional sides of the tower 12, and the lateral sides of the gin pole 30, the gin pole 30 is ready for pulling further. The control side guys 18c are connected to the guy plates 48 along the length of the tower 12. Thus, guys 18 at proper length and a modest amount of tension (in the lateral guys), including a certain amount of slack, are connected on all 4 sides of the tower 12 and at all 4 connection points on each of the guy plates 48 in the tower.

The guy plates 48 were already installed at about every three sections or after every third section along the height of the tower 12. Thus, the guys are approximately 30 feet apart along the longitudinal axis of the tower, connected to the guy plates 48 distributed along the length of the tower 12.

In the illustration of FIG. 10, the pin 32 or pivot 32 is no longer pivoting, and is in fact stabilized. For example, the base plate 52 of the gin pole 30 may be bolted, clamped, welded, or otherwise fastened to the clinch plate 56 on the base end of the tower 12 as illustrated in FIGS. 9-10. In one presently contemplated embodiment, temporary clamps are sufficient to fix the base plate 52 to its own pivot-mounting clinch plate 56. The pivot 32 may later be disassembled and the gin pole 30 removed after erection of the tower 12 itself.

In FIG. 10, the mini-gin pole 40 is shown still pinned in place with a buffer 62 partially inserted into its own receiver 42 position. Once the mini-gin pole 40 is unpinned and removed, the buffer 62 is fully inserted and pinned with the same pin used by the mini-gin pole 40 as shown in FIG. 11. Once the gin pole 30 is vertical, the mini-gin pole 40 is no longer required, and must be removed from the receiver 42.

A buffer 62, such as a set of coil springs, as shown, hydraulic damper, gas compression resistance, or the like may be connected to the receiver 42 in order to resist and cushion the settling of the base plate 54 of the tower 12 as the tower 12 nears a vertical position (e.g. more than about 68 degrees above horizontal). This may serve as a force resisting the pulling winch cable 47, thus resisting the tendency of the tower to drop quickley into place and thus buckle under beam bending loads. The weight of the tower 12 urges it to settle its base plate 52 at angles above about 68 or 70 degrees. The buffer resistance urges the tower 12 to maintain its position until settled by the pull cable 47 and pull side guys 18a

Referring to FIG. 11, while continuing to refer generally to FIGS. 1-15, the tower 12 is illustrated in this side elevation view, with the control side guys 18c shown connected to their ground anchors 16c. Meanwhile, each of the ground anchors 16 is anchored to the ground 38. The anchors 16d and the corresponding guys 18d are not illustrated, in order to clarify the illustration and not clutter it. Accordingly, the lateral guys 18d with their corresponding anchors 16d are mirror images of the guys 18b and anchors 16d, respectively.

The control-side guys 18c may be controlled to maintain very carefully the alignment of the various sections 20 of the tower 12 as it is being moved from the horizontal position to the vertical position. Thus, each of the guys 18c on the control side acts against, and in opposition to each of the corresponding guys 18a on the pull side of the tower 12. As the pull plate 60 draws all 7 (in the case of a 60 meter tower 12) or 9 (in the case of the 80 meter tower 12) guys 18a, control mechanisms release the corresponding 7 or 9 guys 18c on the control side of the tower 12 at the appropriate rate.

Referring to FIG. 11, as the tower 12 approaches the vertical position, the control side guys 18c passing through the ground anchors 16c run from the respective guy plates 48 in the tower 12 through the ground anchors 16c and out to control mechanisms on the ground.

In one embodiment, the control mechanisms 80 may be brakes 80. Braking force may be applied by clamps applying friction against the control side guys 18c, springs resisting movement thereof, motors or brakes providing drag force on reels around which the control side guys 18c may be wrapped, coil springs doing the same function (e.g. as garage door springs equilibrate the weight of a door through large movements), or the like.

Certain embodiments may include a controller 80, such as a clamp 8, applying a clamping force normal (perpendicular) to the direction of the length of a guy cable 18c resulting in frictional drag. A trough in the material (e.g. wood, nylon, polyethylene, other polymer, lead, aluminum, other metal, etc.), held against the individual guy cable 18c by the clamp, may maintain securely the guy 18c in the clamped position. An eye bolt ground anchor, sized to pass the guy 18c, will not allow the braking mechanism 80 to pass.

Thus, each control side guy 18c may be individually braked at a particular or common, pre-set, drag force. Thus, all guys 18c can provide resistance unattended, without requiring personnel to monitor and control the brakes. Movement of the pull side guys 18a need only exceed the preset force. Preset friction forces of from about 50 to about 200 pounds may serve, and about 100 pounds of force on each guy 18c has been found adequate for 60 and 80 meter towers.

In another presently contemplated embodiment, 9 winches, each dedicated to a single one of the control side guys 18c, may sit in mounts on the ground at about the same 3:00 braking position (with respect to the pull side at 12:00 and the control side at 6:00) drawing cables 18c through grounded anchors 16c along the 6:00 radius. In this embodiment, it is easier to specify position, rather than force. Thus pull side guy 18a position may be matched to control side guys 18c position as each is taken up and let out, respectively.

Thus, referring to FIG. 12, if the 4 axes of the guys 18 of the system 10 are considered to be the 4 principal directions dividing quadrants of a clock face, then the tower 12 in its horizontal position on the ground is lying as the hand of a clock pointing at the 6:00 position. The center of the clock face is the base assembly, with the pivot 34 connecting the base 14 to the tower base plate 54 and tower clinch plates 56 of the tower 12. Meanwhile, the pull side is the 12:00 side. The lateral guys 18b, 18c are at the 9:00 and 3:00 positions, respectively.

Referring to FIG. 11, the control side guys 18 feed from a control system 80 paying out guys 18c at the proper distance or at the proper tension needed for each of the positions of the guy plates 48 along the height of the tower 12. Meanwhile, the gin pole 30 drawn by the cable 47, and carrying its top plate 60 draws each of the pull side guys 18a toward the ground and away from the vertical axis through the base 14, thus drawing the tower 12 into a vertical orientation.

The bumper 62 or buffer 62 may include a variety of hydraulic, mechanical, or other dampers, springs, or the like. One embodiment relies on coil springs secured to plates mounted to a rack connected to the receiver 42 on the gin pole. Thus, as the tower 12 tries to settle in with its base plate 54 against the base 14, there is a great tendency for the weight of the tower to summarily drop the tower base plate 54 to a rest position causing a whipping action along the length of the tower 12. This tendency should be resisted or the tower may buckle.

At about 68 degrees from horizontal, the tower 12 tends to begin to settle. Accordingly, the control guys 18c with their respective controls 80 control the tower 12 so it does not whip into position, or fail in buckling instead of moving gradually into an erect position Likewise, the springs 63 of the buffer 62 will provide resistance against movement of the gin pole 30 becoming horizontal or moving to a horizontal position. By resisting against the gin pole 30 as a lever from going to a fully horizontal position, the buffer 62 or bumper 62 likewise resists the tower 12, fixed to the gin pole 30, from moving freely to a vertical position.

Thus, the winch line 47 pulling the top plate 60 or pull plate 60 of the gin pole 30 down, must work against the resistance of the bumper 62.

A pulley 64 may exist on a winch, or may be provided in addition to a winch in order to draw the gin pole 30 downward. The pulley 64 may be replaced by a winch, acting directly to draw the cable 47. Thus, the illustrated embodiment is not the only way this function can be accomplished. In general, the pull plate 60 needs to be pulled eventually toward the ground, always in compression, thus without pulling the gin pole (e.g., of tower-like sections 20) 30 apart.

Once the tower 12 has been pulled to the vertical position, the individual guys 18a on the pull side may be removed from their devises connecting to the pull plate 60 on the gin pole 30 and may be anchored to their own ground anchors 16a. Meanwhile, the individual tails of the guy lines 18c on the control side may then be removed (typically one at a time) from their pay-out winches and secured permanently at the proper tension to their respective earth anchors 16c. Meanwhile, the guys 18b, 18d of the lateral guy systems may receive final adjustments as they are connected at operational values of tension to their earth anchors 16b, 16d, respectively.

In certain embodiments of an apparatus and method in accordance with the invention, a system 10 may be comprised of control implements to control installation of a tall, slender, temporary, re-useable, meteorological tower 12. At ground level, the system 10 may include a base 14 or base assembly 14, whereupon it is anchored through the base 14 by ground anchors. Connected to the base 14, and pivotable with respect thereto is a tower or a mast 12 assembly.

In order to effect the installation of the tower 12, a gin pole 30 may be pivotably connected to the tower 12, near the connection thereof to the base 14. The gin pole (30) may also be provided with a mini-gin pole 40. That is, a gin pole 30 is a lifting mechanism to provide pull points for lifting, tending to lift the tower 12 upward. By the same token, a mini-gin pole 40 is connected to a gin pole 30 in order to provide appropriate pull points tending to lift the gin pole 30 upward.

Accordingly, the erection process of the tower 12 includes threading one or more lift cables 47 from a winch 70 up over a pulley or sheave at the top of the mini-gin pole 40, and down to a block 46 (e.g., snatch block 46, or pulley block 46) attached to the top end of a gin pole 30, while the gin pole 30 is in a horizontal position lying on top of the tower 12, the tower 12 itself lying substantially horizontally on the ground or on periodic supports distributed along the ground.

Upon activation of the winch 70, and manipulation thereof by a technician, the cable 47 may be retrieved. In one embodiment, the cable 47 may run from the winch 70, over the top of the mini-gin pole sheave and down to the top end of the gin pole 30 remote from the winch 70. In an alternative embodiment, the cable 47 may run from the winch up over the top sheave of the mini-gin pole 40, down to a snatch block 46 or pulley block 46 secured near the top of the gin pole 30, back up and over a second sheave on the mini-gin pole 40, and back to an anchor point near the winch 70. In this second, alternative embodiment, the winch 70 obtains a 2-to-one leverage advantage against the lifting of the gin pole 30. Upon operation of the winch 70, the cable 47 is drawn toward the winch 70, and the gin pole 30 is lifted upward, tilting the triangle whose legs are the gin pole 30 and the mini-gin pole 40.

The mini-gin pole 40 in one embodiment is mounted in a receiver 42 extending perpendicular thereto near the base of the gin pole. Thus, one may think of the mini-gin pole receiver 42 as extending horizontally with respect to the base 14 when the gin pole 30 is in a vertical position. Meanwhile, after assembly but before installation or erection of the tower 12, when the gin pole 30 is in a horizontal position on top of the tower 12, both lying substantially parallel to the ground, the receiver 42 extends vertically into the air. Thus, the gin pole 30, the mini-gin pole 40, and the cable 47 running over the sheaves on top of the gin pole 30 into the snatch block 46 or pulley block 46 at the top of the gin pole 30 form a right triangular structure whose hypotenuse cable 47 is reeled in by the cable winch 70, the entire triangle being tilted or lifted up thereby.

As the cable 47 pulls the gin pole 30 up, typically by the power of a 10,000-pound-pull-force winch 70, the gin pole 30 pivots about a pivot pin 32 along the lower edge of its base (e.g., the base plate 33 being vertical at that time), pinned into a side plate 56 (e.g., clinch plate 56) of several bolted around the base end of the tower assembly 12. As the gin pole 30 lifts, the cable 47 running from the winch to its top 60 (e.g., pull plate 60) eventually makes a direct connection from the top 60 of the gin pole 30 to the winch 70. Inasmuch as the mini-gin pole 40 is too short to span the distance between the base 33 of the gin pole 30 and the cable 47, the ground and the gin pole 30 eventually form a triangle with the cable 47.

Once the gin pole 30 is fully erected vertically, its base plate 33 is clamped to or against the side of a clinch plate 56 bolted to the side of the tower 12 at the base end of the tower assembly 12. At or before this point or time, the mini-gin pole 40 may be removed from the receiver 42. At this point, the receiver 42 for the mini-gin pole is extending horizontally, away from the base end of the tower 12, parallel to the tower 12, and in an opposite direction therefrom. Likewise, the gin pole 30 is positioned to extend vertically from its attachment point, a hinge or pivot pin 32, on the base plate 33 of the gin pole 30. The gin pole 30 extending vertically out the side of a clinch plate 56 at the base of and perpendicular to, the tower 12 (which tower 12 is still horizontal) is ready to do its job lifting the tower 12.

Once the base plate 33 of the gin pole 30 has been clamped or otherwise fastened to be fixed beside, parallel to, and in contact with the side plate 56 or clinch plate 56 at the bottom of the tower 12, the gin pole 30 can be further drawn by the winch 70. The gin pole 30 will perform the same or similar function for the tower 12 that the mini-gin pole 40 performed for erecting the gin pole 30.

However, the gin pole 30 is typically about 40 feet long when erecting a 60 meter tower 12 and about 70 feet for an 80 meter tower. No one, to the knowledge of the inventors, has ever erected previously an ultra-light weight, 200 meter tower 12 without heavy equipment, scaffolding, cranes, or the like. Such a tower 12 cannot be lifted by itself. Any significant lateral point load anywhere along the tower 12 would buckle the tower 12.

In an apparatus and method in accordance with the invention, seven (for 60 meters) or nine cables (for 80 meters) are connected from a gusseted pull plate 60 mounted on the top of the gin pole 30. These cables 18 (wire ropes 18) are installed before the gin pole is lifted. The pull plate 60, when the gin pole 30 is vertical, is a vertical, blade-like, steel plate 60, mounted on or through a flat horizontal base. The flat base is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the gin pole 30. The vertical blade 60 is centered therein to extend parallel to the gin pole 30.

Meanwhile, gussetting plates connect to both the vertical blade and its horizontal base at the top of the gin pole 30 as fully erected in a vertical position. At the front of the blade, are holes (seven, nine, etc.) receiving devises connecting to cable thimbles (like rope hondos) to receive wire rope 18 therearound, clamped to be secured thereto. The opposite end of each cable 47 goes to a particular location along the mast 12 (tower 12).

Typically, about every three sections 20, and thus about every nine meters or 30 feet along the height of the mast 12, beginning from the very top end thereof, is secured a guy plate 48. A guy plate 48 fits between sections 20 of the mast. The guy plate 48 contains apertures at its corners to receive devises securing a clamped and thimbled end of the wire rope 18. Thus, once the gin pole 30 is vertical, each of the cables 18 extending from the top pull plate 60 thereof progresses downward at a different angle to a particular location, totaling seven or nine locations, typically, for 60 and 80 meter towers 12, along the length of the tower 12 or mast 12.

At the back upper corner of the blade plate 60 on the top of the gin pole 30 is another aperture receiving a clevis securing either the cable 47, or a pulley block 46 through which the mechanical cable 47 is run. Thus, a winch 70 may pull directly or obtain a 2-to-one (or greater) advantage in pulling on the gin pole.

As the winch 70 draws the top plate 60 of the gin pole 30 downward away from the initial position, the top end of the gin pole 30, in turn, draws on the pull side guy cables 18a connected from the pull plate 60 to the guy plates 48 distributed along the length of the tower 12. The gin pole 30, tower 12, and the cables 18 thus form triangles that move in fixed, rigid relation with respect to one another.

Meanwhile, the tower 12 itself is pivotably connected to a base 14. The base 14 may include outriggers, a system of steel structures supporting the bottom end of the tower 12. On the tower 12 itself is secured a base plate 54. All around the four sides of the tower, the tower comprises four tubes set at the four corners of a square, and latticed therebetween by steel bars struts, or braces 24. In larger towers 12 the lower sections are stronger and heavier to support the greater weight occasioned by their height.

Clinch plates 56 bolt to the outside of the tubular structures 20 of the tower 12, near the base thereof, in order to stiffen and strengthen it and attach it to the base plate 54 pivotably secured to the base 14 to transfer to the base 14 the compression loads applied to the tower 12. A hinge pin 34, in the base plate 54 at the lower extreme of the tower 12, is secured by a receiving aperture on one edge of the base plate. Each plate of the base below and the plate of the tower to the clinch plates 56, provides a receiver for the jointly held hinge pin.

Meanwhile, the base 14 mounted to the ground has ears bolted to outriggers. Similarly wing plates (vertical) on the base plate 54 bolt to clinch plates 56 on the sides of the tower 12. Thus, one corner of the bottom of the tower 12 is hinged to the main base assembly.

As the winch 70 draws the gin pole 30 top plate 50 toward the winch 70, and the gin pole 30 draws the nine “pull-side” guy lines 18a of the tower toward itself, the entire structure of gin pole 30, cables 18, and tower 12 begins to tilt about the pivot 34 at the base of the tower. Eventually, the angle of the tower 12 with respect to the ground transforms from a substantially fully horizontal position for the tower to a nearly vertical position for the tower 12.

Meanwhile, at the location on the base of the gin pole 30, where the mini-gin pole 40 was originally received, a buffer 62, such as a spring assembly 62 is connected. One buffer 62 comprises one or more plates to compress coil springs 63 thereunder, along axles running through the coil springs 63. This spring system 62 is fitted to the rectangular receiver tube 42, much like the receiver commonly used for trailer hitches, thus creating a “foot” or several “springy toes” at the base of the tower 20, secured to one side of the gin pole 30.

If one thinks of the gin pole 30 as the narrow base of a right triangle, and the tower 12 as the long side of the same triangle, the cable 47 is the hypotenuse. The spring foot 62 is connected near the vertex of the sides to push against the narrow base of the triangle as the triangle it tilts onto that narrow base. It is oriented to push against the gin pole 30, when the gin pole 30 tries to become horizontal. This feature ends up being very beneficial to prevent a whipping or whiplash action by the upper reaches of the tower 12 near the end of the erection process.

As the tower 12 begins to come to an erect position with the tower almost vertical, and the gin pole 30 almost horizontal, the buffer or spring foot underneath the side of the gin pole, right near the base of the gin pole 30 and therefore extending downward from and beside the base of the tower 12, provides a resistance against the base plate 54 of the tower settling onto the base assembly 14 on the ground.

This is a curious phenomenon, unique to comparatively very tall and narrow structures. Structures having a very small diameter-to-length aspect ratio, have a tendency to induce column buckling in themselves. That is, any type of dynamic loads due to movement tend to generate lateral forces that do not transfer well along the length, and thus create disproportionate force and movement, or even a whipping action. Moreover, as the base plate 54 of the tower 12 becomes horizontal, the tower 12 coming vertically to its resting position, the upper portion of the tower 12 tends to require greater movement and acceleration to cover a greater distance, inducing forces that can buckle the tower structure 12.

As the tower 12 moves toward settling on its base assembly 14, the spring foot 62, acting on something of a lever arm (the gin pole 30), by pushing against the side of the gin pole 30, resists settling of the base plate 54 onto the base assembly 14. Thus, the tower 12 is resisted against “falling” into position. Accordingly, the cables 18a connected to the gin pole 30, must still pull the tower into position. The winch 70 must still pull the gin pole 30 down to the fully horizontal position. Thus, the tower comes into its final position, while resisting the pull of the cables drawing it into that position.

Meanwhile, the pull-side guy lines 18a, or wires 18a, or cables 18a are not the only cables 18 at work. As it turns out, the pull-side guy cables 18a connecting the tower 12 to the top pull plate 60 of the gin pole 30 are the same guy cables 18a that will eventually be connected to ground anchors 16 on the pull side of the tower 12. Before the tower 12 was lifted, a full set of lateral guy cables 18b, 18d or wire ropes 18b, 18d were already connected between ground anchors 16 and the same guy plates 48 to which the pull cables 18a were connected. The lateral guy lines 18b, 18d extend into a plane at 90 degrees in each direction from the pull-side guy cables 18a.

Accordingly, if the rectangular cross section of the tower 12 may be thought of us having a pull side from which the pull-side guy cables extend, and a control side opposite thereto, then two lateral sides or guy sides are 90 degrees away from both the pull side plane and the control side plane, which actually are a single plane. The cables 18b, 18d on the lateral guy sides or the lateral sides of the tower 12 connect to the same guy plates 48 as the pull cables 18a, but run down to the ground anchors 16b, 16d at 90 degrees therefrom.

For example, one may think of the orientation of the tower 12, with the tower 12 ultimately standing vertically, as representing the center point of a clock face. The clock face begins with the tower having its base at the center of the clock face, and the top of the tower at the 6:00 o'clock position.

Meanwhile, the control cables 18c with control mechanisms 80 to feed guy cabling off these winches as the tower 12 rises, may also be located out toward or near either the 3:00 o'clock or 9:00 o'clock position, feeding the control-side guy cables through eye bolt anchors 16a at the 6:00 o'clock position. The pull side winches are located at the 12:00 o'clock position.

The guy cabling 18 will ultimately be connected to ground anchors 16 at three different radii along respective axes in the 3:00, 6:00, 9:00, and 12:00 o'clock positions or directions. For example, in one embodiment, an 80 meter tower 12 may be guyed at 110 feet from the base, 120 feet from the base, and 130 feet from the base. The lowest three guy cables 18 may go to the ground anchor 16 at the inner radius 72a, the next three anchor to a ground anchor at the second radius 72b, and the top three at the outer most radius 72c. Accordingly, the lateral guy cables, 18b, 18d on the lateral aspect of the tower may be guyed in through their ground anchors such as, for example, eye-bolts or eyes in anchor plates.

Typically, it has been found to be best practice not to tighten the guy cables 18 up to the operating tension, but to leave a slight amount of relief or slack, in order to not create any undue stresses. Nevertheless, to the extent that the tower 12 may tend to move one direction or another, it will tend to take up the slack in any guy cables 18 on the opposite side therefrom, and thus restrict any undue motion.

Thus, it can be seen that when the tower 12 is lying on the ground, or on ground supports, in a substantially horizontal position, the lateral guys, all 9 of them on each opposite side (7 for a 60 meter tower), opposite one another are fully installed, but not adjusted to the exact length they will have upon completion. However, those guys 18 are operational, each thus maintaining another triangle having its base on the ground, having one vertex at each of the outermost anchors 16b, 16d on the ground, and having its top vertex at the top of the assembled tower, at or close to the ground. This shape of these triangles will be maintained substantially as they lie, and each will be lifted by its upper vertex to stand vertically, thus moving from a horizontal plane to a vertical plane during the erection process.

Thus, one may think of the triangle formed by the gin pole 30, the tower 12, and the tower pull cables 18a as the tower 12 stands as representing one vertical triangle, mounted at right angles to a plane of these other ground triangles that will eventually be lifted to a vertical position. Thus these two orthogonal planes will both become vertical.

On the control side of the tower, the 6:00 side, opposite to the pull side at 12:00, guy cables 18c are connected to the same guy plates 48 distributed along the height of the tower 12 or length of the tower 12 in its horizontal or substantially horizontal position. The cables do not connect to the same identical locations, because the guy plates 48, being rectangular in nature, and rotated 45 degrees out of phase with the corners of the tower 12 cross section thus present 4 corners, each penetrated with an aperture, and each receiving a clevis securing a guy cable 18.

On the control side, it has been found most effective to carefully control the payout of the control-side guy cables. For example, it has been found that the tower 12, in order to avoid column buckling due to compression and dynamic lateral or transverse loads, is most effectively lifted in a fully-guyed configuration. Thus, for example, the lateral (3:00 and 9:00) guys 18b, 18d are fully installed, but not tightened to the full final tension. Nevertheless, with a variation of inches, a guy may come taut. Meanwhile, on the pull side, all guys are connected to the guy 18 plates in the tower, and are being pulled simultaneously and in substantially fixed relation with respect to one another as the gin pole 30 lifts the tower while itself being drawn toward the ground.

On the back side, or control side opposite the pull side, controllers 80, each controlling one control-side guy cable 18c, are mounted along the 6:00 line, and paying out cable 47 through the ground anchor 16c, such as and eye-bolt, appropriate to the particular guy being controlled. The guy cable 18c then extends, from the ground-anchor 16c (e.g., eye-bolt 16) up to the clevis securing that cable 18c to the corresponding guy plate 48 in the tower 12.

In this manner, the tower 12 is erected being and remaining at all times when under loading, as a substantially fixed, guyed, fully stabilized structure 12. In certain embodiments, the tower 12 is not permitted to move uncontrolled in any dimension. Thus, the compression under which the tower will eventually be guyed to the ground is maintained from the beginning of its installation movement away from a horizontal position near the ground. By thus guying the tower 12 and maintaining it in compression, likewise maintaining guy cable tension in a plane perpendicular to the main longitudinal axis of the tower, the tower 12 may be completely stabilized.

Thus, effectively, a structure having a 130 foot diameter is being raised. That is, the compression member (tower 12) forms the central axis. Meanwhile, 36 tension members (28 for a 60 meter tower 36 for an 80 meter) form the peripheral structures. When viewed from the top, the erected tower 12 with its associated guys 18 appears as two horizontal planes, one containing or passing through the pull side 18a and control side guys 18c and the tower 12, another vertical plane containing or passing through the lateral guys and the tower. Thus, in a method and apparatus in accordance with the invention, a tall, comparatively spindly, 80 meter tower may be erected, as if it were at all times effectively the center trunk of a large “Christmas tree.”

In other embodiments, schedule 10 pipe may be used in the three lowest sections 20, and thus the first 9 meters or 30 feet of the tower. Inasmuch as the tower 12 has such an extensive height, making the bottommost section 20 comparatively stronger has been shown to be effective.

Meanwhile, an apparatus and method in accordance with the invention may be constructed as a 60 meter tower 12. In other embodiments, a 60 meter tower may be made ungradable, by installing it originally with the bottom 3 sections 20 made of stronger material, namely schedule 10 pipe. Later, the tower 12 may be laid back down substantially horizontal to its pre-installed orientation. Additional tower sections 20 may then be added. Thus, no realignment is required of the base pivot 34, no new base 14 is required, no new lower heavy-duty sections 20 need to be added, or the like. All that structure can be installed initially, such that the 60 meter tower originally installed can be ungradable to an 80 meter tower when desired or warranted at a later date.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its basic features, functions, or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative, and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

Claims

1. A method of erecting a columnar, lightweight tower, having a longitudinal axis with a pull side, control side, and first and second lateral sides, facing away from the longitudinal axis and one another, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of tower segments;

providing connectors fitting between adjacent tower segments maintaining alignment and longitudinal support therebetween;

providing plates between adjacent tower segments and provided with connectors to receive guys connected thereto;

providing a base assembly secured to the ground;

providing anchors disposed along axes extending along the ground orthogonal to one another;

providing guys;

forming a tower by assembling the plurality of tower segments along the longitudinal axis in a substantially horizontal orientation;

pivotably connecting a base end of the tower to the base assembly to pivot with respect thereto from the control side toward the pull side;

assembling a gin pole by assembling a second plurality of tower segments to extend parallel to the tower and supported thereby on the pull side thereof;

pivotably connecting the gin pole to the base end of the tower to pivot continuously with respect thereto between a parallel position and a perpendicular position with respect thereto;

securing a head to the gin pole away from the base end;

connecting a first plurality of the guys, along the pull side, to the plates;

connecting a second plurality of the guys, along the control side, to the plates;

connecting a third plurality of the guys, along the first lateral side, to the plates;

connecting a fourth plurality of the guys, along the second lateral side, to the plates;

securing the guys along the pull side to the head of the gin pole;

connecting each of the guys on the control and first and second lateral sides to a respective anchor secured to the ground, each of the guys along the first and second lateral sides being connected to have a fixed length;

pivoting the gin pole to a vertical position;

drawing the head of the gin pole toward the ground;

resisting movement past the respective anchor of each guy on the control side against force applied to the respective plate connected thereto in response to the guys on the pull side, following the head of the gin pole;

securing the base of the tower to the base assembly;

anchoring the guys on the pull side to respective anchors secured to the ground; and

verifying tensioning of the guys to final operational values thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a mini gin pole extending perpendicular to the gin pole assembly;

attaching a draw cable from the head of the gin pole, over the mini gin pole, and to a motive force;

lifting the gin pole by drawing the draw cable until the draw cable leaves the mini gin pole and the gin pole is vertical with respect to the tower lying horizontally; and

securing the gin pole to the tower in fixed relation thereto.

3. the method of claim 1, wherein the tower segments are of substantially a single common length.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the tower segments are rectangular in cross section, the cross section comprising four tubular members stabilized apart by struts extending therebetween.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the relationship between the cross-section of the tower segments and the length of the tower is selected to be unstable in column buckling at the loading values on the guys during at least one of installation and operation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the relationship between the cross-section of the tower segments, the weight thereof, and the length of the tower is selected to be unsupportable against beam bending with respect to dynamic loads due to its unguyed, dynamic response to settling of its own weight during installation.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

subjecting the tower, during installation, to dynamic loads orthogonal to the longitudinal direction effective to subject the tower to failure in beam bending; and

resisting the dynamic loads by force applied by the control guys and a settling buffer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subjecting the tower, during installation, to longitudinal loads and dynamic loads orthogonal to the longitudinal direction effective to subject the tower to failure in column buckling; and

resisting the dynamic loads by at least one of a force applied by the control guys and a settling buffer resisting fully vertical positioning of the tower.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a mini gin pole extending orthogonally from the gin pole;

obtaining a mechanical advantage by threading a lift cable from a winch, over a sheave at the top of the mini-gin pole, down to a pulley block attached to the top end of the gin pole, and back to an anchor point away from the sheave, while the gin pole is in a horizontal position lying on top of the tower, the tower itself lying substantially horizontally proximate the ground;

lifting the gin pole by retrieving the lift cable by activating the winch.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a receiver proximate the base of the gin pole;

attaching a buffer to the receiver;

drawing a portion of the base end of the tower toward the base assembly by drawing the gin pole and control guys toward the ground; and

resisting by the buffer, the approach of the portion of the base end of the tower toward the base assembly.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

locking the buffer;

removing the buffer;

securing the tower to the base.

12. The method of claim 12, wherein the tower is more than 75 meters long and the gin pole is from about 40 to about 70 feet long.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising at least one of decommissioning, reusing, and upgrading the tower, wherein:

decommissioning comprises laying the tower down while maintaining tension on the pull side guy cables and maintaining a predetermined amount of slack in each of the control side guy cables as the tower is moved from a vertical to a horizontal position;

re-using comprises erecting the tower by repeating an installation process at a new location distinct from a first location at which initially installed and removed; and

upgrading the tower comprises laying the tower down while maintaining tension on the pull side guy cables and maintaining a predetermined amount of loading in each of the control side guy cables as the tower is moved from a vertical to a horizontal position; adding additional length to the tower; moving the top plate to the new top of the tower; leaving the tower base pivotably connected to the base assembly by the base pivot; and re-installing the upgraded tower by repeating the elevation process.

14. A column system comprising:

a tower having four sides, a pull side, a control side opposite the pull side, and first and second lateral sides orthogonal to the pull and control sides;

pull-side guy cables, substantially coplanar to one another and secured to the tower and the ground on the pull side;

control side guy cables, substantially coplanar with one another and secured to the tower and the ground on the control side;

first lateral guy cables, substantially coplanar and secured to the tower and the ground on the first lateral side;

second lateral guy cables, substantially coplanar and secured to the tower and the ground on the second lateral side;

the tower, being oriented with a base thereof positioned to define a center, the top thereof being oriented at a 6:00 o'clock position;

the control side guy cables operating as a plurality of control cables;

a plurality of pay-out controllers feeding the control-side guy cables off as the tower rises in resistance to the pull-side guy cables.

15. A method of erecting an ultra-lightweight, narrow, high tower, having a length of at least 60 meters, without heavy equipment, scaffolding, or overhead cranes, the method comprising:

providing a tower comprising segments, modular and selectable in number;

selecting a length, cross section, and dynamic loading for the tower unsustainable against a column buckling limit of the tower;

assembling the tower on the ground, the tower having a base portion pivotably secured to a base assembly supported by the ground;

guying the tower in first and second lateral directions, in a lateral plane passing through a longitudinal axis thereof, with guys secured at fixed respective lengths;

guying the tower with control guys extending in a control direction therefrom toward control anchors secured to the ground, the control direction and control anchors lying in a transverse plane orthogonal to the lateral plane and passing through the longitudinal axis;

guying the tower with pull guys extending in a pull direction lying in the transverse plane;

lifting the tower by drawing on the pull guys;

controlling dynamic loading on the tower by applying a force, between the tower and the respective control anchor, for each of the control guys, based on movement of the tower and the pull guys;

fixing the tower to the base assembly;

verifying the loading in each of the guys;

removing the gin pole; and

operating the tower.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the fixed respective lengths of the first and second lateral guys are maintained at least until the longitudinal axis of the tower is vertical.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing at least seven guys as a set of pull guys connected to the pull side, a set of control guys connected to the control side, and a set of first and a set of second lateral guys connected respectively to the first and second lateral sides.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least seven guys are at least nine guys, the method further comprising connecting all the guys to the tower before the gin pole is lifted from a position parallel to a position perpendicular to the tower.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

providing a guy plate secured to and positioned above each group of three segments of the tower;

providing apertures in the guy plates, proximate corners thereof, secured to the guys;

providing each guy, in each of the pull, control, and first and second lateral directions, angling away from the tower at an angle unique among the guys on that respective side of the tower;

lifting the tower by winching the top of the gin pole downward, the gin pole lifting the tower at each guy plate;

pivotably connecting the tower to the base assembly;

providing the segments, each further comprising tubes set at substantially the four corners of a square, and braced apart by struts therebetween;

providing clinch plates secured outside the tubes, proximate the base end of the tower to stiffen, strengthen, and pivotably connect the tower to the base assembly.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

connecting a buffer to the gin pole, proximate the base thereof,

resisting the weight of the tower from settling toward the ground in a vertical orientation of the longitudinal axis by compressing the buffer as the tower moves closer to a vertical orientation;

resisting dynamically induced settling loads orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the tower by resisting motion of the tower in three dimensions at each of the guy plates by juxtaposing guys on each of the pull, control, and first and second lateral sides; and

the lateral guy lines remaining substantially in the lateral plane continually from initiation of pulling the pull guys throughout completion of operation of the buffer.