Method for making and erecting a wind tower

• US 6,470,645 B1
• Filed: 11/09/2000
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Beaird Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Beaird Industries Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Maliszewski, Leonard P., Lashley, Patrick C.
• Primary Examiner(s): CALLO, LAURA ANTOINETTE
• Application Number:
  US09/716,118
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 527/451.7, 527/451.8, 527/263, 527/264, 527/361, 527/363, 522/96, 52/40, 526/510.7
• US Class Current: 52/745.18
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/085 Details of flanges for tubular masts
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/34 Arrangements for erecting or lowering towers, masts, poles, chimney stacks, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/10 Assembly of wind motors; Arrangements for erecting wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/20 Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/22 Foundations specially adapted for wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/30 Lightning protection
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/912 on a tower
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 Onshore wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A method for making a tower for a wind generator made up of a plurality of cylindrical segments, a plurality of transition rings with at least one being frustro-conical, a plurality of L-shaped flanges and a T-shaped flange.

Claims

1. A method for making a wind turbine tower comprising:

forming a first plurality of rings having a first outer diameter;

forming a second plurality of rings having a second outer diameter;

welding together said first plurality of rings forming a bottom section having a first end and a second end;

welding together said second set of rings forming an upper section having a first upper end and a second upper end;

welding a T-shaped flange to said first end;

welding a transition ring having a first edge and a second edge to said second end;

welding to said first edge of said transition ring a first L-shaped flange;

welding a conical transition ring having a first conical edge and a second conical edge to said second upper end;

welding to said first upper end a second L-shaped flange;

welding to said first conical edge a third L-shaped flange; and

securing together said first and second L-shaped flanges.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first outer diameter is larger than said second outer diameter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said transition ring is frustro-conical is shape.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of painting the formed tower with 20-year paint.

5. The method of claim 3, comprising the step of installing at least one platform to an interior surface of said tower.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said upper section and said bottom section are cylindrical in shape.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said upper section and said bottom section are tubular.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting a door in said bottom section.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said rings are constructed from metal plates which have been optimized in thickness to minimize destructive structural vibration and minimize construction costs.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of installing grounding lugs on said tower for grounding lightening.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising installing power and signal cables connecting a wind turbine to a control box mounted in said tower.