Method and apparatus for constructing a suspension bridge tower

Claim 1

Apparatus for erecting a tower comprising: pre-erected base means adapted to receive blocks superimposed one upon another, a platform extending laterally with respect to the base means, said platform having a block loading station lateral of said base means and a block unloading station directly overlying said base means, climbing means connected to said platform and engaging said base means to displace said platform vertically relative to said base means, a carriage mounted on said platform for movement thereon forwardly from said block loading station to said block unloading station for transporting one of said blocks to said block unloading station, means on said carriage for lowering said one block onto said pre-erected base means after said carriage has been displaced into said unloading station, and means for releasing said carriage from said one block at said unloading station onto said pre-erected base means to afford rearward return of said carriage unloaded to said loading station, said releasing means including a frame adapted to surround and support a lower portion of said one block and a gate at the forward end of the frame sized to permit passage of said carriage rearwardly relative to said one block for return to said loading station after said block has been lowered onto said base means.

Claim 6

A method of erecting a tower having pre-erected base means adapted to receive blocks superimposed one upon another by employing apparatus comprising a platform having a block loading station lateral of said base means and a block unloading station directly overlying said base means, means engaging said base means for raising and lowering said platform, a carriage moveable on said platform between said loading and unloading stations, said carriage having a frame adapted to surround a lower portion of one block and a gate sized to permit passage of said carriage laterally relative to said block, means on said carriage for lowering one block onto said base means, and means for releasing said carriage from a block at said loading station, said method comprising the steps of: depositing one of said blocks on said carriage at said block loading station, elevating said platform on said base means with said carriage at said block loading station to dispose the platform at a level adjacent the top of the pre-erected base means, displacing said carriage with said one block to said block unloading station, lowering said one block from said carriage and onto said pre-erected base means, opening said gate on said frame to release said carriage from said lowered one block at said block unloading station, returning said carriage unloaded to said block loading station, lowering said platform with said carriage at said block loading station, and repeating the above steps to superimpose additional ones of said blocks onto said base means, whereby the tower is erected.

Claim 7

A method of erecting a tower having pre-erected base means adapted to receive blocks superimposed one upon another by employing apparatus comprising a platform having a block loading station lateral of said base means and a block unloading station directly overlying said base means, means engaging said base means for raising and lowering said platform, a carriage moveable on said platform between said loading and unloading stations, said carriage having a frame adapted to surround a lower portion of one block and a gate sized to permit passage of said carriage laterally relative to said block, means on said carriage for lowering one block onto said base means, and means for releasing said carriage from a block at said loading station, said method comprising the steps of: depositing one of said blocks on said carriage at said block loading station, elevating said platform on said base means with said carriage at said block loading station to dispose the platform at a level adjacent the top of the pre-erected base means, displacing said carriage with said one block to said block unloading station, lowering said one block from said carriage and onto said pre-erected base means, opening said gate on said frame to release said carriage from said lowered one block at said block unloading station, returning said carriage unloaded to said block loading station, lowering said platform with said carriage at said block loading station, and repeating the above steps to superimpose additional ones of said blocks onto said base means, whereby the tower is erected.