3 lower end of associated side irember (shown as m I embe.14) of franie lo. in 'addition to having a clevis, connec.@ to@ 54 for coupling to diagonql riember 30,, the @ corner, plate also has a@pair of pins 55 on which:eyes 56 on the ends of tension rods 31 are anchored The side members of pyr-amidal frames 10 and 15 are reinforced midway betvieen,their ends and the frames are connected together b . y transverse braces 57 (see FIGURES .1 a-.id 6). Each brace is removably secured, @at each end t o o-@ie of the side members by means of a IC lu.-:53 brazed to the member and connected by bolt 59 to the brace. Adjacent members of pyramidal frames 10 and 15 are 'suitably coupled @together at their cross-. over points, for examdle, as illustrated in FIGURE 6 wherein frame members 14 and@19 are secured tog@-thp-r 15 by bolt 60. The structil-ral members which comprise the tower preferably are li-,htwe@-aht so that tubing is used for the center column, side members and braces. It will be@ noled also that stibstantially all of the intere6nnecting 20 parts are removably connected togi@ther 'to - facilitate@ disassembly @of the -tower into com onent packages of cori-P venient size and iveight for trarisprortation. The eight side members compnsing pvramidal @ fram--s 10 and 15 are substantially, identical as are thp- braces 57, diag6nal 25 members 30 and corner plates 23, thereby enabling economical mass fabiication of t6we'r @D-ar.is with consequent low tolver cost. The,light weight of the open@framework c6nstrucLion and the pivotal connections of the side members to iheir center column 20 and to platform 22 30 enable the tower t6 be.erect&d with minim@um efiort and with lightweight hoistii@g equipment as -,vill @be better understood from the description below. Towers inade in accordance with;the inv eiition are suitable for platform the sineed -and convenience with which it may b-- cracted.-@ Th@is'is illusttated in FIGURES 7--13, inclusive. Erec-@ tion is begun witl-i center c6lumn,20 @rovided with hoistin- equipment mounted ther-.on as shown in FIGURE S. 4() C@nter column 20 may be @made of two or more tele-scoping sections for convenience in storage@ and transportation. The hoisting equipment consists of a lower winch assembiv 62 secti.-ed,to the center co.umn at waist @height (thred to,,four feet from..Ithe bottom of the POIC) 4'a and a hcave support asse-tnbly 63 motnted at the top of the colunm Winch assembly 62 comprises a pair of winches 65 and 66 mounted on opposite,sides of the column on a @common shaft 67 vvhich is jbur@ialed bn the: column and to which: a crank 6@ is c@n-.lected. Each 50 of the winches cariles suitable cable - C for th@; h6isting operation; a third cable Cl; b6ing@ connectable to winch 65 to operate an alternate hoist. Sheave @upport'a . ssembly 63 comprises an inverted L-sh . aped arm:70 sup@ I and 74. The low@r pait of arm 70 rests on the toDcolumn 20 and a plu,- 75 secured@ to -the forniet extend.s into the upper portion of colum-@i 20 t6 secure the arm thereto for pivotal movement @ a@out- the@ a@is -of column :20. Cables C @extend from v7inches 65 and 66, respe.ctively, through doi-ible sheaves 73 and 74 @ and connect to- hoisting bloel-s B. The alte.--nate cable C'@ extends throu.-h single sheaves 72 and 71 for, conn-.ction to a lifting hook H. Center col@=n-20 with wiiich.assenibly 62 and sheave support 63' m6unted thereon -and with@yoke 48 secured to its lower end is raised to an upriaht position on center. plate 26 as sl@own in FIGURI:-: -@. ihe.hoist cables, preferably are engaged with the@@regv@ctive s@eaves but fo-r, the sake 6f clarity certain @of the cables are omitit6d from the drawings. An upp-er yoke 78 -h6@vn in - the elevated positio-n in FIGUR'E 10, is slida@l ted n y moun 0 the cent er cblunin directlv above @ri@ch @isse-mbly,- 62 either by assemblying it on-- the cc)lumn ot b-y -predisposing it thereon prior to erection 6f the colum@@ @y9ke ;3)181,649 4 78 @has four clevises equally angularly spaced thereon, tw6 of which are shown at 79 in FIGURE 10. The -two side members @of each of,the twb A-frames 10a and 10b - are pivotally connected to clevises 79 on yoke 78 as shown in FII--URE 7. By means of one of the cables C and blocks B, yolce 79 is lifted -to the top of coluxnn 20 and,the Afmmes 10a and 10b assume the position shown in FIGURE 9. Yoke@ 78 is secured in this upper positi6n shown in FIGURE 10 by a bolt 81 which extends through the yoke and column. Column 20 extends abo,-,ie yol,,e 78 sufficiently to permit sections of the platforrn to -be clamped thereto. Corner pldtes 28 are placed under the side members of the, A-fraiiies aftei the a(ijustalble ball menibers 52 have 'been, inserted in the latter,' thereby making a ball and socket @connpotion between.these parts. Diagonal members 30 and tension rods 31 complete the connection of the &omer i)ldtes@28 to center p' late, 26 and to t,hemselVesasshowninF'IGUREll T@b,, h@seftibi @ 6i pyram yidal frame 10 is then complete. Th6 side iii6mbers cif A-frames 15a and 15b, see FICT'URE 12, of @pyramidal frame 15 are @onnected at their divergent ends to clevis platt@s 41 on platform secfions 32 and 34, respectively, and are connected at their oppos@ite ends to yoke 48 @t the bottoin of column 20. Clevis p'lates 42 are bblted to the:corners of platform se6tions 32 and 34 and proj6ct,,uut,wardly th6refrom for ultimale' c6nnections 'to floor sections 3@3 and 735 Added later. The hoisting mecha@nism iitilizingboth winches 65 and 66, double shea-Nies 73 and 74, and b@locks B, is connected -as @shown in FIGURE 12 to the upper parts @of the A-frames 15a and 15b and the latter are pivoted upwardly @boi,it base plat6 -26 'until the inner ;ends of floor sectibns,32 and 34 abut t'h@ top of the center column heig'iits @ of 25 -'Leet or moro aboye the @ground. 3,51 20 immed,iatelyab,ove yoke 713. T'ihe inne@r ends of floor An im@ortant feattire of this tower construction is sections 32 and 3,4 - are provided with, clarrips 83 and '94 which@ar e bolted together around column@ , 20 to secuie frame 15 @nd these floor sections iii place., - The @6maini ng floor sections 33 and 35 are lifted, prek6ra bly one at a@ time, see FIGUR E 13,, by the @hoistin g mechani sm to the plane of the platform each section is bolted to cli,-Niis - plates 42, and to adj@een i: platfidrn @. sections,, and the floor @trivs @38, are @ddled t6 complet e the platfo,rm . There,af ter sheave support asserii,bl 63 and y c a b l e s a r e r e m o v e d a n d c l a m ] p p l a t e 4 5 i s s e c u r e d t o t - h e l f - our flobr sections at the cent,-r of the platform to compl@te the - structure. Chan.- es,, modific @ations and improve ments may be made to the abovedescribe d towei without departin g from the spirit -and sc e of e invi--ntion. The appended op @c @ claims describe th. ventt onsistent with the advance it'hasmadetothe,@rt. ic I faini: 1. A collapsibl e tow6r adapted to support objects at porting sing'@e sheaves 71 and 72@and doulblesheaves -73 ,,5,,5: @levate d positions above@ a suppoitin g surface comprisi ng a first frame havmg side member s suppofte d by said slirfac@ @and @icoveri n-g to*ard 6ach from a _plane containin iz the ends of the m6mber s in a vertical d@irectio-n, 60 a secon d frame havin @ side members suppo rted by the @surface wfthin said first frame and d,iverging from said plane and from@;each 6ther in a v6rtical dire'rtion, and a platfor m suppo rted by said firame s, at an elevat ed posi6 tion,@ ablove the surfac e. said 'platfo rm compr ising a @plur ality of sectio ns detac hablv c6nne cted to each other and to said frame s. 2. A c o l l a l r ) s i b l e t o @ v e i @ @ a v i i i g a v e r t i c a l a x i s a n d a d a p t e d to support--objects at@elevated@-posiii6ns@ ab6ve @a -surface 76 compirising a@.firstcodxial irame,havini side members supported@by t,he stirface an@- coiivergihg towa@d each other from a plane contairtiiii,y ihe 6nd of the members and toward said axis in, a@ veriical direction a,@econd, c6a@dal frame having@side mem@bers suppoyted 75
31181,649 5 by the surface within said first frame and divergin.from said plane and from each other in a vertical di,rection and, a platform supported by said frames at an elevated position above the surface, said platform compnsing 5 a plurality of similar sections detachefbly connected to each ot-her and to said frames. 3. acollapsibletowerhavingaverticalaxisandadapted to support objects at elevated positions above a surface comprising 10 first coaxial frame having side members supported on the surface and converging toward each other and toward said axis in a vertical direction, second coaxial frame having side members supported on the surface within said first frame and diverging 15 from each other in a vertical direction, platfA3rm supported by said frames at an elevated position above the surface, said platform comprisin,a a plurality of simflar sections detachably connected to each other and to said frames, and 20 first coaxial means adjacent to said platform pivotally connected to the side members of said first frame and second coaxial means adjacent to said surface pivotally connected to the side mem-bers of second frame. 4. A collapsible tower adapted to be supported on a sur- 25 face and having a vertical axis coniprising a coaxial column, @a first @yramidal frame having,coaxially @arranged side menibers supported by the surface and converging from a plane contain-ing the ends of the members 50 @in a vertical direction to a connection with said column at a predetermined distance about -the surface, a second pyramidal f@rame having coaxially arranged side members connected to said col@timn a the intersection of the latter with said plane and divergin.- 35 @froin said plane and from each other in a vertical direc@tion, means of detachably connecting adjacent members of t,he first and second frames -intermediate the surface and said predetermined distance thereabove, and 40 a platform at sal predetermined distance a ove surface, comprising a plurality of substantia@lly identical sections arranged symmetrically a@bout said axis and detachably connected together, 45 each section being connected to a pair of side members of -the second pyramidal frame and to said central column. 5. A collapsible tower adapted to support objects at an elevated posit-ion above a surface comprising 50 vertical column supported on the surface, first pyramidal frame having four side members supported by the surface at positions substantially spaced from said column and from each other and converging in a vertical direction toward each other from a ti5 plane containing the ends of the members to a connection with said column at a predetermined heigbt above the surface, rig-id means connecting each of said side members to said column at said plane, 60 a second pyramidal frame having four side mem@bers connected to said column at said plane and d,' verging from said plane and from each other in the vertical direction, means for interconnecting adjacent side members of r,5 said first and second frames, respectively, intermediately of the surface and the elevated position, and a rectangular platiorm at said elevated position comprising four substantially identical triangula rly-shaped 70 sections connected at their inner comers to said column above the side members of t@he first pyramidal frame, each of said sections being supported at its otiter corners on two of the side members of the second pyramidal frame. 75 6. A collapsible tower comprising a center column supported on and projecting vertically from a supporting surface, a first pair of A-frames on opposite sides of the column pivotally connected at the convergent ends thereof to the column remote from the suppotring surface, said frames being supported at their divergent ends on a a said surface with the plane of each frame forming a downwardly opening angle with the column, second pair of A-frames on opposite sides of said column with the convergent ends thereof pivotally connected to the column adjacent to the supporting surface, the plane of each frame of said second pair of frames extending transversely of the planes of the first pair of frames, platform, and means for connecting said platform to the divergent ends of the second pair of frames and to the center column directly above the connection to the latter of the first pair of frames. 7. A tower aclapted to support objects at a predeterrnined height above a supporting surface comprising a center plate on said surface, a center column engaging said plate and extending vertically therefrom, four comer plates on said supporting surface equally spaced from and rigidly secured to said center plate, a first pyramidal frame having two pairs of side merabers engaging said corner plates, respectively, said membersconverging toward each other and toward the column in a vertical direction, an Lipper yoke releasably secured to said column substantially at said predetermined height above the surface, means for pivotally connecting said side members to said yoke, transverse brace interconnecting the side members of each of said pairs of members at substantially onehalf of said predetermined height above said surface, lower yoke secured to said column adjacent to the center plate, second pyramidal frame having two pairs of side members pivotally connected to said second yoke, the last named members diverging fromeach:other and from the column in a vertical direction, transverse brace interconnecting the side members of each pair of members in the second pyramidal frame at substantially one-half of said predetermined height above said surface, means for releasably connecting each pair of adjacent side members of the first and second frames, respectively, adjacent to said braces, and a platform extending transversely of the column at said predetermined height above the surface, said platform comprising four triangular shaped sections releasably secured together, each section being secured at one corner thereof to the column above said upper yoke and being secured at the remaining corners thereof to two of the side members, respectively, of the second pyramidal frame, 8. The tower according to claim 7 in which each corner plate is formed with a socket, each of said side members of the first pyramidal frame having a ball member adjustably secured at the lower end thereof and enga.-eable in the socket of the associated comer plate. 9. The method of erecting a vertical platform tower on a supporting surface consisting of the steps of removably connecting hoisting apparatus to one end of an elon.-ated column, supporting the column vertically on said surface with the hoisting equipmert at the top thereof, disposing a first pair of converging support frames on opposite sides of the bottom of the column and pivot-
3,19:1,64b ally and. slidably@ connecting tlie' convergent ends., thereof'to,the column, hoisting the convergent ends of-s@id frames to @L predeterniined height above - the surface and locking -the frames to the column whereby the planes of the frames diverge from the column to the supporting surface, disposing a second pair of,converging support frames on opposite sides of the.,@colunin between the first pair of frames and pivotally cbnnec@ting the conveigent ends of the -former to the @ lower end of tht, column, each frame of.the s@cond pair of frames having a @platform section connected to th6 divergent end, thereof and projerting.transver ely u ardly of the plane PW thereof, pivotally hoisting the second pair of frames about the low-er, end. of the c6lumji untfl the platform sections engage -the@@column directly ab6ve the first pair of frames. wherdby the planes of the second pair of frames converge from the sectioins to the lower end of the column, clamping the pl atform sections to the column, hoisting tw6 similar platform sections to said predetermined height above the surfdc6 dnd@ r-onnecting the same t6 opposite sides of the other platf,orm sections, and. removing the hoisting equipment from the top of the column. 10. The m@thod of-. ere6ting a vertical platforrn towei on a supportina surface consisting of@the steps of supporting an el6ngaied column' verti&zilly ofi said surface, pivotally and slidably connecting the ends of a first pair of suppbrt frames to @ot)po@ite sides of the column, hoisting the connected ends oi said franies to a prede@'termined height above @-th@@ @urfa6e locking the frames to the column, pin@otdlly connecting the ends of a second pair of support frames to the lower end -of the column, 10 each frame of the second pair of @ fratnes having a plat7 i form section connected to the ehd remote @frorn the column and projecting transversely upwardly of the plane there6f, pivoting the second pair of frames about the lower end 15 of the column until the:platform sections engage the column direct,ly above the first pair of frames, clamping the platform sections to the column and connecting other similar pl@tform sections to said first named platform sections 20 References Cited by the@Examiner: UNITED@ STATES PATENTS 967,803@ 8/10 Mercer --@ ------ ---- 182-179 X 12/14 Osenbur h ------ 189@12 X 25 11119,631 g@ 1,231,823' 7/17 Weasler .189-187 X - - - - - - - - - - HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiiier. REINALDO P. MACHADO,: CHARLES E. O'CON30 NELL Exan7iners.
