US 11,884,520 B2
Mobile tower crane systems and methods
Anthony Jason Harms, Hockley, TX (US); Travis Miller, Houston, TX (US); and Robert Benjamin Donnally, Houston, TX (US)
Assigned to National Oilwell Varco, L.P., Houston, TX (US)
Filed by National Oilwell Varco, L.P., Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Dec. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/553,119.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/128,540, filed on Dec. 21, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0194753 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. B66C 23/18 (2006.01); B66C 13/18 (2006.01); B66C 23/36 (2006.01)
CPC B66C 23/185 (2013.01) [B66C 13/18 (2013.01); B66C 23/36 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tower crane for assembling a wind turbine, comprising:
a boom assembly comprising a boom and a hoisting block coupled to the boom;
an extendable tower assembly comprising a plurality of tower sections; and
a transport assembly comprising a central support frame coupled to the tower assembly, a plurality of independently self-propelled transporters configured to transport the tower crane, and a plurality of diagonal braces extending between the central support frame and the plurality of transporters, wherein each of the plurality of diagonal braces comprises a linear actuator positioned along the diagonal brace and configured to selectably extend and retract the diagonal brace.