A new type of tower crane which could transform its tower body is presented. The inclined tower crane body can be tilted at some angle, which suits the construction of buildings with inclined architectural outlines, especially for the construction of bridge towers. The working principle and the design of the critical components are presented, two adjustable anchorages could pull the tower body section beneath the top anchorage closer to the construction region, and the related section of the tower body could change from vertical to inclined, while the free section of the tower body remains vertical. Finite element analysis is performed to compare with the traditional tower crane, the difference of the reaction force of the top anchorage is minor. Kinematic and dynamic analysis is carried out to simulate the working process of tilting, mechanical and kinematic parameters of key parts are obtained. At last, the experiment of a full-scale tower crane which could tilt 6° is carried out, and the experimental data validate the feasibility of this new type of tower crane.
© 2022. The Author(s).