Tripod foundation transmission tower reinforcement

1. A tripod reinforcement beam comprising a body defined by:

a top face comprising a substantially planar top surface;

a bottom face comprising a substantially planar bottom surface that is substantially parallel to the top face, the bottom face comprising a shape substantially similar to the top face and being aligned beneath the top face;

a rear face disposed substantially perpendicularly between a rear edge of the top face and a rear edge of the bottom face, the rear face comprising:

a first substantially planar rear face portion;

a second substantially planar rear face portion; and

an angled rear face portion that is disposed between the first substantially planar rear face portion and the second substantially planar rear face portion such that the first substantially planar rear face portion is oriented at an angle relative to the second substantially planar rear face portion; and

a front face disposed between a front edge of the top face and a front edge of the bottom face, the front face comprising:

a first substantially planar front face portion that is oriented parallel to the first substantially planar rear face portion; and

a second substantially planar front face portion that is oriented parallel to the second substantially planar rear face portion.

2. The tripod reinforcement beam of claim 1 , wherein the angle is approximately 120 degrees.

3. The tripod reinforcement beam of claim 1 , wherein the first substantially planar rear face portion, the second substantially planar rear face portion and the angled rear face portion comprise a continuous rear plate.

4. The tripod reinforcement beam of claim 3 , wherein the first substantially planar front face portion comprises a first front plate and the second substantially planar front face portion comprises a second front plate.

5. The tripod reinforcement beam of claim 4 , wherein the body is hollow, and the front face further comprises an angled front face portion disposed between the first front plate and the second front plate, the angled front face portion comprising a void providing access to an internal space of the body.

6. The tripod reinforcement beam of claim 5 , wherein the first substantially planar rear face portion comprises one or more first rear apertures and the second substantially planar rear portion comprises one or more second rear apertures.

7. The tripod reinforcement beam of claim 6 , wherein the first front plate comprises one or more first front apertures and the second front plate comprises one or more second front apertures.

8. The tripod reinforcement beam of claim 7 , wherein the one or more first rear apertures are aligned with the one or more first front apertures.

9. The tripod reinforcement beam of claim 7 , wherein the body forms a single contiguous piece.

10. A transmission tower base with a reinforced tripod comprising:

a first, second, and third tripod arm each positioned to extend away from a central point such that each adjacent pair of tripod arms forms an approximately 120-degree angle, each of the first, second and third tripod arms respectively comprising:

a top plate;

a bottom plate positioned in parallel to the top plate; and

a tripod web comprising a substantially planar plate joining the top plate and the bottom plate at a substantially central axis of the top plate and the bottom plate, the tripod web having a first side and a second side;

an upper securing member positioned on top of the top plates of each of the first, second, and third tripod arms about the central point;

three lower support members, each lower support member being positioned beneath the bottom plate of a respective one of the first, second, and third tripod arms;

a first tripod reinforcement beam secured to the first tripod arm and the second tripod arm;

a second tripod reinforcement beam secured to the first tripod arm and the third tripod arm; and

a third tripod reinforcement beam secured to second tripod arm and the third tripod arm.

11. The transmission tower base with a reinforced tripod of claim 10 , wherein the first tripod reinforcement beam comprises:

a rear surface secured to the first side of the tripod web of the first tripod arm and the first side of the tripod web of the second tripod arm;

a top surface secured to the top plate of the first tripod arm and the top plate of the second tripod arm; and

a bottom surface secured to the bottom plate of the first tripod arm and the bottom plate of the second tripod arm.

12. The transmission tower base with a reinforced tripod of claim 10 , wherein the upper securing member is secured to the one or more tripod reinforcement beams.

13. The transmission tower base with a reinforced tripod of claim 10 , wherein a lower support member of the three lower support members is secured to one of the three tripod members.

14. The transmission tower base with a reinforced tripod of claim 10 , wherein:

a first portion of a first tripod reinforcement beam is bolted to the tripod web of the first tripod arm and a first portion of a second tripod reinforcement beam; and

a second portion of the first tripod reinforcement beam is bolted to the tripod web of the second tripod arm and a first portion of a third tripod beam.

15. The transmission tower base with a reinforced tripod of claim 14 , wherein a second portion of the second tripod reinforcement beam is bolted to the tripod web of the third tripod arm and a second portion of the third tripod beam.

16. The transmission tower base with a reinforced tripod of claim 10 , wherein one or more seams between the first, second, and third tripod reinforcement beams and the first, second, and third tripod arms are coated with protective coating or sealant.

17. A method of reinforcing a tripod with a tripod reinforcement beam comprising:

determining locations for a plurality of apertures associated with a respective tripod web of a first, second and third tripod arm;

creating the plurality of apertures at the respective determined locations in the tripod webs of the first, second and third tripod arms;

placing a first tripod reinforcement beam into a first concave space formed by a first side of the first tripod arm and a first side of the second tripod arm such that apertures of a rear surface of the first tripod reinforcement beam align with apertures of the tripod webs of the first and second tripod arms;

placing a second tripod reinforcement beam into a second concave space formed by a second side of the first tripod arm and a first side of the third tripod arm such that apertures of a rear surface of the second tripod reinforcement beam align with apertures of the tripod webs of the first and third tripod arms;

placing a third tripod reinforcement beam into a third concave space formed by a second side of the second tripod arm and a second side of the third tripod arm such that apertures of a rear surface of the third tripod reinforcement beam align with apertures of the tripod webs of the second and third tripod arms; and

securing the first tripod reinforcement beam to the first and second tripod arms, the second tripod reinforcement beam to the first and third tripod arms and the third tripod reinforcement beam to the second and third tripod arms.

18. The method of claim 17 , where determining locations for a plurality of apertures associated with the tripod web of the first tripod arm comprises:

placing the first tripod reinforcement beam into the first concave space such that a portion of the rear surface of the first tripod reinforcement beam abuts the tripod web of the first tripod arm; and

marking a surface of the tripod web of the first tripod arm at locations that align with one or more apertures of the portion of the rear surface of the first tripod reinforcement beam.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising creating one or more apertures in a portion of the rear surface of the second tripod reinforcement beam by:

placing the second tripod reinforcement beam into the second concave space such that the portion of the rear surface of the second tripod reinforcement beam abuts the tripod web of the first tripod arm; and

inserting hole-making device through the apertures of the tripod web of the first tripod arm and through the rear surface of the second tripod reinforcement beam.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising coating one or more seams of the first, second, and third tripod reinforcement beams and the first, second, and third tripod arms with a protective coating or sealant.