IP Library Granted Patent US 12,486,689
Granted Patent B2
US 12,486,689 · App. 18/151,139 · Granted Dec 2, 2025

Elevated tank tower

Inventors: Benjamin Johnston (Henderson, KY); Martin G. Smith (Henderson, KY)
Assignee: PITTSBURG TANK & TOWER GROUP
E04H12/30E03B11/12E04H12/12E04H12/342
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,486,689
App. No.
18/151,139
Granted
Dec 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An elevated tank tower includes a foundation, and a support structure including a plurality of stacked segments. One or more of the plurality segment is unitarily constructed from precast concrete configured to extend around the entirety of an outer perimeter of the support structure. Each of the stacked segments is connected to an adjacent segment with one or more spanning plates connected to the adjacent segments. A superstructure is positioned atop of the support structure and operably connected to an uppermost segment of the plurality of segments. A containment tank is positioned atop the superstructure.

Claims (15)

1 . A method of manufacturing an elevated tank tower, the method comprising the steps of:

pouring a concrete foundation;

casting a plurality of substantially identical ring segments;

stacking a lowermost segment of the plurality of substantially identical ring segments on the foundation and connecting the lowermost segment to the foundation;

sequentially stacking one or more intermediate segments of the plurality of substantially identical ring segments on the lowermost segment and connecting each intermediate segment to an adjacent segment until an uppermost segment of the plurality of substantially identical ring segments is stacked to thereby form a substantially cylindrical support structure;

providing a superstructure which is operably connected to the uppermost segment; and

providing a containment tank which is connected to an upper surface of the superstructure.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the segments are connected to the adjacent segment with spanning plates bolted to the segments after the segment is stacked.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the segments are connected to the adjacent segment with spanning plates welded to mounting plates installed in the segments when the segments are cast.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein before stacking each segment, horizontal members are installed across an internal space of the segment, the horizontal members connecting different points of an internal surface of segment.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lowermost segment is bolted to the foundation.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lowermost segment is connected to the foundation with one or more angle plates bolted to the lowermost segment and the foundation.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lowermost segment is connected to the foundation with one or more mounting plates embedded in the lowermost segment and one or more anchor chairs each welded to one of the one or more mounting plates, each of the one or more anchor chairs bolted to the foundation.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the containment tank has a capacity of about 60,000 gallons to about 300,000 gallons.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of each of the plurality of substantially identical ring segments is about 12 feet to about 16 feet, and wherein a height of each of the plurality of substantially identical ring segments is between about 6 feet and about 8 feet.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 13, 2023
From: JOHNSTON, BENJAMIN; SMITH, MARTIN G.
To: PITTSBURG TANK & TOWER GROUP
Reel/Frame 063311/0941 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63297487 · Jan 7, 2022
Related Publication 20230220698A1 · Jul 13, 2023
References Cited (41)
US 1947515A · Blackburn · 1934 [cited by applicant]
US 3363795A · Stuart, III · 1968 [cited by examiner]
US 4068482A · Hilfiker · 1978 [cited by applicant]
US 4660336A · Cazaly et al. · 1987 [cited by applicant]
US 5029426A · Larson et al. · 1991 [cited by applicant]
US 5131201A · Larson et al. · 1992 [cited by applicant]
US 5491948A · Harris · 1996 [cited by applicant]
US 6318034B1 · Zavitz · 2001 [cited by examiner]
US 6739469B1 · Kim · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 7739843B2 · Cortina-Cordero · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7770343B2 · Montaner Fraguet et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 8261510B2 · Johnson et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8505244B2 · Gomez et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8555600B2 · Cortina-Cordero et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8720161B2 · Herrius de Roest · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8734705B2 · Knox et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8950149B2 · Stahl · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9169831B2 · Arlaban Gabeiras et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9187921B1 · Neighbors · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 9441389B2 · Shiomi et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 10138648B2 · Zavitz · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 10435913B2 · Zavitz · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10676889B2 · Corella et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 11168457B2 · Betz et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11332952B2 · Porm · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11629698B2 · Garcia De La Pena Razquin · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20110146181A1 · Traulsen et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20150252580A1 · Hangel · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20160348391A1 · Zavitz et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20220298820A1 · Madsen · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230220698A1 · Johnston · 2023 [cited by examiner]
CS 228187B1 · 1984 [cited by applicant]
FR 2038453A5 · 1971 [cited by applicant]
GB 1287156A · 1972 [cited by applicant]
SU 554390A1 · 1977 [cited by applicant]
WO 2013098086A1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
WO 2019002096A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020239587A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
United States Patent and Trademark Office, International Search Report and Written Opinion issued in corresponding Application No. PCT/US2023/060221, mailed Apr. 14, 2023. [cited by applicant]
DN Tanks, Our Tanks, 2016, dntanks.com. [cited by applicant]
NPCA, Precast Concrete Towers Over the Competition, 2014, precast.org. [cited by applicant]