US Patent Issued to National Oilwell Varco on April 21 for "Top-loading tower crane systems and associated methods" (Texas Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 21 -- United States Patent no. 12,606,423, issued on April 21, was assigned to National Oilwell Varco LP (Houston).

"Top-loading tower crane systems and associated methods" was invented by Anthony Jason Harms (Hockley, Texas), Travis Miller (Houston) and Robert Benjamin Donnally (Houston).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A tower crane for performing a lifting a load includes an extendable tower assembly having a central axis and including a plurality of separate tower sections, a climbing assembly including a climbing frame positioned on the tower assembly and a latching assembly to transport the climbing assembly vertically along the tower assembly, and a boom assembly at...