AU700430B2

AU700430B2 - Erection of bridge signs

Info

Publication number: AU700430B2
Application number: AU14945/97A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ian Ibrahim; Valdis Svars
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-02-27
Filing date: 1997-02-27
Publication date: 1999-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 2017-02-27
Also published as: AU1494597A

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFCATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

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00 Name of Applicant: Ian Ibrahim AND Valdis Svars Actual Inventors: Ian Ibrahim and Valdis Svars Address for Service: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE, Patent Attorneys, I Little Collins Street, Melbou~rne, 3000.

Invention Title: Erection of bridge signs Details of Associated Provisional Application(s) No(s): PN8293/96 filed 27 February, 1996.

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performinig it known to us: Q~oPERW.SHIMAINLOn 26r2.W P:\OPERRSH 1-N8293.SPE 29/10M -2- ERECTION OF BRIDGE SIGNS The present invention relates to the erection of signs, and more particularly to the erection of signs, such as advertising signs, on bridges.

Advertising and other signs installed on the external structure of a bridge over a carriageway or the like so as to be visible to traffic passing along the carriageway conventionally require the use of cranes and other equipment operating from the level of the carriageway. However this may not be acceptable to the appropriate Transport Authority if it becomes necessary to block or partially block the carriageway during erection of the sign.

Likewise, cranes operating from the level of the bridge to install the sign can result in blockage of the carriageway across the bridge which may also be unacceptable.

|According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided A trolley for use 15 in erecting a generally vertical frame to the outside of a bridge, said trolley being movable along the bridge inside of a boundary structure at a side of the bridge, said trolley comprising a chassis having wheels for supporting the trolley from the ground inside of the bridge inwardly of the boundary structure, said wheels being adjustable so as to permit the trolley selectively to traverse a rectilinear path or a curved path along the ground parallel to the boundary structure and the chassis being mounted from the wheels in such a manner as to permit height adjustment of the chassis relative to the wheels, a lateral beam carried by the chassis to project outwardly over the boundary structure of the bridge, means carried by the beam for supporting said frame from the beam, said frame being releasably attachable to the support means and said support means being movable into selected positions along said beam so as to locate the frame in a selected position relative to the outside of the bridge, at least one guide wheel engageable with an upper surface of the boundary structure, and at least one guide wheel engageable with a lateral surface of the boundary structure adjacent the upper surface, said guide wheels serving to provide guidance for the trolley from the boundary structure, and said guide wheels being adjustable in position relative to the chassis both horizontally and vertically, said trolley serving in use to wheel the frame to a selected position along the bridge to enable securement of the frame to the bridge in that position and decoupling from the trolley by release from the support means.

In a preferred embodiment, the guide wheel engageable with the upper surface of the boundary structure is carried by the beam and is movable into a selected position along the P:%OPER\RSH\PN8293.SPTE 252/9 -3beam and is also adjustable so as to traverse a rectilinear path or a curved path. Preferably, guidance from the lateral surface of the structure is obtained by fore and aft lateral guide wheels carried by structure movable vertically relative to the chassis and also mounted in a selected inclination so that the wheels can cooperate with a non-vertical side surface.

The beam may be adjustable in inclination relative to the horizontal, and the or each lateral guide wheel is preferably replaceable by wheels of different profiles so as to provide for better adaption to the profile of the lateral surface of the boundary structure of the particular bridge.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of erecting a frame to the outside of a bridge using two or more trolleys as defined above spaced along the length of the frame, said method comprising adjusting the trolleys to suit the characteristics of the bridge, attaching flt- frame to the beams of said trolleys at an accessible location on the bridge with the frame positioned outside of the bridge and the trolleys inside o the bridge, moving the frame across the bridge to the required location while supported by the trolleys, with the trolleys being guided by cooperation between the guide wheels and boundary structure of the bridge, securing the frame to the bridge, and removing the trolleys.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a frame module for erection at the front of a bridge; Figure 2 is a front elevation of a trolley for use in erecting the frame; Figure 3 is an end view of the trolley; Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of the trolley; Figure 5 is a section on line V-V of Figure 3; Figures 6A to 6E, illustrate schematically the sequence in the erection of a frame composed of three such frame modules.

With reference to the accompanying drawings, a sign for installation on the external P: OPER\RSH\PN8293.SP 252197 -4face of a bridge over a freeway, highway, or other roadway carrying a large volume of traffic so that the sign is visible to that traffic, comprises a supporting framework composed of a series of modules 2, one of which is shown in Figure 1, the modules 2 being assembled in side-by-side relation. Each module 2, which is of several metres in length, by way of example about eight metres in length, is suspended from a series of trolleys 4 wvhich run along the bridge inside of, but closely adjacent to, a railing, barrier or other boundary structure at the side of the carriageway across the bridge. The trolleys 4 are spaced along the length of the module 2 and the number of trolleys 4 required for each module 2 will depend upon the length of the module 2. However by way of illustration, for a typical module 2 of about eight metres in length, three trolleys 4 will be required approximately equally spaced along the length of the module 2. Each individual trolley 4 will now be described in detail.

As shown in Figures 2 to 5, each trolley 4 consists of a rigid chassis consisting of a main upright member 6 carrying at its lower end a horizontal memberS8 carrying fore and aft K 15 wheels 10 by which the trolley is supported. The wheels 10 are similar to the jockey wheels of a caravan and are each carried by a vertical tubular casing 12 having a manually -operated screw mechanism by which the height of the wheel 10 can be adjusted relative to the tubular casing 12. The tubular casing 12 is itself mounted within a clamping bracket 14 attached to 0*the end of the horizontal memnber 8. By releasing the clamp, the casing 12 can be swivelled about its axis whereby the wheel 10 will be correspondingly turned. This facility enables the two wheels 10 of the trolley to be set either in an "in-line" condition whereby the trolley will move along a rectilinear path, or at an inclination such that the two wheels 10 will "steer" the trolley so that it follows a desired curved path. The wheels 10 are locked in the desired orientation by tightening of the clamps. This facility is important as it facilitates use of the trolley not only withi bridges of which the carriageway is substantially straight, but also with bridges which have a carriageway which is Urved. The height adjustment for the wheels facilitates adjustment of the overall operating height of the trolley.

A frame suspension beam 16 is carried at the upper end of the upright member 6 of the chassis and is orientated so as to project laterally over the side barrier of the bridge. The

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1 1 j so sass tass aoooa ~o r as as s a a o n a as r a as frame module 2 is attached to the overhanging section of the beam 16 by being bolted to hangers 18 carried by the beam 16. The hangers 18 are movable along the beam 16 and are sec'lred in selected positions by appropriate clamps. Accordingly, the hangers 18 can be adjusted to accommodate frame modules 2 of different widths and also to position the module at a selected distance outwardly from the chassis of the trolley 4. This distance will be dependent on the characteristics of the bridge and also of the barrier at the side of the bridge.

Although, as shown, the beam 16 extends substantially horizontally, preferably provision is incorporated within the trolley for the beam 16 to be inclined upwardly or downwardly from the horizontal, a typical range of adjustment being plus or minus 150 from the horizontal so 10 as to permit further adjustment capabilities. As shown, the beam 16 is braced from the main upright member 6 of the chassis by a strut 20 and the adjustment in inclination just mentioned may be obtained by providing a series of bracing struts of different lengths, which are bolted into position between the chassis and beam 16.

Guidance of the trolley 4 is obtained by wheels 26,30 which cooperate, respectively, with the upper surface and inner side edge of the barrier at the side of the bridge. Where the barrier consists of a railing surmounted by a handrail 34 the wheel 26 cooperates with the upper surface 34a of the handrail 34 and the wheels 30 with the inner side 34b of the handrail 34 and it is this configuration which is illustrated in the drawings, although it will be appreciated that the trolley is suitable for use with any form of side barrier which is capable of providing an upper surface and side edge surface for cooperation with the wheels 26,30.

The wheels 30 for cooperation with the side edge surface of the handrail or other barrier structure consist of fore and aft wheels carried by a support assembly 36 mounted for movement along the main upright member 6 of the chassis and having a clamp whereby the support assembly 36 and hence the wheels 30 can be secured at a selected height along the upright member 6. Each of the wheels 30 is carried by a structure equivalent to that which carries the main trolley wheels 10 and comprising a tubular support casing 38 with a manually-operated screw mechanism whereby the wheel 30 can be moved inwardly or outwardly relative to the casing 38, each wheel 30 being individually adjustable. Also the support assembly 36 by which the two wheels 30 are mounted to the upright member 6 of the ~l~e I C_ I .I p PERRSHPN293 SPE 25/M7 -6chassis is not only movable upwardly and downwardly along the member 6 but can also pivot or rock about a horizontal axis through a restricted angle so that the axis of the support casings 38 can be orientated upwardly or downwardly relative to the horizontal to enable the wheels 30 to cooperate not only with a vertical side edge surface of the handrail or other side barrier of the bridge, but also an inclined side edge surface. This pivotal or rocking movement can be accommodated by providing a small amount of play between the support assembly 36 and the upright member 6. The clamp by which the support assembly 36 is secured in its selected position relative to the upright member 6 not only retains the support assembly 36 awd hence the wheels 30 at the selected height but also at the selected inclination.

10 The wheels 30 themselves may be mounted to permit easy replacement by different wheels i better adapted to suit the profile of the particular handrail or other edge barrier, for example by wheels with a concave profile for cooperation with a side edge surface which is convex rather than planar as illustrated.

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The beam 16 carries the wheel 26 which is adapted to run along the upper surface of the handrail or other side barrier. The wheel 26 extends from a tubular casing 40 having a manually-operated screw mechanism whereby the wheel 26 can be raised or lowered relative to the casing 40. The casing 40 is mounted to the beam 16 by means of a clamp assembly 42 which can be released to permit rotation of the casing 40 about its axis whereby to set the wheel 26 at an inclination as may be necessary if the trolley is to traverse a curved path. The clamp assembly 42 carrying the wheel 26 is also movable along the beam 16 into a selected position.

In use, each trolley 4 is set up to the configuration required to suit the bridge with which the trolleys are to be used. In particular the height of the chassis relative to the main support wheels 10 is appropriately adjusted by means of the screw adjustment mechanisms of the casings 12, and the main support wheels 10 are set so as to follow either a rectilinear path or a cuned path. Primarily the height adjustment of the chassis determines the height of the overhanging beam 16 and hence the vertical position of the frame module 2 at the outside of the bridge and, if required, further height adjustment can be obtained by inclining e 7 IIIL~ I P:\OPER\RSH\PN8293.SPE 25/2/97 -7the overhanging beam 16 to the horizontal by using struts 20 of different length. The height of the frame module 2 relative to the beam 16 can also be varied by mounting spacer blocks of different depths to the hangers 18. The support assembly 36 for the lateral guide wheels is adjusted along the main upright member 6 of the chassis so that the wheels 30 face the side of the handrail or other side barrier and the wheels 30 are extended to an appropriate distance to engage the inner side edge surface 34b. If the inner side edge surface is not exactly vertical, the support assembly 36 can be pivoted prior to clamping in its selected position so that the surfaces of the wheels are inclined correspondingly to the inclination of the side edge surface. The wheel 26 is also set to the required height to engage the upper 10 surface of the handrail or other edge barrier and the hangers 18 are moved along the bean 16 to the required position depending on the characteristics of the bridge and the width of the frame module 2.

oo o 00, The two or more trolleys 4 required for each frame module 2 are assembled to the 0 frame module 2 at one end of the bridge, with the trolleys 4 positioned on the bridge inside of the handrail or other side barrier and the frame module at the outside of the handrail or other side barrier (see Figure 6A). In a typical highway or freeway bridge situation, the end of the bridge will be adjacent banked ground to which access can be obtained without S"blocking the carriageway itself. The trolleys 4 with the frame module 2 attached are then rolled further towards the centre part of the bridge to a position at which a second frame module can be attached to a group of associated trolleys and also bolted to the first frame module (see Figure 61B). The two assembled frame modules can then be moved further towards the centre of the bridge to a position at which a third frame module can be assembled to a group of trolleys and bolted to the second frame module (see Figure 6C). The assembled frame consisting of the connected modules can then be moved along the bridge to the centre of the bridge to be secured to the bridge in the required position (see Figures 6D and 6E).

As will of course be apparent for shorter signs the entire frame may consist of only a single frame module or two frame modules, and for longer frames may consist of four or more modules.

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L- -q IC I P:\OPER\RSH\PN8293.SPE 25/2/97 -8- When the frame has been attached to the bridge structure, the frame is released from the trolleys 4 and the trolleys 4 are removed.

As will be apparent, apart from the initial assembly of the frame modules to the trolleys which takes place on banked ground or similar at an end of the bridge, the erection of the sign can take place from the bridge itself without the need to obtain access via the carriageway beneath the bridge. The trolleys do not project inwardly by a substantial distance from the railing or other side barrier of the bridge and, typically, may only occupy a small °part of the width of a pavement at the side of the bridge whereby passage of traffic over the bridge is not obstructed during erection of the sign.

I The embodiment has been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the invention.

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Claims

1. A trolley for use in erecting a generally vertical frame to the outside of a bridge, said trolley being movable along the bridge inside of a boundary structure at a side of the bridge, said trolley comprising a chassis having wheels for supporting the trolley from the ground inside of the bridge inwardly of the boundary structure, said wheels being adjustable so as to permit the trolley selectively to traverse a rectilinear path or a curved path along the ground parallel to the boundary structure and the chassis being mounted from the wheels in such a manner as to permit height adjustment of the chassis relative to the wheels, a lateral beam carried by the chassis to project outwardly over the boundary structure of the bridge, means 4 carried by the beam for supporting said frame from the beam, said frame being releasably attachable to the support means and said support means being movable into selected positions along said beam so as to locate the frame in a selected position relative to the outside of the oo bridge, at least one guide wheel engageable with an upper surface of the boundary structure, and at least one guide wheel engageable with a lateral surface of the boundary structure adjacent the upper surface, said guide wheels serving to provide guidance for the trolley from the boundary structure, and said guide wheels being adjustable in position relative to the chassis both horizontally and vertically, said trolley serving in use to wheel the frame to a selected position along the bridge to enable securement of the frame to the bridge in that position and de-coupling from the trolley by release from the support means.

2. A trolley according to claim 1, wherein the guide wheel engageable with the upper surface of the boundary structure is carried by the beam and is movable into a selected position along the beam and is also adjustable so as to traverse a rectilinear path or a curved path.

3. A trolley according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein guidance from the lateral surface of the boundary structure is obtained by fore and aft lateral guide wheels carried by a support means movable vertically relative to the chassis.

4. A trolley according to claim 3, wherein the lateral guide wheels are mounted for movement into a selected inclination so that the wheels can cooperate with a non-vertcal lateral surface of the boundary structure.

A trolley according to claim 4, wherein the chassis comprises a vertical support P:\OP'ER\R.SH\PN9293.SPE 29/10/98 member and said support for the lateral guide wheels is movable into a selected position along said vertical support member and is capable of rocking movement relative to the support member whereby to adjust the inclination of the lateral guide wheels.

6. A trolley according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the or each lateral guide wheel is replaceable by wheels of different profiles adapted to the profile of the lateral surface of the boundary structure of the particular bridge.

7. A trolley according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the beam is adjustable in inclination relative to the horizontal.

8. A trolley according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the boundary structure includes a handrail and the respective guide wheels engage an upper surface and a lateral surface of the handrail.

9. A trolley substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying .0.00. drawings. A method of erecting a generally vertical frame to the outside of a bridge using two or more trolleys as claimed in any one of claims i to 9 spaced along the length of the frame, said method comprising adjusting the trolleys to suit the characteristics of the bridge, attaching the frame to the beams of said trolleys at an accessible location on the bridge with the frame positioned outside of the bridge and the trolleys inside the bridge, moving the frame across the bridge to the required location while supported by the trolleys, with the trolleys being guided by cooperation between. the guide wheels and boundary structure of the bridge, securing the frame to the bridge, and removing the trolleys. DATED this 29th day of October, 1998. IAN IBRAHIM and VALDIS SVARS By their Patent Attorneys: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE I ABSTRACT A trolley for use in erecting a frame to the outside of a bridge, said trolley being I movable along the bridge inside of a boundary structure at a side of the bridge, said trolley comprising a chassis having wheels for supporting the trolley from the ground inside of the Gridge, said wheels being adjustable so as to permit the trolley selectively to traverse a rectilinear path or a curved path and the chassis being mounted from the wheels in such a i~e. manner as to permit height adjustment of the chassis relative to the wheels, a lateral beam carried by the chassis to project outwardly over the boundary structure of the bridge, means carried by the beam for supporting a frame from the beam, said frame being releasably attachable to the support means and said support means being movable into selected positions along said beam, at least one guide wheel engageable with an upper surface of the boundary V structure, and at least one guide wheel engageable with a lateral surface of the boundary structure, said guide wheels serving to provide guidance for the trolley from the boundary structure, and said guide wheels being adjustable in position relative to the chassis both horizontally and vertically.