EP0046700B1 - Automatic means for connecting at the top or bottom face two lapped bridge elements, and method therefor - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is located in the technical field of fixed or floating bridges and more precisely means for hooking two bridge elements together.

Many devices have already been proposed in this area. Thus, there is known from French patent No. 2158618 a device for assembling two clapboard bridge elements, that is to say in which the two elements to be assembled are superimposed at their ends. This device comprises a ball suspended from a muffled chain to assemble the two elements as well as spherical pins of fixed and projecting centering engaging in funnels. Locking is effected by an annex set of hooks actuated by jacks.

The main function of this device is to pick up and drop off a bridge element and requires manual intervention for the positioning of the gripping balls. In certain cases of use, the centering pins which do not erase may be subject to deterioration.

German patent 1 124383 describes a device for assembling two bridge elements end to end and requires a manual operation of fitting the locking hooks.

Other devices are also known to be used on crossing machines.

But all these devices include, depending on the types of stirrups, forks, hooks, mechanical or hydraulic spindles serving both as an assembler and as a locker.

These devices are not always protected from dirt and are sometimes subject to significant deterioration during the passage of vehicles. These problems make it difficult to unlock and disassemble the bridge elements. In addition, most of these devices are only installed manually, some being semi-automatic, however.

The patent FR 1 592501 shows, in one embodiment, spans of amphibious vehicles used independently of the vehicles as follwing bridge elements. However, these spans must be coupled while respecting a coupling direction since only one end of the span has a coupling element on its upper part while the other end has a coupling element on its lower part. As a result, the attachment of two elements is complicated since if an element is presented upside down, it must first be turned over before it can be hung on a second element.

One of the aims of the present invention is to provide a hooking device making it possible to hold assembled and locked one on the other bridge elements (assembly called clapboard) such as: gangways, spans, ramps from supports fixed or floating in order to produce a structure making it possible to clear any type of breach by vehicles, while avoiding the drawbacks presented by the prior devices.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the implementation times of a bridge by the installation of an automatic locking after assembly.

The invention also aims to ensure the continuity of the raceway formed by the various assembled elements as well as to allow the assembly of elements all identical and without particularization.

Another object of the invention is to allow blunt assembly, that is to say by superimposition of the ends of the elements, either on the upper surface of an element, or on its lower surface depending on the circumstances and this, without having to modify or adapt each element according to the chosen positioning.

The subject of the invention is therefore a fixed or floating bridge element comprising an automatic device to allow two clap bridge elements to be hooked together, either on the lower surface or on the upper surface, characterized in that the 'lower bridge element can become upper bridge element and vice versa, that the device comprises on each end of each bridge element in combination at least a first flap (2) on the upper surface of the bridge element and at least one second flap (3) on the underside of the element, each flap being hinged at (4) on the bridge element so that it opens opposite the end of the element on which it is arranged, the lower (2) and upper (3) flaps being arranged on each bridge element at equal distance from the front front part of the element and determining between this front front part and their position a free end of the element, the free end of each of the two elements to be assembled venan t lay out, with the upper surface of one against the lower surface of the other, and in combination with the flaps (2) and (3), a means of moving the flaps (6, 9, 10) lower and upper surfaces and locking means (16, 17) of the first flap on the first bridge element and of the second flap on the second bridge element.

According to other features of the invention, the combined displacement means of the two flaps of an element is constituted by a hydraulic cylinder whose body is fixed to the internal part of one of the two flaps and whose arm is articulated on the front part of each of the two flaps by means of two connecting rods while the locking means is constituted on the first bridge element by at least one pair of locking finger locks controlled by any suitable means such as electrical, electromagnetic means or hydraulics arranged on each flap of the first element and engaging in corresponding yokes of the second bridge element, so as to make the flaps participate in the inertia of the bridge element in particular by the locking of two flaps located on the stretched or compressed fibers of the element under load, whether for an element used alone or assembled with another element.

• - on ouvre les volets de deux éléments de pont selon l'invention,
• - on positionne les deux éléments de ponts à clin de telle sorte que des pions de guidage du volet d'extrados du premier élément (respectivement d'intrados du second élément) viennent se loger dans des logements creux de la partie frontale de l'extrémité libre du deuxième élément (respectivement du premier élément).
• - on resserre les volets de chaque élément au moyen de leurs vérins de déplacement et on actionne les doigts de verrouillage de chaque volet.

The subject of the invention is also a method of automatic blunt assembly of two bridge elements, the steps of which are as follows:

• the flaps of two bridge elements according to the invention are opened,
• - the two clapboard bridge elements are positioned so that the guide pins of the upper surface flap of the first element (respectively of the lower surface of the second element) are housed in hollow housings in the front part of the end free of the second element (respectively of the first element).
• - The shutters of each element are tightened by means of their displacement cylinders and the locking fingers of each shutter are actuated.

• La figure 1 représente en vue de côté un élément de pont selon l'invention dont la partie centrale ainsi que les extrémités libres ont été tronquées de façon à montrer à une échelle suffisante les moyens de l'invention.
• La figure 2 représente en vue de côté les extrémités libres de deux éléments de ponts selon l'invention assemblées dans une première configuration permise par l'invention.
• La figure 3 représente également en vue de côté une autre configuration d'assemblage des deux éléments de pont selon l'invention.
• La figure 4 montre de côté les volets d'intrados et d'extrados en position fermée.
• Les figures 5 et 6 montrent les mêmes volets dans deux autres positions: volet d'extrados ouvert pour la figure 5 et volet d'intrados ouvert pour la figure 6.
• La figure 7 montre une vue de face en coupe de deux éléments assemblés et verrouillés tandis que la figure 8 montre une vue de dessus de ces deux éléments avant assemblage et verrouillage.

Other characteristics of the invention will be described in the additional description which follows, and plates of attached figures, representing in a nonlimiting manner an embodiment of the invention.

• Figure 1 shows a side view of a bridge element according to the invention, the central part and the free ends have been truncated so as to show on a sufficient scale the means of the invention.
• 2 shows a side view of the free ends of two bridge elements according to the invention assembled in a first configuration allowed by the invention.
• Figure 3 also shows in side view another configuration of assembly of the two bridge elements according to the invention.
• Figure 4 shows the side of the lower and upper surfaces in the closed position.
• Figures 5 and 6 show the same flaps in two other positions: upper surface flap open for Figure 5 and lower flap open for Figure 6.
• Figure 7 shows a front view in section of two assembled and locked elements while Figure 8 shows a top view of these two elements before assembly and locking.

As shown in FIG. 1, a bridge element 1 according to the invention comprises symmetrically at each of its two ends a set of two flaps, 2 and 3 (respectively 2 'and 3') located, the first 2, (2 ') on the upper surface of the element and the second 3 (3') on upper surface. Each component is articulated in 4 on the element 1 so that it opens opposite the end of the element on which it is arranged. The flaps are located to the right of a thinned part 5 of the element so that at rest their outer surface fits into the profile of the element without showing any projecting part as seen in the figure 4. The flaps are made mobile by means of a hydraulic cylinder 6 whose body is integral (but mobile in rotation) with a yoke 7 of one of the two flaps. In the example shown, the cylinder body is articulated on the lower surface flap 3 without this implying any limitation to the invention. The arm 8 of the jack is secured to two rods 9 and 10 mounted free to rotate on yokes 11 and 12 of the upper and lower surfaces.

The flaps 2 and 3 comprise centering pins 13 (more clearly visible in FIGS. 5, 6 and 8) which are housed at rest in hollow housings 14 located on the element facing the front face of the flaps, thus that during assembly in housings 15 (FIGS. 1 to 3 and 8) formed in the front part of the free end of the element.

The flaps 2 and 3 can be held in position by a locking means constituted by latches carried by the flaps and having a locking finger controlled in any suitable way coming to be positioned in bored yokes of the bridge element.

Thus locks 16 are arranged on the lower surface flap and are capable of coming to engage in bores 17 made in the thinned part 5 of the element.

Likewise, locks 18 are carried by the upper surface flap 2 and cooperate with bores 19 of the element.

In addition, the ends of each element include reamed yokes 20 in which come to engage after assembly either the locks of the lower surface flap, or those of the upper surface flap according to the choice of assembly which has been carried out.

The assembly process is then as follows: There are two elements according to the invention so that the free ends which face each other overlap (clapboard mounting). The device being perfectly reversible, it is possible to obtain two symmetrical assemblies as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The assembly method being the same for the two assemblies, will only be explained with reference to FIG. 2 while the assembly of FIG. 3 will be deduced from the preceding method by symmetry. In addition, 2A, 3A and 3B, 4B respectively denote the parts of the bridge elements referenced A and B.

The free end 21 B of the element B is therefore arranged on the end 21 A of the element A. The locks 16 A of the lower surface lock of the element A are then locked in the bores 17 A correspondingly and the locks 18 B of the upper surface shutter of element B in the corresponding bores 19 B.

The shutters 3 A and 2 B being locked, the jacks 6A and 6B are actuated, which has the effect of opening the shutters 2A and 3B.

The end 21 B is then engaged on the end 21 A until the centering pin 13 A comes into abutment in the housing 15 B while the yokes 20 A and 20 B come to be placed respectively opposite the latches 18 B and 20 A.

The locks 18 B and 20 A are then locked, which secures the two elements A and B.

It is also possible, instead of starting the assembly by prior locking of the fingers 16 A and 18 B, to actuate the jacks 6 A and 6 B beforehand, which opens the lower and upper shutters of the same angle. It is then in engagement of the centering pins in their housing which ensures the positioning of the flaps 2 and 3 so that one can then actuate the locking means.

The invention tele described has the advantage of involving the locking means in the transmission of forces to the right of the main souls of the bridge elements and of allowing rapid assembly by means of standard elements which will be arranged as required either upper position or lower position without any adaptation.

In addition, such a structure allows the composition of bridges of all lengths by placing end to end of several elements, these can also be of different lengths since the only requirement of compatibility of the elements between them lies in the same length of their end free and does not affect the length L of the central part of the bridge element.

Such elements can therefore be easily applied to crossing breaches of all lengths.

Claims (7)

1. Part of a fixed or floating bridge featuring an automatic device to allow two sections of the bridge to be lap joined together at either the lower or the upper surface, wherein the lower bridge section can substitute for the upper bridge section and vice versa, and the device includes at either end of each bridge section used in the assembly, at least one flap (2) on the upper surface of the bridge section and at least one other flap (3) on the lower surface of the section, each flap being hinged to the bridge section at point (4) such that it opens opposite the end of the section on which it is mounted. The lower surface flaps (3) and upper surface flaps (2) are positioned the same distance from the front forward part of each bridge section which leaves free the end of the section between the front forward part and the flaps themselves. The free ends of the two bridge sections being joined come together to form a lap joint, the upper surface of one lying against the lower surface of the other. Associated with flaps (2) and (3) is a means (6, 9, 10) for moving the lower and upper surface flaps simultaneously, and a means (16, 17) for locking the first flap on the first bridge section and the second flap on the second bridge section.

2. Device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for moving the two flaps of one section simultaneously is provided by a hydraulic actuator (6) whose barrel is fixed to the lower section of one of the two flaps (2) and (3) and whose piston is hinged to the front section of each of the two flaps through two rods (9, 10) .

3. Device as set forth in either of claims 1 or 2 wherein the means of locking consists of at least one pair of electrically, electromagnetically, or hydraulically controlled latches with locking pins located on each flap of the first bridge section, which engage in the corresponding clevises (17, 19) of the second bridge section so that the flaps assist in the transmission of loads between the bridge sections.

4. Device as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the upper surface flaps (2A) and lower surface flaps (3A) of the first bridge section A lie against the front part of the free end of the second section B and the lower surface of the first section respectively, while the upper surface flaps (2B) and lower surface flaps (3B) of the second section B lie against the upper surface of the second section and the front part of the free end of the first section.

5. Device as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the front section of the lower and upper surface flaps is fitted with guiding pins (13), and the free ends of each section and the lower and upper surfaces of each section opposite the flaps feature recesses (15) into which the flap guiding pins fit.

6. Device as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the flaps (2, 3) are located on the inside of the recesses in the bridge sections such that when the flaps are closed or moving their outer surfaces match the profile of the bearing race surface of the bridge section.

7. Procedure for obtaining automatic lap joining of two bridge sections wherein:

- the flaps (2, 3) of two bridge sections A and B are opened as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 6;

- the two bridge sections are positioned such that the upper surface flap guiding pins (13 A) of the first section A (lower surface pins on second section) fit into the recesses (15 B) of the front part of the free end of the second section (and first section respectively);

- the flaps of each section are tightened using their actuators (6), then the locking pins (16, 18) of each flap are engaged.

Images