US1143866A

US1143866A - Suspension-bridge.

Info

Publication number: US1143866A
Application number: US79470213A
Authority: US
Inventors: Nelson H Sturgis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1913-10-11
Filing date: 1913-10-11
Publication date: 1915-06-22
Anticipated expiration: 1932-06-22

Description

N., H. STURGIS. SUSPENSION BRIDGE.

APPLICATION `FILED O CT. Il. |913.

Patented. June 22, 1915.

4 SHEETlIE-SHEET l.

STURG-IS.

SUSPENS|0N BRIDGE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 11, 19m.

Patented June 22 1915. 4sHEETs*sHEETI2..

ATTORNEY N. H. STURGIS.

SUSPENSION BRIDGE.

APPLlcATloN men ocT. H, |913.

Patentd J une 22, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. W INVENTOR WlTNEssEs ZMWWLNM w, v

ATTORN EY Patented June 22, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

N. H. STURGIS. SUSPENSION BRIDGE.

APPLI'CAUON FILED OCT. Il, 1913.

ATToRN EY v g/VINVENTOR WITNEssEs l MMM NELSON H. STURGJIS, 0F GUTHRIE, @KLS` SUSPENSION-BRIDGE.

Maaate.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratchet-u aan@ ae, mit.

Application filed october 11, 1913. Serial No. 794,702.

The invention relates to improvements in.

suspension bridges.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of suspension bridges and to lprovide a simple and comparatively inexpensive construction adapted to relieve from wear, due to expansion, contraction andl vibration, the sus ension cables, which sustain the entire weight of the bridge between the towers, and to equip the bridge with means for maintaining in proper spaced relation the hanger rods which support the needle beams and floor structure whereby the camber of the bridge will be maintained the same at all times.

A further object of the invention is to enable the needle beams and floor structure to be adjusted vertically to preserve a level condition of the same and to also adjustably connect the hand railing with the hanger rods to maintainthe railing plumb.

Another object of the invention is to firmly anchor the licor structure in place and stien the bridge sidewise and thereby lessen the strain yon the laterale.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in thefconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it' being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacricing any of the advantages ofthe invention.

ln the drawings z--Figure l is a side elevation of a suspension bridge constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the suspension bridge. Fig. 3 is a horizon.

tal sectional view of the suspension bridge. Fig. 4 isa transverse sectional view on the line H of Fig. 2. Fig .'5- is an enlarged horizontal sectionalviewthrough one of the needle beams. Y Fig. 6 is a transverse sec-V tional view on the e 6--6 of Fig.

- 7 is a detail vertical, sectionalview through the upper portion of one of the towers or columns, taken longitudinally of the bridge. Fig. 8 is a similar view takentransversely of the bridge. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the construction` of the cable clamps for connecting the hanger rods, the spacing rods and the -v vclined truss rods with the cable. Fig.I 10 1s an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the manner of securing the lower` terminals of the inclined truss rods to the needle beams. Fig. l1 is a detail sectional view on the line lll-11 of Fig. 2, illustrating the means for adjustably connecting the hand railing with the hanger rods. Fig. l2 is a detail sectional view on the line 12-12 of Fig. 2, illustrating the means for clamping the floor to the stringers.

In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, l, 1 designate a pair ofsuspension cables located at opposite sides of the suspension bridge and designed to sustain the entire weight of the same between supporting columns or towers 2 which are mounted upon shore abutments or foundations 3 of masonry or any other desired construction. The towers or columns which preferably consist of Ystructural steel are illustrated in the drawings as consisting of spaced vertical flanged beams or y,members i connected by a lattice or lacing '5 to form a trussed structure, and also connected at the top by a cap piece 51l secured to the side beams or members 4: by angle plates 6 or other suitable means. Any other preferred construction of columns or towers may be employed, and said columns or towers are also preferably connected at their upper .portions by a horizontally disposed transversely arranged trussed frame 7 of structural steel or other suitable material. The columns or towers are equipped atl their tops beneath the cap plates or pieces 5 with grooved pulleys or sheaves 8 receiving and forming rests for the cables -1 and adapted to `permit the same to yield to the expansion and contraction and vibration without causing the wear which necessarily results when relatively fixed cable rests are employed. The'grooved' pulleys or sheaves are mounted upon shafts or spindles 9 piercing the side beams or members of the towers or columns and slida-bly secured to the same.

The shore ends l of the suspension cables .Y 1 are suitably secured to anchors 11 prefproximately cylindrical erably in the form of bars embedded in an' chor abutments 12, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the dra-wings, but the terminals of the cables may be anchored in any other preferred manner and in practice the suspension cables will be of sufficient size vto sustain the weight of the bridge, and while a .single cable7is shown at each side of the bridge in the accompanying drawings, yet it will be readily understood that a plurality of cables may beL employed instead of providing a single excessively thick cable where great strength is necessary.

Suspended from the cables 1 at intervals throughout the length of the bridge are v ertical hanger rods 13 provided at their upper ends with eyes 14 through which pass transverse bolt'sr15 which also pierce the sides 16 of mibstantially U-shaped clamps l 17 centrally thereof. The clamps are comarranged in -pairs at the 'ends of the clamp *and extending through eyes 21 and 22of spacing rods 23 andoppositely inclined truss rods 24 and securing the same to the clamp. vThe eyes 21 of the spacing rods are located at the upper ortions o f-the clamps at op- -posite sides o the hanger rods, and the upper ends of the inclined truss rods are located below the eyes 'of the hanger rods. By firmly securing the clamps to the cablesand spacing them by the rods 23 as hereinafter fully explained, the camber of the bridge is maintained the same at all times. The

bolts

15, 19 and 20 which connect the sides of the clamp are equipped, with nuts and are adapted to draw, the sides of Athe clamp together` 1 to produce the desired -clamping or gripping may pass directly through thesai action on the; cable. The lower'ends of the hanger rods 13 extend through vertically alined openings 25 of horizontal plates '26 riveted or otherwise secured to the top and bottom'flanges of transverse needle beams 27 which preferably consist of--I-beams., The upper and lower horizontal terminal plates 26 which are iitted against the top and bottom flanges of theneedle beams form exten-` sions of the said angesand provide simple,

strong and effective means for connecting thelower ends of thehanger rods with the needle beamsat the Iniedian plane -of the same without piercing the webs of the needle beams but the lower ends of the han er rods Y p p needle beams if desired. The lower ends of the hanger rods are threaded at 28A to receivev maintained in proper level position. The i series of rods 23 which maintain the clamps in proper spaced relation extend longitudinally of the suspension cable 1- and are lo- Icated beneath the same and each rod is arranged substantially parallel with a short section of the adjacent cable 1, and the series of rods following the curve of the cables are provided with turnbuckles 30 located at a point intermediate of the ends of the spacing rods and connecting threaded sections thereof and adapted to adjust the said rods and maintain the same under the proper tension. The spacing rods 23 at the ends of the span of the bridge are secured tothe columns or towers between the vertical side beams or members thereof by bolts 31 arranged at points adjacent to the ulleys or sheaves 8. The oppositely inclined truss rods 24 which are crossed at opposite sides of the bridge are provided at points intermediate of their ends withturn-buckles- 32 and have lower threaded terminals 33 extending through openings 34 in the web portions of the needle beams 27 and through

openings

35 and 36 in vertically disposed angle lates 37 riveted to the side faces of the we s of the needle beams opposite the openings 34, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 10 of the drawings.

The' angle plates 37 consist of vertical terminal attaching portions 38 and approximately V-shaped intermediate portions composed of upper and lower sides or wings'arranged at an angle to the webs of the needle beams. The lower sides or wings of the angularly disposed portionsfof the angle plates 37 are set perpendicularly to the 1n clined truss rods and they form abutments for nuts 39 which are arranged on the thrieaded terminals 33 of the inclined truss ro s.

' Theneedle beams are braced by laterals or diagonallydisposed trussrods 40 crossed centrally between the needlefbeams and having threaded terminals 41 extending through openings 42 in the webs of the needle beams beams The intermediate angular portions of the angle plates'44'hav'c inner and

outerq openings

45 and 46, and the outer sides or wings are vset perpendicularly to the diago-v nal truss rods which areprovided with turnbuckles 47. The angleplates which are constructed of steel or other suitable material are designed to take the place of angle wash.

nie

titanes ers ordinarily employed at such points to provide angularly disposed abutting faces for nuts or other fastening means.

-The Hoor structure comprises

longitudinal stringers

48 and 49, the stringers 48 being arranged at the sides of the bridge and preferabljconsisting of channels, as shown, while the intermediate stringers 49 are preferably formed by I-beamsas clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The stringers which are suitably secured to the needle beams will in practice, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, break joints with one another so that the joints of all the stringers will not occur at the same needle beam. The string'-

ers

48 and 49 support flooring V50 consisting of transversely disposed boards laid upon the stringers 48 and49 and firmly clamped against the same by longitudinal guard rails 51 located at opposite sides of the 'iioor structure and connected at intervals with the side stringers 48 by substantially vertical hook bolts 52 engaging under the said side stringers 48 and piercing the ooring and the guard rails and having upper threaded ends 53 which are equipped with nuts 54. The hook bolts 52 with their nuts 54v adjustably and detachably connect the guard rails with the side stringers andV enable the 'desired clamping action to be exerted on the iooring and at the same timethey are adapted to permit the boards of the flooring to be readily removed and renewed when worn.

The bridge is equipped at opposite sides with hand railings 55 composedl of vertical.

posts 56 and spaced upper and lower

horizontal bars

57 and 58 which are'connected by lacing or trussing, 59. rlihe horizontal bars are Hanged as shown and the posts which are also flanged are suitably secured at their lower ends to the side stringers 48 and are supported by outer inclined braces 59a mounted upon terminal projecting portions 'of angle bars 70. The hand railing is adjustably connected with the hanger rods by hook bolts 60 having their hooks engaged with the said hanger rods and provided with threaded inner terminal bolts 61 piercing the adjacent posts of the hand railing and provided with nuts 62 arranged in pairs and clamping the said posts at opposite sides thereof. By this construction the posts are adjustably connected with the hanger rods and the hand railings are -thereby adapted to be maintained ina plumb condition.

rlhe inclined truss rods at the terminals of the span ofthe suspension bridge .are provided at the towers or columns with threaded terminals 63

piercin plates

64 and 65 and having nuts 66 w ich engage enlargements 67 formed on the plates 64 and having angularly disposed faces arranged perpendicularly to the inclined truss rods. rlFhe span or central portion of the bridge is of uniform width and the terminal portions suspension cables.

What is claimed is: 1. A suspension bridge including suspension cables, means for supporting the same,

'hanger' rods depending from the cables at short intervals and adapted to support a fioor structure, and series of spacing rods connected with and maintaining the hanger rods in proper spaced relation, each spacing rod being arranged in substantial parallelism with a short section of the ad'acent cable and the seriesof spacing rods following the curve of the cables.

ZIA suspension bridge including suspension cables, clamps arranged on the suspension cables and composed'of spaced sides and a top connecting portion, depending hanger rods having their upper terminals secured between the sides of the clamps centrally thereof, said hanger rods being adapted t0 support a floor structure, a series of spacing rods located beneath the cable and extending longitudinally thereof and having their terminals secured' between the sides of the clamps at the upper portions thereof at opposite sides of the hanger rods, and oppositely inclined truss rods having theirk upperA ends secured between the sides of the clamps below the terminals of the spacing rods.

3. A suspension bridge including suspen- -sion cables, means for supporting the same, cable clamps arranged on the cables at short intervals and provided with adjusting means for causing the clamps to grip the cables, hanger rods connected with and depending from the clamps and adapted to support a floor structure, and series of spacing members located at and extending longitudinally of the suspension cables and connected with the clamps to hold the .same against movement on the cables and positively maintain the said clamps in proper spaced relation, each spacing member being arranged in substantial parallelism with a short section of the adjacent cable and the series of spacing members following the curve of the cables.

4. A suspension bridge includlng suspension cables, means for supporting the same,

clamps arranged on the suspension cables,

hanger rods depending from the clamps and adapted to support a" floor structure, and series of spacing rods located adjacent to the cables and having their terminals secured within the clampsand `provided with adjusting means for varying the length of the v s .I

tial parallelism with a short section of the ad] acentcable and the series of spacing rods following the curve 'of the cables.

means for supporting the same, hanger rods depending from the cables, needle beams, connected with the lower ends of the hangir 10V' e rods, stringers supported by the nee beams,handrailings arranged at opposite sides of the bridge and supported upon and connected at the bottom with the stringere,

'hand railings with the h tion. f, 6. f means for supporting the same, hanger rods and adjustable means for connecting the er rods for maintaining the said railingsv 1n a plumb posi- A mensen bridge including' ames,

.depend from the cables, needle beams' connecte with the lower ends ofthe hanger rods, a floor .structure supported by the needle beams, hand rails arranged at opposite sides of the bridge, supported upon and (5. A suspension bridge, including cables, a

connected at the lbottom w1t the floor structure, and adjustable hook bolts' arranged horizontall with their hooks aging the hanger ro and connecting ishe and Vrailings with the same to maintain the said, hand railings in a plumb position.

In testimony, that I' claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiixed my signature 1n the presence ofA two witnesses.

.NELSON H; STURGIS.

Witnesses:

- R.'J. CONWAY, l Finn)l Brom