US1329643A - Reinforced-concrete bridge construction - Google Patents

Description

RETNFORCED CONCRETE BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION FILED 1513.11, 1915. RENEwED JUNE 25.1919.

1,329,643. Patented B61191920.

Q 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

n `L mi W. M. THOMAS.

REINFDRCED CONCRETE BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION APPLlcATloN man' FB.11,1915. RENEwED 1uNE 25.1919. 1,329,643.

Patented Feb. 3, 1920.

2 sHEETssHEE1 2 ,NYa

unirsi) srnrns PATENT onirica.

WILLIAM M. THOMAS, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

REINFORCED-CONCRETE BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed February 11, 1915, Serial No. 7,455.

To all 'LU/wm may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM M. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Reinforced-Concrete Bridge Construction, of which the following` is a specification.

This invention relates to three-hinge arch bridges built of reinforced concrete and the main object of the invention is to provide means at the hinge of the arch for giving a bearing which will result in most advantageous distribution of the strains and will' prevent distortion or undue strains on the arch members. l

Another object of the invention is to provide in connection with an arch of a reinforced concrete bridge a pier support having a hinge engagement with the arch which substantially eliminates bending or twisting vstrains due to unequalized bearings.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a reinforced concrete bridge, means for temporarily mounting` or engaging the several portions of such bridge in suchmanner as to provide for equalization of the bearing strains.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention, and referring thereto:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of one span of a three-hinge arch bridge constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of one of the hinge bearing plates or members;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of said bearing plate; Y

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the ball or spherical bearing member for said hinge bearing; Y

Fig. 5 is aside elevation; and

F 6 is a. front elevation of a` modified i fjornr of thev spherical bearing member;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, and

Fig. S isy a front elevation of another modification of said bearing member;

Fig 9 is a horizontal section through the hinge at the crown of the arch;

Fig. 10 is `a vertical sectionthrough said hinge;

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section taken just Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 3, 1920.

Renewed `Tune 25, 1919. Serial No. 306,716.

below the floor showing the arch and hinge thereof in plan; i

Fig. 11a is a vertical section of a modified form of the universal hinge-joint;

Fig. 12 is a vertical section of a portion of the span showing the application of my invention `to the construction of an arch member for said span, the separate preformed portions and the means for tem'- porarily mounting said portions bearing construction Fig. 18 is a section on line :cl3-m13, in Fig. 12; y

Fig. 1li is a section on line alt-:014, in Fig. 12.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 11, the bridge therein illustrated comprises piers or abutments 1 and a span extending between said piers or abutments and comprising two arch members each formed with arch beams or ribs 2 resting at their lower ends on said piers or abutments and engaging at theirupper ends by hinges as hereinafter described.

The hinges at the crown of the arch comprise ball or spherical members 10 and hinge members 6 on the respective arch members 2. Each hinge member 6 may be formed as a plate of suiiicient area to extend over substantially the end face of the arch rib or -beam 2 so as to distribute the pressure over said face, and said plate may be pro vided with flanges or plates 11 extending therefrom into the concrete 15 of the arch beam or rib; said plates or flanges 11 extending, for example, vertically and being connected at their inner ends to horizontally extending plates or beams 16 whereby the bearing plates 11 are firmly tied or bonded to the concrete body of the arch beam or rib. The reinforcing rods or members 13 of the arch beam or rib are interconnected with these bearing plates by extending in a suitable manner between said plates and by cement molded in contact with said plates, rods and their connected metallic members. In the front or outer face of each plate 6 is formed a socket or recess 6 formed as a portion of the surface of a sphere, and a ball or spherical bearing member 10 is adapted to fit and engage in said socket or recessin each bearing plate so that the bear-r ing engagement or connection between the two arch rib members at the crown of the to provide for equalization pressure over the bearing surfaces.

2. In a reinforced concrete bridge construction, the combination of two arch beams provided with hinge means for giving a hinge bearing between said members, said hinge beams comprising plates for distributing the bearing over said arch members, a ball and socket means on said plates providing a universal joint bearing between the said arch members.

8. In a reinforced concrete bridge construction, the combination of reinforced concrete arch members, plates on said members and tied thereto, said base being pro vided with bearing sockets formed with spherical surfaces, and a bearing member interposed between said plates and having spherical surfaces fitting in said sockets.

l. In a reinforced concrete bridge construction, the combination of two bridge members, ball and socket means on said members for giving a universal joint bearing between said members, and tie means connecting vsaid members.

5. In a reinforced concrete bridge construction, the combination of two reinforced concrete bridge members, bearing plates on the respective members provided with ball sockets, a spherical bearing fitting in said sockets, tie means connecting said plates, and cement molded over and embedding said tie means and bearing members.

6. In a reinforced concrete bridge construction, the combination of two arch menr bers, ball and socket hinge means between said members, providing a universal hinge joint therefor, and metallic means extending between said members and adapted to engage said members with a limited amount of play to limit the amount of separation of said members.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 2d day of February, 1915.

VILLIAM M. THGMAS.

In presence of- LoRA M. BOWERS, L. BELLE WEAVER.

Images