US1956125A - leister - Google Patents

Description

April 24, 1934. v. LESTER 1,956,125

BRIDGE FOR PROTECTING FIRE HOSE Filed June 25, 1932 Q 1/? K LE/STER 1,956,125 BRIDGE FOR PROTECTING FIRE-HOSE Vernon K. Leister, Hampstead, Md. Application June 23, 1932, Serial No. 618,947 10 Claims. (Cl. 104-275) This invention relates to bridges for protecting fire-hose, and especially to a flexible and disconnectible joint between i nterchangeable sections of a very practical and convenient device of this character.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of this character that is exceedingly strong and durable while being capable of being relatively light to carry,

disassembled and nested so as 'to be stored in such'small available space as can be found on a shelf or running board of a hosetruck or other fire-fiighting conveyance, convenient and easy to assemble over a single line of fire-hose or over any number of lines, and will retain its position while of vehicles exert lateral displace it when starting wheels of various kinds pressures which tend to to travel thereover, and

has flexible joints which permit it to conform to uneven surfaces on use.

Other objects and i pointed out or implied in description, in connectio ing drawing in which:

Fig. l is an elevation,

fire-hose-bridge assembled for two lines which it may be seated for mportant features are the following details of n with the accompanypartly in section, of a of hose,

the latter being indicated by the broken circles.

Fig. 2 is a view simila r to Fig. 1, but showing a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing another modified Fig. 4 is a view in line 4:-& of Fig. 1.

form of the invention.

horizontal section along the Fig. 5 is a View in horizontal section alongthe line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a view in horizontal section along the line 6-'-6 of Fig. 3,

a part being broken off.

Fig. '7 is an elevation of one of the removable and interchangeable arched spans such as thoseshown in the assemblage of Fig. 1, united with its base and its securing Referring to the similar reference charact throughout the several views,

stud.

drawing in detail, in which ers refer to similar parts the invention is described in detail as follows:

Of course these bridges are which they are spaced between the wheels of 1 travel therecver; but as used in-pairs in according to the space and vehicles which will the bridges or" each pair are or may be alike, the description of one will suffice for both. Each may include only one or any number of the interchangeable arched spans and two approaches, the

number of arched spans being in proportion to the number of lines of hose to be bridged for traffic to pass over while the hose is in use across a road or street, to avoid obstruction of traffic and to avoid injury to the hose. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the approaches are shown at A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and A6, for it will be seen that even the approaches of the same pair are different, inasmuch as one of each pair is permanently united with its base, whereas, its companion is united with a stud for removably connecting it to a base of an arched span, as will presently be explained in detail as follows:

Each approach is made of thin metal to form a plate which is rigid and strong while being comparatively light and convenient to handle, and when made of rolled and pressed sheet metal, as in Figs. 1, 2 and '7, the high upright flange 10, in Fig. 1, has a stud 11 welded thereon as indicated at 12; whereas, the upright or flange 10a (Fig. 1) is integrally united with a base 13 by welding as indicated at 14, this base being preferably of channel iron or steel and has an aperture or cavity 13a at its middle part. According to the structure of Fig. 2, the higher flange 10b has a notch 11a, in lieu of the stud 11 (of Fig. 1), and the higher flange 100 has a distorted rivet or other headed securing member 130 secured thereon by welding 12a (Fig. 5) which also aids the welding 14 in holding the flange to the base 131). In Fig. 3, the higher flange 10c is integrally united with the stud 111), this form of the invention comprising all cast parts, preferably cast steel or malleable iron or one of the bronzes, so each approach (in Fig. 3) is formed with strengthening ribs A5 and A6; the base 13d also being formed integrally and provided with a cavity or hole 13c. In this form, the base has a sharp angular lower edge 13 which penetrates the road or street surface sufficiently to avoid slipping or lateral movement of the bridge, or to assist in avoiding such movement. This same eifect is obtained, also, by the relatively thin and sharp lower edges of the channel-beam bases of Figs. 1 and 2. 7

Now referring again to the arched spans, in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and '7, indicated respectively at S1, S2 and S3; it will be seen that either of these spans is a duplicate or counterpart of the other, and a counterpart of the span shown in Fig. 7, so that either one of the spans in Fig. 1 could be interchanged with that of Fig. 7, or the latter could be assembled therewith in conjunction with either one of the approaches, or so that either could be removed and permit the remaining one to be connected to the spaced one of the approaches by moving the latter into engagement with the remaining span.

In Figs. 1 and 7, referring to the spans, each includes an elongated arch 15 having welded thereon a pin or stud 11c, and also having such stud so located as to be interchangeable with the studs 11 or 11b in the holes 13a and 132; so the spans S3 are also interchangeable therewith, inasmuch as the bases 13s are welded thereto at 14g and corresponds, in function, to the base 132 of Fig. 3. However, although the arched spans of Fig. 2 are interchangeable with one another and with others of their kind, they are not interchangeable with those of Figs. 1 and 3, but rather, are reversed as to the securing means which include notches 117' and studs or lugs 137', the latter being interchangeable with the studs or lugs 130 of the approach As. In Fig. 8, the bases 13k are interchangeable with the bases 13d of the approaches A6.

From the foregoing, it is seen that in all three forms of the invention, the approaches are loosely or flexibly and interchangeably connected, and besides, the separable elements are spaced from one another at their upper edges or sides far enough to prevent them from interfering with the flexing or automatic adjusting to the surfaces on which they are seated for use, regardless of whether the surfaces are concaved, convexed or both.

Referring again to the approaches, it is seen that their outer edges are formed with low uprights or flanges l6 and 16a which not only strengthen these outer edges and prevent them from being permanently distorted by heavy vehicles thereon, but also penetrate the surface enough to assist the bases in keeping the bridges where they are placed over the line or lines of fire-hose. At 17, each of the approaches is preferably level to form substantially rectangular corners 18 which are immediately imbedded in the surface of any resilient tire that rides thereon, thus preventing the bridge from slipping in front of the tire and becoming displaced. The main part of each approach is downwardly inclined from the high flange toward the low flange or to the part 17 that merges or unites therewith.

Each cast span 152) has strengthening ribs or a thickened part 150, or this upper part may be corrugated to render it relatively rigid and strong while remaining relatively light and easy to handle. Because of all parts being of thin metal, as shown, they can be reversed or spent to one another, or otherwise assembled so as to be substantially nested, as appears to be obvious, so as to store them in a relatively small space in or on a fire-fighting conveyance.

Referring again to Fig. 3, and Fig. 6, it is seen that the integral stud 117s loosely engages with the hole 13c, as does the stud 11 or the studs 110 of Fig. 1.

Although I have described these embodiments of my invention quite specifically, I do not intend to limit my patent protection to these exact details of description, for the invention is susceptible of numerous b nges within the scope of the inventive ideas mplied and claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a fire-hose-bridge, combination of two approaches each having a low outer edge and a high inner edge, an arched span to receive a fire-hose thereunder, and means to yieldingly connect the archedspan to the high edges for holding the latter in such closely spaced relation that they unite to form a substantially continuous bridge which is flexible so as to conform to uneven surfaces on which it may be placed over a a line of re-hose to be protected thereby.

inverted with re- 2. The combination in a fire-hose-bridge of an approach having a high edge and a low edge, said high edge being provided with a base which protrudes horizontally, an arched span to receive a line of fire-hose thereunder, said span having one side provided with a base which protrudes horizontally while the opposite side of the span is normally seated on the protruding base of said approach, a second approach having a high edge and a low edge, the high edge of the second approach being normally seated on the protruding base of said span, and means to secure said span to said approaches in such movable relation thereto that the said bases and the low edges of the approaches can conform to uneven surfaces on which they may be seated while bridging a line of hose.

3. In a fire-hose-bridge, the combination of an approachhaving a high edge and a low edge, said high edge being provided with a base which protrudes horizontally and has a hole therein, an arched span to receive a fire-hose thereunder, said span having one side provided with securing means to extend into the said hole while said side rests on said base, the opposite side of said span having a base which protrudes horizontally and has a hole therein, a second approach provided with a high edge and a low edge, the high edge of the second approach having securing means to extend into the said hole of the base of said span while this edge is connected with and supported by the last said base, the second approach being removable from said span to permit a similar span to be connected thereto and to the first said span by the last said hole and securing means.

4. The structure defined by claim 3, said securing means being loose in said holes, and the said high edges being spaced from the span in such relation that they are movable toward and 1;-

from the span and thus permit the. bases to conform to uneven surfaces on which the bases may be seated while in use, substantially as specified.

5. In a fire-hose-bridge, the combination of two thin metal approaches each including a low upright flange and a high upright flange, and a thin metal arched span for receiving a fire-hose thereunder, said span being normally secured to and between the high flanges of said approaches by means which limit movement of these parts relative to one another while permitting them to have sufiicient relative movement to enable them to conform to uneven surfaces on which they may be seated while in use.

6. In a flre-hose-bridge, the combination of two thin metal approaches each including a high upright flange and a low upright flange at opposite edges so that there is a vacant space between them, and a number of arched spans of thin metal provided with means to removably secure them to and between said high flanges individually or collectively, substantially as specifled, means also being provided for securing said spans to one another, for the purposes specified.

7. In an approach of a fire-hose-bridge, a thin metal plate including a high upright flange and a low upright flange along opposite edges of the plate, the main part of the plate being gradually inclined from the high flange towards the low flange, the remainder of the plate being substantially level and extending from the inclined part to the low flange, for the purposes specified.

8. The structure defined by claim '7, and the lower part of the high upright flange being prowhich has complementary connecting means, substantially as shown.

10. The combination of two approaches each including a low side and a high side, a substantially arched metal span between the high sides of the approaches, and means to yieldingly secure the lower parts of opposite sides of the span to the lower parts of the high sides of the approaches.

VERNON K. LEISTER.

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