US2109797A - Bascule bridge and equipment - Google Patents

Description

Filed July 10, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR [5/1009 Zoe/1v Lu nn/m8. 004m ATTORNEY March 1, 1938. l. LUBIN BASCULE BRIDGE AND EQUIPMENT Filed July 10, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet wan/1m 5. ATTORNEY 1. LUBIN 2,109,797 BASCULE BRIDGE AND EQUIPMENT Filed July 10, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 1, 1938.

Patented Mar. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

This invention relates to bridges, particularly of the bascule or leaf lever type, together with their approaches and equipments.

The several objects sought to attain include means to obtain, and positively maintain, a level roadway at the junction of the leaves when in lowered position; means to cushion the leaves at the extremities of their movements avoiding noise, shock, jolting and jarring; an auxiliary counter-balancing device movable into different positions as may be required and the interposition of spring buifers to counteract movement of the leaves when they are being moved into either of their extreme positions. Further features are, in the provision of automatic navigation light signals at the meeting ends of the leaves, visible to all traflic therebelow, as roadway or waterway, changing in accordance with their position; automatic barrier gates at the entrance of the bridge controlling tramc thereover; side walks raised above the flooring of the bridge to allow for the ready disposal of rainwater, snow, light dirt, etc., and to reduce wind resistance when the leaves are in the air; side walks and bulkheads composed of readily removable, interchangeable elements requiring no individual fastening means; indirect lighting means for the bridge carried in hand rails and curbs; center apron plates combined with jolt and 30 jar proof shear-locks that allow either leaf to open or close independently and also provide for expansion and contraction of the leaves.

These and other important improvements in bridges, as will hereafter appear, are accom- 35 plished by the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, constituting an essential component of this disclosure, and in which:-

40 Figure 1 is a partial plan and sectional view of Figure 7 is a side elevational and sectional view 55-v of the parts shown in Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 2 showing the eccentric adjusting device of the bridge seated on its supporting column.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the automatic light signal system. 5 Figure 10 is a fragmentary side view of the shear-locks at their engaging ends, drawn to an enlarged scale.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary elevation of a bridge bulkhead, shown in section in Fig. 3. 10 Referring in greater detail to the drawings, the structure will be seen to consist of two main operating parts, substantially alike and arranged in contra-relation, each being pivoted to turn into horizontal and essentially-upright positions 15 as may be required to accommodate traffic conditions.

One of these lever-like bridge leaves only will be described, as it will be understood that the other is intrinsically a duplicate.

Set in piers upon a solid foundation, at the sides of the water or roadway to be spanned, are main support columns 25, while spaced therefrom, nearer the edge of the stream or underpass, are live-load-bearing columns to sustain a 25 large proportion of the bridge weight and its load when in closed position, and spaced further apart, on the opposite, land side are still other columns 27 carrying the bridge approaches.

Mounted on the columns 25 are bearings 28 to receive trunnions 29 on which are seated gudgeons 30 firmly fixed to the main leaf girders 3| of the bridge, these elements being reduced in cross sectional depth towards their meeting front ends and increased at their opposite road ap- 5 proach or tail ends 32, all presenting level horizontal upper surfaces. I

A series of transverse beams 33 extend across between the girders 3| to carry the bridge flooring 35, whichis also supported, together with the superstructure, by other heavier beams 34 alternating therewith, while at points on the'approach sides 32 of the girders are a pair of spaced transverse beams 36 to support a rigid pendant counter-weight frame consisting of pockets 31 provided'with weights 38 in a manner to permit of addition or removal to properly balance the overhang of the girders.

The foregoing is generally descriptive of a conventional type of bascule or balance bridge and is given in order that the improvements may be readily understood. 7

Rigidly attached to the lower portions of the terminal outer ends of the girders 32 are brackets it-4| having between them tailend bumpers 42-43, their upper and lower faces extending outwardly beyond the upper brackets 40 and adapted to contact the heads of the cushion buffers 44 movable up and down in bearings 45 fixed on the main approach girders 48 and pressed downwardly by springs 46 surrounding the buffer rods within the bearings.

These spring buffer rods are threaded and provided with adjusting lock nuts bearing against washers at the ends of the: springs; the buffers are disposed below the forward ends of the girders 48, supporting the permanent roadway at the bridge approaches and serve to adjustably cushion the descent of the main leaf girders 3| into closing position; it is to be noted that the buffer rods project through guides in the bearings to act as positive stops when the leaf girders are in fully closed position, the movement of the leaf girders being further controlled by brakes, not shown.

Co-operative therewith are similar bearings 50 attached to the sides of the leaf girders 3| and carrying buffers .51, pressed downwardly by springs 52, coiled around the buffer rods within the bearings, and adjustable by nuts 53.

These buffers make contact with the upper surfaces of support bearings 55 mounted on transverse beams 56 extending over and between the live-load-bearing columns.

The pairs of bearings 55 have revolubly mounted in them short shafts 51, their central portions being cranked or offset to provide eccentrics 58, or may be supplied with cams, and are turnable by wrenches applied to their squared end projections 59. The live-loadbearing shafts fit in bearings that have set-screws 59 in them, so that the shafts may be held in a firm position after adjustment is made.

Resting on the upper surface of the eccentrics 58 are concavely faced blocks or live-load-bearings 6B fixed on the under sides of the main trunnion girders 3|, and, as will be evident the ultimate weight of the main trunnion girders, and proportion of the bridge load, is supported on the shaft eccentrics in a manner to permit of up or down adjustments; furthermore, the descent of the leaves or main trunnion girders is cushioned at two points of contact on closing, the same being the bumpers at the tail ends of the leaves and at the live-load-bearing rests.

When the bridge is raised, the bumpers 43 make contact with spring buffers 62 having buffer-rods slidable in bearings 63 adjustably mounted in flanged elements 64 secured between the adjacent faces of the support columns 25-26. This bearing also acts as a final travel stop when the leaves are in a full open position.

These buffer rods are normally pressed outwardly by encircling springs 66 and their ultimate movement is controlled by adjustable nuts 61 Thus the action of the bridge is limited and cushioned by spring actuated buffers at the limits of its movement in both directions.

At the meeting front ends of the leaf girders, both are provided with a series of bars 10 mounted to move lengthwise between a plurality of rollers H arranged in upper and lower rows at the ends of the girders, the bars having at their rear ends studs 12 movable through openings in the beams 34 in the floor supporting series, the studs preventing the apron plates from coming off when the bridge is in an open position.

Springs 15 coiled around the studs 72 press the bars 10 outwardly to the limit of adjusting nuts 16, these elements being below the plane of the flooring 35.

The springs 75, which bear at their inner, rear ends against the beam 34, press the shear-locks and apron plates outwardly, being compressed, when the bridge is closed, due to the shear-locks and center apron plates touching each other; in this closed position there is a space between the beam 34 and studs which allow for contraction and expansion of the bridge elements due to extremes in temperature.

The apron plates and associated elements lap over the roadway, sidewalks, curbs and hand railings sufi'iciently to avoid any open space at these points, being snugly closed.

The shear-locks comprise the following construction.

One of the bar series carries a raised transverse beam 71 having an angular outstanding central face in which are rotatably mounted rolls 78 on the male end of both shear-locks, the same being engageable in a corresponding female lock consisting of an angular longitudinal groove 79 in the face of a mating beam 80 on the other main girder.

It is to be noted that the rolls render the device substantially frictionless when the ends of the main girders are'brought into contact or when closing or opening, and that all shock and jar is ellminated, due to the resiliency of their supports, and form a firm joint when in engagement.

Disposed over shear-locks ll-86. are center apron plates 82 having meeting edges to cover any gap that might otherwise occur; these plates are carried by transverse beams 83 which in turn are supported by bars 10.

Carried on the front ends of both sets of main girders 3|, at their outer sides, are discs 85.

mounted to freely rotate in lantern housings 86, removably engaged on the bridge, and provided with colored lights, as red and green, 87-88, the former showing red through the disc when the bridge is open for traffic thereover and showing green when the bridge is raised, thus automatically presenting visible warning or safety signals to trafiic under the bridge.

Springs 89, at the lower peripheral edges of the navigation lights thus formed act as shock absorbers to prolong the life of the lights, as electric bulbs.

The discs are provided with weights 85' at their lower edges, which cause the lenses to pass the openings in the lantern housings 86, to act by gravity as the bridge is opened and closed.

The lantern housings are carried by tongue and groove connections attached to the outermost sidewalk main posts; only one bulb is necessary in each housing as the gravity actuated, lens carrying discs automatically display proper signals as the bridge is raised and lowered.

A flexible connection may be used to raise and lower the navigation lights when making bulb replacements.

At about midway of each of the short beams 93, channel irons are arranged in spaced paired relation supported by the beams 34, and slidable on the beams 93 is an auxiliary counterweight 94 movable lengthwise of the bridge by a screw 95 that may be actuated by a hand wheel 96 or equivalent device, thus shifting the auxiliary weight in accordance with requirements; obviously power means may be employed if preferred.

The counterweight 94, under ordinary conditions, is positioned in approximately the center of length of the leaf to evenly balance it. 7

In case of failure of power actuating mechanism, the bridge can be opened by moving the weight towards the tail end of the structure and, conversely, the bridge may be closed by moving the weight towards the front.

Carried by the upper portions of the main trunnion girders iii are web brackets I50 raised considerably above the flooring 35 and having on their outer surfaces a. plurality of sidewalk main posts IOI, between which are hollow hand-rails I02, their inner proximate surfaces I03 being inclined outwardly and downwardly from the top and provided with openings I04 through which indirect light may issue from lamps I09 enclosed in the rails. The bottom part of handrailing bar or channel has ample clearance above the sidewalk planking to allow for snow removal from the sidewalk. Indirect lighting does away with heavy lampposts and makes replacement of bulbs easy.

Thus the light is directed to part of the roadway and to the sidewalk floor I05, composed of slats retained at their outer ends in channels I06 and at their inner ends held by angle eiements I01, secured to the upper flanges of the girders 3!.

Due to this arrangement the floors of the sidewalks are readily removable for replacement or repairs at any time, as planks are easily taken out or put into position by removing sectional angle elements at curbing; the slats are reversible and can be made of wood, rubber, aluminum, etc.

Another series of lamps I09 are carried by the girders 3| at the curbs to thoroughly illuminate the bridge floor 35, the adjacent side edges of which are spaced as at IIO from the girders, below the sidewalks, in order to facilitate the disposal of light dirt, rainwater and snow; the open work also reduces wind resistance when the leaves are in open position.

The bridge bulkheads II5, made of heavy reversible planks, are similarly set at their bottom ends in channels H6 and held in place at their upper ends by bars II'I, these bulkheads being arranged closely against the lower portions of the columns 26, and are thus readily removable, similar to the sidewalk tread elements.

The planks are held in position by retainers at the top and bottom of the fender. The retainer has spacers that fit between adjacent planks that are cut out to the same size as the spacers. The middle plank is straight and is always put in place last and taken out first. The retainer may be held in position by a screw or bolt that goes through the spacer into the supporting member of the bulkhead.

In this construction there are three planks in every section. Thus planking repairs and replacements are easily made; the sidewalks may also be made in this way.

The traffic control gates I20 are disposed on the roadway approach adjacent the tail ends of the leaves, the same consisting of brackets I2I, fixed on the outer sides of the bridge approach girders, and supporting posts I22, pivotally carrying frames I23, having in their outer end portions I24 adjustable counterweights I25 slidable on rods I26 and held in adjustment by hand screws I21.

The inner end portions I28 of the frames carry hollow extensions constituting the gates I20 and have heads I29 at their extremities in which are slidable stems I30 normally projected outwardly by'springs I3I.

Carried by the stems are male and female locks I32-I33,in the former of which is mounted a roll I34 adapted to engage in grooves I35 formed in the female lock of the opposed elements.

The posts I22 have fixed on their inner sides brackets I48 against which bolts I49, slidable in the frame elements I28, make contact when the gates are down, or in operative position, the bolts being pressed'by springs I! held in adjustment by nuts I52.

The gates are pivoted horizontally on shafts I55 passing through lateral extensions of the posts I22, and fixed on the shafts are worm gears I56, actuated by Worms on vertical shafts I58 driven by a bevel gear train I59 which may be actuated by a motor, or by hand, and if by motor, conductors I60 are extended to the incoming traflic side of the bridge so as to cause equal and simultaneous action of the gate pairs.

A signal system I62 is carried by the posts, and the gates are provided with a series of. foldable slats I65, the lower of which reaches nearly to the roadway and sidewalks. I

The gates are operated from inside of the incoming approaches, and/or by remote control from an operating house. a red traffic light automatically appears at a point above the horizontal shaft. At the center of the gate rods, over the roadway, are red lights that automatically go on when the gates are closed to traffic; the center of the gates is also provided with stop signs on the trellis that are visible during the daylight.

Each gate is equipped with a key and hand crank for operating in an emergency, should power fail. The gates are also connected with traffic lights to a considerable distance away to give trafiic an opportunity to stop before approaching the bridge too close when open.

While certain preferred embodiments of this device have been shown and described, it will be understood that changes in the form, arrangements, proportions, sizes and details thereof may be made Without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a bascule bridge having opposed leaves, columns on which said leaves are pivoted, road end approach columns spaced therefrom, and oppositely spaced bulkhead columns, spring buffers fixed on the proximate sides of said approach and bulkhead columns at substantially equal radial distances from the axes of the leaf pivots, and double ended bumpers carried at the When the gates close,

tail ends of said leaves to contact said buffers respectively when the leaves are at the extremities of their pivotal movements.

2. In a bascule bridge having opposed leaves, columns on which said leaves are pivoted, and bulkhead columns spaced therefrom, bearings supported by said bulkhead columns, eccentric shafts rotatable therein, means to turn said shafts, set screws to clamp the shafts when said eccentrics are in adjustment, journals interposed between said eccentrics and said leaves and spring buffers carried by said leaves to cushion the action of said'journals.

3. In abascule bridge having opposed leaves, columns on which said leaves are pivoted, and bulkhead columns spaced therefrom, height adjustable support means intermediate said bulkhead columns and leaves, spring buffers carried by said leaves to cushion the contact of said leaves and said height adjustable support means and means for adjusting the resiliency of said buffers.

4. In a bascule bridge having opposed leaves, columns on which said leavesare pivoted, road end approach columns spaced therefrom, and oppositely spaced bulkhead columns, spring bufiers fixed on the proximate sides of said approach and bulkhead columns at substantially equal radial distances from the axes of the leaf pivots, other spring buffers on said leaves to contact said bulkhead columns, and bumpers at the tail ends of said leaves to contact the first named buffers when said leaves are raised and lowered into extreme positions.

5. In a bascule bridge having opposed leaves, transverse beams at the meeting extremities of said leaves, one of said beams presenting an angular face and the other having a reciprocal groove, longitudinal bars slidable in said leaves supporting said beams, means to resiliently press said bars into engagement when said leaves are lowered into level positions, and apron plates automatically movable to cover the joint between said beams.

6. In a bascule bridge having opposed leaves, a plurality of guide rolls arranged in upper and lower rows adjacent the meeting ends of said leaves longitudinally thereof, bars movable between the rows of rolls, springs urging said bars outwardly, means limiting the movement of said bars, a beam having a grooved face carried by the bars of one of said leaves, a second beam carried by the bars of the other leaf, and a series of rolls mounted in said second beam, said rolls adapted to engage in the grooved beam when said leaves are in lowered position.

7. In a bascule bridge having opposed leaves, and spring pressed angular tenon and groove connections at the meeting ends of said leaves to interlock when said leaves are in the same level plane.

8. In a bascule bridge having opposed leaves, groove and roll connections at the abutting ends of said leaves, beams slidable longitudinally in said leaves and carrying said connections, and springs associated with said beams to urge said connections into engagement when said leaves are level.

9. In a bascule bridge having opposed pivotally supported leaves and counter-Weights therefor, trackways carried by said leaves in a plane parallel and below their upper surfaces, auxiliary counterweights slidable on said trackways, and positive means to shift said auxiliary Weights along said trackways.

10. In a bascule bridge having opposed pivotally supported leaves and counter-weights therefor, auxiliary counterweights slidably supported by said leaves, screws to actuate the auxiliary weights, and remote manual means to rotate said screws to adjust the auxiliary weights.

ISADOR LUBIN.

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