US2141529A - Portable bridge - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 27, 1938. E. B. GRAVELLE PORTABLE BRIDGE Filed March 26, 1935 1 g 1 Q n* VJ "if" l 4 Fi g2 1 NVENTOR' EMMANUEL B- GRAVEUJE ATTORNESL Patented Dec. 27, 1938 TNT OFFIQE PORTABLE BRIDGE Emmanuel Bernard Gravelle, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 4 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to portable bridges, and more particularly to portable wheel bridges for motor vehicles.

An object of the invention is to provide a de- 5 vice for enabling the ready extrication of motor vehicles from holes, ruts and the like in ice, snow, clay, sand or other unfavourable driving surface. Another object of the invention is to enable motor vehicles to negotiate holes, ditches and the like,

l such as may be encountered by trucks engaged,

for instance, in construction work. Another object is to provide a device of the character described which may be readily portable with motor vehicles or which may be mounted thereon for l convenient removal therefrom.

The invention comprises broadly a bridge formed from a plurality of longitudinal members and a plurality of transverse members connecting the longitudinal members, the transverse members including means' providing gripping contact with the surface to be traversed.

With reference to the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a plan of one embodiment of a bridge according to the invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the bridge shown in Figure l,

Figure 3 is a plan of another embodiment of the bridge,

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the bridge shown in Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a side elevation of another form of bridge.

In the drawing, I represents a pair of longitudinal side members, which may be formed from angle iron positioned so that one angle portion extends upwardly, and suitably welded or riveted thereto are cross members 2, provided with downwardly extending projections 3. The members 2 may also be formed from angle iron as shown,

one angle portion thereof conveniently forming the projections 3. Obviously, however, the members 2 may be formed from metal of any convenient or suitable cross-section such as, for instance. channel iron or T-iron. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, any suitable number of side strips 4 may be riveted or welded to the members I for the purpose of preventing sideslipping of the device. 'I'he members l may be provided with a downward slant at one or both ends, as shown at 5, in order to conveniently enable the bridge to be placed under the wheel of a motor vehicle.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the side members I are formed from angle iron, one angle portion of which extends downwardly.

The other or top angle portion may be provided with a downward slant adjacent either end, shallow channel plates S forming the cross members at the ends. The channel plates 6 provide a traction means for the wheel of the motor vehicle. More- 5 over, traction means, such as is indicated at 'l in` Figure 3, may be provided in any embodiment of the invention. The traction means may comprise a strip of rubber vulcanized to the members 2, or a coating of asphalt and sand thereon, or sim- 10 ply a roughened portion of the surface of the members 2. The traction means may also consist of shallow channel plates welded to the members 2. v

The longitudinal side members l may be formed 16 in two or more parts suitably linked or hinged together, as indicated at 8 in Figure 5. This permits an adjustment of the bridge to meet various conditions when in use and also enables a collapsing of the bridge for storage or mounting pur- 20 poses in the vehicle.

The upwardly extending angle portions of the members l, in the form shown in Figure 1, and the flat angle portions, in the form shown in Figure 3, serve to prevent the wheel of the vehicle 25 from sliding off the bridge.

The bridge may be of any suitable dimensions and may be formed of any suitable material.

One or two bridges may be carried by a motor vehicle and in use, the bridge is simply placed 30 under or adjacent the drive wheel, which, when the vehicle is started, will readily climb thereupon. The provision of hinges in the members l permits the use of a relatively longer bridge and facilitates the positioning of the same under 35 the drive wheel without interference with the running board or other parts of the vehicle.

The bridge takes up a very small amount of space and may be readily stored in a motor car. Moreover, the bridge may be formed to serve as a 40 bumper and one bridge may be removably mounted on the front and rear of a motor vehicle instead of the usual bumpers now in use. In this case, the bridge would be formed of stainless steel or nickel-plated steel or the like.

I claim:

l. A wheel bridge comprising a plurality of spaced bars having depending iianges thereon,

a pair of longitudinal members secured to the upper surfaces of said bars adjacent the ends 50 thereof, said longitudinal members having upwardly extending flanges thereon defining the wheel-engaging limits of the bridge, and a plurality of members having depending longitudinal flanges connected to the under surface of said longitudinal members and located between adjacent pairs of said bars.

2. A wheel bridge comprising a plurality ofV spaced angle bars having one angle portion disposed horizontally and the other angleV portion extending downwardly, a pair of longitudinal angie bars secured to the upper surface ofthe horizontal angle portions of said bars adjacent the ends thereof and having upwardly extending angle portions, and a plurality of short angle bars having downwardly extending angle portions and secured to the under surface of said longitudinal angle bars between adjacent pairs of said spaced angle bars. Y

3. A. wheel bridge for motor cars and the like comprising a plurality of spaced bars, connecting means for said bars comprising longitudinal strips secured in abutting relationship to and at theV end of said bars, means providing at least one downwardly curved end onY said bridge comprising downwardly curved portions at adjacent ends of said strips, and means on the bridge for gripping a surface to be traversed by the car comprising a plurality of transverse flanges projecting downwardly from the bridge and carried by said bars. 4. A wheel bridge for a motor car or the like comprising a plurality of horizontal spaced bars, connecting means for said bars comprising longitudinal strips secured in abutting relationship to ends of the bars, and means on the bridge for gripping a surface to be traversed by a car com- Y prising a plurality of transverse flanges projecting'downwardly and carried by said bars and a plurality of longitudinal anges projecting down-V wardly and carried by Vsaid strips.

EMMANUEL BERNARD GRAVELLE.

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