US837796A - Bridge. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED DEC. 4, 1906..

G. H. GHHAVEY'.

BRIDGE.

urucuron FILED IAB..10.1906.

.usnmanu, n. c.

UNITED STATES GEORGEH. CHAVEY, OF WINOOSKI, VERMONT.

BRIDGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4, 1906.

Application filed March 10,1906. serial No. 305,374.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE I-I. OHAVEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Winooski, in the county of Chittenden and State of Vermont, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bridges, of which. the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bridges, and the object in view is to provide a bridge especially designed to be interposed between buildings or adjacent parts of buildings, the said bridge being constructed and. mounted or supported in such manner and provided with holding means of such character that when a fire breaks out in one building or the other or any one portion or another of the same building the said bridge will automatically be thrown out of position to cut off communication between such buildings or portions of the same building, thereby preventing the spreading of the fire.

With the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1. is

' a side'elevation of a bridge embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view thereof, showing the locking device. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail cross-section through the upper portion of the bridge, showing a portion of the locking device.

In constructing the bridge contemplated in this invention a suitable foundation 1 is provided having a narrow top, as shown in Fig. 3, which is of sufficient width. to form a seat for the supporting-base 2 of the bridge, the said supporting-base extending longitudinally beneath the center of the bridge and being shown in the form of an ordinary I-beam, which need be only several inches in width.

Extending upward from the supportingbase 2 are posts 3 and also oblique braces 4,

the said posts and braces supporting the floor-timbers 5, extending transversely of the bridge structure and having the floor or walkway 6 mounted thereon.

The bridge structure also comprises the uprights 7, connected at the top by longitudinal stringers 8 and cross-beams 9, which may either constitute the floor-supporting beams of a second story or the rafters upon which a suitable roof 10 is mounted, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The whole bridge structure thus far described, as well as the major portion of the mechanism to be hereinafter described, is supported solely by the narrow central longitudinal supporting beam 2, which rests on the foundation 1, which may be composed of one or more pedestals of masonry, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The means for supporting the bridge in position embodies a locking device, which may be of various forms, that shown embodying a centrally-arranged latch-lever 11, fulcrumed centrally at 12 on the superstructure of the bridge and having connected to the opposite arms thereof latch-bars 13, which extend in opposite directions from the lever 11 to points beyond the opposite ends of the bridge, the extremities of the latch-bars being received in suitable keepers connected with the adjoining buildings or portions of the same building. Said latch-bars may, as shown in Fig. 4, work in guide-sockets 14, formed in the beams or rafters 9 at suitable points.

In order to tllOW the latch-bars out of engagement with the sockets 14, resort is had to a weight 15, from which extends a rope or cable 16, passing over a guiding-sheave 17 and connected to the projecting end of the latch-lever at the point 18. In order to provide for holding the latch-bars in engagement with the sockets 14, other weights 19 and 20 are employed, the weight 19 being connected to a rope or cable 21, which extends over a sheave 22 and thence outward from the building, where it connects to the lever 11 at the point 27. The other weight 20 is connected to one end of a rope or cable 24, which extends over a sheave 25 and thence outward from the building lengthwise of the bridge, where it passes over another sheave 26 and thence back to the lever 11, being at tached thereto at the point 23. The combined weights 19 and 20 are in excess of the weight 15, so that said weights 19 and 20 hold the latch-bars in engagement to retain the bridge in position.

The ropes or cables to which the weights 19 and 20 are attached enter the opposite buildings or the opposite portions of the same building and may be extended to any portion of the building where such rope or cable will be subjected to the action of a fire,

IIO

the same side of the bridge, as shown in Fig. 2-.

' Instead of extending the ropes or cables 21 and 24 well into the buildings connected by the bridge fuses 28 may connect with said ropes or cables, and the fuses may be extended throughout the building, so that when either one of the fuses takes fire the flame is carried along rapidly by the fuse until it reaches and ignites one of the ropes or cables 21 and 2 with the-same result as that just previously described.

It will of course be understood that the locking device hereinabove described is susceptible'of considerable variation, also the location of the' weights which control the locking device. These and other changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

I claim 1. A bridge having a narrow supportingbase, in combination with locking means for holding said bridge in place, and a fusible device for releasing the locking means.

2. A bridge embodying a narrow supporting-base extending lengthwise of the bottom thereof, a locking device for holding the upper portion of the bridge in position, and a fusible connection for releasing said locking device.

3. A bridge embodying a narrow supporting-base extending lengthwise thereof, said bridge having its center of gravity located to one side of the center of the supporting-base, a locking device for holding the bridge in place, and fusible means for releasing said locking device.

4. A bridge having a central longitudinal supporting-base and having the center of gravity thereof'located to one side of the center of said supporting-base, in combination with a locking device for holding the bridge in position, weights connected with the looking device by ropes or cables, and fusible means whereby one of the ropes or cables is severed by contact with fire, substantially-as described.

5. A bridge having a narrow central supporting-base and having its center of gravity located to one side of said supporting-base, in combination with bridge-locking mechanism for holding the bridge in place, said mechanism embodying a lever, means associated therewith for engaging a permanent part of an adjoining structure, ropes or cables leading from said lever to the adjoining structure or structures and provided with a weight or weights, and a lever throwing weight connected to said lever and adapted to throw the same and unlock the bridge, sub' stantially as and for the pur ose described.

In testimony whereof I a x my signature lIl presence of two wltnesses.

GEORGE H. CI-IAVEY.

l/Vitnesses HENRY N. DEAVITT, NETTIE DEAVITT.

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