USRE12570E - Movable bridge - Google Patents

Description

No. 12,570. l RE1ssUED-N0V-27, 1906.-

- T. BALL.

Mm/'ABLE BRIDGE. APPLICATION IILBD MAY 11, 1906.

UNITED Lsfiiifins" PATENT OFFICE.,

rinionoa RALn or cHioAeo, iLLnvois.

NIOVABLE .BRIDGE- lne. 12,57).

Specification of Bessued Letters Patent; Reissued Nov. 27, 1906.

Griginal No. 669,348, `dated March 5, 1901'.v Applieationrfor reissue filed May 11., 1906. Serial No. 316,391.

To (IJ/ whom it T11/my concern: A

Beit known that I, Tniionon RALL, ,a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago in lthe vcounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Movable Bridges, of which the following is a specification.

' This invention relates to that class of movable bridges known as bascule bridges,]in which there is a platform swinging in a vertical plane, so as'to open or. close passage over a canal, river, or other waterway,

which will be more fully hereinafter described.

The principal object of the inventljin' is to provide a simple, economical, and efficient movable bridge of the bascule type. i

-A further object is to provide a bridgeof the bascule type with simple `and efficient means by which'it may be economically operated-that is, opened and closed. 4

Further objects ofthe invention will ap-- ear from an examination of the drawings and the following description and claims.

The 4invention consists principally in the combination of a'track portion, a verticallyswinging-platform -portion provided with a drive-roller or drive-wheels at its pivotal ypoint where it rests upon the track, and

means for turning the saine, and thereby opening and "closing the bridge.

The invention consists, further, in the combination of a track portion, a vertically-swing-Y i ing-platform portion provided A\w ith drivev 3 5 wheels or a roller at its pivotal point where it rests upon the track,`link or strut mechanism pivotally connected to a fiXel portion and to the swinging 1platform at a point or points off center to t efulcrumpoints, and means for rotating the wheels or roller so as to move the same backward or forward on thetrack, and thereby open or close the bridge. t

The invention consists, further and finally, in the features, combinations, and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the'aecompanyin drawings, Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a ridge constructed in accordance with these improvements; Fig. 2, I

a longitudinal central vertical sectional view of a portion of the mechanism shown in. Fig.

1;'Fi 3, a plan sectional detail taken on line 3 of ig. 1A looking at the mechanism from' above; Fig. 4, a sectional detailtak'en on line 4 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction ofi-thc arrow; 5 a similar view taken on line 5 of Fig. 1, and Fig...6 a plan view of a portion of the supp orting-track'.

In illustrating-and mentsI have only illustrated land described that which I consider .to be new, takenin connection with so much jas is old as'will properly disclose the invention and enable those skilled in the art to practice the same, ,leaving out. of consideration other and wellknown elements which if illustrated and described herein would only tend t confusion, proliXity, and ambiguity.

In constructing a bridge in accordance with my improvements a swinging portion or two sidetrusses or girdcrs carrying the plat'- foini or roadway l) between them. These trusses or girders, which carry the platform or roadway of the bridge, are arranged to swing in a vertical plane, as is usual in all types of bascule bridges.

In order to operate the provided with a shaft c, which is loosely or rotatably mounted therein and is practically the fulcrum-point thereof. Mounted rigidly are wheels d, resting upon a track or tracks e, formed lby metallic girders, which in turn are Vsupported upon the 'base or foundation f. An' examination of thegdrawings will show that these wheelsfarty nothing more nor less than spur gears or pinions, the spursl of which are passed through perforations g in the track c, which'in technical terms may be considered as a rackIl The providing of this rack and pinion 'has for one purpose thcpreventingof the bridge from being opened or 'closed by wind-pressure that is, slid along bythe wind acting against the surface of the bridge whichy would thereby open or close.

hereinafter more fully describedl Struts or links h are. provided and pivot- Aally connected at i to a fixed portion of the frame or portion of the bridge atv j at points o'll' center to the fulcrum of the bridge, so that as the Wheels, gears, o rb antifriction-rollers. which practically form the fulcrum-poiiit of the bridge, are rotated backward and forward on the track the pivotal connection of the strut and the swinging platform is compelled to travel in the arc of a circle,.as shown in dotf l ted outline in Fig. 1, and thus force or comdescribing my improvebridge in the above described manner, the swinging portion is 'upon this axle or shaft, at either end thereof,

foundation and to the swinging platform a, is provided, which is `formed of the bridge, together with other purposes, as

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have shown one ,means for doing the same composed o fan electric motor 7c, connected with the shaft on which are the antifrictionrollers, wheels, or .gears by means of av train,

of compound gearing l, (see Fig. 2,) so that i when electric current is supplied to the motor I its armature-shaft is rotated; which thereby rotates the roller-shaft, which acts to rotate lthe rollers or wheels backward and forward on the track and compels the platform to swing in avertical plane to open or close-the bridge. It is desirable that some means should be provided so that when the bridge is in the position for traffic or supporting a live loadI the load should be taken off at the fulcrum- .leaving the bridge free to be operated.

point to minimize the wear of'th'e same. To accomplish this, the side girders of the bridge are provided with downwardly-projecting l portions so arran ed that they contact the foundation at my see Fig. l) before the tail of the bridgetouches the bumper. The Vfurther movement of the bridge causes the tail portion thereof to bear against the bumper, as shown in Fig. 2, and at the same tlme raise the wheels or rollers slightly from the track, so that the live load is supported directly on the foundation without the intermediary of such wheels or rolls. This tilting around the point m does not require much.

force,`as` the center of gravity, which is the center of theA shaft, is nearly vertical above such point.

For the purpose of locking the swinging span in position compound link mechanism:

'n is provided, one end of whichis pivotally connected to the approach of the bridge and the otherto a spur-gear o, which is operated by a pinion p. In Fig. ll the parts are showin n Fig. 2 they are shown so that the common fulcrum-point of the links is passed underneath an incline in the tail of the bridge to force it up against its bumper, and hold the bridge in closed position. of the bridge is provided with counterweights g, so that the center of gravity of.

the total dead load falls in or near the center of the supporting-shaft c. It will thus be seen that during the operation of opening or closing the bridge when the same rests entirely upon the shaft c with its antifriction wheels or rollers the minimum amount, of power only will be necessary to open and close the bridge. i

From the foregoing description of construction and operation and an examination of the drawings tjwill be seen that a bridge The tail portionA 1 constructed in accordance with these imall curved members and complicated operating-struts are avoided and, further, that the bridge is very easy of access and economical to repair.

I Gl'ain-*y 1. In a bridge of combination of a vertically-swinging-platmechanism,'means for moving said swingingplatform portion backward and forward on its movable fulerum mechanism, and means for taking the load off the movableffulcrum its lowered closed position, substantially as described.

- combination of a track portion, a verticallyswinging-platform portion provided with is transmitted to the track, and means for movin substantially as described.

3. In a bridge of the class described, the combination of a supporting-track.portion, a vertically-swinging-platform portlon proof the lswinging-platform portion is transmitted to the track,`.link mechanism pivotally connected to the supporting portion and to the'swinging-platform portion at a point or points off center tothe fulcrum-point, and means for rotating the Wheels or rollers so as to operate the same backward and forward u on the track and thereby open and close .t e bridge, substantially as described.

4. In a bridge of the class described, the combination of a supporting-track, avertically-swinging-platform portion, a shaft rotically'forming the fulcrum of the swinging platform and provided with wheels or ro 1ers at. or near its outer ends Where'it rests upon ally` connected to the supporting portion and, to the swinging-platform ortiogn at a point or points off centert'o the lcruin-point, and mechanism for rotating the wheels or rollers so as to rotate the same backward and for- Ward on the track and thereby open and close the brid e, substantially as described.

A 5. In a bri e of the class-described, the combination o 'al supporting-track portion, a vertically-swinging-platform portion vid ed with Wheels or similar elements' w ere the weight of the Swingin -platform ortion 'is transmitted to the trac stop mec anism arranged to be contacted by the vswinging platform so that when the same is in its coinpletely-closed position the ,fulcrum-wheels V- supporting drive-.wheels or drive-rollers where the weight of the swinging-platform portion the rollers backward and forward upon t e track'to open and close the bridge,

vided with wheels or rollers-where the weight -provements is very economical to construct and simple and eflicient 1n operation and that Athe class described, the

.form portionprovided with movable fulcrum 2. In a bridge of theA class described,'the I IOO tatably extending through, the same practhe` supporting-track, link mechanism pivotxls are raised from the track, link mechanism 13o So mechanism when the swinging platform is in j swinging-platform portion,

pivotally connected to the `sup-porting por-A tion and to the swinging latform at a polnt or points off center to the llcrurn, and means for moving the rolls-backward and forward uponV the track so as to open and close the bridge, substantially as described.

6. In a bride of the class described, the combination o a suporting-traok portion forming a substantia a shaft rotatably extending through the same practically at its fulcru'm-'point and provided With spur- Wheels at each end thereof where it rests upon rack, a verticallythe track', link mechanism pivotally connected to the supporting portion and to the swining platform at points off center to the fu and means for rotatin the cruin-po1nts, spur-wheels so as to move the saine ack- Ward and forward on the supporting-track and thereby open and close the bridge, sub'- stantially as described.

THEoDoR RALL.

I Witnesses W. T. JONES, A. P. COURTENAY.

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