Finger joint with a bridging cover plate

A finger joint installed between a first structure and a second structure, which are disposed with a gap therebetween, a distance of which changes as the first structure and the second structure are expanded or contracted due to temperature change or the like or as the first structure and the second structure are moved by an earthquake or the like, so as to enable a vehicle to smoothly pass over the gap, the finger joint comprising:

• a bridging cover plate installed on the first structure and supported to the second structure across the gap so as to support a load of a vehicle passing over the gap, and configured to allow relative movement between the first structure and the second structure in a direction in which the distance of the gap changes;
• a first finger unit including a plurality of first fingers connected to the bridging cover plate and supported by the second structure, and a plurality of first finger grooves each formed between neighboring the first fingers;
• and
• a second finger unit including a plurality of second fingers configured to be inserted into the first finger grooves, respectively, and a plurality of second finger grooves each formed between neighboring the second fingers, the second finger unit being installed on the second structure so as to allow relative movement relative to the first finger unit in a direction in which the distance of the gap changes,
• a first support unit installed on the first structure and configured to support a bottom surface of the bridging cover plate on the first structure to be floated from a floor of the first structure;
• a second support unit installed on the second structure and configured to support the bottom surface of the bridging cover plate on the second structure to be floated from a floor of the second structure, the second support unit being in sliding contact with the second structure;
• and
• an elastic pressing mechanism installed on the first structure between the first support unit and the second support unit or on a protrusion structure protruding from the first structure toward the second structure, and configured to elastically press the bridging cover plate downward.