Modular bridges
AssigneeWilliams Fairey Engineering Limited
InventorThomas S. Parramore
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bridge module for a modular bridge comprises a central deck structure (10), to the lateral edges of which are pivoted first and second main girder structures (12,14). These main girder structures can be pivoted from a use position, in which they define lateral deck surfaces (20,22) (which can carry a military vehicle such as a tank) to a storage position in which they are folded beneath the central deck structure (10). In the storage position, the main girder structures intermesh, one with the other, so enabling the bridge module to be packed for transport into a standard ISO container.
Claims18
A bridge module comprising a central support and first and second lateral girder structures respectively pivotally mounted to the support for movement between a use position in which the girder structures are located substantially to each side of the central support and provide respective deck surfaces laterally of the support, and a storage position in which the lateral girder structures are rotated into a folded state beneath the support, wherein the lateral girder structures in the storage position each extend more than half way across the width of the central support and thus at least partially overlap each other when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the deck surfaces in the use position, characterized in that the module includes mechanical means operably coupled to the lateral girder structures for damping the movement of the lateral girder structures between the storage and use positions, the degree of damping being different for each of the first and second lateral girder structures.
A bridge module comprising:
- a central support defining a center deck;
- first and second lateral girder structures respectively pivotally mounted to the support for movement between a use position in which the lateral girder structures are located substantially entirely to each side of the central support and provide respective deck surfaces laterally of the center deck, and a storage position in which the lateral girder structures are rotated into a folded state beneath the center deck, wherein each lateral girder structure includes a pair of parallel support girders, at least one of the support girders of one of the said first and second lateral girder structures being received between the support girders of the other said lateral girder structure when the lateral girder structures are in the storage position;
- and
- a respective damping mechanism operably coupled to each of said first and second lateral girder structures wherein the degree of damping provided by said first and second damping means is different whereby said lateral girder structures fold at different rates.
A bridge module comprising:
- a central support;
- first and second lateral girder structures respectively pivotally mounted to the support for movement between a use position in which the lateral girder structures are located substantially to each side of the central support and provide respective deck surfaces laterally of the support, and a storage position in which the lateral girder structures are rotated into a folded state beneath the support, wherein the lateral girder structures in the storage position each extend more than half way across the width of the central support, and thus at least partially overlap each other when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the deck surfaces in the use position;
- a first damping mechanism coupled to at least one of said first lateral girder structure and said central support for damping the movement of the first lateral girder structure between said storage and use positions;
- and
- a second damping mechanism coupled to at least one of said second lateral girder structure and said central support for damping the movement of the second lateral girder structure between the storage and use positions, wherein the degree of damping of said first and second damping mechanisms is different.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.