Back to results
US 6,568,019 B2Granted
Mechanical bridge assembly and method
OwnerPaul H. Markelzinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for opening a mechanical bridge. The apparatus includes at least two adjacent bridge spans where the first of the bridge spans is removable from its initial position and the second of the bridge spans is at least partially movable into the space originally occupied by the first span so that at least a portion of the second bridge span can be separated from yet a third adjacent span. This forms an opening between the second and third spans. Alternatively, a span can be moved laterally and then longitudinally to open a section of the bridge.
Claims21
A bridge assembly comprising:
- first, second and third adjacent piers, the first and second piers defining a first space there between and the second and third piers defining a second space there between, third and fourth spaces above the first and second spaces, respectively;
- a first bridge span positionable so as to traverse the distance between the first and second piers within the third space and translationally mounted to at least one of said first and second piers;
- a second bridge span positionable so as to traverse the distance between the second and third piers within the fourth space and translationally mounted to said second piers;
- a first motivator linked to the first bridge span for moving the first span into and out of the third space;
- and
- a second motivator linked to the second bridge span for moving at least a portion of the second bridge span from the fourth space to the third space so that at least a portion of the fourth space is unobstructed.
3 more elements
A bridge assembly comprising:
- first, second and third adjacent piers, each of the second and third piers including an in-line section and an adjacent lateral section, the in-line sections aligned along a longitudinal axis and the lateral sections aligned along a lateral axis that is essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the first pier and second pier in-line section defining a first in-line space there between, the second and third pier in-line sections defining a second in-line space there between, a space adjacent the first in-line space and the second lateral section defining a first lateral space, the second and third lateral sections defining a second lateral space there between, third and fourth in-line spaces above the first and second in-line spaces, respectively, and third and fourth lateral spaces above the first and second lateral spaces, respectively;
- a first bridge span positioned so as to traverse the distance between the first and second piers within the third in-line space;
- a second bridge span positionable so as to traverse the distance between the second and third piers within the fourth space in-line and translationally mounted to said second pier;
- a first motivator linked to the second bridge span for moving the second span between the fourth in-line space and the fourth lateral space;
- and
- a second motivator linked to the second bridge span for moving at least a portion of the second bridge span from the fourth lateral space to the third lateral space so that at least a portion of the fourth lateral space is unobstructed.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.