Bridging platform arrangement

A bridging platform arrangement for bridging a gap between a railway rail and an adjacent ground surface comprising:

• a substantially rigid, elongate bridging plate which extends in use generally parallel to the railway rail and which has a generally planar upper surface extending between opposite sides of said bridging plate;
• a mounting arrangement for mounting said bridging plate between said railway rail and said ground surface;
• wherein in use, said mounting arrangement permits displacement of said bridging plate between:
• a first rest position in which said upper surface of said bridging plate extends between respective upper surfaces of said railway rail and said ground surface;
• and
• a second displaced position in which said bridging plate is displaced so that said upper surface, between said opposite sides, is displaced below said first position, so that said plate does not interfere with the passage alone said railway rail of a wheel of a railway vehicle;
• said mounting arrangement being operable to permit displacement of said bridging plate from said first position to said second position under a railway vehicle load imposed on said bridging plate by engagement of said bridging plate by the wheel of a railway vehicle, and to substantially maintain said first position when said bridging plate is engaged by a load substantially less than that of said railway vehicle load, wherein said mounting arrangement includes at least two coil springs spaced apart between opposite ends of said bridging plate and which are fixed in place at bottom ends thereof, said coil springs extending substantially vertically when said bridging platform is in said first position, and being deflectable in the direction of movement of the wheel of a railway vehicle along said bridging plate to allow displacement of said bridging plate to a bent position away from substantially vertical, to allow arcuate displacement of said bridging plate from said first position to said second position, wherein said coil springs return from a deflected position following removal of said railway vehicle load to return said bridging plate to said rest position.

A bridging platform arrangement for bridging a gap between a railway rail and an adjacent ground surface comprising:

• a substantially rigid, elongate bridging plate which extends in use generally parallel to the railway rail and which has a generally planar upper surface extending between opposite sides of said bridging plate;
• a mounting arrangement for mounting said bridging plate between said railway rail and said ground surface;
• wherein in use, said mounting arrangement permits displacement of said bridging plate between:
• a first rest position in which said upper surface of said bridging plate extends between respective upper surfaces of said railway rail and said ground surface;
• and
• a second displaced position in which said bridging plate is displaced so that said upper surface, between said opposite sides, is displaced below said first position, so that said plate does not interfere with the passage along said railway rail of a wheel of a railway vehicle;
• said mounting arrangement being operable to permit displacement of said bridging plate from said first position to said second position under a railway vehicle load imposed on said bridging plate by engagement of said bridging plate by the wheel of a railway vehicle, and to substantially maintain said first position when said bridging plate is engaged by a load substantially less than that of said railway vehicle load;
• wherein said mounting arrangement includes at least two deflectable members spaced apart between opposite ends of said bridging plate, said deflectable members being deflectable in the direction of movement of the wheel of a railway vehicle along said bridging plate to allow displacement of said bridging plate from said first position to said second position, wherein said deflectable members return from a deflected position following complete travel of said wheel along said bridging plate to return said bridging plate to said rest position;
• and,
• wherein said bridging plate comprises an elongate C-section defining a centre web and a pair of parallel flanges extending downwardly from said web, and a connection member disposed between said flanges and connected to said flanges for rotation relative to said C-section, each said deflectable member being connected to a said connection member and said relative rotation occurring during displacement of said bridging plate between said first and second positions.

A bridging platform arrangement for bridging a gap between a railway rail and an adjacent ground surface comprising:

• a substantially rigid, elongate bridging plate which extends in use generally parallel to the railway rail and which has a generally planar upper surface extending between opposite sides of said bridging plate;
• a mounting arrangement for mounting said bridging plate between said railway rail and said ground surface;
• wherein in use, said mounting arrangement permits displacement of said bridging plate between:
• a first rest position in which said upper surface of said bridging plate extends between respective upper surfaces of said railway rail and said ground surface;
• and
• a second displaced position in which said bridging plate is displaced so that said upper surface, between said opposite sides, is displaced below said first position, so that said plate does not interfere with the passage along said railway rail of a wheel of a railway vehicle;
• said bridging plate from said first position to said second position under a railway vehicle load imposed on said bridging plate by engagement of said bridging plate by the wheel of a railway vehicle, and to substantially maintain said first position when said bridging plate is engaged by a load substantially less than that of said railway vehicle load
• wherein said mounting arrangement includes at least two pairs of coil springs spaced apart between opposite ends of said bridging plate, said coil springs extending substantially vertically when said bridging platform is in said first position and being deflectable in the direction of movement of the wheel of a railway vehicle along said bridging plate to a bent position away from substantially vertical, to allow arcuate displacement of said bridging plate from said first position to said second position, wherein said coil springs return from a deflected position following complete travel of said wheel along said bridging plate to return said bridging plate to said rest position, wherein the helical coils of said springs are in contact with each other when said coil springs are substantially vertical so that said coil springs act as a column to support vertical loads.