IL43978A - Method of erecting a temporary bridge from sections and sections therefor - Google Patents

Description

IT ΓΓΙΕΏ^ METHOD OP ERECTING A TEMPORARY BRIDGE PROM SECTIONS. AND SECTIONS THEREFOR The present invention concetns bridge sections which are adapted to be quickly and temporarily assembled across water.

For communication purposes and particularly in war time it often becomes necessary to quickly build temporary bridges across water ways which bridges must carry great loads, such as loaded trucks, buses or tanks.

There are many bridge sections known which fulfil this purpose and many methods of erecting bridges therewith. n one method the first bridge section is lowered into the water, the next section is lowered likewise next to it and is dragged so that it will be positioned in front of the first section, whereafter the two sections are connected to each other by bolts or any other heavy-duty connecting means.

This connection procedure requires a great manpower force and is very time consuming, a fact which particularly in war time is a great drawback.

In another known method of bridge building, tractors or tanks carry pontoon sections on their top and after the first section has been secured, the tank or tractor will travel thereon and will release its pontoon section into the water by hydraulic means. Here again the connection between the two sections has to be carried out manually which is time-consuming and required manpower, and furthermore the fact that the tank or tractor which has first lowered its pontoon must travel back to the shore before the next tank or tractor with its pontoon can travel on the already positioned section, is a great drawback It is the object of the present invention to overcome these drawbacks and to provide bridge sections which will automatically be connected when one section is positioned in front of the other.

The invention consists in bridge sections having integral means for travelling on land and being adapted to float, characterised in that at the front end of each section female connecting means are provided and at the rear end male connecting means, said male means being adapted to automatically engage said female means as one section enters the water adjacent to the section already in position.

The invention further consists in a method of erecting a bridge from said sections, comprising lowering one section into the water and fastening i¾, transporting another second section on top of said erected section and lowering it from the front end of the latter into the water, kfeereby said male connecting means of said second section automatically engages said female connecting means of said erected section, and thereafter transporting successive sections on the already erected sections and permitting their successive automatic connection* The connecting means may be of any suitable form. Thus the male connecting means may comprise a hook, ball and chain or the like, while the female means may consist of a groove, having abutments or special shape to retain tbe male connecting means* 2a - The invention is illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings in which: 1 is a perspective view of one bridge section according to the invention! 2 is a front end view thereof? 3 is a longitudinal section thereofj illustrating its connection to a sec bridge section} Fig. 4 is a partial plan viev illustrating another embodiment of he connecting members of two bridhe sections according to the invention? Fig. 5 is a partial longitudinal section thereof.

A pontoon-like platform 1 is provided on its Underside with two endless chains 2 which are similar to a tank track and two wheels 3 over which said chains run, so that the platform may travel overland, the motor and driver cabinet not being shown. Instead of the track and wheels other yea s may be provided below the platforms for permitting them to travel on land. The entire platform and its driving mechanism is constructed in such a manner that it can float on water; At the rear end of theplatform ί the male part of the connecting members are provided, being constituted by three hooks 4 being pivotaliy mounted, the hooks being held in raised position by any suitable known means (not shown).

Three longitudinally extending grooves 5 are provided on part of the top of platforms 1 , said grooves ending at the front end of platform 1. The grooves are shallow for part of their length, i.e. that extending in the centre of the platform, and taper downwardly towards the front end, an abutment 6 being provided at the front end of each groove for a purpose which is clear from Fig* 3» i.e. for engaging the hook portion of hooks 4. It can be seen that as the platform 1 travels along one platform and enters the water with its front end, xie» with the grooved end first, hooks 4 will be released so that they can drop automatically by gravity into the shallow ends of grooves 5 and will travel therein until they are stopped by abutments 6· After two sections, i.e. platforms 1, have been set in place, a third, fourth etc. will be positioned one A pin 7 or the like is provided in the sidewills of groove 5 to arrest hooks 4 after they have engaged ^ abutments 6.

At the front and rear end of platform 1 , a pair of wheels S is provided* These wheels act as bumpers both during the lowering of platform 1 into the water and when the bridge sections are connected to prevent the sections to abut each other in the ease of rough weather conditions.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 4 and .b'igure 5, the male connecting member comprises a ball 9 at the end of a chain 10 which is attached to platform 1a at 11· A groove 5a is provided which is similar to groove 5 but at the front end of platform la narrows to a width which is less than the diameter of ball 9 but larger than the width of chain 10, In this embodiment, as platform 1a to be connected travels along an already positioned bridge section , the balls 9 will be dragged along platform 1a until they engage in grooves 5a» Upon further travel and when the section to be connected enters the water, balls 9 will be lowered in groove 5a until the balls are stopped by the narrow part of groove 5a, whereby a fast connection between the two sections is made* It can be seen that the connection between the bridge section is made automatically without requiring manpower to effect them.

It is, of course, understood that the invention is not limited to the connecting means illustrated herein but any other suitable connecting means in which a male

Claims (6)

1. - 5 - member will automatically engage a female member provided on the platform 1 are within the scope of the present invention.

2. For example, the balls of Fig, 5 may be attached to bars instead of chains 10, the grooves being similar to grooves 5a.

3. C L A I M S t

4. 1. A method for erecting a bridge from sections having on top of their front ends female connecting means and at their rear ends male connecting means, comprising lowering one section into the water and fastening it, transporting another second section on top of said erected section and lowering it from the front end of the latter into the water, whereby said male connecting means of said second section automatically engages said female connecting means of said erected section, and thereafter transporting successive sections on the already erected sections and permitting" their successive automatic connection. 2· Bridge sections for carrying out the method as claimed in claim 1, having integral means for travelling on land and being adapted to float. 3· Bridge sections as claimed in claim 2, wherein the male connecting means are constituted by hooks, the female means being constituted by grooves having an abutment. k» Bridge sections as claimed in claim 2, wherein the male connecting means are constituted by balls attached to chains, the female means being constituted by grooves which have a narrow cross-section near the front end of

5. Bridge sections as claimed in any of claims 1-4, wherein the means for travelling comprise an endless chain similar to a tank- rack which run over wheels.

6. Bridge sections, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. % Method of erecting a bridge from sections substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. AGENTS FOR APPLICANTS Te-Aviv, January 8, 1 74