Improvements in the Construction of Bridges.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 7th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 7th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 2nd June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Bridges.
I, ADOLPHE SALLES, Engineer, of 35, Rue Pasquier, Paris, France, Managing
Director of La Compagnie des Etablissements Eiffel do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of lattice girder
bridges for footpaths, roads, or railways, whether intended for temporary or
permanent purposes.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, wherein
Figure 1 represents a side elevation, and Figure 2 an edge view, of one section
of a girder composed of a horizontal, a vertical, and two diagonal members.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of a similar section but without the vertical member.
Figure 4 is a side elevation shewing the mode of combining the sections to form
the girder, drawn on a smaller scale.
Figure 5 represents side and end views, and Figure 6 a plan illustrating the
mode of constructing the top and bottom horizontal members of the girder.
Figure 7 represents a side elevation of a girder being slid into position.
Figure 8 represents one of the fastening bolts, with chambered nut in section
and an external view of the nut.
The invention consists, first, in constructing the girder in sections of suitable
form but preferably triangular, said sections being made of bars bolted together so
as to be capable of being readily disconnected so that either of the sections may be
transported or the several members or bars of which they are composed may for
the sake of lightness and convenience of handling be transported separately and
put together in situ.
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, shew two modifications of triangular sections and also the
mode of combining them in the construction of a girder.
The invention consists, secondly, in constructing the top and bottom members of
the girder of lengths juxtaposed so as to break joint with each other, as shewn in
Figures 5 and 6, whereby increased rigidity is obtained.
The invention consists, thirdly, in constructing these top and bottom members of
the girder of ☐ section whereby to stiffen them and permit of rolling the bridge
on trolleys placed beneath the girders, as shewn in Figure 7.
The invention consists, fourthly, in forming the bolts with coned shanks and also
in providing them with chambered nuts (as shewn in Figure 8) whereby to
facilitate the insertion of the bolts in their holes without injuring the threads and
also permit of tightening up the nuts against surfaces from which the threaded
shanks wholly project, without the necessity of employing washers.
Dated this 7th day of June 1892.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Bridges.
I, ADOLPHE SALLES, Engineer, of 35 Rue Pasquier, Paris, France, Managing
Director of La Compagnie des Etablissements Eiffel, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of lattice girders for
road, railway or foot bridges, whether intended for temporary or permanent
purposes and has for object to provide a system of construction whereby all the
parts may be easily put together or dismounted in situ.
Reference is to be had to the drawings left with my Provisional Specification
and also to the accompanying drawings wherein
Figure 1 represents in elevation one element of a girder composed of a horizontal,
a vertical, and two diagonal members.
Figure 2 is an edge view of one of the diagonal members.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of a similar element but without the vertical member.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, drawn on a smaller scale, showing the mode of
combining the elements to form a girder.
Figure 5 represents side and end views and Figure 6 a plan of the top or bottom
horizontal members of the girder.
Figure 7 represents a side elevation of a girder being slid into position.
Figure 8 represents one of the fastening bolts, with chambered nut in section
and an external view of the nut.
Figure 9 is an elevation, Figure 10 a plan and Figure 11 a cross section, showing
-the details of the connection of the diagonal and top members of the girder.
Figures 12, 13 and 14 are similar views when a vertical member is used.
The girder is constructed in sections of suitable form, preferably triangular, said
sections being made of bars bolted together so as to be capable of being readily
connected and disconnected, in order that the sections or the several members or
bars of which they are composed may for the sake of lightness and convenience of
handling be transported separately and put together in situ.
These triangular sections are combined in the construction of a girder, by being
placed so that each section overlaps the two adjacent sections, their diagonal
members a crossing as shown in Figure 4, for which purpose the flat end plates a¹
of the diagonals are offset from the plane of the main middle portion as shown in
Figures 2, 9, 11, 12 and 14, to admit of the diagonals a of one section crossing
those of the adjacent sections.
The top and bottom members C, d of the girder are each composed of two
series c, c² or d, d of short lengths, such as shown in Figures 1 and 3, of channelled
section the lengths of each series being reinforced at the ends and fish jointed as
at in Figures 9 and 12, the two series composing a member breaking joint with
each other, as shown in Figures 5 6, 9, 10, 12 and 13 and being set back to back 80
as to form a member of ] [section (as shown in Figures 11 and 14) with the
ends a¹ of the diagonal members (and the ends g' of the vertical members g if
any) between them.
By making the horizontal members "break joint" and of channelled section, the
girder is sufficiently rigid to permit of rolling the bridge on trolleys placed beneath
the girders as shown in Figure 7. The vertical members g have offset end plates g¹
which together with those of the vertical members are secured between the two
channel bars of the horizontal member by the same bolts h.
The bolts are formed with coned shanks (as shown in Figure 8) to facilitate
the insertion of the bolts in their holes without injuring the threads and provided
with chambered nuts i adapted to fit over the coned shanks to permit of tightening

page_text: up the nuts against the surfaces from which the coned parts of the shanks project,
without the necessity of employing washers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The construction of lattice girders of short overlapping sections, the top
and bottom members being of short juxtaposed lengths of channelled section
breaking joint, and set back to back with the ends of the diagonal members
(and vertical members if any) bolted between them, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
2nd. The combination, with a fastening bolt having a coned shank, of a chambered
nut embracing the coned shank, as and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 7th day of March 1893.
A. SALLES,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.