Improvements in Materials for Building Bridges, chiefly designed for Instructive Purposes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1893-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Materials for Building Bridges, chiefly designed
for Instructive Purposes.
I, JULIUS WEISS, of 351V, Steindamm, St. Georg, Hamburg, in the Empire of
Germany, Architect, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to materials for building bridges.
By means of the several parts of these materials bridges of various kinds can be
composed, such as for instance truss bridges with simple or double girder systems,
arched girders, fish-belly girders, or wire rope bridges and the like, owing to the
fact that the girders are composed, on the principle of the triangle, of links or tie
rods which are partly adjustable in length, and that the triangles placed side by
side are connected with each other by transverse and diagonal struts. In a truss
system thus composed the several links or tie rods form as it were the outlines of a
wedge.
The triangles connected with each other by transverse struts and diagonal rods are
composed in such a manner that the base is formed of a link or tie rod of unchangeable
length and having any suitable section. The second side of the triangle is change-
able in length and consists of two rods preferably fluted and provided with pin
holes. Upon these two rods is slid a sleeve which is slotted in the longitudinal
direction and has at its ends, which are fluted interiorly, taper screw threads fitted
to receive nuts. The third side of the triangle, constituting a link or tie rod of
changeable length, consists of two flat rods furnished with longitudinal slots and pin
holes. They are preferably fluted on the sides turned towards each other, in order to
increase the effect of the screws passed through the said slots and holding them
together. Triangles of various kinds may be obtained by changing the length of
the said second and third sides. The third side may also be made of a link or tie
rod of changeable length.
By these changes in the length of the sides of the triangle the distance of the
several transverse rods from each other will also be varied, which renders the
adjustability of the diagonals necessary. This is attained by connecting their
crossing point by a single bolt. Clamping sockets connected to the ends of the
diagonals are roughened interiorly, and the aforesaid transverse rods surrounded
by them are roughened on the outside so that, when tightening the nuts on the
screws extending through the clamping socket and the diagonal, a firm connection
of these three parts is obtained. It is clear that the adjustable links or tie rods of
various forms may be optionally exchanged with each other. The fixing of the
sleeve upon the above mentioned links or tie rods may be effected by substituting
for the nut a muff preferably made polygonal and which presents an eccentric bore
in transverse section. In accordance therewith the said sleeve is formed with an
axial projection.
In the above described truss system it has been assumed that the ends of the
various links or tie rods are slid upon the journals at the end of the several
transverse rods and secured by means of nuts. More than two triangles may be
arranged side by side, in order to produce for instance a bridge with a broad
carriage way. In this case it is expedient to make the said journals of such a
length that the links or tie rods on one side of the bridge can be slid upon them,
use being made of one or more sleeves.
The heads of the bridge may consist of wood or other appropriate material; they
are preferably fixed by screws upon a plank. For erecting the bridges it is
advisable to stretch between the heads of the bridge wire ropes or cords which

page_text: carry the several truss systems until the bridge is finished and are then removed
again. When erecting wire rope bridges the fixing of the wire ropes is preferably
effected by means of clamps consisting of a plate provided with an eye and whose
lateral parts are bent to the form of a slotted socket receiving the ends of the wire
ropes. Upon the socket is slid a muff which is similar to the muff slid upon the
sleeve of the aforesaid link or tie rod and is bored in accordance with the eccentric
projection in order to clamp the ropes in the sockets.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Materials for Building Bridges, chiefly designed
for Instructive Purposes.
I, JULIUS WEISS, of 351V Steindamm, St. Georg, Hamburg, in the Empire of
Germany, Architect, 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 :-
My invention relates to materials for building or constructing bridges designed
for amusement and instructive purposes.
By means of the several parts hereinafter described bridges of various kinds can
be formed, such for instance as truss bridges with simple or double girders, arched
girders, fish-belly girders, or wire rope bridges and the like, owing to the fact that
the said girders are composed, of links or tie rods which are adjustable in respect
of their length, and arranged in the form of triangles the said triangles placed side
by side being connected with each other by transverse and diagonal struts.
In a
truss system thus composed the several links or tie rods form as it were the outlines
of a wedge.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 represents a portion of a girder composed of tie rods and struts and
constituting the fundamental form of the truss system.
Figures 2, 24 and 2B show the rods serving as transverse struts.
Figure 20
in Figure 2A.
represents sleeves to be slid upon the ends of the transverse rods shown
Figure 3 represents tie rods of various transverse sections which form one side of
the triangle of a truss girder.
Figures 4 to 6 show tie rods which form the other sides of a triangle of a truss
girder.
Figure 7 shows a clamping socket for the tie rods of unchangeable length serving
as diagonal struts.
Figures 8 and 9 represent clamps for the wire ropes of the wire rope bridges.
Figures 10 and 104 are a side elevation and cross section of a truss bridge.
Figures 11 and 11 are a side elevation and cross section of a wire rope bridge
composed of the several parts represented in Figures 1 to 9.
In the truss system represented the triangles A B C connected with each other
by transverse struts R° and diagonal rods D are composed in such a manner that
the base A C is formed of a link or tie rod K of any suitable section which is not
adjustable. The second side of the triangle consists of two rods R which are made
adjustable in respect of their length and preferably fluted and provided with pin
holes R. The ends of the said rods are fitted to slide in a sleeve R2 which is
slotted longitudinally and has at its ends, which are fluted interiorly, taper screw
threads to which are fitted the nuts R³. The third side B C of the triangle,
consists of an adjustable link or tie rod comprising two flat rods R furnished with
longitudinal slots R* and pin holes R5, the said rods being preferably fluted or
roughened on the sides adjacent each other, in order to increase the effect of the

page_text: screw bolts R' passing through the said slots R' and which are adapted to hold
them together. In this manner it is possible to convert each triangle A B C for
example into a triangle A B¹ C, shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 by changing the
length of the sides A B and B C. The side A C may also be made of a link or tie
rod which is capable of being varied in length, so as to produce triangles of
the form shown by the dotted lines A. B² C₁.
By thus changing the length of the sides of the triangle the distance of the
several transverse rods R° from each other will also be varied, which renders the
adjustability of the diagonals necessary. This is attained by connecting the said
diagonals at the point where they cross each other, by a single bolt D'. The
clamping sockets D' connected to the ends of the diagonals are roughened interiorly
and the transverse rods R° enclosed by said sockets are roughened on the outside,
so that, when the bolts D' extending through the clamping socket and the diagonal -
are screwed up a firm connection of these three parts is obtained.
It is evident that the adjustable links or tie rods of various forms may be made
interchangeable with each other. The fixing of the sleeve R2 upon the above
mentioned links or tie rods R R may be effected by substituting for the nut R³
Figure 4 a muff or sleeve R³ preferably made polygonal and which is bored out
eccentrically in transverse section, the said sleeve R³ being for this reason formed
with an axial projection R°.
In the truss system represented it has been assumed that the ends of the various
links or tie rods are slid upon the journals R" at the end of the several transverse
rods and secured by means of nuts R". Two or more triangles may also be
arranged side by side, in order to produce for instance a bridge with a broad
carriage way. In this case it is expedient to make the said journals R10 of such a
length that the links or tie rods on one side of the bridge can be slid upon them,
use being made of one or more sleeves Rx. The heads L of the bridge may
consist of wood or other appropriate material; they are preferably fixed by screws
upon a plank M. For erecting the bridges it is advisable to stretch between the
heads of the bridge wire ropes or cords which carry the several truss systems until
the bridge is finished, the said cords are then removed. When erecting wire rope
bridges the fixing of the wire ropes N' is preferably effected by means of clamps O
consisting of a plate provided with an eye O' and whose lateral parts are bent to
the form of a slotted socket for receiving the ends of the wire ropes. Upon the
socket is slid a muff or sleeve O' which is similar to the muff or sleeve R³ slid upon
the sleeve of the aforesaid link or tie rod and is bored to suit the eccentric
projection O in order to clamp the ropes in the sockets.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
First. The herein described materials for building bridges, comprising links or
tie rods which are made adjustable in respect of their length and which can be
used for making bridge girders of triangular form connected with each other by
transverse and diagonal rods in such a manner as to form a wedge-shaped structure
having adjustable sides and which, when secured together by the aid of transverse
rods, will combine to form truss and wire rope bridges, substantially as above
described with reference to the drawings.
Second. The herein described materials for building bridges constructed and
arranged substantially as described with reference to the drawing.
Dated this 3rd day of August 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.