IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOATING PONTOON BRIDGES AND FLOATING BRIDGES WORKING ON CHAINS APPLICABLE ALSO TO FERRY BOATS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Stephen Lampard at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th July 1883.
STEPHEN LAMPARD of 57 St Georges Square Portsea in the County of Hants
and Victoria Street Westminster in the County of Middlesex, "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FLOATING PONTOON BRIDGES AND FLOATING BRIDGES WORKING ON CHAINS
APPLICABLE ALSO TO FERRY BOATS
This invention relates to improvements in the arrangement and construction of
floating pontoon bridges and in bridges combined with pontoons and landing stages
and in. floating bridges working on chains part of such improvements being
applicable to ferry boats.
According to my improvements vehicular and passenger traffic is carried on by
means of a floating bridge running to a pontoon connected to the shore by a bridge
constructed of iron or other suitable materials.
This bridge is so placed that the incline due to the rise and fall of the tide is
divided into two parts. Thus with a bridge of 150 feet long in a tideway having
a rise and fall of 18 feet the incline at high and low water would be about 1 in 16
By means of my improved pontoon and carrying the vehicles on the top of the
floating bridge the necessity for having four heavy prows as at present is dispensed
with and the floating bridge reduced to a simple square structure rounded at.
each end.
The floating bridge is also greatly reduced in length and in overhung weight.
The floating bridge is constructed with two decks the upper deck for cattle and
vehicles and the lower deck for passengers. The passengers enter and leave the
bridge by gangways. The pontoon which supports the end of the landing bridge
has two decks and the upper one may be used as a proinenade the lower deck being
provided with suitable waiting rooms and staircases the whole passenger platform
being under cover.
The connecting or landing bridge has a roadway in the centre for vehicles
and gangway on each side for passengers. The pontoon has a landing prow
counterbalanced with winch arrangement so as to be quickly lowered on to the
bridge.
The passenger gangway is connected to the bridge and rises and falls with it.

page_text: The connecting bridge and landing prow are both attached to a carriage (on
rollers or wheels) which is free to move to and fro with the rise and fall of
the tide.
Guides are arranged between which the chains of the bridge pass
Owing to the improved form given to the hull and the absence of prows the
bridge will be comparatively harmless in case of a collision and can when at full
speed be stopped in a few seconds
The bridge by being considerably reduced in length can be increased in breadth
so as to present the smallest obstacle to the free navigation of a river These points
are of great importance in a crowded river
A great saving is effected in the number of men required to work. the bridge and
from the simple form and the reduction in size weight and engine power required
the cost of fuel repairs and maintenance is greatly reduced at the same time
affording a much greater area both for passengers and vehicular traffic
A comparative small area is required on the fore shore for the necessary dock as
compared with the present system.
By arranging the connecting or landing bridge in two parts or divisions with an
intermediate pontoon to support the two central or inner ends of the two bridges
and causing the intermediate pontoon to come to rest upon the bed of an inner
basin or dock before the other pontoon has descended to its lowest position with
the tide the incline of the landing or connecting bridge can be reduced to a
minimum.