provements in Water Bridges or Culverts
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr, 1895-Accepted, 1st June, 1895
(OMPLEIE SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Water Bridges or Culverts
I, WII LIAM ALBERT NICHOLS, of 308 Lancaster Avenue, St David³,
Delaware County, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America Manufacturer,
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 bridges or culverts, and more especially to that class
which are termed "portable,' and which are adapted to be used in 1oad-ways
where there are small streams, wet or boggy places, drains, or places for waste
water and the like, and it has for its object to improve the construction of such
bridges or culverts whereby they are better adapted for the purposes set forth, and
the invention consists in such a bridge embodying the features substantially is
hereinafter more particularly set forth
Referring to the accompanying drawings
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Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bridge or culvert made in accordance with
my invention,
Figure 2 is side view, partly in section, and
Figure 3 is an end view
The bridge may be made in sections, which may be rivetted or otherwise secured
together to make a bridge of the desired length, and in Figure 1, I have shown
for convenience of illustration, a bridge of two sections, and having at cach end
means which shall serve as guide-ways for the water passing through the bridge,
as well as act as anchors or means of securing the bidge in position, and for
preventing the surrounding earth from getting into the bridge or culvert, although
of course, it will be understood that it is not always necessary to use such means at
both ends of the bridge, or they may be omitted altogether
The budge or culvert is preferably made of 1on or steel, the parts being rivetted
or otherwise secured together, although in some instances it is practicable to use
other materials, but in all circumstances the bridge is portable and contained
within itself and can be readily placed in the desired position, the various sections
being united to make it of the length necessary for any particular use
The budge comprises a base plate A, shown as being of sheet metal, and
secured to said sheet are the truss pieces B B¹ which are preferably made of angle
iron in substantially the mauner indicated, to render the bridge strong and not
liable to distortion under strains, the truss pieces B, extending at right-angles from
the base, while the truss pieces B₁ extend at a less angle to form braces, as
indicated The truss pieces B B e united to the side pieces D D' by being
rivetted or bolted thei eto, which side pieces extend from the bottom plate A
upward to the end of the truss pieces, and these not only give great strength to
the bidge, but furnish a clear run way inside for the passage of water or other
material, without obstruction from inwardly projecting trusses or other parts of
the device
The upper ends of the trusses are united by the horizontal cross-pieces B' and
In order that these may be readily and easily attached to the side pieces I provide
angle pieces B³ which are, respectively rivetted or bolted, to the side pieces D D₁
and to the cross-pieces B2 Mounted upon these cross-pieces B2 is a cover C,
which is secured also by ri ets or bolts and preferably projects out at its edges

page_text: beyond the side pieces D D' so as to include and cover the upper ends of the truss
pieces Other angle pieces as B may be applied between the truss pieces to
further secure the parts together, although in some instances the e
Decessary
are not
From this description it will be seen that I am enabled to provide a very simple
structure, which at the same time is exceedingly strong and capable of supporting
severe weights or strains in all directions, and also provide a free run-way for the
water
The
In order to provide means for guiding the water to the bridge, as well as to form
an anchorage therefor and to prevent the earth or dut from falling before the
mouth of the bridge or culvert, attach to the end of the bridge a face plate or
plates E which extend upward beyond the top of the bridge and laterally beyond
the sides, and preferably form a rectangular face plate surrounding the opening to
the bridge This plate also extends below the bottom of the bridge, and the parts
thereof are united by a plate E¹ which is preferably shown as U shaped
plate is also provided with wings F F on either side which are preferably angular
in shape, and which may be secured to the face plate by the angle plates f The
outer edges of these plates are also turned over or provided with angle plate- F¹,
while at the rear I preferably provide a U-shaped plate 2 The outer ends of the
wings are connected by a sill G, which is shown as made of U-shaped plates, and
as being secured to the under side of the wings, while on the lower inner sides of
the wings are arranged the L-shaped plates ³, and these are preferably on a plane
below the level of the bridge
The object of arranging the bridge in this manner is that when the bridge or
culvert is placed in position, the space between the sill and the face plate E, may
be filled with paving, as stone or other material to present the water flowing
through the bridge or culvert from washing away the earth in front thereof The
face plates not only seive as anchors for the bridge, but prevent the earth or dirt
surrounding the bridge from getting into the opening the cof, and the U-shaped
pieces furnish a convenient means for paving or otherwise packing the material
around the bridge to make a tight joint The angle bars F¹ projecting at the
sides also serve as an abutment against which the earth or paving may be
placed, and it will thus be seen that the earth or paving material can be packed
closely all around the bridge in such a manner that it is not liable to be wished
into the bridge, there being abutments all around the opening
It will be bserved that the badge or culvert can be constructed from ordinary
commercial forms of metal requiring no special rolling or forming, and that when
the parts are put together in the manner indicated it constitutes in exceedingly
simple yet strong bridge or culvert, which my be placed in position and firmish a
ready means for the pas age of water, and the earth or other surrounding parking
will not be liable to be washed into the bridge or the water to wish the packing
way from the bridge or undermine it
Having now particularly de cubed and a certained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is
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1 A portable bridge or culvert comprising the bottom A the truss pieces
secured thereto the side pieces secured inside the truss pieces the cro s-pieces
secured to said side pieces and the top secured thereto the parts being vetted or
otherwise joined sub tantially as described
4
2 A portable bridge or culvert comprising the bottom sides and top plates 5
secured by truss pieces and having the face plates secured to the end of the bridge
and extending bevond the same substantially as described
3 The combination with a bridge or culvert of the face plate secured thereto
the wings connected to the face plates and a sill uniting the outer ends of the wings
the face plates and wings extending beyond the limits of the budge or culvert
substantially as described

page_text: 4 The combination with a bridge or culvert of the face plates and wings and the
angle pieces attached thereto forming lateral extensions or abutments for the earth
or packing material surrounding the bridge substantially as described
5 The combination with a bridge or culvert of the face plates secured thereto
and projecting above and at the sides beyond the bridge the angle pieces E¹ F*
above and below the bridge the wings connected to the face plates the sill
connecting the wings and the angle plates F1 F3 secured to the wings substantially
as and for the purpose set forth
Dated the 20th of A1 1005
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant