Improvements in Bearings for Bridges, Girders and Principals.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bearings for Bridges, Girders and Principals.
WALTER GEORGE WATTS, 214, Horseley Heath, Tipton, Staffordshire, Pattern
Maker in Iron Foundry, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:--
A bearing, consisting of three castings, & made up as follows, one top casting
with a circular, & concave face. With flange plate, and bolting holes, also one
circular, centre bearing, with convex, or spherical faces, on top and bottom,
combined with a bottom casting with a circular, and concave face. With flange,
plate, and bolting holes.
The whole to be made to fit, & work, into each other, so as to form an invention
having for its object improvements in the existing manner and ways of sup-
porting the ends of bridges girders or other structures in which expansion and
contraction has to be provided for, and at the same time giving greater freedom
under the deflection and vibration caused by varying and moving loads.
Upon the piers walls abutments or other supports I secure a plate at each
end for each girder or truss so shaped from a flange, or base, as to finish with a
circular and concave face struck to one centre and forming a spherical cavity.
A like plate is fastened to the underside of each end of the girder or truss.
Then between these two plates I insert an intermediate block which is shaped
on each face to suit the curves of each plate, this block being thinner by choice
than the complete sphere, great steadiness is obtained, without detracting from
strength. The parts may be made of steel, cast iron, or other metal, and the
whole constitutes an expansion contraction and deflection arrangement which by
reason of its special shape is enabled to slide on its faces thus giving to any
movement of expanding structure.
L
1111
1000
WALTER GEORGE WATTS,
Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Bearings for Bridges, Girders and Principals.
I, WALTER GEORGE WATTS, of 214, Horseley Heath, Tipton, Staffordshire,
Pattern Maker in Iron Foundry, 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 has for its object improvements in bearing for bridges girders

page_text: and principals by which such bearings automatically accomodate themselves
to the expansion contraction and deflection whether it takes place either in a
longitudinal transverse or diagonal direction or in all such directions at once.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practice I have appended hereunto two sheets of drawing upon which I
have fully illustrated the nature of my said invention.
Figure 1 is a diagram plan of the supporting girders of a bridge giving one
illustration where a combination of longitudinal and transverse movement takes
place.
Figure 2 is an elevation of my bearing.
Figure 3 is a plan of the lower bearing A.
Figure 4 is a similar plan to Figure 3 but shewing the centre block B in
position when accomodating longitudinal and transverse expansions at same time.
Figure 5 is a section through the bearings A and C shewing the centre block B
in elevation.
Figure 6 is a view of the bearing when the action of expansion or contraction
is taking place.
Figure 7 is a plan of a bearing shewing the application of two or more centre
blocks.
In carrying my invention into effect I form my bearing of three castings made
up of the bottom casting A having the circular and concave face a¹ with flange
plate and bolting holes as a top casting C having a similar circular and concave
face with flange plate and bolting holes as to the bottom and an intermediate
circular centre bearing block B with curve or spherical faces 61 and at top
and bottom.
The lower bearing plate A is secured to the pier wall abutments or other
supports Z at each end of the girders trusses or principals Y and a like plate C
is secured to the underside of such girders or trusses and between these two the
block B which is circular on plan and shaped on each face to fit the curves a¹
and cof each plate is placed and as this block is made thinner by choice
than the complete sphere great steadiness is obtained without detracting from
the strength. In cases where a large bearing surface is required I may use
two or more of such centre blocks B side by side in the same casting as shewn
by Figure 7 without in any way impeding the action.
My invention is particularly applicable where in addition to longitudinal
expansion and contraction there is more or less transverse expansion and con-
traction taking place at the same or different times as for instance in the bridge
illustrated by Figure 1 the expansion or contraction of the transverse girders X
which are bolted between the longitudinal girders Y is accomodated to the
required extent at the same time as the expansion or contraction of the longitu-
dinal girders Y is taking place this being effected by the sliding movement of
the faces of the intermediate block B upon the corresponding faces of the top
and bottom flanges B and C in the required direction. The same action takes place
in the case of any diagonal contraction expansion deflection or vibration whatever
the angles or angles of the movement may be. The parts may be made of steel,
cast iron, or other metal and the whole constitutes an expansion contraction and
deflection arrangement which by reason of its special shape is enabled to slide
on its faces thus giving to any movement of the structure in addition to which
it is capable of giving to any vibration and will allow the deflection caused
by moving bodies to take place in a steady and natural manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be
understood that I am aware of the Specification of Westwood's Patent No. 23212
A.1). 1895 and I do not claim anything described and claimed therein but, I
declare that what I claim is:―
In bearing for bridges and principals the top and bottom plates A and C having

page_text: circular and concave faces in combination with the intermediate circular centre
block B having convex or sphereical faces to fit the said faces of the top and
bottom plates substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and illustrated.
Dated this 24th day of March 1899.
LEWIS WM. GOOLD,
Agent for Applicant, 5, Corporation Street, Birmingham.