Improvements in Bent Plates used for Bridges, Floors, Buildings, Decks, and the like, and in the Manufacture of the same.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 20th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 20th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 28th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bent Plates used for Bridges, Floors, Buildings,
Decks, and the like, and in the Manufacture of the same.
I, RICHARD KNIGHTS of Maritzburg, Hermon Hill, Wanstead Essex do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
--
This invention has for its object improvements in bent plates used for bridges,
floors, buildings decks &c. and in the manufacture of same into various forms in
order to construct a bridge, floor or deck, of great strength with a small amount of
material. The method of constructing bridges and floors by means of plates known
as "corrugated" or "buckled plates" is well known, and my invention relates to a
new form of plate combining the two systems, thereby obtaining a considerable
saving both in weight of material used and cost of manufacture.
The method in which I construct my improved bridge or floor is as follows;
A plate of any size or thickness suitable to the circumstances is "dished" or
depressed in the body or centre of the plate the sides being at the same operation
bent upwards or downwards as the case may be to a suitable angle. There may be
only one or several depressions formed in the body of the plate as may be desired,
and the height of the sides is arranged to suit the various circumstances, thus when
these plates are laid side by side they will form a bridge, floor or deck consisting
of a series of buckled plates alternating with a series of flutings or corrugations,
formed by the abutting sides of any desired pitch, depth, or thickness.
The object
of the flutings or corrugations is to sustain any load that may come on them or the
intermediate "dished or "buckled" portion. The edges of the plates are bent
over horizontally or approximately so in order that suitable corrugations may be
formed when the edges of adjacent plates meet.
These edges may abut against one another and be jointed in any well known
manner or may if desired overlap, forming a lap joint. It is obvious that a bridge
or floor made up of a series such as above described will be more economical than
one made on any of the ordinary methods as the material is disposed to the best
advantage, being placed in the correct position for carrying any given load, all
superfluous material being dispensed with. In the case of a railway bridge I either
place the floor with the corrugations directly under and in the same line as the
rails or transversely to same, in order to adapt it to varying circumstances, thus
dispensing with rail bearers or cross girders as the case may be.
Dated this 20th day of June 1893.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bent Plates used for Bridges, Floors, Buildings,
Decks, and the like, and in the Manufacture of the same.
I RICHARD KNIGHTS of Maritzburg, Hermon Hill, Wanstead, Essex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following
statement:-
This invention has for its object improvements in bent plates used for bridges,
floors, buildings, decks etc., and in the manufacture of same into various forms in

page_text: order to construct a bridge, floor, or deck of great strength with a small amount of
material.
86
The method of constructing bridges and floors by means of plates known as
corrugated" and "buckled-plates" is well known, and my invention relates to a
new form of plate combining the two systems, thereby obtaining a considerable
saving both in weight of material used and cost of manufacture.
The method in which I construct my improved bridge or floor is as follows:-
A plate of any size or thickness suitable to the circumstances, is "dished" or
depressed in the body or centre of the plate, besides being at the same operation
bent upwards or downwards as the case may be to a suitable angle. There may be
only one or several depressions, formed in the body of the plate as may be desired,
and the height of the sides is arranged to suit the various circumstances; thus
when these plates are laid side by side they will form a bridge, floor, or deck
consisting of a series of buckled plates alternating with a series of flutings or
corrugatione, formed by the abutting sides, of any desired pitch depth or thickness.
The object of the flutings or corrugations is to sustain any load that may come on
⚫ them or the intermediate "dished" or "buckled" portion. The edges of the
plates are bent over horizontally or approximately so, in order that suitable
corrugatious may be formed when the edges of adjacent plates meet.
These edges
may abut against one another and be jointed in any well known manner or may, if
desired overlap and form a lap joint.
It is obvious that a bridge or floor made up of a series such as above described
will be more economical than one made on any of the ordinary methods, as the
material is disposed to the best advantage, being placed in the correct position for
carrying any given load, all superfluous material being dispensed with. In the
case of a railway bridge, I either place the floor with the corrugations directly
under and in the same line as the rails or transversely to same, in order to adapt it
to varying circumstances, thus dispensing with rail bearers or cross girders as the
case may be.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood reference is had to
the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a plate according to my invention,
Fig. 2 is a cross section showing two plates fitted together,
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of one plate and
Fig. 4 a cross section showing a slightly modified method of connecting the
plates.
A is the body of the plate, dished or raised in the middle with the flat edges a
by which it can be bolted to the girders or other parts of the structure. The
sides B are bent up to any desired height and angle, and are formed with the
flanges which serve for purposes of connection.
In the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 the flanges b abut against each other, and
are both riveted to a plate C placed on top and forming the joints. In Fig. 4 the
flanges are made wider and overlap each other, being riveted together to form
the joint, and the corrugations.
As shown in Fig. 3 the corrugations are "cambered " or curved in side elevation
to give greater strength if desired, Fig. 1 showing them made straight.
In forming floors and the like, the recesses can be filled in with concrete. The
corrugations may be over the plates, or if found desirable in certain cases, the plates
may be reversed and corrugations project on the underside.
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 :-
(1.) A plate for use in the construction of floors bridges and the like, having the
central portion dished in one or more places, and the sides bent up to form
corrugations, when the plates are riveted together, substantially as described and
for the purposes specified.

page_text: (2.) A plate for use in the construction of floors, bridges, and the like, having
the central portion dished and the sides bent up to form corrugations, with flanges
by which the plates are connected, substantially as described and shown for the
purposes specified.
(3.) In the construction of floors bridges and the like, the use of plates havin
the central portion dished, and the sides turned up to form corrugations, connected
together by flanges at the side, abutting against each other and riveted to
a connecting plate, substantially as described and shown in Fig. 2' of the
drawings.
(4.) In the construction of Hoors bridges and the like, the employment of plates
having the central portion dished and the sides bent up to form corrugations
connected together by Hanges at the sides overlapping each other and riveted
together substantially as described and shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.
Dated this 20th of March 1894.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.