"AN IMPROVED FLOATING BRIDGE
Year: 1884

page_text: I STEPHEN LAMPARD of 57 St Georges Square Portsea in the County of Hants
and Victoria Street Westminster in the County of Middlesex Builder and Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED FLOATING
BRIDGE to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the arrangement and construction of
floating pontoon bridges floating bridges and landing stages combined such floating
bridges working on chains and in combination with 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 tide-way 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
The floating bridge is also greatly reduced in length and in overhung weight.
The floating bridge according to my improvements is constructed with two decks
the upper deck for cattle and vehicles and the lower deck for passengers.
passengers enter and leave the bridge by suitable gangways. The pontoon which
supports the end of the landing bridge has two decks and the upper one may be
used as a promenade the lower deck being provided with suitable waiting rooms
and staircases the whole passenger platform being under cover.
Dated this 5th day of January 1884
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I STEPHEN LAMPARD formerly of 57 but now of 63 Saint Georges Square
Portsea in the County of Hants and Victoria Street, Westminster in the County of
Middlesex, Builder and Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
AN IMPROVED FLOATING BRIDGE and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrangement of
Floating pontoon bridges and in bridges combined with pontoons and landing
stages and in floating bridges working on chains.
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 inaterial.
By means of my improved pontoon landing stage with counterbalanced landing
prows and winch arrangement for quickly raising or lowering prow and by
carrying the Vehicles on the upper deck of the floating bridge the necessity of
having four heavy prows as at present is dispensed with and the floating bridge is
reduced to a simple square structure rounded at each corner and is also greatly
reduced in length and over hanging weight.
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 floating bridge is constructed with two decks, the upper deck for cattle,
Vehicles &c and the lower deck for passengers. Cattle, Vehicles &c enter and
leave the bridge by the counterbalanced prow on the upper deck of the pontoon
landing stage and thence by the roadway in the centre of the connecting bridge to
the shore.
Passengers enter and leave the bridge by the prow on the lower deck of the
pontoon landing stage then up the staircase to the gangways on either side of the
roadway and thence to the shore By this means the Vehicular and passenger
traffic is at all times kept separate and distinct from each other.
The floating 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.
This would be of great importance in a crowded river.
A great saving is effected in the number of men required to work the bridge
and from its simple form and the reduction in size, weight and engine power
required, a much greater area for passenger and Vehicular traffic is afforded and
the cost of fuel, repairs and maintenance is at the same time greatly reduced.
A comparatively small area is required on the foreshore for the necessary dock
as compared with the present system.
The improved Floating Bridge A working on chains according to my improve-
ments is represented in the drawings hereto annexed and has an upper deck B for
Vehicles and a lower deck C for passengers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1st The floating-bridge constructed with two completo decks, the upper deck for
cattle and vehicles and provided with a gangway at each end. The lower deck for

page_text: passengers only and provided with a gangway at each end substantially as shewn
and described.
2nd The floating-bridge constructed with a simple square hull rounded at each
corner and without overhanging prows, substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this fourth day of September 1884.
STEPHEN LAMPARD.