US1364764A - Vehicle-bridge - Google Patents

Description

H. H. HOWELL.

VEHICLE BRIDGE. APPLICATION FILED'OCT-Zfi, 1919.

Pafented Jan. 4, 1921.

HARRY H. HOWELL, OF HOPE, ARKANSAS.

VEHICLE-BRIDGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

Application filed October 25, 1919. Serial No. 333,171.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY H. HOWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hope, in the county of Hempstead and State of Arkansas, have inventednew and useful Vehicle-Bridges, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention is an auto br dge and its principal object is to provide a bridge to be mounted at the curbing of the pavement to permit the passage of an automobile from the street on to the pavement at a point where the usual inclined driveways for the entrance of an automobile are not provided.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bridge or trackway which when not in use may be supported in a perpendicular position.

a It is another object to provide a latch of novel form for retaining the bridge in up standing position.

lVith the above and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the bridge in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of one of the side bars and the latch engaging the same;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 44 of Fig. 3, the latch being shown in dotted lines in releasing position, parts of the side bar being broken away.

Referring to the figures bycharacters .of reference A designates a portion of a roadway having a curb B alongside thereof. Embedded in thiscurb are hollow posts 1 both having at their upper ends, small openings 2 provided with pulleys 3 and mounted 'in these openings and upon these pulleys are chains 4 or other flexible devices carrying weights 5 adapted to slide within posts 1.

Mounted for rotation within the posts close to the top of the curb B are stems 6 secured to the sides of the bridge structure and which structure is formed of parallel angle strips 7 and 8 connected by pairs of angle strips 9 disposed at right angles thereto. The strips 9 of each pair are connected by cross slats 10, thus forming runways, as shown, and the chains 4 are connected to the outer ends of the strips 9 at the outer sides of the runways. Those portions of the strips 8 and 7 between the two runways are connected by crossed braces 11 and extending downwardly from the strip 8 between the runways is a reinforcing flange 12.

Secured to each of the posts 1 is a collar 13 having a stop 14 extending into the path of the side strips 9 when the bridge is swung upwardly to raised positions. During the swinging of the bridge the weights 5 move downwardly into the posts. Pivotally connected to each of the ears 14 is a latch 15 having parallel fingers 16 and 17. A slot is formed in each post to receive the latch, as shown at 18 and when the latch is in its slot 18 the bridge can be swung upwardly between the posts. During this movement the sides of the bridge will move backwardly against the fingers 16 and cause the latches to swing out of the slots 18 with their fingers 17 extending in front of the bridge. Thus the bridge is held in upstanding position and cannot be lowered until the latches are swung laterally to remove the fingers 17 from in front of the bridge. lVhen the bridge is lowered its movement will be retarded by the weights 5 and after the free end of the bridge has been brought to position on the roadway A, a vehicle may be driven over the bridge onto or from the pavement.

What is claimed is 2- 1. The combination with posts of a bridge hingedly connected to the posts, counter-balancing means movably connected to the posts and attached to the free ends of the bridge, latches pivotally connected to the posts, and fingers extending from the latches, one finger on each latch projecting into the path of and adapted to be operated by the bridge when raised, and the other finger of each latch being movable in the path of the raised bridge to hold it against return movement.

2. The combination with a post and a bridge mounted to swing relative to the post, of counter balancing means movably connected to the post and attached to the bridge at a point removed from the hin ed end thereof, a latch pivotally connecte to the post and fingers extending from the latch, In testimony that I claimthe foregoing as one finger on each latch projecting into the my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature path of and adapted to be operated by the in the presence of two Witnesses.

bridge when raised, and the other finger of HARRY H. HOWELL. 5 the latch being movable into the path of the Vitnesses:

raised bridge to hold it against return move- ROY ANDERSON,

ment. SYD MOMATH.

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