Bridge

Details Bridge Bridge

1999-11-05

2001-10-30

Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3673)

Bridges

Truss

Structure

C014S071100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06308357

ABSTRACT:

The present invention relates to a bridge made from surfaces for walking on and a handrail assigned to the surfaces for walking on via struts, walls or the like.
Such a device is disclosed, for example, in DE 196 25 819.7 A1. The essential feature of this invention is that virtually the entire device can be produced by employing the building-block principle. It essentially comprises aluminum sections which can be produced easily and cost-effectively.
It is the object of the present invention further to improve this device for walking on which is disclosed in DE 196 25 819 A1, in particular to increase the stability and facilitate production.
This object is achieved by virtue of the fact that the handrail comprises hollow section segments which have at least one longitudinal groove for connecting to the struts, walls or the like.
Because of its shape, the hollow section has the advantage that it has a very high stability and, in particular, bending strength. This gives the bridge a high degree of steadiness.
The longitudinal groove has the advantage that connection to the struts and/or walls can be substantially facilitated. It is provided for this purpose that the longitudinal groove is of undercut construction so that it can hold appropriate sliding blocks. The sliding blocks have the advantage, in turn, that they can be displaced in the longitudinal groove so that a connection between the hollow section segments and the struts and/or walls can be made at any desired point.
The hollow section is preferably an extruded aluminum section, it being possible to cut the appropriate hollow section segments from this aluminum section depending on the length desired. The production of such extruded aluminum sections is extremely cost-effective.
A plurality of symmetrically distributed grooves are preferably located on the circumference of the hollow section. These grooves permit the hollow section segment to be applied and used in a versatile fashion.
The hollow section is preferably shaped with a round cross section. Optimum stability is achieved thereby.
The idea is not only for the handrails to be formed from such hollow section segments, but also to underlay the very surfaces for walking on with hollow section segments which are then connected again at the side to corresponding hollow section segments as posts. This again increases the stability once more.
It is also possible, in addition, to configure a bridge with hollow section segments as beams which are provided opposite the handrails below the surface for walking on. This permits a desired bridge to be assembled using the building-block principle.
In order for it to be possible to interconnect the individual hollow section segments, joint pieces are provided which can be connected in a jointed fashion to the hollow section segments in order also to be able to take account of a different alignment of hollow sections.


REFERENCES:
patent: 187513 (1877-02-01), Colby
patent: 452274 (1891-05-01), Keller
patent: 4003473 (1977-01-01), Ryan
patent: 4253210 (1981-03-01), Racicot
patent: 5008967 (1991-04-01), Barrios et al.
patent: 5065467 (1991-11-01), Forsyth
patent: 5924152 (1999-07-01), Maier
patent: 6009586 (2000-01-01), Hawkes et al.
patent: 6182319 (2001-02-01), Maier et al.

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