Importance

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Abstract

The center locks of a bascule or other type of double leaf movable bridge are fitted on bearings mounted upon the main bridge girders, so that the center lock bars may be moved, when the bridge is in the lowered position, along a horizontal axis parallel to the axes of rotation of the leaves of the bridge, effecting a shear connection at the meeting point of the two leaves of the structure so that, when the bridge is in the lowered position and the center lock bars are engaged rigidly with respective rotating sockets, the tips of the leaves at a vertical lateral plane containing the center locks are forced to deflect equally while the center locks accommodate longitudinal movement and rotational deflection of the protruding ends of the two leaves via components that are permanently engaged, optionally including capacity of independent rotation of the main bridge members on axes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bridge.

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First Claim