Mobile bridge and method of making same

Claim 2

Lightweight mobile bridge including a plurality of bridge sections connected together when in and in-use assembled condition, each of said bridge sections having a plurality of transverse plates forming a load supporting deck, and sidewalls extending along and supporting respective ends of the transverse plates when in an in-use position, said side walls including: shear ribs which in-use accept shear forces but are unable to transmit substantial forces in a longitudinal direction of the bridge section, and belts extending in a longitudinal direction of the bridge section and connected with said shear ribs, said belts being operable to accept tension forces in said longitudinal direction, wherein said belts are made of composite fiber materials and said shear ribs are mode of other materials.

Claim 3

Mobile bridge according to claim 1 , wherein the side walls are trapezoidal in top view.

Claim 4

Mobile bridge according to claim 1 , wherein the bridge sections are trapezoidal or triangular in side view.

Claim 5

Mobile bridge according to claim 2 , wherein the bridge sections are trapezoidal or triangular in side view.

Claim 6

A mobile bridge according to claim 1 , wherein said belts are made of material having different thermal expansion characteristics than the material of the side walls.

Claim 7

A mobile bridge according to claim 1 , wherein said belts are made of material having different thermal expansion characteristics than the material of the side walls and the material of the plates.

Claim 8

Lightweight mobile bridge according to claim 1 , wherein said sidewalls are undulating.

Claim 9

A bridge section for a mobile bridge formed of a plurality of bridge sections which are in an unassembled condition when being transported and are connected together to form a bridge, said bridge section having a plurality of transverse plates forming a load supporting deck, and sidewalls extending along and supporting respective ends of the transverse plates when in an in-use position, said side walls including: vertically extending shear ribs which in-use accept shear forces but are unable to accept substantial forces in a longitudinal direction of the bridge section, and belts extending in a longitudinal direction of the bridge section and connected with said shear ribs, said belts being operable to accept tension forces in said longitudinal direction, wherein said belts are made of composite fiber materials and said shear ribs are made of other materials.

Claim 10

A bridge section for a mobile bridge formed of a plurality of bridge sections which are in an unassembled condition when being transported and are connected together to form a bridge, said bridge section having a plurality of transverse plates forming a load supporting deck, and sidewalls extending along and supporting respective ends of the transverse plates when in an in-use position, said side walls including: vertically extending shear ribs which in-use accept shear forces but are unable to accept substantial forces in a longitudinal direction of the bridge section, and belts extending in a longitudinal direction of the bridge section and connected with said shear ribs, said belts being operable to accept tension forces in said longitudinal direction, wherein said belts are made of composite fiber materials and said shear ribs are made of other materials.

Claim 11

A bridge section according to claim 8 , wherein said shear ribs are made of metal.

Claim 12

A bridge section according to claim 9 , wherein said shear ribs have a trapezoidal configuration in a top view thereof.

Claim 13

A bridge section according to claim 10 , wherein said belts include respective pairs of top belts and bottom belts which are connected at respective opposite transverse sides of the shear ribs.

Claim 14

A bridge section according to claim 11 , wherein said side walls are disposed under the transverse plates when in an assembled in-use position.

Claim 15

A bridge section according to claim 8 , wherein said side walls are disposed under the transverse plates when in an assembled in-use position.

Claim 16

A mobile bridge formed with a plurality of interconnected bridge sections according to claim 8 .

Claim 17

A mobile bridge according to claim 8 , wherein said belts are made of material having different thermal expansion characteristics than the material of the side walls and the material of the plates.

Claim 18

A mobile bridge according to claim 8 , wherein said belts are made of material having different thermal expansion characteristics than the material of the side walls.

Claim 21

A method according to claim 17 , wherein said shear ribs are made of metal.

Claim 22

A method according to claim 18 , wherein said shear ribs have a trapezoidal configuration in a top view thereof.

Claim 23

A method according to claim 17 , wherein said belts are made of material having different thermal expansion characteristics than the material of the side walls.

Claim 24

A method according to claim 17 , wherein said belts are made of material having different thermal expansion characteristics than the material of the side walls and the material of the plates.