GROWN-UPS' MECCANO

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 152, 8 September 1941, Page 6

GROWN-UPS' MECCANO

BUILD BRIDGE IN SIX HOURS

A bridge of 1 sixty feet span can now be built by twelve men in six hours as a result of the application in a novel design of standardised bridge units by British constructional engineers. The basis of the construction consists of five standardised s;tecl parts —a standard girder, a circular bobbin or drum to which all cross girders can be fixed, a U-shaped hanger plate, a cross girder (lor roadway and heavy bridges) and standardised floor plates, 10 feet long and 2% feet wide. In spite of the fact thai spans 150 feet long can be built for heavy loads, all these parts are comparatively light. The components I have been designed without projections and large numbers can thus be stacked and packed in small Warehouse or ship space. The aim has been to provide a series of simple standard components all interchangeable, from which every type of bridge can be built. En war, when bridges may have to be replaced with all speed the advantages of such equipment are evident. Equally important is the ease with which permanent bridges can now be built in difficult "upcountry" territory where transportmay be limited to native carriers using quite primitive appliances. Girders can be assembled with ease. The different parts can be immediately identified. Even the nuts and bolts which grip the structure 'nro of a standard size throughout.