ROADING MACHINERY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4589, 23 July 1923, Page 3

ROADING MACHINERY.

A local invention, says the Ellesmere ‘■•Guardian,” which is attracting a good deal of attention on the part of members of local bodies and their engineers, and also the engineers of the Public Works Department, is a contrivance known as the “scoopfilling drawbridge,” the inventor being Mr W. J, MeEvedy, of South-, bridge, who has had considerable experience in engineering and construction works generally. The drawbridge, to give it a short name, comprises an inclined plane or ramp, leading up to the drawbridge. The bridge itself is composed of a series of narrow cross pieces which, by the manipulation a lever, can be opened up, allowing the shingle or other material brought up the ramp by the scoops to be dropped down into dray,s or trucks underneath. ■ . < The especial feature from, which the invention takes part of its name is the provision for opening up thedrawbridge in the centre, just as is done in some cases with bridges spanning navigable streams to enable the masts of vessels to pass .through clear. In this case the provision fo*’ opening up is intended to permit a. traction engine to pass through from Cither side, leaving the truqks standing directly underneath th'e . bridge for filling purposes. ■ It is considered by coinnetent authorities that the invention would be particularly useful 'for. -’loading shingle, either from river flats nr from our level deposits of shingle which are so plentiful in yarious places' throughout the ’ Canterbury Plains. The contrivance, of which a working model has been made and patented. should certainly be if great service in many parts of New' Zealand jn connection with the,- : National Highways scheme. Mr McEvedy considers that by means of the scoopfllling drawbridge shingle could be put on the roads at a cost of: from Is to 1s 6d per yard, as against 4s to ,6s under the ordinary dray and shovel methods. . ■ -