Rolling Lift Bascule Bridge

A bascule bridge also referred to as a drawbridge or a lifting bridge is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span or leaf throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic it may be single or double leafed.

Rolling lift bascule bridge.

Bridges of this type do not pivot about a hinge point but roll back on curved tread plates attached to the girders of the main span. The bridge has a counterweight and raises with a rolling lift motion that moves the bridge up and out of the. The rolling lift bridge rocks back and forth on a track while opening. If there is a hinged connection it s referred to as ophaalbrug literally drawbridge.

Bascule bridges are the most common type of. Bascule bridges have counterbalance weights positioned either in the deck or in overhead balance frames as shown to assist in the lifting operation of the deck. Variations these bridges have three versions or designs which are the fixed trunnion the rolling lift trunnion and the rall type. A vertical lift bridge is pulled up and down from counterweights in two tall towers on either side of it.

The corporation bridge is a scherzer rolling lift bascule bridge over the old dock alexandra dock in grimsby north east lincolnshire england built in 1925 it replaced an earlier swing bridge dating to 1872. Our model is based on a bridge built in the early 1900 s and was designed by the scherzer rolling lift bridge co. Kuala terengganu drawbridge kuala terengganu terengganu. The scherzer rolling lift bridge is similar to a rocking chair with large counterweights above the road level to help balance the bridge as it opens and closes.

There are also a few bascule bridges which have no counterweight at all the most famous being the 16th street bascule bridge in milwaukee wisconsin in the united states. This list lists both and is incomplete as there are many such bridges in the netherlands. Note that in dutch basculebrug only refers to bascule bridges that have their counterweight rigidly connected to the bridge deck. It is constructed in the same way as a single leaf bridge however the counterweights are placed beneath the bridge in this case.

The bridge shown consists of a moveable deck c d tie rods a d a balance frame including counterweights a b e and a portal support frame. This design allows a greater clearance of the waterway for a given opening angle. The name comes from the french term for balance scale which employs the same principle. Available in single and double track versions.

Double leaf bascule bridges are more common.