Abstract: A slab-type short span bridge constructed of at least one corrugated plate having parallel, longitudinally extending corrugations of a generally trapezoidal cross-section. A layer of concrete which defines the traffic carrying surface of the bridge and a generally flat plate are secured to the corrugated plate. The flat plate can be interposed between the concrete layer and the corrugated plate, or it may be spaced from the concrete layer by the corrugated plate. The flat plate can simultaneously define portions of the corrugated plate. Means is provided for rigidly interconnecting all members of the bridge into a unitary, load carrying structure.

Abstract: A girder defined by spaced apart, parallel upper and lower longitudinally corrugated chord plates and an intermediate, sinusoidal connecting member defining serially arranged, diagonally disposed webs and web connecting upper and lower crown sections in contact with the chord plates. Means is provided to assure metal-to-metal contact between the connecting member and the chord plates. The crown sections of the former are secured to the chord plates at their common contact points. The connecting member has corrugations complementary to those of the chord plates.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described for use in combination with a machine for corrugating a continuous strip of flat sheet material which prepares the sheet material for separation into sections after it has been corrugated. A platform is located upstream of the corrugating machine. The platform is intermittently advanced in the direction of travel and at the speed of the sheet material so that the platform is stationary relative to the sheet material. A scoring device is located on the platform. The scoring device moves across the width of the sheet material as the platform moves with the sheet material to form a spanwise weak point in the material. After the material passes through the corrugating machine, it can readily be separated into sections at the weak points formed in the material by the scoring device. Depth of scoring can be varied also so that substantial/total separation can also occur within the corrugator though it would not separate the flat strip before it entered the corrugator.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described for use in combination with a machine for corrugating a continuous strip of flat sheet material which prepares the sheet material for separation into sections after it has been corrugated. A platform is located upstream of the corrugating machine. The platform is intermittently advanced in the direction of travel and at the speed of the sheet material so that the platform is stationary relative to the sheet material. A scoring device is located on the platform. The scoring device moves across the width of the sheet material as the platform moves with the sheet material to form a spanwise weak point in the material. After the material passes through the corrugating machine, it can readily be separated into sections at the weak points formed in the material by the scoring device. Depth of scoring can be varied also so that substantial/total separation can also occur within the corrugator though it would not separate the flat strip before it entered the corrugator.

Abstract: A corrugated plate is disclosed which has trapezoidal corrugations defined by alternating, side by side, relatively thick corrugation peaks and corrugation troughs and relatively thin, inclined corrugation sides which interconnect edges of adjoining peaks and troughs. A method is also disclosed for corrugating the corrugated plate from flat sheet by providing a flat sheet with spaced apart, longitudinally extending, relatively thick sections which thereafter define the corrugation peaks and corrugation troughs or for forming the thick sections by providing a relatively thin sheet and folding over portions of the thin sheet in the areas which ultimately form the corrugation peaks and corrugation troughs so that the latter are defined by a plurality of staked sheet layers.

Abstract: A building constructed of corrugated sheet metal panels defining upright side walls, a roof and a connector for securing the roof to the side walls. The connector is a part of or integrally constructed with the side wall, has the same corrugations as the side wall, and is curved or bent inwardly towards the center of the building. The roof is secured to the inwardly directed end of the connector and the connector forms the sole support and force transmitting member between the roof and the side wall so that substantially the full space enclosed by the side walls and the roof is unobstructed. The side walls and the roof are constructed of multiple panels secured to each other and end walls attached to ends of the side walls and the roof complete the enclosure of the interior space. Also disclosed is a method for forming or bend the connector as well as for forming a curved crown portion of the roof.

Abstract: A load carrying vehicle such as a truck trailer or a railroad car has a generally flat, horizontal loading surface which is supported by an underframe which in turn is mounted to and carried by wheel assemblies, kingpin-saddle plate arrangement and the like. The underframe extends over the full length and width of the load carrying vehicle and each of its transverse cross-sections is of a substantially constant height while in a longitudinal direction the center portion of the underframe is of a relatively greater height than portions of the underframe adjacent the wheel assemblies. The underframe is constructed of a first corrugated plate in which the corrugations run longitudinal of the vehicle. A second corrugated plate is secured to the underside of the first mentioned plate and the plates are arranged so that the corrugation troughs of the upper plate are in longitudinal alignment with corrugation peaks of the lower plate to define a hollow core honeycomb pattern between the plates.

Abstract: A machine for forming corrugated plate from a flat sheet defined by a plurality of serially arranged corrugating stands. At least one stand has cooperating corrugating rolls defined by a plurality of disc shaped dies which, during corrugating, are rotated at differing rates so that the peripheral speed at a selected diameter, of each such disc substantially equals the linear speed of the plate being corrugated. The discs can be constructed of disc shaped die halves, the axial position of which can be varied so as to vary the corrugation pitch or the profile while maintaining the pitch constant. Drives for the corrugating rolls and, in particular, for the disc dies can power rotate all dies or only some of them while others are free wheeling.

Abstract: A corrugated plate is disclosed which has trapezoidal corrugations defined by alternating, side by side, relatively thick corrugation peaks and corrugation troughs and relatively thin, inclined corrugation sides which interconnect edges of adjoining peaks and troughs. A method is also disclosed for corrugating the corrugated plate from flat sheet by providing a flat sheet with spaced apart, longitudinally extending, relatively thick sections which thereafter define the corrugation peaks and corrugation troughs or for forming the thick sections by providing a relatively thin sheet and folding over portions of the thin sheet in the areas which ultimately form the corrugation peaks and corrugation troughs so that the latter are defined by a plurality of staked sheet layers.

Abstract: Corrugated steel plate is formed from a flat plate stock and has a length of at least about 12 feet, a corrugation pitch of at least about 12 inches, and a corrugation depth of at least four inches. The plate has thicknesses of up to 1/2 inch and more. Also disclosed are structures such as tunnel-type, heavy load-supporting structures defined by upright and horizontal structure portions which extend over no more than about 180.degree. while being capable of supporting up to 40 feet of ground fill and payload thereon. The corrugated plate can be used singly or as double, spaced-apart plate assemblies which are hollow or filled with concrete or a like material, including steel reinforcing bars for the concrete. The corrugated plate can also be formed into vertical, sectional retaining walls, bin type retaining walls, bridge abuttment walls, flat support surfaces such as bridge decking, open air structures, guard rails, sheet piling, etc.

Abstract: Corrugated steel plate is formed from a flat plate stock and has a length of at least about 12 feet, a corrugation pitch of at least about 12 inches, and a corrugation depth of at least four inches. The plate has thicknesses of up to 1/2 inch and more. Also disclosed are structures such as tunnel-type, heavy load-supporting structures defined by upright and horizontal structure portions which extend over no more than about 180.degree. while being capable of supporting up to 40 feet of ground fill and payload thereon. The corrugated plate can be used singly or as double, spaced-apart plate assemblies which are hollow or filled with concrete or a like material, including steel reinforcing bars for the concrete. The corrugated plate can also be formed into vertical, sectional retaining walls, bin type retaining walls, bridge abuttment walls, flat support surfaces such as bridge decking, open air structures, guard rails, sheet piling, etc.

Abstract: Corrugated steel plate is formed from a flat plate stock and has a length of at least about 12 feet, a corrugation pitch of at least about 12 inches, and a corrugation depth of at least four inches. The plate has thicknesses of up to 1/2 inch and more. Also disclosed are structures such as tunnel-type, heavy load-supporting structures defined by upright and horizontal structure portions which extend over no more than about 180.degree. while being capable of supporting up to 40 feet of ground fill and payload thereon. The corrugated plate can be used singly or as double, spaced-apart plate assemblies which are hollow or filled with concrete or a like material, including steel reinforcing bars for the concrete. The corrugated plate can also be formed into vertical, sectional retaining walls, bin type retaining walls, bridge abutment walls, flat support surfaces such as bridge decking, open air structures, guard rails, sheet piling, etc.

Abstract: A bridge which has a bridge deck constructed of corrugated checkered metal plate and which is supported by a plurality of side-by-side box beams carried by spaced apart beam supports. The box beams have upright sides which are connected to upper and lower chord plates all of which are constructed of corrugated plate having corrugations which run parallel to the length of the box beams and which have a large, e.g. 16 .times. 6 inch corrugation pitch and depth. The chord plates and sides are bolted together at spaced apart intervals. Thin walled shear plates are placed against the box beam sides and bolted to the corrugation troughs of the sides and they carry vertically acting shear loads while their connection to the box beams prevents them from buckling. A concrete layer is poured on top of the bridge deck so as to form a mechanical interlock between the concrete and the deck to thereby structurally integrate the concrete layer with the remainder of the bridge.

Abstract: A modular bridge system constructed of parallel, side-by-side bridge modules constructed of components made from large pitch and depth corrugated plate. Each module has an upper chord plate, which ultimately defines the corresponding part of the bridge deck, a spaced apart, parallel lower chord plate and an intermediate, sinusoidal support structure defined by webs which have a width substantially equal to the width of the chord plates so as to define a continuous lateral support for the upper chord plates at intermediate points over the length thereof. Load distributing ribs secured to the underside of the chord plates only are placed at unsupported portions of the upper chord plates between attachment points for the webs and have a width substantially equal to the combined width of all modules to tie the modules to each other and to distribute vehicular (point) loads over a relatively wide lateral extent of the chord plates.

Abstract: Corrugated steel plate is formed from a flat plate stock and has a length of at least about 12 feet, a corrugation pitch of at least about 12 inches, and a corrugation depth of at least four inches. The plate has thicknesses of up to one-half inch and more. Also disclosed are structures such as tunnel-type, heavy load-supporting structures defined by upright and horizontal structure portions which extend over no more than about 180.degree. while being capable of supporting up to 40 feet of ground fill and payload thereon. The corrugated plate can be used singly or as double, spaced-apart plate assemblies which are hollow or filled with concrete or a like material, including steel reinforcing bars for the concrete. The corrugated plate can also be formed into vertical, sectional retaining walls, bin type retaining walls, bridge abuttment walls, flat support surfaces such as bridge decking, open air structures, guard rails, sheet piling, etc.

Abstract: Large metallic structures such as vessels, railroad cars or the like are salvaged by disintegrating the structures into small, readily handled pieces of scrap metal for shipment of the pieces to a steel mill or the like. A portable shear is provided which comprises a tubular female shear member having a first arcuate cutting edge and a cylindrical male shear element which defines a second, cooperating cutting edge and which reciprocates within the tubular member. With the cutting edges in their spaced-apart positions the shear is placed over an edge of the structure and power means is actuated to move the cutting edges against each other and to thereby sever a relatively small piece of scrap metal from the structure. Thereafter, the cutting edges are retracted, the shear is relocated to another, e.g. adjacent portion of the structure and another piece of scrap metal is severed.

Abstract: A plant for the manufacture of pipes of different diameters and lengths in which the pipe is manufactured to order and then shipped to a customer. The plant comprises a pipe-forming machine for each desired pipe diameter which forms pipe from elongate strip of sheet metal. Each such machine is fitted with a cutoff mechanism which shears the manufactured pipe to the desired length. The pipe forming machines are positioned so that the respective pipes are parallel and closely adjacent to each other. Severed pipe is discharged by a retractable pipe holding device onto a sloping pipe receiving apron which gravitationally rolls the pipe towards a collection point. At the collection point the pipe is discharged onto a stacking cage and/or a suitable transport vehicle such as a railroad car.

Abstract: A corrugated pipe forming apparatus and method in which flat sheet metal is passed through a plurality of first and second opposite roller pairs and deformed into a corrugated sheet. Lateral lips are formed parallel to the edges of the sheet and extend generally perpendicular to the sheet over the full length thereof. A pipe rolling machine helically deforms the corrugated sheet and folds the lip into a mechanical lock seam defining Pittsburgh lock of predetermined dimensions and tolerances. To maintain such dimensions and tolerances the width of the lips is adjusted by simultaneously moving one roll of each set in identical increments towards and away from the other roll of each set to thereby correspondingly change the depth of the corrugations and the width of the lips. The sheet can be moved laterally to maintain the lips of equal width. Corrugating stations of the device are defined by opposed corrugating rollers with the upper rollers held on a first frame and the lower rollers held on a second frame.