WO2019002844A1

WO2019002844A1 - DECK FOR ANIMALS

Info

Publication number: WO2019002844A1
Application number: PCT/GB2018/051781
Authority: WO
Inventors: Swensson DEAN
Original assignee: Animex International Ltd
Current assignee: Animex International Ltd
Priority date: 2017-06-26
Filing date: 2018-06-26
Publication date: 2019-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 2019-12-26
Also published as: GB2578024B; GB201918224D0; GB201710136D0; GB2578024A

Abstract

Pont destiné à être utilisé par des animaux pour traverser une chaussée, le pont comprenant : une paire de supports à deux jambes (11, 12) pouvant être disposés au moins essentiellement parallèlement à la route de chaque côté de la route ; et une arche centrale (31) extensible à partir des supports à deux jambes (11, 12) pour s'étendre entre ceux-ci sur la chaussée, l'arche centrale (31) ayant une paire de membres latéraux (33), les supports à deux jambes (11, 12) et l'arche (31) étant de longueurs de treillis triangulé, triangulaire ou rectangulaire.A bridge for use by animals to cross a roadway, the bridge comprising: a pair of two-legged supports (11, 12) capable of being disposed at least substantially parallel to the road on each side of the road; and a central arch (31) expandable from the two leg supports (11, 12) to extend therebetween on the carriageway, the central arch (31) having a pair of side members (33), the supports with two legs (11, 12) and the arch (31) being triangular, triangular or rectangular lattice lengths.

Description

ANIMAL BRIDGE

The present invention relates to an animal bridge for crossing a roadway. So called "road kill" of wild animals is an increasing problem. Not only are individual animals killed, but breeding populations are separated from each other. The result can be the falling of populations below sustainable levels.

Crossings for animals across roadways are known, but can be expensive.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved an animal bridge for crossing a roadway.

According to the invention there is provided an animal bridge for crossing a roadway, comprising:

• a pair of two-legged supports arrangeable at least substantially parallel with the roadway on either side of the roadway and

• a central arch extendable from the two-legged supports to extend between them over the roadway, the central arch having a pair of side limbs, the two-legged supports and the arch being of lengths of triangular or rectangular, triangulated truss.

Preferably the two-legged supports are of invert-U shape, that is with two at least substantially upright legs and a straight, or possibly curved top or two or three or more sided, top. The two-legged supports could also be of invert-V shape.

The central arch could also be invert-U shaped. However whilst conveniently it has side limbs, which could indeed be upright, these are preferably angled between 30° and 60° through the greater part of their extent. Again the side limbs could meet centrally of the roadway, but a central substantially horizontal in use span limb is preferably provided. It can be imagined that the central arch could be curved. Whilst the two-legged supports and the central arch could be fabricated without nodes, with the lengths being welded end to end, they are preferably fabricated as discrete lengths connected by nodes. The lengths could be curved, but are preferably of straight lengths of truss.

The nodes could be welded to their lengths of truss at one end at least.

Particularly where the lengths and their nodes are copianar, the nodes could be welded to the lengths at both ends. It is preferred that the nodes over the roadway are welded. Nevertheless, the nodes could be bolted to their lengths. Normally the arrangement will be such that the bridge is supplied in pieces each comprising one length and at least one nodes and possibly the next length where this is relatively short.

To provide friendliness to use by small arboreal animals, the lengths of truss preferably have longitudinals set at between 200mm and 600mm, typically between 240mm and 470mm, centres. Conveniently, the trusses have with 60° or 45° triangulation, to provide a structure that small arboreal mammals such as dormice and red squirrels find sufficiently similar to trees for them to be comfortable in their use. The truss can be of aluminium tube, with the longitudinals having a diameter between 75mm and 35mm and the triangulation between 50mm and 20mm. The truss will normally be either triangular in section or rectangular.

Horizontal or angled lengths of truss can be provided with expanded metal floors for animals to run along. Also side walls and shelters can be provided. To help understanding of the invention, a specific embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an animal bridge according to the invention; Figure 2 is a similar view of one end of the bridge on a larger scale;

Figure 3 is a side view of the bridge of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the bridge; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a single length of truss for the bridge. Referring to drawings, the bridge shown is of lengths 1 of triangular truss and nodes 2 therebetween.

Typically the truss is of three 50mm OD x 2mm wall aluminium longitudinal tubes 3 set at 240mm centres in equilateral triangle arrangement in cross-section. The longitudinals are triangulated by 20mm OD x 2mm aluminium tubes 4 set at 45°. The junction point 5 of triangulation tubes in one plane corresponds to the midpoint of the triangulation tubes fixed to each longitudinal for the next plane. For a length of truss, each end triangulation tube terminates at a ring of three centre spacing tubes 6 extending around the truss. Connection plates 7 are welded across the ends of the longitudinals.

The bridge has a pair of two-legged truss supports 11,12 at either side of a roadway R and a central arch 14 between the two-legged supports 11,12. The two- legged supports extend up from a pair of concrete pads P on opposite sides of the roadway. Each two-legged support has a pair of uprights 15 of lengths 16 of truss bolted to respective pads via square plates 17 to which the longitudinals of the truss lengths 15 are welded. A cross member 18 extends between the uprights, consisting of two short lengths 19 of truss, a central node 20 and a pair of end nodes 21. The end nodes allow connection of the cross member to the uprights.

The end nodes comprise two short angles 22 and one long angle 23, with spacing tubes 24 akin to the truss length centring tubes 6 and bracing tubes 25 extending from the corners of the short angles to the corner of the long angle. The angles are welded to corresponding longitudinals in the truss lengths 19 and bolted to corresponding longitudinals in the uprights 15.

The central node 20 is in effect a very short truss length 26, interconnecting the short lengths 19, together with a further very short length 27 extending upwards. Two of the upwards extending tubes 28 are welded to one 29 of the tubes of the very short length 26, with the third upwards extending 30 tube welded off-centre of another of the tubes of the very short length due to fore-shortening. The arch comprises a cross member 31 consisting of truss lengths 32 connected end to end and two angle members 33 of truss lengths 34. 135° nodes 35 are provided at both ends of the angle members 33 allowing connection both to the cross member 31 and the respective central nodes 20. The 135 nodes have two very short truss lengths 36, welded together with their tubes suitably shortened and butted together for welding.

The components of the arch are conveniently fabricated with a node welded to a truss length for transport to site and then bolted together on site. Alternatively where it is imperative that the risk of falling bolts is removed, the entire arch can be welded at free nodes on site and fitted to the two-legged supports as one component.

The cross and angled member truss lengths are provided with expanded metal floors 37 welded in place to provide runways for arboreal mammals. At least partial sidewalls 38 may also be provided, consistent with the truss members not becoming enclosed tunnels. Lengths of tube 39 of larger diameter than those of the truss lengths may also be provided intermittently on the floors or sidewalls to provide local shelter for the mammals against predators. The invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above described embodiment. For instance, in place of triangular section truss, rectangular section may be used.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An animal bridge for crossing a roadway, comprising:

2. An animal bridge for crossing a roadway, as claimed in claim 1 wherein the two- legged supports are of invert-U shape.

3. An animal bridge for crossing a roadway, as claimed in claim 1 wherein the two- legged supports are of invert-V shape.

4. An animal bridge for crossing a roadway, as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the side limbs of the central arch are angled between 30° and 60° through the greater part of their extent.

5. An animal bridge for crossing a roadway, as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the side limbs are joined by a central substantially horizontal in use span limb.

6. An animal bridge for crossing a roadway, as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the two legged supports and central arch are fabricated as discrete lengths connected by nodes.

7. An animal bridge for crossing a roadway, as claimed claim 6 wherein the nodes are welded to lengths of truss at one end at least.

8. An animal bridge for crossing a roadway, as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the lengths of truss 'have longitudinals set between 200mm and 600mm.

9. An animal bridge for crossing a roadway, as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the trusses "have 60° or 45°

10. An animal bridge for crossing a roadway, as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the structure of each truss is sized such that small arboreal mammals find it sufficiently similar to a tree.

11. An animal bridge for crossing a roadway, as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the lengths of truss are provided with expanded metal floors for movement of animals.

12. An animal bridge for crossing a roadway, as claimed in any preceding claim wherein shelters are provided.