Introduced nearly 50 years ago, bridge Bearings are now in service in thousands of structures throughout the USA and the world. There are good reasons for this popularity, all stemming from the confined elastomer principle.
A sliding surface can be included to accommodate translational movement, which can be in any direction or constrained by guides. The rotations and the translations, as well as the loads carried, can be greater than for elastomeric bearings.
BRIDGE BEARINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN THREE STANDARD CONFIGURATIONS.
PF Fixed Bridge Bearing——Fixed Type
Fixed Bridge Bearings provide restraint in all horizontal directions while resisting vertical load. It provides rotational capacity only.
The metal pot of the bottom plate fully retains the projecting piston of the top plate to provide full restraint in the horizontal plane,while deformation of the elastomeric disc allows multi-directional rotation to take place.
PS Free Sliding Bridge Bearing—–Free Float Type
The Free Sliding Pot Bearing resists vertical load and allows horizontal movement and rotations.It provides both rotational capacity as well as multi directional sliding.
The base plate of the bearing fully retains within its pot, a rocker which has a lubricated, dimpled PTFE disc. This slides against a stainless steel plate fitted to the machined top plate of the bearing to allow horizontal movement between the two sections.
PG Guided Sliding Bridge Bearing—-Guided/Sliding Type
Provides rotational capacity, free sliding in one direction only, and is laterally restrained.
Guided Sliding Bridge Bearings provide restraint in one direction and resist vertical load.
A rocker with a lubricated, dimpled PTFE disc, is held in the pot of the base plate. The disc slides against the stainless steel plate which is fitted to the machined top plate between two guide rails, which resist horizontal load in one direction.Horizontal movement occurs along the length of the guide rails. Multi-directional rotation is able to take place because of the deformation of the elastomeric disc under the rocker plate.
BRIDGE BEARINGS FEATURES
1.Compact –Low overall height.
2.Compact –Small footprint for significant vertical loads.
3.Small shift in centre of pressure due to rotation.
4.Low translational resistance.
5.Can accommodate lateral loading at same time as translation.
6.Specials – To accommodate up lift loadings.