Article ID: CBB217618381

The National Bridge and Iron Works and the Original Parker Truss (1998)

unapi

The National Bridge and Iron Works, which existed less than a decade, built two distinctive types of bridges during that brief period. The first, scarcely mentioned in bridge histories, grew from patents for timber bridges and was adapted for iron, demonstrating that "improving" a straight-forward design can change it from useful to complicated and irrational The second type, the Parker truss, is a strong contrast. Today, the outline of this truss preserves Parker's name, but the connections that were the claims of the patent were used only by the company. Other fabricators used conventional riveted or pinned connections. Five pairs of Parker trusses survive. They have been measured and the connection details inspected. The company's history show how easy it was to become a bridge builder and how short was the lifespan of many such firms.

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Authors & Contributors
Kemp, Emory L.
Darnell, Victor C.
Eric DeLony
Frances C. Robb
Richard K. Anderson
David Guise
Concepts
Industrial archaeology
Bridges
Bridges, Truss
Civil engineering
Railroads
Bridges--Design and construction
Time Periods
19th century
20th century
Places
United States
Berkshire mountains
New Hampshire (U.S.)
Mississippi River (North America)
Iowa (U.S.)
Québec (Canada)
Institutions
West Point Foundry
Berlin Iron Bridge Compoany
William Sellers
Pennsylvania Railroad
Berlin Iron Bridge Company
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, National Park Service, Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record
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