Bridge plate
Encyclopedia
Bridge plates are used on some low-floor light rail vehicles to provide for wheelchair
access. The bridge plate extends from the vehicle to the platform
, which must be raised to close to the level of the floor of the vehicle so that the wheelchair need not travel over an excessively steep ramp (in the United States
, the Americans with Disabilities Act specifies that the slope must be no more than 1 inch of rise for every 12 inches of length). Some low-floor bus
es also use bridge plates (in this case, extending to the curb) to provide for wheelchair access, but many low-floor bus
es instead use a ramp
that normally serves as part of the floor but can be flipped out through the door (using a hinge at the door) onto the curb or street
; in this case the ramp is long enough that it can serve as a true wheelchair ramp rather than a bridge without being excessively steep.
Bridge Plate may also refer to markings used on Allied vehicles beginning in World War II
that indicates the weight of the vehicle in tons as well as the weight classification of the vehicle.
While originally designed by the British as an affixed metal plate that was yellow in color, later in the war (and afterwards) it was commonplace to simply paint the number onto a vehicle whose weight was unlikely to change.
While simple in idea, the actual classification is complicated by being based not only on gross vehicle weight, but on whether the vehicle is wheeled or tracked, the number of axles, axle spacing, vehicle speed, the number of lanes the vehicle uses and whether or not the vehicle could be hauling a trailer.
These markings (or plates) were typically found on the right front fender or in the area of the right front headlamp.
Source: US Army Technical Manual TM 9-2320-209-10-1, available at Scribd.com
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
access. The bridge plate extends from the vehicle to the platform
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
, which must be raised to close to the level of the floor of the vehicle so that the wheelchair need not travel over an excessively steep ramp (in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the Americans with Disabilities Act specifies that the slope must be no more than 1 inch of rise for every 12 inches of length). Some low-floor bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es also use bridge plates (in this case, extending to the curb) to provide for wheelchair access, but many low-floor bus
Low-floor bus
A low-floor bus is a bus that has no steps between one or more entrances and part or all of the passenger cabin. Being low floor improves the accessibility of the bus for the public, particularly the elderly or infirm, or those with push chairs, and increasingly, those in wheelchairs.In the modern...
es instead use a ramp
Wheelchair ramp
A wheelchair ramp is an inclined plane installed in addition to or instead of stairs. Ramps permit wheelchair users, as well as people pushing strollers, carts, or other wheeled objects, to more easily access a building....
that normally serves as part of the floor but can be flipped out through the door (using a hinge at the door) onto the curb or street
Street
A street is a paved public thoroughfare in a built environment. It is a public parcel of land adjoining buildings in an urban context, on which people may freely assemble, interact, and move about. A street can be as simple as a level patch of dirt, but is more often paved with a hard, durable...
; in this case the ramp is long enough that it can serve as a true wheelchair ramp rather than a bridge without being excessively steep.
Bridge Plate may also refer to markings used on Allied vehicles beginning in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
that indicates the weight of the vehicle in tons as well as the weight classification of the vehicle.
While originally designed by the British as an affixed metal plate that was yellow in color, later in the war (and afterwards) it was commonplace to simply paint the number onto a vehicle whose weight was unlikely to change.
While simple in idea, the actual classification is complicated by being based not only on gross vehicle weight, but on whether the vehicle is wheeled or tracked, the number of axles, axle spacing, vehicle speed, the number of lanes the vehicle uses and whether or not the vehicle could be hauling a trailer.
These markings (or plates) were typically found on the right front fender or in the area of the right front headlamp.
Source: US Army Technical Manual TM 9-2320-209-10-1, available at Scribd.com