As the floating dock rises and falls with the level of the river, the ramps and the floor of the mechanical center must stay in proper relationship. In the last entry I mentioned that the adjustable ramps were attached to the mechanical operations floor. That is not true as we will see today. The lower end of the long adjustable ramp is attached to a very large "H" beam as is the higher end of the ramp to the dock at higher water. All three can be raised and lowered independent of the others. The extensions on the sides of the four columns are fixed lock points for the floor and ramps.
Consider raising or lowering the end of the long ramp.
The ramp is attached to this "H" beam and is raised by the cable and pulley system. One of these cables goes up through the floor and across to the other side and down to a pulley on the other end of the beam. As the beam is wrenched up it lifts the end of the ramp to a stopping point.
On both ends of that massive beam is a collar fixed to another short beam. When the long beam is raised to a particular point the collar is moved toward the column placing the short beam on top of two projections from the column. This is done at both ends. The long beam is let down allowing all the weight of the long beam to rest on the short beam, which now rests on the two projections. This secures the long ramp to the two columns.
The same operation applies to the shorter ramp when it is connected to its "H" beam. The main pulley system is seen in the above picture. There is a single pulley at the other end like the single pulley seen in the above picture. The collars at each end of the beam which are attached to the short beams are fairly easy to move back and forth to secure the ramps. This is not true for the floor.
The two large beams that support the floor must be moved away from the columns and then after lifting the floor they must be moved back to the columns above the next set of projections. To move the beams, powered screws are used; one at each end of the beam. The power screw is blue in the above picture.
Pretty massive pulley system to lift and lower the beam along with an end of a ramp.
There is a system of green guide wheels that keep the floor in the right place.
Red guide wheels on the end of the ramp beams.
The motorized wrenches are in the room above. Notice the dirty water mark on the right column, showing where the water level has been.
Consider raising or lowering the end of the long ramp.
The ramp is attached to this "H" beam and is raised by the cable and pulley system. One of these cables goes up through the floor and across to the other side and down to a pulley on the other end of the beam. As the beam is wrenched up it lifts the end of the ramp to a stopping point.
On both ends of that massive beam is a collar fixed to another short beam. When the long beam is raised to a particular point the collar is moved toward the column placing the short beam on top of two projections from the column. This is done at both ends. The long beam is let down allowing all the weight of the long beam to rest on the short beam, which now rests on the two projections. This secures the long ramp to the two columns.
The same operation applies to the shorter ramp when it is connected to its "H" beam. The main pulley system is seen in the above picture. There is a single pulley at the other end like the single pulley seen in the above picture. The collars at each end of the beam which are attached to the short beams are fairly easy to move back and forth to secure the ramps. This is not true for the floor.
The two large beams that support the floor must be moved away from the columns and then after lifting the floor they must be moved back to the columns above the next set of projections. To move the beams, powered screws are used; one at each end of the beam. The power screw is blue in the above picture.
Pretty massive pulley system to lift and lower the beam along with an end of a ramp.
There is a system of green guide wheels that keep the floor in the right place.
Red guide wheels on the end of the ramp beams.
The motorized wrenches are in the room above. Notice the dirty water mark on the right column, showing where the water level has been.
