Mary:  It may be helpful to have an Ohio contact on this one.  Our resident
authority on bridges is Dave Simmons, with the Ohio Historical Society.  His
number is 614-297-2365.  I believe he's on the WVa conference program, so
your call may have to wait a few days.  Good luck.  Maura

-----Original Message-----
From: Mary Krugman <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
<[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, October 19, 1999 4:50 PM
Subject: Anybody seen a 4-pronged basket loop anywhere?


>Dear BPs (Bippies?)
>
>I'm researching a pin-connected metal truss bridge (Wrought Iron Bridge Co,
>Canton OH, 1893) that has a design detail called a "4-pronged basket loop"
at
>the bottom of a vertical hanger (the rest of the tension members are your
>basic wrought iron eyebars).
>
>I haven't been able to find a way to locate patent information on this
detail
>without going through a patent search for enormous amounts of $$$, which I
am
>sure that the client is not prepared to spend. However, it is an
interesting
>detail that I would like to track down. I have made some inquiries of the
>folks at the Institute of the History of Technology and Industrial
>Archaeology that may eventually prove helpful, but if anyone has any other
>suggestions in the meantime, I'd be grateful ...
>
>-- Mary Tisket-a-tasket