James Finley (engineer)

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Jacob's Creek Bridge, The Port Folio, 1810

James Finley (1762[1] - 1828), aka Judge James Finley, is widely recognised as the first designer and builder of the modern suspension bridge.

Born in Maryland, Finley moved to a 287-acre (1.16 km2) farm in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, near Uniontown[1]. Elected a justice of the peace in 1784, he went on to become county commissioner in 1789, and a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Senate. From 1791 until his death, he was an Associate Judge for Fayette County[1].

His Jacob's Creek Bridge, built in 1801 for US$600[2], and demolished in 1833, was the first example of a suspension bridge using wrought iron chains and with a level deck. It connected Uniontown to Greensburg, spanning 21 metres (70 ft), and was 12 feet 6 inches (3.8 m) wide[2].

Other bridges by Finley or to his patent include:

None of Finley's bridges now survive.

Finley patented his system in 1808 and also published a paper on the principles of the deck-stiffened suspension bridge.[2]

  1. ^ a b c Kranakis, Eda, "Constructing a Bridge", The MIT Press, 1997
  2. ^ a b c Finley, James, "A Description of the Patent Chain Bridge", The Port Folio Vol. III, Bradford & Inskeep, Philadelphia, June 1810, [1]

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