Hans Ulrich Grubenmann

More is known about Hans Ulrich than about Johannes; both were village carpenters in the hamlet of Teufen, and they constructed churches as well as bridges.

In 1755 a Swiss builder, Hans Grubenmann, used trusses to support a covered timber bridge with spans of 51 and 58 meters (171 and 193 feet) over the Rhine at Schaffhausen. Many timber truss bridges were built in the United States. One of the best long-span truss designs was developed…