English: Animated GIF depicting the opening and closing of the Henry Ford bridge (1924 double-leaf bascule). Truss and structures traced from original engineering drawing and animated frames interpolated from closed and open positions. For each leaf, the operating strut (in purple) is drawn back using a pinion gear on the fixed structure. This brings the counterweight structure (in blue) down while raising the bridge truss (in red). A parallelogram-link (green) means the rotation of the counterweight is synchronized with the rotation of the truss structure. Total stroke is approximately 87.5 degrees rotation.

As the specific engineering drawing was originated by Strauss, this appears to be typical for operation of a Strauss double-leaf bascule bridge.

As noted in the HAER record, one leaf starts before the other leaf.