Expansion joint system for accommodation of large movement in multiple directions
First Claim
1. An expansion joint system for roadway construction wherein a gap is defined between adjacent first and second roadway sections, said expansion joint system extending across said gap to permit vehicular traffic, said expansion joint system comprising:
- a plurality of transversely extending, spaced-apart, load bearing members having top surfaces and bottom surfaces, wherein said top surfaces are adapted to support vehicular traffic;
at least one elongated support member having opposite ends extending longitudinally across said expansion joint from said first roadway section to said second roadway section, wherein said at least one support member is positioned below said transversely extending load bearing members;
at least one first means for accepting an end of said at least one longitudinally extending elongated support member, wherein said first means for accepting includes means for substantially restricting transverse movement within said at least one first means for accepting, but permitting longitudinal movement within said first means for accepting;
at least one second means for accepting an end of said at least one longitudinally extending elongated support member, wherein said second means for accepting include means for substantially restricting longitudinal movement within said second means for accepting, but permitting transverse and vertical movement within said second means for accepting, wherein said at least one elongated support member has one end located within said first means for accepting and the opposite end located in said second means for accepting; and
at least one expansion and contraction means for controlling the spacing of said load bearing beams relative to one another comprising pivotably attached arms that are movably engaged with said load bearing members.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An expansion joint system which is provided to accommodate forces applied to highway construction during normal changes in ambient conditions, and which is also designed to withstand seismic forces and vehicular forces, which may be applied in transverse and longitudinal directions. The system includes spaced-apart transverse vehicle load bearing members which are placed in a gap defined between adjacent sections of highway construction, longitudinally extending support members positioned beneath the load bearing members, means embedded within the adjacent roadway sections that control longitudinal, transverse and vertical movement, and a mechanism for controlling the spacing between the transverse load bearing beams. Preferably, this mechanism maintains a substantially equal distance between the transverse load bearing beam members.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. An expansion joint system for roadway construction wherein a gap is defined between adjacent first and second roadway sections, said expansion joint system extending across said gap to permit vehicular traffic, said expansion joint system comprising:
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a plurality of transversely extending, spaced-apart, load bearing members having top surfaces and bottom surfaces, wherein said top surfaces are adapted to support vehicular traffic;
at least one elongated support member having opposite ends extending longitudinally across said expansion joint from said first roadway section to said second roadway section, wherein said at least one support member is positioned below said transversely extending load bearing members;
at least one first means for accepting an end of said at least one longitudinally extending elongated support member, wherein said first means for accepting includes means for substantially restricting transverse movement within said at least one first means for accepting, but permitting longitudinal movement within said first means for accepting;
at least one second means for accepting an end of said at least one longitudinally extending elongated support member, wherein said second means for accepting include means for substantially restricting longitudinal movement within said second means for accepting, but permitting transverse and vertical movement within said second means for accepting, wherein said at least one elongated support member has one end located within said first means for accepting and the opposite end located in said second means for accepting; and
at least one expansion and contraction means for controlling the spacing of said load bearing beams relative to one another comprising pivotably attached arms that are movably engaged with said load bearing members. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An expansion joint system for roadway construction wherein a gap is defined between adjacent first and second roadway sections, said expansion joint system extending across said gap to permit vehicular traffic, said system comprising:
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a plurality of transversely extending, spaced-apart, load bearing members having top surfaces and bottom surfaces, wherein said top surfaces are adapted to support said vehicular traffic;
at least one elongated support member having opposite ends extending longitudinally across said expansion joint from said first roadway section to said second roadway section, wherein said at least one support member is positioned below said load bearing members;
at least one first means for accepting one of said opposite ends of said at least one support member, wherein said first means for accepting include means for substantially restricting transverse movement within said first means for accepting, but permitting longitudinal movement within said first means for accepting;
at least one second means for accepting an end of said at least one longitudinally extending elongated support members, wherein said second means for accepting include means for substantially restricting longitudinal movement within said second means for accepting, but permitting transverse and vertical movement within said second means for accepting, wherein said at least one elongated support member has one end located within said first means for accepting and the opposite end located in said second means for accepting; and
at least one means positioned below said load bearing members and extending longitudinally across said expansion joint from said first roadway section to said second roadway section for controlling the distance between said load bearing members comprising;
a) an elongated stabilizing member having opposite ends, one of said opposite ends having roller means attached thereto, wherein said end having rollers means attached thereto is disposed within a first means for accepting said stabilizing member that permits transverse movement and substantially restricts longitudinal movement of the stabilizing member within said first means for accepting, said opposite end being disposed within a second means for accepting said ends of said stabilizing member that permits longitudinal movement and substantially restricts transverse movement of the stabilizing member within said second means for accepting;
b) at least one yoke assembly in movable engagement with said stabilizing member; and
c) an expansion and contraction means positioned above said stabilizing member and above said least one yoke assembly, wherein said expansion and contraction means is attached to said at least one yoke assembly, and wherein said expansion and contraction means includes a plurality of pivotably attached arms, each arm including a plurality of roller means attached thereto and movably engaging at least two of said load bearing members. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. An expansion joint system for roadway construction wherein a gap is defined between adjacent first and second roadway sections, said expansion joint system extending across said gap to permit vehicular traffic, said system comprising:
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a plurality of transversely extending, spaced-apart, load bearing members having top surfaces and bottom surfaces, wherein said top surfaces are adapted to support said vehicular traffic;
at least one support member having opposite ends extending longitudinally across said expansion joint from said first roadway section to said second roadway section, wherein said at least one support member is positioned below said load bearing members, and wherein one end of at least one said support member has a hole therein;
at least one first means for accepting said support member, wherein said at least one elongated support member has one end located within said first means for accepting, and wherein said first means for accepting includes means for substantially restricting transverse movement within said first means for accepting, but permitting longitudinal movement within said first means for accepting;
at least one second means for accepting said support, wherein said at least one elongated support member having said hole therein is located within said second means for accepting, wherein said second means for accepting includes means for substantially restricting longitudinal movement within said second means for accepting, but permitting transverse and vertical movement within said second means for accepting;
said means for permitting transverse and vertical movement comprisinga) a guide member disposed within said second means for accepting, said guide member being inserted through said hole in said support member, b) first support bearings disposed adjacent to upper and lower surfaces of said support members, c) second upper and lower support bearings disposed adjacent to said second means for accepting, and d) upper and lower retaining members secured to said second means for accepting said support members for securing said second support bearings; and
at least one expansion and contraction means including pivotably attached arms movably engaged with said load bearing members. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A device for use in an expansion joint system for roadway construction for providing longitudinal, transverse and vertical movement within said expansion joint and for controlling the spacing between transversely extending vehicular traffic load bearing beams comprising:
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an elongated stabilizing member having opposite ends;
an expansion and contraction means for controlling the spacing between said transversely extending vehicular traffic load bearing beams; and
at least one assembly for engaging said expansion and contraction means and said stabilizing member. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification