Guardrail support members

• US 20050274939A1
• Filed: 06/10/2005
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monroeville Industrial Moldings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Monroeville Industrial Moldings Incorporated
• Inventors: Burkett, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,478,796 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 256/13.100
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 15/0438 Spacers between rails and posts, e.g. energy-absorbing means E01F15/0415 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 15/0453 Rails of materials other than metal or concrete, e.g. wood, plastics; Rails of different materials, e.g. rubber-faced metal profiles, concrete-filled steel tubes E01F15/0476 takes precedence; reinforced concrete rails E01F15/0446
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49936 Surface interlocking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener

Abstract

A support member for supporting a guardrail with respect to a support post is provided. The support member comprises a body including a first portion adapted to engage a mounting area of a support post and a second portion adapted to engage a mounting area of a guardrail. The first portion comprises a mounting surface that is substantially concave from a first side to a second side of the mounting surface. The first side is provided with a first mounting protrusion and the second side is provided with a second mounting protrusion. Guardrail assemblies including a support member and methods are further provided.

Claims

1. A support member for supporting a guardrail with respect to a support post, the support member comprising:

a body including a first portion adapted to engage a mounting area of a support post and a second portion adapted to engage a mounting area of a guardrail, the first portion comprising a mounting surface that is substantially concave from a first side to a second side of the mounting surface, wherein the first side is provided with a first mounting protrusion and the second side is provided with a second mounting protrusion.

2. The support member of claim 1, wherein the body includes an aperture extending through the concave mounting surface from the first portion to the second portion of the body.

3. The support member of claim 1, wherein the first mounting protrusion comprises a first elongated rib and the second mounting protrusion comprises a second elongated rib.

4. The support member of claim 3, wherein the first and second elongated ribs are substantially parallel with respect to one another.

5. A guardrail assembly including the support member of claim 1, the guardrail assembly further comprising a support post including an outer surface with a substantially convex mounting area and a guardrail including a mounting area, wherein the support member is mounted between the substantially convex mounting area of the support post and the mounting area of the guardrail with at least a portion of the substantially concave mounting surface of the support member engaging at least a portion of the substantially convex mounting area of the support post and with the first and second mounting protrusions straddling the substantially convex mounting area of the support post.

6. The guardrail assembly of claim 5, further comprising a fastener device including a first end portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate portion, wherein the intermediate portion extends through the support post, the support member and the guardrail.

7. A guardrail assembly comprising:

a support post including an outer surface with a substantially convex mounting area;

a guardrail including a mounting area; and

a support member mounted between the substantially convex mounting area of the support post and the mounting area of the guardrail, the support member including a mounting surface that is substantially concave from a first side to a second side of the mounting surface, wherein the first side is provided with a first mounting protrusion and the second side is provided with a second mounting protrusion, wherein at least a portion of the substantially concave mounting surface of the support member engages at least a portion of the substantially convex mounting area of the support post with the first and second mounting protrusions engaging the support post and straddling the substantially convex mounting area of the support post.

8. The guardrail assembly of claim 7, further comprising a fastener device adapted to fasten the guardrail with respect to the support post.

9. The guardrail assembly of claim 8, wherein a first aperture extends through the support post, a second aperture extends through the support member and a third aperture extends through the guardrail, and wherein an intermediate portion of the fastener device extends through the first, second, and third apertures.

10. The guardrail assembly of claim 7, wherein the first mounting protrusion comprises a first elongated rib and the second mounting protrusion comprises a second elongated rib.

11. The guardrail assembly of claim 10, wherein the first and second elongated ribs are substantially parallel with respect to one another.

12. The guardrail assembly of claim 7, wherein the first and second mounting protrusions are at least partially embedded within the support post.

13. The guardrail assembly of claim 7, wherein the substantially concave mounting surface of the support member includes a first radius and the substantially convex mounting area of the support post includes a second radius.

14. The guardrail assembly of claim 13, wherein the first radius is greater than or equal to the second radius.

15. The guardrail assembly of claim 14, wherein the first radius is greater than the second radius prior to mounting the support member between the substantially convex mounting area of the support post and the mounting area of the guardrail.

16. The guardrail assembly of claim 15, wherein the first radius is substantially equal to the second radius after mounting the support member between the substantially convex mounting area of the support post and the mounting area of the guardrail.

17. The guardrail assembly of claim 14, wherein the first radius is substantially equal to the second radius after mounting the support member between the substantially convex mounting area of the support post and the mounting area of the guardrail.

18. A method of providing a guardrail assembly comprising the steps of:

providing a support post including an outer surface with a substantially convex mounting area and an aperture extending through the substantially convex mounting area;

providing a guardrail including a mounting area and an aperture extending through the mounting area;

providing a support member comprising a mounting surface that is substantially concave from a first side to a second side of the mounting surface, wherein the first side is provided with a first mounting protrusion and the second side is provided with a second mounting protrusion, wherein an aperture extends through the substantially concave mounting surface;

providing a fastener device including a first end portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate portion;

positioning the support member with respect to the support post such that the first and second mounting protrusions engage the support post and straddle the substantially convex mounting area of the support post;

positioning the intermediate portion of the fastener device through the aperture of the support post, the aperture of the support member and the aperture of the guardrail; and

tightening the fastener device wherein at least a portion of the substantially concave mounting surface of the support member engages at least a portion of the substantially convex mounting area of the support post.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of tightening the fastener results in at least partially embedding the first and second mounting protrusions within the support post.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the substantially concave mounting surface of the support member is provided with a first radius and the substantially convex mounting area of the support post is provided with a second radius, wherein the first radius is greater than the second radius prior to the step of tightening, and the first radius is substantially equal to the second radius of at least a portion of the substantially convex mounting area after the step of tightening.