Quick connect transit boarding platform panel

• US 20060037155A1
• Filed: 10/18/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Astra Capital Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Astra Capital Incorporated
• Inventors: Szekely, Kenneth E. J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,690,862 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 14/69.500
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 1/00 Construction of station or like platforms or refuge islands or like islands in traffic areas, e.g. intersection or filling-station islandsgeneral arrangement of filling stations B60S5/02, of railway platforms B61B1/02, of traffic-channelling island at intersections E01C1/02 ; Kerbs specially adapted for islands in traffic areas specially adapted for guiding, marking or signalling E01F9/535, for illumination E01F9/547; lane separators diverting traffic past safety zones E01F9/588

Abstract

The present invention relates to a transit boarding platform panel for use along an edge of a transit platform adjacent a track. The panel comprises a molded base portion formed from a reinforced composite polymer, and having a top deck and bottom plate, a first side intended to be adjacent a track at an edge of the transit platform, a second side opposite said first side and intended to be adjacent the transit platform, a first end and a second end, and between the top deck and bottom plate a series of internal support members. The top deck has a detectable warning surface consisting of raised truncated domes detectable by the visually impaired in accordance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities. The first and second ends are provided with means to interconnect adjacent panels and to secure the panels to the platform. In a preferred embodiment the means to interconnect adjacent panels and to secure the panels to the platform includes a groove provided on the first end of each panel, said groove sized and shaped to accept a corresponding sized and shaped tongue provided on the second end of an adjacent panel. There is also provided an improved method of installing a transit platform with a series of transit boarding platform panels along an edge of said transit platform adjacent a track.

Claims

1. A transit boarding platform panel for use along an edge of a transit platform adjacent a track, said panel comprising a molded base portion formed from a reinforced composite polymer, said base portion having a top deck and bottom plate, a first side intended to be adjacent a track at an edge of the transit platform, a second side opposite said first side and intended to be adjacent the transit platform, a first end and a second end, and between the top deck and bottom plate a series of internal support members, said top deck having a detectable warning surface consisting of raised truncated domes detectable by the visually impaired in accordance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):

Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities, wherein the first and second ends are provided with means to interconnect adjacent panels and to secure the panels to the platform.

2. A transit boarding platform panel according to claim 1 wherein edges of the transit platform adjacent the track are framed by one or more headers.

3. A transit boarding platform panel according to claim 2, wherein the means to interconnect adjacent panels and to secure the panels to the platform includes a groove provided on the first end of each panel, said groove sized and shaped to accept a corresponding sized and shaped tongue provided on the second end of an adjacent panel.

4. A transit boarding platform panel according to claim 3 wherein the first end of said panel has a first vertical wall section depending from the top deck said first vertical wall section having a top edge and a bottom edge, a second vertical wall section extends upwardly from the bottom plate of said panel, said second vertical wall section having a top edge and a bottom edge wherein the second vertical wall section is offset inwardly from the first vertical wall section and wherein the groove is located between the bottom edge of the first vertical wall section and the top edge of the second vertical wall section and runs the entire width of the first end.

5. A transit boarding platform panel according to claim 4 wherein the second end of said panel has a first vertical wall section depending from the top deck said first vertical wall section having a top edge and a bottom edge, a second vertical wall section extends upwardly from the bottom plate said second vertical wall section having a top edge and a bottom edge wherein the second vertical wall section is offset inwardly from the first vertical wall section and wherein a tongue portion located between the bottom edge of the first vertical wall section and the top edge of the second vertical wall section and runs the entire width of the second end.

6. A transit boarding platform panel according to claim 5 wherein a bolt hole is aligned along the longitudinal axis of and within said tongue portion.

7. A transit boarding platform panel according to claim 1 wherein a portion of the top surface of the top deck adjacent said second side adjacent the transit platform is adapted to allow snow removal without damaging the raised truncated domes on said detectable warning surface.

8. A transit boarding platform panel according to claim 7 wherein a top surface of a portion of the top surface of the top deck adjacent said second side adjacent the transit platform that is adapted to allow snow removal is slightly above the height of the truncated domes.

9. A transit boarding platform panel according to claim 8 wherein a strip is integrated with the portion of the top surface of the top deck adjacent said second side adjacent the transit platform to provide a visual and cane-on-contact sound contrast to both panel and the surrounding platform surface.

10. A method of installing a transit platform with a series of transit boarding platform panels along an edge of said transit platform adjacent a track, said panels each comprising a molded base portion formed from a reinforced composite polymer, said base portion having a top deck and bottom plate, a first side intended to be adjacent a track at an edge of the transit platform, a second side opposite said first side and intended to be adjacent the transit platform and a first end and a second end, said top deck having a detectable warning surface consisting of raised truncated domes detectable by the visually impaired in accordance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):

Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities, wherein the first and second ends are provided with means to interconnect adjacent panels and to secure the panels to the platform, said method comprising the following steps;

(a) set a sub-base of engineered granular fill and layout timber headers to form a retaining wall for the platform edge, (b) then filling an area where the panels are to go with compacted granular fill (c) placing the panels with the means to interconnect adjacent panels and to secure the panels to the platform connected (d) securing the panels to the timber headers and then (g) an area beyond the panels is then filled with the appropriate platform materials.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the means to interconnect adjacent panels and to secure the panels to the platform includes a groove provided on the first end of each panel, said groove sized and shaped to accept a corresponding sized and shaped tongue provided on the second end of an adjacent panel and wherein a bolt hole is aligned along the longitudinal axis of and within said tongue portion.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein to secure the panels to the timber headers a hole is drilled through a timber header opposite an opening in the bolt hole in the tongue portion and a threaded rod is inserted through the hole in the timber header and through the bolt hole in the tongue and fastened in place.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the threaded rod is fastened in place with an end plate and nut are fastened on the end of said rod projecting through the side of the timber header and the other end of the rod is connected to a bracket anchored to the adjacent platform.

14. A method according to claim 11 wherein a top portion of a joint above the tongue portion between adjacent panels, is filled with a pre-molded joint filler and then topped off with a self-leveling urethane sealant.

15. A transit boarding platform panel having comprising a molded base portion formed from a reinforced composite polymer, said base portion having a top deck and bottom plate, a first side intended to be adjacent a track at an edge of the transit platform, a second side opposite said first side and intended to be adjacent the transit platform, a first end and a second end, and between the top deck and bottom plate a series of internal support members, said top deck having a detectable warning surface consisting of raised truncated domes detectable by the visually impaired in accordance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):

Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities, said panel used at grade wherein to mimimize frost forming on the top surface of the top deck in colder climates, a thermal conduit is provided between the ground and the top surface of the panel.