Guardrail terminal

• US 6,505,820 B2
• Filed: 10/01/1999
• Issued: 01/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kothmann Enterprises Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kothmann Enterprises Incorporated
• Inventors: Pfeifer, Brian G., Sicking, Dean L.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEV, BRUCE ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US09/410,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20010013596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 256/13.1, 404/6, 404/9, 404/10, 403/2, 403/279, 403/284
• US Class Current: 256/13.1
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 15/143 Protecting devices located at the ends of barriers E01F15/145 takes precedence

Abstract

To reduce the danger of bodily harm to occupants of vehicles that leave the roadway, a guardrail system includes a guardrail terminal and a guardrail. The guardrail terminal includes cutting members positioned to cut said guardrail as guardrail moves within said guardrail terminal and the guardrail terminal moves with respect to the guardrail to cut the guardrail when impacted by a vehicle.

Claims

1. A guardrail terminal adapted to cooperate with a guardrail comprising:

an impact head; and

a cutting section being mounted for movement with said impact head, said cutting section including;

means for cutting the guardrail when the guardrail terminal and the guardrail are moved with respect to each other;

a cutter holding section for holding said means for cutting; and

a hollow receiving section sized and shaped to receive the guardrail;

said cutter section and hollow receiving section being positioned with respect to each other to guide the guardrail as said terminal and guardrail are moved together.

2. A guardrail terminal according to claim 1 in which the means for cutting includes a plurality of cutters selected in accordance with the amount of energy intended to be absorbed upon impact with vehicles expected to impact the guardrail terminal.

3. An energy-absorption system for positioning along a roadway to absorb the energy of an errant vehicle, the energy-absorption system comprising:

an impact head;

an angled cutter; and

an elongated cuttable member horizontally mounted between two parallel guardrails;

wherein the energy-absorption system is positionable along a roadway to cooperate with the upstream portion of a roadside hazard; and

wherein the impact head is in operational connection with the cutter and the cuttable member such that the impact of an errant vehicle with the impact head will cause the cutter to cut at least a portion of the cuttable member to absorb the impact energy of the errant vehicle.

4. The energy-absorption system of claim 3 wherein each of the two parallel guardrails is constructed of overlapping guardrail sections.

5. The energy-absorption system of claim 4 wherein at least one of the two parallel guardrails is supported by at least one corresponding break-away post.

6. The energy-absorption system of claim 4 further including:

a deflector positioned to bend at least a portion of the cuttable member away from the path of the current vehicle.

7. The energy-absorption system of claim 4 wherein the cuttable member is a structural pipe.

8. The energy-absorption system of claim 3 wherein at least one of the two parallel guardrails is supported by at least one corresponding break-away post.

9. The energy-absorption system of claim 3 further including:

a deflector positioned to bend at least a portion of the cuttable member away from the path of the errant vehicle.

10. The energy-absorption system of claim 3 wherein the cuttable member is a structural pipe.

11. The energy-absorption system of claim 3 wherein the angled cutter comprises a cutter that is positioned such that at least one edge of the cutter approaches the cuttable member at an acute angle.

12. The energy-absorption system of claim 11 wherein the angled cutter comprises two plates that form an acute angle where the edges of the two plates cross at a point.

13. The energy-absorption system of claim 11 wherein the angled cutter comprises a wedge having a forward pointed edge.

14. An energy-absorption system for positioning along a roadway to absorb the energy of an errant vehicle, the energy-absorption system comprising:

an impact head;

an angled cutter;

two parallel guardrails, each of which is constructed of overlapping guardrail sections; and

an elongated cuttable member mounted horizontally between the two parallel guardrails;

wherein the energy-absorption system is positionable along a roadway to cooperate with the upstream portion of a roadside hazard; and

wherein the impact head is in operational connection with the cutter and the cuttable member such that the impact of an errant vehicle with the impact head will cause the cutter to cut at least a portion of the cuttable member to absorb the impact energy of the errant vehicle.

15. The energy-absorption system of claim 14 wherein at least one of the two parallel guardrails is supported by at least one corresponding break-away post.

16. The energy-absorption system of claim 14 further imcluding:

a deflector positioned to bend at least a portion of the cuttable member away from the path of the errant vehicle.

17. The energy-absorption system of claim 14 wherein the cuttable member is a structural pipe.

18. An energy-absorption system for positioning along a roadway to absorb the energy of an errant vehicle, the energy-absorption system comprising:

an impact head;

an angled cutter;

two parallel guardrails, each of which is constructed of overlapping guardrail sections;

at least one break-away post supporting at least one of the two parallel guardrails;

an elongated cuttable member formed of a structural pipe mounted horizontally between the two parallel guardrails;

wherein the energy-absorption system is positionable along a roadway to cooperate with the upstream portion of a roadside hazard; and

wherein the impact head is in operational connection with the cutter and the cuttable member such that the impact of an errant vehicle with the impact head will cause the cutter to cut at least a portion of the cuttable member to absorb the impact energy of the errant vehicle; and

a deflector positioned to bend at least a portion of the cuttable member away from the path of the errant vehicle.