Guard rail support, attachment, and positioning spacer block

• US 6,758,627 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2001
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: KESS Incorporated
• Original Assignee: KESS Incorporated
• Inventors: King, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartmann, Gary S.
• Application Number:
  US10/001,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20020094235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 256/1, 256/13.1, 404/6
• US Class Current: 404/6
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 15/0438 Spacers between rails and posts, e.g. energy-absorbing means E01F15/0415 takes precedence

Abstract

The guard rail support attachment and positioning block or spacer block is used to space guard railing away from posts such as “I” beams which are driven into the ground. The spacer block keeps automobile wheels from impacting the I beams and initiating a roll of the vehicle. The spacer block is a generally rectangular block or cube including corded-out cavities to reduce weight and tabs or projections which cooperatively engage the side of the post and the edge of the guard rail to position and hold same in position for attachment with holding members such as bolts. Webbing can be used to provide structural support within the cavity. The spacer block may be formed by low pressure injection molding to form a structural foam spacer block to optimize the strength to weight characteristics of the spacer block. The spacer block may be formed of a virgin and/or recycled plastic material and/or include virgin or recycled rubber material such as from obtained from the regrind of used tires and/or another elastomeric material from other sources.

Claims

1. A spacer block for attaching a guard rail to a post, comprising:

a pair of spaced apart opposing side walls having respective first ends and second ends;

a top panel disposed proximate said first end of said side walls;

a bottom panel disposed proximate said second end of said side walls;

said top panel said bottom panel and side walls forming a generally rectangular block having a first front face and a second rear face;

an engagement mechanism operably coupled proximate said top panel, said engagement mechanism operable to engage said block with said post, the engagement mechanism including a tab operably coupled to the top panel, the tab extending beyond the second face of the spacer block, at least two spaced apart fingers operably coupled proximate a distal end of the tab, the fingers extending from a bottom surface of the tab and forming a gap between the fingers and the second face of the spacer block, the gap between the fingers operable to engage respective sides of a web on an I-beam support post and the gap between the fingers and the second face of the spacer block operable to engage respective sides of a flange on the I-beam support post;

resting mechanism operably coupled proximate said bottom panel for supporting a bottom edge of a guard rail thereon;

at least one mounting bore extending there through from said first front face to said second rear face; and

an alignment mechanism operably coupled to at least one side wall.

2. The spacer block of claim 1 comprising a thermoplastic polymer and a rubber material.

3. The spacer block of claim 1, comprising a structural foam thermoplastic composition.

4. The spacer block of claim 1, comprising a structural foam thermoplastic and rubber composition.

5. The spacer block of claim 1, further comprising:

a medial wall disposed between the side walls, the medial wall positioned generally perpendicular to the side walls and generally parallel to the top and bottom panels;

the medial wall, top panel and side walls forming a first cavity; and

the medial wall, bottom panel and side walls forming second cavity.

6. The spacer block of claim 5 further comprising:

at least one mounting bore traveling through the medial wall from the first face of the spacer block to the second face of the spacer block; and

the mounting bore operable to align with at least one mounting aperture on the support post.

7. The spacer block of claim 5 further comprising a reinforcement structure disposed in at least one of the cavities.

8. The spacer block of claim 5 further comprising a webbing structure disposed within at least one of the cavities, the webbing structure operable to structurally reinforce the spacer block.

9. The spacer block of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one mounting bore disposed in the first medial wall, the mounting bore traveling between the first and second faces of the spacer block; and

at least one mounting bore disposed in a second medial wall, the mounting bore traveling between the first and second faces of the spacer block.

10. The spacer block of claim 1 further comprising:

said resting mechanism including a tab disposed proximate the bottom panel, said tab extending from the first face of the spacer block.

11. The spacer block of claim 1 wherein said alignment mechanism operably coupled to at least one side wall is at least one tab projecting past said rear face for cooperatively engaging said post.

12. The spacer block of claim 1 further comprising the first face including a generally flat solid surface.

13. The spacer block of claim 1 further comprising the bottom panel including a notch disposed proximate the second face of said spacer block, said notch operable to allow stacking of said spacer blocks.

14. The spacer block of claim 1 wherein said spacer block is formed using an injection molding process.

15. The spacer block of claim 1 wherein the spacer block is formed at least in part, using a structural foam.