Guardrail support members

• US 7,478,796 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2005
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monroeville Industrial Moldings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Monroeville Industrial Moldings Incorporated
• Inventors: Burkett, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): MACARTHUR, VICTOR L
• Application Number:
  US11/150,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20050274939A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 256/13.1, D25/113, D25/118, 404 6- 10
• US Class Current: 256/13.1
• 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 cylindrical mounting surface that is cylindrically concave from a first side to a second side of the mounting surface, wherein the first side is provided with a first mounting protrusion which is integral with the cylindrically concave mounting surface and the second side is provided with a second mounting protrusion which is integral with the cylindrically concave mounting surface and wherein each mounting protrusion which is integral with the cylindrically concave mounting surface extends away from the cylindrically concave mounting surface in a direction of the cylindrically concave mounting surface;

wherein the first mounting protrusion comprises a first vertically elongated rib and the second mounting protrusion comprises a second vertically elongated rib.

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 and second vertically elongated ribs are substantially parallel with respect to one another.

4. The support member of claim 1, wherein the cylindrically concave mounting surface extends between the first and second mounting protrusions and outside each of the first and second mounting protrusions.

5. The support member of claim 1, wherein the support member is a support block.

6. The support member of claim 5, wherein the support block is formed from material comprising a polymer.

7. The support member of claim 6, wherein the support block has one or more hollow cavities.

8. A guardrail assembly-comprising:

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

a guardrail including a mounting area; and

a support member configured to support the guardrail with respect to the support post, the support member comprising a body including a first portion adapted to engage the cylindrically convex mounting area of the of the support post and a second portion adapted to engage the mounting area of the guardrail, the first portion comprising a cylindrical mounting surface that is cylindrically concave from a first side to a second side of the mounting surface, wherein the first side is provided with a first mounting protrusion which is integral with the cylindrically concave mounting surface and the second side is provided with a second mounting protrusion which is integral with the cylindrical mounting surface, wherein each mounting protrusion which is integral with the mounting surface extends away from the cylindrically concave mounting surface in a direction of the cylindrically concave mounting surface, and

wherein the support member is mounted between the cylindrically convex mounting area of the support post and the mounting area of the guardrail with at least a portion of the cylindrically concave mounting surface of the support member engaging at least a portion of the cylindrically convex mounting area of the support post and with the first and second mounting protrusions straddling the cylindrically convex mounting area of the support post;

wherein the first mounting protrusion comprises a first vertically elongated rib and the second mounting protrusion comprises a second vertically elongated rib.

9. The guardrail assembly of claim 8, 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.

10. The guardrail assembly of claim 8, wherein the cylindrically concave mounting surface extends between the first and second mounting protrusions and outside each of the first and second mounting protrusions.

11. A guardrail assembly comprising:

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

a guardrail including a mounting area; and

a support member mounted between the cylindrically convex mounting area of the support post and the mounting area of the guardrail, the support member including a mounting surface that is cylindrically concave from a first side to a second side of the mounting surface, wherein the first side is provided with a first mounting protrusion which is integral with the cylindrical mounting surface and the second side is provided with a second mounting protrusion which is integral with the cylindrical mounting surface, wherein each mounting protrusion which is integral with the cylindrical mounting surface extends away from the cylindrically concave mounting surface in a direction of the cylindrically concave mounting surface, and wherein at least a portion of the cylindrically concave mounting surface of the support member engages at least a portion of the cylindrically convex mounting area of the support post with the first and second mounting protrusions engaging the support post and straddling the cylindrically convex mounting area of the support post;

wherein the first mounting protrusion comprises a first vertically elongated rib and the second mounting protrusion comprises a second vertically elongated rib.

12. The guardrail assembly of claim 11, further comprising a fastener device adapted to fasten the guardrail with respect to the support post.

13. The guardrail assembly of claim 12, 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.

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

15. The guardrail assembly of claim 11, wherein the first and second mounting protrusions are at least partially embedded within the support post.

16. The guardrail assembly of claim 11, wherein the cylindrically concave mounting surface of the support member includes a first radius and the cylindrically convex mounting area of the support post includes a second radius.

17. The guardrail assembly of claim 16, wherein the first radius is greater than or equal to the second radius.

18. The guardrail assembly of claim 17, wherein the first radius is greater than the second radius prior to mounting the support member between the cylindrically convex mounting area of the support post and the mounting area of the guardrail.

19. The guardrail assembly of claim 18, wherein the first radius is equal to the second radius after mounting the support member between the cylindrically convex mounting area of the support post and the mounting area of the guardrail.

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

21. The support member of claim 16, wherein the first radius is from about 6.5 inches to about 7.5 inches.

22. The guardrail assembly of claim 11, wherein the cylindrically concave mounting surface extends between the first and second mounting protrusions and outside each of the first and second mounting protrusions.