US2677530A - Highway guard rail - Google Patents

Description

y 4. 3 l L. P. LAUFFENBURGER HIGHWAY GUARD RAIL Filed March 10, 1950 R 0 Y m E w; N WE R F 7% W V 5 p f s u a W a j 2 g V 9 g A 3 W A Y M w A Y .0 W

Patented May 4, 1954 UNITED STATES PATNT OFFICE This invention relates to highway guard rails and aims generally to improve the same.

Principal objects of the invention severally and interdependently are to provide a highway guard rail of novel and simple construction; to provide a novel form of intermediate post therefor; to provide a novel form of end post therefor and cooperative therewith; to provide neat strong means for securing the guard cables in the posts, in which the mode of securement is effected in a concealed manner guarding againsttampering therewith by children, for example. Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a proposed embodiment thereof. The invention resides in the new and useful combinations and features of construction hereinafter exemplified and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings of an illustrative embodiment of the invention:

Figs. 1 and 2 are front and side elevations of an intermediate post, partially broken away.

Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views of an end post, and

Fig. 5 is a more or less diagrammatic front elevation on a reduced scale showing the highway guard rail assembly.

A highway guard rail according to the present invention comprises guard cable retaining and stretching intermediate and-end post sub-combinations having special provisions mutually cooperating with the stretched cable to afford a neat, strong assembly so arranged that a child or casual passerby will be unlikely to tamper therewith.

The intermediate posts, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are of tubular form. They may be made of standard pipe of 4 inch, 6 inch, 8 inch or 10 inch diameter, for example, and may be of any weight desired. In the form shown, the proportions of which are approximately those preferred for a six inch pipe, the tubular body I is preferably closed at its upper end by a dished top plate 2 seal-welded about its edge 3. The tubular body 5 may be closed at its lower end as by a weldedin plate 4, if desired, but this plate 4 may be emitted in the case of intermediate posts not subject to any heavy vertical components of thrust.

Still referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the tubular body I is provided with at least one chordal slot 5 therein, two such slots, parallel to and spaced longitudinally from each other, being shown. Each slot 5, as shown in Fig. 2 is of a width and depth to receive secantwise a standing part of a highway guard cable, represented in the embodiment shown by a standard inch stranded steel cable 6.

Adjacent each chordal slot 5, and herein above the same, the tubular body 5 is provided with a longitudinal slot i, say about one-half inch wide, and with outer and inner bolt plates 8 and s, interconnected by a shank it extending through slot l, in any suitable way, as by welding, for example. As shown, shank iii is preferably square sided, for non-rotatable sliding engagement with the slot 1, and the plates 8 and 9, in each instance are curved to fit the curvature of the adjacent wall of the body l. A sliding assembly is thus afforded adapted to be moved to positions opening the center of the chordal slot 5 (as shown in the central parts of Figs. 1 and 2) and closing the same, as shown in the upper parts of Figs. 1 and 2.

As is also shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the outer plate 8 is preferably so formed or extended that when the bolt is moved to its slot closing position the slot i remains completely concealed by the plate 3. In addition, the plate 9, on its inner face, is preferably provided with a projection H, for ex ample a welded on bead about inch deep by say one inch long, by which the cable retainer 89 is held down when the cable is in place and taut.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, the end post sub-combination of the invention, in the form shown, comprises a tubular body ta, preferably closed at its upper and lower ends by closures 2a and id similar to closures 2 and 4 of Figs. 1 and 2. The post la is provided with at least one guard cable anchoring and tightening tube or sleeve member 5a which extends secantwise through the body la and is fixed therein, as by welding at 5b, in a position generally corresponding to the position of the slot 5 in the member I. In the form shown two of these cable anchor tubes 5a, parallel to and longitudinally spaced from each other, are employed, corresponding to the two cable slots in Figs. 1 and 2.

In addition to the cable anchor tubes 5a the end post shown is further provided with a second or land anchor tube l2 similarly fixed in the post, and preferably parallel to the tubes 5a and closer to the upper than to the lower one of them, for the purpose now to be described.

The new highway guard-rail combination, employing the new intermediate and end posts described, is exemplified in Fig. 5. As there shown, the guard rail cables 6, the standing parts of which are pressed into the chordal slots 5 in the intermediate posts 5, are provided with bigh forming cable clamps M of any desired form, by

which they are secured to the eyes l5 of eye-bolts l6 which pass through the end post tubes 5a through which they may be tightened by suitable means as the nut and lock nut means ll.

The end post la is braced and supported by land anchor means of any suitable form (not shown) which comprises the anchor cable [8 and turnbuckle l9. In its preferred form the latter comprises an angle bolt 20 secured in the anchor tube [2 as by nut means 2!, and an eye-bolt 22 to which the land anchor cable is is secured as by bight-forming clamps 23. For most purposes the anchor cable l8 may be aligned with the plane of the guard rail, but if desired, this may extend out of this plane, and the angle bolt Ell enables the turn-buckle to tilt over accordingly.

In the installation of the highway guard rail of this invention, the end post or posts, the intermediate posts, and the land anchor or anchors having been set up, the cables 5 are adjusted to appropriate lengths and clamped to the slacked ofif bolts I6. The cables 6 are then seated in the chordal grooves 5, and the tighteners I! and I9 are appropriately adjusted. If desired, the bolt plates 89 may be partially lowered during this tightening operation. Preferably after the cables 6 are fully tightened, the bolt plates 8?: are driven down tight, causing the projections H to pass beyond and, under the taut standing parts of the cables 8 extending secantwise behind them. The bolt members 8-9 are thus held down against easy lifting.

Since the plates 8 of the bolt members completely conceal the slots l, the manner of operation thereof is not easily discerned by a casual passerby desiring to tamper with themv Yet when servicing of the guard rail is needed, these members may easily be driven up to open the chordal slots, particularly if the cables be first slacked ofi at ll. The ends of the bolts l6 and 28 may be deformed, if desired, to dissuade tamperers from attempting to loosen them, and similar deformatio may be applied to hinder loosening of the cable clamp elements Hi and 23, if desired.

It is to be understood that the particular embodiment herein described is illustrative and not restrictive of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims. All modifications which come within the meaning and range l of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be included therein.

I claim as my invention:

1. A highway guard rail comprising at least one end post, and at least one intermediate post, said intermediate post being tubular and having at least one chordal slot therein of a width and depth to receive secantwise a standing portion of a guard cable, said intermediate post having a second slot therein normal to said chordal slot and in substantial alignment with the center thereof and further having bolting means comprising an outer bolt operating plate and an inner bolt plate interconnected through said second slot and slidable therealong to positions opening and closing the center of said chordal slot, said end post having at least one tube extending secantwise therethrough and fixed therein in a position corresponding generally to that of the chordal slot in said intermediate post, a guard cable having a standing part for fitting into the chordal slot in said intermediate post, an eye bolt and a bight-forming cable clamp for securing said cable to said eye bolt, said eye bolt formed to pass through said tube and to be drawn therethrough to tighten said cable, a second tube extending secantwise through said end post in substantially the same vertical plane as the aforesaid tube, an angled turn buckle having a bolt end to extend through said second tube and having an eye end, and land anchor means including a cable and a nightforming cable clamp for engaging the same with the eye end of said turn buckle, said inner bolt plate having a projection thereon formed to pass beyond and lockingly engage said tightened cable when the bolt is moved to said slot closing position with the cable in place in said chordal slot, and said outer bolt plate concealing said second slot when said bolt is moved to said slot-closing position.

2. A highway guard rail according to claim 1, in which the interconnection between said outer and inner bolt plates is square sided for nonrotative sliding in said second slot.

3. A highway guard rail according to claim 1, in which said outer and inner bolt plates are curved to conform to the outer and inner curva ture of said tubular post.

4. A highway guard rail according to claim 1, in which each intermediate post comprises two longitudinally spaced parallel chordal slots and in which each end post comprises two of the first named tubes longitudinally spaced from and parallel to each other and aligned with the chordal slots of the intermediate posts, and in which the second named tube is positioned between said two first named tubes and closer to the upper than to the lower one thereof.

5. A highway guard rail according to claim 1 in which said intermediate post is permanently closed at its upper end, said closure concealing from observation the arrangement of said internal bolt plate.

6. A highway guard rail according to claim 1 in which said end post has a closed substantially flat bottom end to prevent sinking of the post in the ground under the vertical component of force of said land anchor.

7. A highway guard rail post sub-combination of tubular form having at least one chordal slot therein for receiving secantwise a standing portion of a guard cable, said post having a second slot extending longitudinally thereof adjacent said chordal slot and inner and outer bolt plates interconnected through said second slot and slidable relative thereto to positions opening and closing the center of said chordal slot, said outer plate, in the chordal slot closing position there of, concealing said longitudinal slot.

8. A highway guard rail post according to claim '7, in which said inner plate has a projection thereon formed to pass beyond and lookingly engage the tightened cable standing part when said plate is moved to said slot closing position with the cable in place in said chordal slot.

9. A tubular highway guard rail post according to claim 7, said post being permanently closed at its upper end, said closure concealing from observation the arrangement of said internal bolt plate.

10. A tubular highway guard post according to claim 9, said post also having a closed substantially flat bottom end.

11. A highway guard rail post sub-combina tion comprising a tubular post body having at least one chordal slot therein of a size and depth to receive, secantwise, a standing part of a guard cable, said post further comprising a longitudinal slot adjacent said chordal slot, outer and inner bolt plates interconnected by a shank extending through said longitudinal slot and slidable therealong to positions closing and opening the center of said chordal slot, said outer and inner lates being curved to conform to the curvature of said tubular post body, and said outer plate concealing said longitudinal slot in the aforesaid slot closing position thereof.

12. A highway guard rail post sub-combination comprising a tubular post body and a tubular sleeve extending secantwise therethrough entirely at one side of the central plane thereof and Welded in place therein.

13. A highway guard rail post sub-combination comprising a tubular post body and a plurality of parallel tubular sleeves extending secantwise therethrough entirely at one side of the central plane thereof and Welded in place therein.

14. A highway guard rail ost sub-combination comprising a tubular post body and a plurality of parallel tubular bolt guiding sleeves extending secantwise therethrough and welded in place therein.

15. A highway guard rail post sub-combination according to claim 12, having a closed sub- 25 stantially flat bottom end to prevent sinking of the post into the ground.

16. A highway guard end post sub-combination comprising a tubular post body having three longitudinally spaced parallel tubular sleeves ex tending secantwise therethrough entirely at one side of the central plane thereof and welded in place therein, said tubular sleeves being located in the upper portion of the post with the central one of the three tubes closer to the upper one than to the lower one.

17. A highway guard end post sub-combination according to claim 16, said tubular sleeves extending outwardly beyond the surface of the post and having radial lengths, measured from the radial plane of the post normal to the sleeves, greater than the radius of the post, thereby facilitating the turning of nuts to tighten tensioning bolts passed through said sleeves.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 21,715 Ahles Feb. 18, 1941 519,573 Hamilton May 8, 1894 693,061 Pegg Feb. 11, 1902 772,795 Fjeld Oct. 18, 1904 886,544 Sawyer May 5, 1908 1,050,589 Young Jan. 14, 1913 1,795,544 Eisenmann Mar. 10, 1931 1,964,404 Lynch June 26, 1934

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