US2056842A

US2056842A - Highway guard

Info

Publication number: US2056842A
Application number: US32135A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edgecomb Bert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-07-19
Filing date: 1935-07-19
Publication date: 1936-10-06
Anticipated expiration: 1953-10-06

Description

9 B. EDGECOMB 43 34 HIGHWAY GUARD Filed July 19, 1955 MQW B er? EWe00mb Gum/w g .i atented Oct. 6, 19353 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE HIGHWAY GUARD This invention relates to a highway guard and more especially to guard rails for highways.

One object of the invention is the provision of a guard which will afford reliable protection to vehicle traflic at one or both sides of a highway by positively eliminating the possibility of an accident by running off the roadway.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device in which the vertical supporting posts as well as the railing proper secured thereto are made of railroad rails, whereby erection of the guard is permissible without the necessity of drilling either the posts or the side rails and whereby it is possible to provide for expansion and contraction of the parts due to climatic changes, while, at the same time, affording a continuous smooth side to the roadway.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device which is extremely simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in its purpose as well as strong, durable and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

Still another object of the invention is to make a practical use of second hand railroad rails whereby the cost of practicing my invention is kept unusually low without depriving my improved device of its reliability, ruggedness and long life.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the structure looking down from the top of one of the vertical posts;

Figure 2 is an elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a section along line 33 of Figure 2; and,

Figure 4 is an elevation, with parts shown in section, of a modification of my invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, wherein similar reference characters are applied to similar parts, 5 designates a vertical side post, cut to suitable length from a preferably second hand railroad rail and fixed to the ground preferably by being driven therein by means of a pile driver. It will be understood that there will be a series of these posts along each edge of the road and that they will be spaced apart a suitable distance.

The railing proper 6, which is adapted to be secured to the vertical posts 5 at heights preferably slightly above the hub of the ordinary Binghamton, N. Y.

1935, Serial No. 32,135

automobile, consists also of second hand railroad rails. The lengths of the rails used for this guard railing will be such as are usually provided in railroad work, and it will not be necessary to cut them to suit my invention since one such rail 6 will be secured at different points of its length upon a series of the spaced apart posts 5. It will also be evident that wherever a curve appears on the road along which my guard is provided it will only be necessary to give the side rail 6 a bend by means of the well known tools usually provided for that purpose in order to match the curve on the road.

The side rails 6 are gripped upon the Vertical posts 5 by means of an upper clamp l and a lower clamp 8. These clamps or straps are generally U-shaped in a horizontal plane, having a saddle portion l6 which fits against the back of the larger flange ill of the vertical rail 5, and turned-in portions or fingers II and I2 at the ends of the arms l3 and I4 of the U, which fingers are adapted to grip the inner face of the larger flange l5 of the side rail 6.

In order to provide for expansion and contraction of the side rail 6, due to climatic variations, ample space has been provided at I1 and I8 by locating the clamps l and 8 on the vertical posts 5 a suitable distance apart. This distance is constantly maintained by means of a spacer H), which consists of a metallic plate fitted against the back of the larger flange 2B of the post 5 and substantially equal thereto in width. This spacer I9 has reduced edge portions 2| and 22 at its extremities, wedged between the saddle portions l6 of the clamps l and 8 and the back of the larger flange 20 of the post 5. In this

manner shoulders

23 and 24 are provided to maintain the desired spacing between the clamps l and 8. For the purpose of gripping the side rail 6 between the clamps l and 8, a pair of

bolts

25 and 26 are driven through corresponding holes, such as 27 and 28 in the arms l3 and M of the upper and lower clamps respectively, the bolts extending on opposite sides of each vertical post 5, as shown in Figure 2. Each bolt is provided with a head 29 whose under face is flush with the top surface of the upper clamp l and a nut 30 is adapted to be driven on the bolt thread, as shown in Figures 3 and 4,

until it is forced home against the lower surface of the lower clamp 8. By the means herein described, it will be seen that the side rails 6 are held frictionally to the posts 5 without the necessity of drilling holes through either the posts 5 or the side rails 6. Consequently, my

construction is not weakened and it is most suited to the purpose of preventing vehicles from leaving the roadway.

As stated above, the-side rails 6 are of a length such as is used in ordinary railroad work. Ad-

joining sections of side railing are secured together by means of fish plates, as is also customary in railroad construction. The vertical posts 5, however, are shorter than the usual length of railroad rails and it is necessary, for this work, to cut them to suitable length, preferably by means of an oXy-acetylene cutting torch. This leaves the ends of the posts extending above the ground with an unsightly appearance. I have, therefore, provided a cap 3| consisting of a metallic plate, arcuate in shape, and, adapted to be fitted over the'top of each vertical post 5.

Tongues

32 and 33 are struck from the center of the plate and bent downwardly to frictionally engage the web 34 of the post 5. This arrangement not only enhances the appearance of the posts, but it also protects the whole assembly from the weather, since, as shown in Figure 2, the cap extends beyond and shields the clamps, spacing plates and side bolts.

Although only one side railing has been de scribed so far as being mounted on the vertical posts, it is within the purview of my invention to mount another or other railings any desired distance above or below the railing shown in Figures 1 to 3. This is merely a matter of making the vertical posts of suitable height so that they will carry one or more superimposed, parallel railings, facing on the same side of the road. In such case, each railing will be mounted on the posts by means of a plurality of pairs of clamps, such as'my clamps l and 8.

At the present time, different lanes of vehicle traffic are indicated by colored lines painted directly on the road surface. Such lines will not,

of course, prevent overstepping from one lane to another. I have, therefore, proposed to arrange railings in the manner shown in Figure 4 so as to positively prevent interference between different trafiic lanes.

In this instance, the vertical posts 5 are located in the middle of the road and they carry 'two series of side railings 6 mounted on the posts by means of the brackets described heretofore, but each series faced in opposite directions. For this purpose, the brackets are simply secured on opposite sides of the posts, otherwise the construction is similar to that described above. V

I also wish to point out that although the saddle portions of my clamp are flush against the wider flange ill of the post, the latter could, of course, be turned around with the clamp embracing the smaller flange 34 of the rail in which case the clamp will be generally triangular in shape instead of U-shaped. Similarly, the pair of fingers H and I2 may engage the smaller flanges 35 of the side rail rather than the wider flange 36.

I am aware that this disclosure will readily suggest modified constructions and combinations of parts within the spirit of this invention, and I, therefore, do not limit myself to the use of the specific embodiment shown, but claim all modifications fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a highway guard, a post, a railing and means for securing said railing to said post at any point along said post, said means including a plurality of clamps, means for maintaining said clamps in spaced apart relation along parallel faces thereof, and means for holding said clamps on the post and said railing between said clamps.

2. A highway guard as set forth in claim 1, wherein the post and railing are made of railroad rails.

3. In a highway-guard, a flanged post, a railing, a plurality of clamps on said post arranged in offset relation with respect to the vertical axis of the post, means on said clamps for frictionally engaging said railing, a spacing member between said clamps havingportions wedged between said clamps and a flange of the post, and means for maintaining the component elements of the guard in frictional assembly.

4. In a highway guard, a vertical post, a horizontalmember, a U-clamp straddling said vertical post and having downwardly extending fingers from the arms of the U, a second U-clamp straddling said vertical postand having upwardly extending fingers, said horizontal members being gripped between the fingers of said clamp, a spacing element between the saddle portion of the clamps to maintain the clamps in spaced relation, and means for holding said clampsand said horizontal member in rigid assembly'upon said vertical'post. V V

5. A highway guard as set forth in claim 4, wherein the holding means comprise bolts provided with abutments on said clamps.

6. In a highway guard, a post, a railing, said post and railing being made of railroad rails,

. means for securing said railing to saidpost, a

solid cover on the top of said .post' extending over said securing means, and flexible means on said cover for securing the latter to the web of. 5

said post rail.

BERT EDGECOMB.