US2194383A - Highway joint - Google Patents

Description

E. s. CLARK March 19, 1940.

Filed May 11, 1939 l LiaZ/UW l @M M7? XM Patented Mar. 19,A 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT oFF-ICE Elmer S. Clark,` Massapequa, N. Y. Application May 11, 1939, Serial No. 273,115

This invention relates to an improved expansible joint for connecting adjacent portions of highway sections or slabs. y

` In the construction of highways formed from '5* aA plastic material such as concrete, it has been customary to form the top surface of the highway of a plurality of sections or slabs, which are spaced from each other to permit expansion of the sections in response to heat. The spaces belo tween the sections are usually filled with tar or similar material which is elastic to allow the slabs to expand. However, the expansion of 'the' slabs frequently squeezes this material out of the l spaces between ther slabs so that when the slabs l5 again contract a space is leftv which gradually fills with gravel, dirt or the like which becomes embedded in the remaining binder material and is gradually hardened so that the binding material is no longer elastic, and as a result when 20 the slabs are again expanded the pressure causes the slabs tocrack and break open.

v' It is a particular aim of this invention to provide a joint to replace the binding material Abetween roadway slabs formed of contractible sec- 9,5 tions which will contract or expand relatively to veach other in response to the expansion or retraction, respectively, of the slabs.

More particularly, it is an aim of this invention to provide a joint formed of corresponding 3'0 sections' having inwardly projecting flanges, olfset relatively toeach other, and disposed in overlapping telescoping engagement, and yieldable means for initially retaining said sections in extended position while the slabs are being formed. s AStill another object of the invention is to provide detachable means connected to said joint sections and adapted to be embedded in the ends of the slabs for connecting the slabs to the joints,

said means being detachable from the sections v 40.1 for removing one or the other of the joint sections to repair or partially replace the roadway.

Other objects and advantages of the'invention will hereinafter become'more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, which 45:1 illustrates a preferred embodimentthereof, and

wherein-- j Figure 1v is a transverse vertical sectional View showing one of the joints in position between 'the adjacent ends of two roadway slabs,

Figure 2 is a side elevational View looking toward the inner side of one of the joint sections,

and

Figure is a perspective vview of one of the wedges. 55 AReferring more particularly to the drawing,

wherein like reference characters 'designate like, or corresponding parts throughout the different views, I 8 designates generally a portion of a road- Way including' a foundation II provided with 'a sub-grade I2, of asphaltic felt or the like, and the upper surface I3 comprisinga plurality of` slabs or sections I4, portions of two of kwhich are seen in Figure l. These parts are of conventional construction forming a conventional road.

The joint, designated generally I5, andcomprising this invention, includes `the corresponding sections I6, preferably formed of steel, and in the shape of an I-beam,y in cross section. The sections or -I-beams I6 are provided with the outwardly projecting corresponding flanges I'I, at their tops and bottoms and the inwardly pro,-` jecting flanges I8and I9. Flanges I8`each comprise a lip 20 which is offset yinwardly from the edge of the I-beam or section I6, the sides of which connect with the inclined surfaces 2I and 22. The lianges I9 are each providedwith a lip 23 the outer surface of which is flush with the corresponding surface of the adjacent flange I1 and the innery sidel of which terminates in the inclined surface 24. Lips 28 and 23 have the cor'- respondingly beveled ends 24. Oneof the sec` tions I6 of the joint I5 is disposed with the flange I8 at its top and the other section isdisposed with the flange I8 at its bottom so that the lips 28 and 23 of the two sections I6 are positioned in overlapping relationship Ito each other, and as best seen in Figure 1 the lips 26 are offset inwardly of the joint I5 a distance equal to the width of the lipsy 23 so that when the sections are assembled with the lips 20 and 23 in overlapping 35 engagement the top` and bottom surfaces of the sectionsA I6 will be flush with each other. The

lflanges I8 and I 9 are adapted to be disposed in overlapping engagement and are slidably disposed relatively to eachy other sothat the sec` v40y tions I 6 maybe moved ltoward or 'away from each other, for a purpose which will herein` after be described. The web portions of the sections I6 are provided with one or more series of openings 25, as best seen in Figure 2, through whichare adapted to extend the threaded ends 26 of the headed bolts 21 which are adjustably and detachably connected to the sections I6 by the nuts 28 which are connected to the threaded ends 26 and disposed on either side of the web portions of the sections I6.` The headed ends of the bolts 21 project outwardly and are adapted to be embedded in the roadwaysections or slabs |4, as seen in Figure 1. The wedge block 29, as seen in Figure 3, has an inclined front face '30. u

adapted to be disposed between the webs of the sections I6 with their inclined or cam faces 30 in abutting or partially abutting relationship, as seen in dotted lines in Figure 1.

The joint I5 is assembled in a roadway I0, as

` follows: the slabs or sections I4 of the upper surface of the roadway IU are molded from a plastic material such as cement which is poured into conventional type forms, not shown. When these forms are positioned for. molding a slab I4, a section I 6 is placedat the ends or sides and these sections act as a part of the form so that when the cement is poured therein and molded the shanks and heads of the bolts 2l will be embedded in the cement constituting a slab or section I4.

The forms are then placed for the adjacent slab' or section I4 and the other section IE off each. joint i5 is positioned and heldin an extended position relatively to the rst section I6 by means `of the pairs of .wedge blocks y2 9 so that when the last mentioned slab. is formed the joint I5 will be in' an extended position, as seen in Figure l. The wedge blocks 29 are preferably formed of an adhesive yieldable material or may be formed of a soft woodthat can be readily crushed. When the wedge blocks 29 are p ositionedfbetlween` the joint sections the surfaces Se are positioned relatively to each other to adjust the pairs of` blocks to the proper width desired, depending upon the temperature at the time the slabs are moldedand if these blocks are not inherently adhesive the surfaces 30 are preferably coated with an adhesive, not shown, to secure the pairs of blocks in properlyadjusted position after which the back surface of one of the blocks is similarly coated and secured to the inner side of the web of' the section I6 which has been secured to the slab I4 already formed, as heretofore described, so that when the other joint section is positioned itwill be properly spaced by means of the wedge blocks 29. After the adjacent slabs I4 have been formed and hardened wedge blocks 29 may be knocked out of place in any suitable manner, or if left. in place they will be readily compressed when the slabs I4 are expanded to permit the sections I6 to be moved inwardly of each other. t will thus be seen, that the sections of the joint yl5 are in telescoping engagement to contract and expand in response to expansion and contraction, respectively, of the slabs I6. The upper flanges Il bear the load of the vehicles passing over the joint I5 and the ends of the slabs I by being disposed beneath the flanges Il are prevented from being cracked and broken by weight appliedv thereto. The sub-surface I2 ofthe road bed II is preferably formed of a material such as asphaltic felt to prevent the foundation, which is generally cement, from uniting with the base of the slabs I and with the bottoms of the sections I t.

One section or slab I4 can be readily repaired and replaced, if necessary, or a section of the joint I5 can be replaced, by tearing outan end of the slab I4 to be repaired orv replaced thus releasing one of the sections I6 which can be detachedfromits .bolts 2l by removing the nuts 28. If the other section I6 requires replacing, this as` hereinafter 4defined by the appended claims. j

' I claim as my invention: l

l. A device of the class described comprising a pair of I-shaped beams having inwardly pro.- jecting anges offset relatively to each other and disposed. in overlapping engagement, means secured' to and projecting outwardly from said beams andv adapted to be embedded in sections of a cement roadway, for connecting the adjacent I ends of said sections to said I-beams, andmeans disposed between said. sections. for yieldably; retaining them in extended relationshipy and for initially adjusting the other. f l

2. A device as in claim 1, said first mentioned means comprising a plurality of bolts, said I- sections relatively` toeachA beams having spaced openings to. receive the Shanks of said bolts, saidy Shanks being'threaded, j

nuts engaging said threaded ends, on either side of said I-beams for adjustably mounting them relatively to the beams, andsaid bolts projecting outwardly from said beams and being provided with headed ends adapted to be embedded in theV roadway sections.. v

3. A device asin claim l, said last mentioned means comprising wedges formed of a yieldable material and disposed between said I-beams. and

having corresponding abutting cam shaped-sur- 4. Anv expansible road joint comprisingra pair of corresponding spaced sections having inwardly projecting. anges, the anges at the top. and

bottom. of said sections being offset relatively.I to' each other and disposed in overlapping .telescoping engagement, headed. fastenings adjustably. and detachably connected to said sections and projecting outwardlyv therefrom, said. fas-k tenings being adapted to be embedded in adjacentends of sections of a plastic roadway, and wedge shaped members. disposed between the sections of said joint for yieldably retaining; them in extended relationship relatively to each other,

said wedges being. adjustable, relatively to each other, to initially adjust the sections. I

5. A highway joint formed of I-beam sections, the inwardly projecting flanges of said sections being recessed tooffset said flanges relatively to each other, said odset flanges being disposed in overlapping relationship to form. a telescoping,r

connection, and a pair of blocks having Wedge shaped abutting faces disposed between the sections for spacing them relatively to each other.' said. blocks, being adjustable. relatively to eachv other to initially vary the space between the sec.h tions, and being resilient to yieldably positicmthe sections lrelatively to each other.

ELMER. S. CLARK.

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