Patent · US Expired

Energy absorbing guardrail terminal

US4655434A · kind A · utility

93Cited by
11References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 24, 1986
Grant dateApr 7, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 24, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF16B2200/63
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

An energy absorbing guardrail terminal having a plurality of horizontally extending parallel guardrails on opposite sides of breakaway posts in which the guardrails have overlapping ends and the upstream ends are secured to the posts. Splice bolts connect the overlapping ends of adjacent rails and a plurality of spaced openings are provided in each rail horizontally aligned with each of the splice bolts whereby the impact of a vehicle on the upstream end of the rails will shred out the rail material between the spaced openings to absorb the kinetic energy of the impacting vehicle. Preferably the openings are slots elongated in the horizontal direction and the rails are staged to allow the upstream rails to telescope over the downstream rails.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.