Guardrail end terminal
AssigneeEnergy Absorption Systems, Inc.
InventorsWilliam G. Krage, Owen S. Denman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A guardrail end terminal including a plurality of nested fender panels and a redirecting cable for urging the fender panels laterally in response to an axial impact force. The fender panels are supported on vertical legs which are attached to slip bases and are designed to telescope in response to an axial impact force. The redirecting cable is designed to pass through the leg of the first panel and extend away from the leg at an acute angle. The panel legs and cable cooperate to direct the nose of the impacting vehicle away from the unyielding guardrail while at the same time dissipating the energy of the vehicle.
Claims26
A guardrail end terminal comprising:
- a plurality of nested fender panels for telescoping in response to an axial impact force;
- a plurality of fastener means for securing said fender panels in a nested relationship;
- a plurality of support legs for supporting said fender panels;
- a plurality of slip bases, each of said support legs being attached to one of said slip bases;
- and
- redirecting means for urging said panels laterally upon the application of said axial impact force, said redirecting means comprising a rear anchor laterally spaced from said plurality of nested fender panels, a front anchor positioned in front of the fender panels, and a cable anchored between the front and rear anchors and slideably connected to said plurality of nested fender panels to move the nested fender panels laterally when the fender panels telescope.
A highway barrier comprising:
- a plurality of nested fender panels for telescoping in response to an axial impact force;
- a plurality of breakaway support means for supporting said fender panels so that said panels will telescope in response to said axial impact force;
- and
- redirecting means for urging said panels laterally upon the application of said axial impact force, said redirecting means comprising a rear anchor, laterally spaced from the nested fender panels, a front anchor, positioned in front of the fender panels and configured to be passed over by an impacting vehicle, and a cable fixedly secured to the front and rear anchors and slidingly secured to the nested fender panels to pull at least a portion of the fender panels laterally as the fender panels telescope.
A highway barrier comprising:
- a plurality of nested fender panels for telescoping in response to an axial impact force;
- a plurality of vertical support legs for supporting said fender panels so that said panels telescope in response to said axial force;
- and
- redirecting means for urging said panels laterally upon the application of said axial impact force, said redirecting means including a cable which passes through a first vertical support leg, said cable being secured by a front and a rear cable anchor so that said cable extends from said first vertical leg support at an acute angle.
A highway barrier for preventing a vehicle which leaves a roadway and impacts the barrier head-on from impacting a hard point protected by the barrier, said barrier comprising:
- an axially elongated collapsible structure configured to collapse in response to axial impact forces of an impacting vehicle;
- and
- redirecting means, included in the structure, for urging at least a forward portion of the structure in a selected lateral direction, away from the roadway, upon the application of said axial impact forces from the vehicle, in order to redirect the vehicle in said selected lateral direction, away from the hard point and away from the roadway.
A highway barrier comprising:
- a plurality of nested panels for dissipating the energy of an axial impact force;
- redirecting means for urging the panels laterally upon the application of the axial impact force;
- a first panel including a first vertical support leg;
- the redirecting means including a cable attached to the first vertical support leg;
- and
- the first vertical support leg including a sleeve through which said cable passes.
A highway barrier for preventing a vehicle which impacts the barrier head-on from impacting a hard point protected by the barrier, said barrier comprising:
- a plurality of nested panels mounted to telescope in response to an axial impact force from the impacting vehicle and to remain mounted together during impact of the impacting vehicle;
- and
- redirecting means for urging at least a front one of the panels in a selected lateral direction upon the application of the axial impact force, thereby redirecting the vehicle in said selected lateral direction, away from the hard point.
A highway guardrail for preventing a vehicle which impacts the guardrail head on from impacting a hard point protected by the guardrail, said guardrail comprising:
- a plurality of overlapping panels mounted to telescope axially in response to an axial impact force from an impacting vehicle;
- each of the panels mounted to a forward portion of an adjacent rearward panel such that each of the panels is slideable with respect to said forward portion of the adjacent rearward panel and remains mounted thereto when the vehicle impacts the nested panels;
- said panels overlapping and with the rearward portions of each of the panels positioned at a first side of the forward portion of the respective overlapping panels and connected such that the forward portions of said panels move to a second side of the guard rail axis, opposed to the first side, of the guardrail axis when the panels telescope in response to the axial impact force, thereby deflecting the impacting vehicle to the second side.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.