US 6,729,607 B2 · Cable release anchor

Abstract

A cable release anchor having an improved breakaway post design with a cable release feature. The cable release anchor includes upper and lower anchor portions that are readily separable from one another during an impact. A bearing plate is retained within the end of each of the upper and lower anchor portions, and each bearing plate has a bearing surface that is oriented at an acute angle with the vertical when installed in the ground. Each of these bearing plates contains a U-shaped cutout. When the upper and lower anchor portions are joined, the cutouts form an opening through which an end of the tension cable is disposed. An impact to the upper anchor portion readily releases the upper post section from the lower post section and frees the cable. The cable release anchor provides positive anchorage to react to tensile loads on a rail member to redirect a vehicle impacting along the length of the terminal or guardrail.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A cable release anchor comprising:

a first anchor portion to be partially buried in the ground, the first anchor portion comprising:
a longitudinal first beam member having a longitudinal axis;
a first bearing plate affixed to an end of the first beam member and presenting a first bearing surface forming an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the first beam member;
a second anchor portion being separably interconnected with the first anchor portion, the second anchor portion comprising:
a longitudinal second beam member having a longitudinal axis;
and
a second bearing plate affixed to an end of the second beam member and presenting a second bearing surface forming an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the second beam member,
the second bearing surface of the second bearing plate abutting the first bearing surface of the first bearing plate when the second anchor portion is interconnected with the first anchor portion.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cable release anchor

Life of this patent

Cable release anchor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20