Abstract:
A coupling system for a traffic barricade has at least first and second traffic barrier segments adapted to be coupled in abutting alignment. First and second connectors are movable from a retracted position in upper and lower bolt retraction cavities in the first barrier segment to a second coupled position wherein ends of each of the connectors pass through connecting rod shafts in the second barrier segment and secure abutment of the first and second traffic barrier segments. Hand holes are provided in each segment to enable assemblers to move the connectors from the first to the second position.

Description:
[0001]    This is a utility patent application that claims priority from and incorporates herein by reference, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/177,702, filed May 13, 2009. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to an improved barrier connection system. More particularly, the present invention relates to concrete barricades having a unique “quick-bolt” system for securing one barrier segment to an adjacent barrier segment. 
         [0003]    Currently there are a number of coupling or connection systems available to interlock a plurality of rigid segments disposed end to end in interlocking relationship with one another. These interlocked segments, which are generally made of precast concrete, are joined to form elongated barriers or barricades along roadways and are important in blocking off areas from traffic, delineating driving lanes, and otherwise controlling the flow of traffic along highways. In appropriate environments, the segments may be fabricated of high strength plastic composition. 
         [0004]    Popular profiles for such segments are the F-shape; jersey-style; single slope; and low-profile or rectangular style. Many names are used for such barriers as is well-known in the art. The present inventive connection system is effective for both high speed, high force impacts, and low speed, low force impacts. 
         [0005]    Portable concrete barriers may be utilized to positively protect workers in a highway work zone. Highway work zones are restricted by the availability of lateral space accommodating traffic and work activity. To ensure work safety, a buffer zone is required between the work activity and the barrier. This is because vehicular contract with a barrier may cause it to deflect in the direction of the worker. The area along the barricade most likely to deflect is the connection joint between two joined segments. 
         [0006]    Examples of existing coupling or connection systems include U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,144,186; 6,413,009; 5,975,793; 5,464,306; 5,443,324; 5,156,485; 5,149,224; and 4,113,400. A January 2005 report entitled “Development of Low-Deflection Precast Concrete Barrier, Report No. FHWA/TX-0510-4162-3, Texas Transportation Institute, The Texas A&amp;M University System, College Station, Tex. 77843-3135, disclosed a cross-bolt, precast concrete barrier for use as a work zone barrier. The barrier in the 2005 report utilized connector bolts placed in different horizontal planes at an angle of 20 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the barrier. The bolts exit one barrier segment and enter the adjacent barrier at the vertical centerline of the barrier section. 
         [0007]    Despite the advantage of the cross-bolt design, the installation time for the system and the degree of barrier deflection upon impact have not proven as cost saving and effective as the present system. Securing connection hardware from theft and loss both before and after assembly of segments has also been a problem. 
         [0008]    Thus there still exists a long-felt need for a barrier with a simple, easy to use, connection system which resist deflection well within the tolerances of the various state departments of transportation standards. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present inventive connection system may be utilized with all types of barrier profiles and compositions. However, as an example of a specific embodiment, the discussion below describes precast concrete segments of a particular size. The size, strength, and material composition of a segment is dependent on the environment of use and will be well understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0010]    The precast concrete segments used in the construction of a particular elongated barrier or barricade may be 30 feet in length and have the standard F-shape profile. The barrier segments may be 32 inches in height, 24 inches wide at the base, and 9½ inches wide at the top. 
         [0011]    Horizontal reinforcement consists of eight #5 bars (or equivalent) placed symmetrically about the vertical centerline of the barrier segment. Vertical reinforcement may consist of #4 bars spaced 12 inches on center. Spacing of the vertical bars may be reduced to provide additional strength within 5 feet of the barrier segment ends. 
         [0012]    Sections of pipe forming a sleeve are horizontally cast into the end of each segment to provide access for feeding a threaded rod from one barrier into another and for securing the nuts and washers once the rod is in place. A bolt retraction cavity extends from a hand hole further into the body portion of the barrier. “Hairpin” shaped bars extend horizontally along the top and bottom of the pipe sleeve, hand hole, and bolt retraction cavity. Reinforcing stirrup bars enclose these hairpin bars to provide further strength to the connection. The barrier connection is made with connector rods. A washer and nut are used on each end of the threaded rod to secure the connection. 
         [0013]    An example of a complete elongated barricade may include eight barrier segments connected together for a total length of approximately 240 ft. The concrete may be specified to be 3600 psi and reinforcing steel may be grade 60. The threaded rods may be fabricated from SAE Grade 5 or equivalent steel, and the plate washers may be A-36 steel. Details of one embodiment of a barrier segment are described below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a standard barrier segment of the prior art. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2A  is a top plan view of a cross-bolt connection system of the prior art joining adjacent barrier segments. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2B  shows a side elevation view of a cross-bolt connection system of the prior art joining adjacent barrier segments. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3A  illustrates a front perspective view of an elongated barricade formed by the connection of several barrier segments of the present invention. The elongated barricade is set up for an impact test. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3B  is a front, face perspective view of adjacent barrier segments coupled with the present inventive connection. The hand holes of the present invention are shown. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3C  is a detail view of the upper and lower hand holes of one of the adjacent segments with threaded connector rods, washers, and threaded nut connected to join a second adjacent segment. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  illustrates an end elevation view of the present inventive barrier segment showing the location of the connector rods and hand holes in the barrier. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  illustrates a front face elevation view of adjacent barrier segments with the upper connector rod fastened and the lower connector rod not fastened. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5A  illustrates a front face elevation view of another embodiment of adjacent barrier segments with the upper connector rod fastened and the lower connector rod not fastened and withdrawn into an extended retraction cavity with the washers and threaded nuts secured on the withdrawn rod. 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  shows a front elevation view of a barrier segment of the present invention (broken length) indicating the disposition of the pipe shaft, the hand holes, the bolt retraction cavity, and reinforcement bars. 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  is a top plan view of a barrier segment of the present invention (broken length) showing a connector rod with nut in the bolt retraction cavity on one end of the segment and a retaining washer and nut in the hand hole at the opposite end of the segment. 
           [0025]      FIG. 7A  illustrates a top plan view of the embodiment of  FIG. 5A  of the present invention with an extended retraction cavity showing a connector rod fully retracted and connector hardware affixed to the retracted rod for storage. 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  illustrates a top plan view of one end of a barrier of the present invention showing the location, distances, and dimensions for reinforcement bars. 
           [0027]      FIG. 9  illustrates a front elevation plan view of the barrier segment of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 10  shows an end elevation view of the profile of the present barrier indicating typical dimension of the structure. 
           [0029]      FIG. 11  shows an end elevation view of the present barrier indicating the placement of the reinforcement bars S 2  and S 3 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 12  shows an end elevation view of the present barrier indicating the placement of the reinforcement bars A and B relative to the hand holes and connector rods. 
           [0031]      FIG. 13  shows an end elevation view of the present barrier showing the placement of reinforcement bars R 1 . 
           [0032]      FIG. 14A  illustrates the threaded connector rod of the present invention. 
           [0033]      FIG. 14B  shows the fastening nut of the present invention. 
           [0034]      FIG. 14C  shows the retaining washer of the present invention. 
           [0035]      FIG. 15A  illustrates the R 1  bar of the present invention with dimensions. 
           [0036]      FIG. 158  illustrates the S 2  bar of the present invention with dimensions. 
           [0037]      FIG. 15C  illustrates the S 3  bar of the present invention with dimensions. 
           [0038]      FIG. 15D  illustrates the A bar of the present invention with dimensions. 
           [0039]      FIG. 15E  illustrates the B bar of the present invention with dimensions. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0040]    As noted above, a popular traffic barrier segment design is shown in  FIG. 1 . A number of coupling mechanisms have been used to connect adjacent barriers to create elongated barricades having lengths of approximately 240 feet. Lengths may be adjusted as appropriate for the particular traffic environment. 
         [0041]      FIGS. 2A and 28  illustrate one prior art coupling system known as the cross-bolt design. Bolts  10  and  12  are placed in different horizontal planes at an angle of 20 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis L 1  of the barrier segment. The bolts exit one barrier segment and enter the adjacent barrier at the vertical centerline of the barrier section. 
         [0042]    To give some perspective to how numerous segments may be joined,  FIG. 3A  illustrates an elongated barricade  20  made up of individual segments joined with the coupling system of the present invention. This barricade  20  has been set up for a vehicular impact test. As will be described further below, the present connection or coupling system enables the elongated barricade to be quickly assembled. The connection hardware may be stored within the body portion of the barrier before and after assembly of segments. Adjacent barrier segments  22  and  24  ( FIG. 3B ), each having a longitudinal axis L 2 , are brought together with ends abutting and the longitudinal axes in alignment. Each barrier segment has an upstream end and a downstream end. Hand holes  26 ,  28 ,  30 , and  32  enable assemblers to reach within the body of barrier segments along the front face and couple connecting rods  34  with fastening bolts  36  and retaining washers  38  as seen in  FIG. 3C . Such coupling brings the upstream end of one segment into abutting alignment with the downstream end of the adjacent barrier segment. 
         [0043]      FIG. 4  illustrates an end elevation view showing the profile of barrier segment  22 . The size and dimensions described are illustrative of a typical barrier segment, but sizes and dimensions may be varied to provide various strengths to the system. The typical segment is 32 inches in height, 24 inches wide at the base, and 9½ inches wide at the top. The connector rods are situated along the vertical centerline C L  of each segment and spaced apart 9½ inches. Again, the rods  34  extend generally parallel the longitudinal axis of each segment. The upper connector rod  34  may be reached through tapering hand hole  26 , while lower connector rod  44  may be reached through tapering hand hole  28 . The spacing and disposition of the hand holes and rods relative to the end profile are noted in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0044]    A front elevation view of one embodiment of abutting adjacent barrier segments is shown in  FIG. 5 . Ten inch long sections of 1½ inch diameter PVC pipe are horizontally cast into the end of each segment to form sleeves  40 . It should be understood that different sized pipes may be utilized as appropriate. These piping sleeves  40  extend generally parallel to the longitudinal axis L 2  and generally on the vertical centerline C 2  of each segment. The sleeves  40  provide access for feeding threaded rods  34 ,  44  from one barrier into another. In one embodiment, each connection rod is a ⅞ inch diameter, 25 inches long, steel bolt threaded at each end ( FIG. 14A ).  FIG. 5  illustrates rod  34  fastened at both ends by fastener nuts  36  ( FIG. 14B ) and retained in the sleeve  40  by retaining washers  38 . 
         [0045]    A second rod  44  is shown in  FIG. 5  as withdrawn into bolt retraction cavity  50  (3″ diameter×12″ long) of segment  22  while its associated, opposite fastener nut and retaining washer are disposed in hand hole  32  in segment  24 . The retaining washers are 3 inch square, ⅜ inch thick steel plate ( FIG. 14C ). The axis of each retraction cavity is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis L 2  of each segment and also lies generally along the vertical centerline C L  of the segment. 
         [0046]    It may be understood from  FIG. 5  that in one embodiment of the present invention bolt retraction cavities  50  in each segment allow for coupling hardware (rod, washer, and nut) to be retained in the end of the segment with the rod retracted so that no part of the rod projects beyond the end of the barrier segment when retracted. The opposing, complimentary washer and fastener nut may be stored in a segment to be abutted. This enables the segments to be abutted quickly, the rods urged forward out of the cavity and slid into the opposing PVC sleeve and into the expanded open space (5″×5″) of the hand hole. The opposed washer and nut are then attached to the end of the rod and the segments are secured together by tightening the fastener nut. 
         [0047]      FIG. 5A  shows an alternative embodiment wherein the barrier segments  22 A and  24 A are provided with extended retraction cavities  50 A in each segment which allow the coupling hardware (rod, washers, and nuts) for both ends of the coupling to be retained in one segment. Each extended retraction cavity  50  is sized to accommodate the entire length of the rod  44  or  34  within the length of the cavity  50 A and the hand hole  28 . Thus, the extended retraction cavity  50 A may have a depth in the range of approximately 20″ to approximately 22″ to allow the rod  34  to withdraw sufficiently to expose the threaded portion of the rod in the open hand hole and facilitate the affixation of the connective hardware. 
         [0048]    The distal end of rod  44 D is shown in  FIG. 5A  retracted into the innermost end of the cavity  50 A with a fastener nut  36 B affixed to the threaded distal end  44 D of the rod  44 . The proximal end  44 P of rod  44  is withdrawn into the hand hole  28  of the segment  22 A and does not extend into the piping sleeve  40 . 
         [0049]    The first and second washers  38  are sized such that they are not easily drawn into the retraction cavity  50 A; they remain loosely attached to the proximal end  44 P of the connecting rod  44 . The washers  38  are smaller than the size of the hand hole opening  28  and may be slipped on or off the rod when the fastener nut  36 A on the threaded proximal end  44 P of the rod  44  is removed. In one embodiment, the hand hole opening is 5″×5″ while the washer is 3″ square. During storage, the nuts  36 A and  36 B are affixed to the ends of the rod  44  with the washers  38  disposed in the hand hole  28 . It may be seen from the figures that in this stored position, the rod  44  with the washers  38  attached by the nuts  36 A and  36 B will not slide out of the segment  22 A through piping sleeve  40 , because the size of the washers is greater than the diameter of the piping sleeve  40 . Thus, when the segments are in storage or in transit to the placement location, the hardware is safe and secure within the individual segment. 
         [0050]      FIG. 6  illustrates a front elevation plan view of a barrier segment  22  of the present invention with connecting rod sleeves  40 ; tapering hand holes  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ; and bolt retraction cavities  50  at each end of the segment  22 . Two #5 “hairpin” shaped A bars ( FIG. 15D ) extend horizontally along the top and bottom of the PVC sleeves  40 ; hand holes  36 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ; and the bolt retraction cavities  50 . Three #5 stirrup B bars ( FIG. 15E ) enclose these A bars to provide further strength to the connection. 
         [0051]    As described earlier, the coupling hardware may be retained within each segment to improve the speed of assembly and to secure the connective hardware.  FIG. 7  illustrates a top plan view of barrier segment  22  showing the disposition of connector rod  34  with fastener nut  36  attached and positioned in bolt retraction cavity  50 . Retaining washer  38  is disposed at the tapering hand hole  26  and the opposite threaded end of rod  34  extending into PVC sleeve  40 , but not beyond the end face  41  of the barrier segment to form the coupling interlocking the two segments. Rod  34  cooperates with hardware in an adjacent segment.  FIG. 7  further shows at the opposite end of segment  22  retaining washer  38  and fastener nut  36  disposed at tapering hand hole  30  for attachment to a cooperating connecting rod from an adjacent barrier segment. It should be understood that the hardware may be retained in either end of the segment. 
         [0052]    As noted in  FIG. 7A , the connective hardware may be stored or retained within the body of the segment  22 A to ensure it is secure and not subject to damage before used to join abutting segments. The retract cavity  50 A is of sufficient length in relation to the length of the rod  34 , to allow the rod  34  with a fastener nut  36 B affixed to be slid into the body of the segment thereby disposing the opposite threaded end  40  to align with the hand-hole  30 . An operator may reach into the hand hole and attach the washers  38  and  38 A around the rod and affix the fastener nut  36 A to the rod. 
         [0053]    Because the washers are larger in size than the sleeve  40 , the hardware cannot slide out of the body of the segment  22 A and be exposed to loss or damage. Further, having the connective hardware all in one segment facilitates storage, transport, and assembly. 
         [0054]    Reinforcement of the precast concrete barrier segment  22  is illustrated in  FIGS. 8 and 9  wherein the various reinforcement bars (S 3  bars, A and B bars, R 1  bars, and S 2  bars) are shown in their preferred locations, distances, and dimensions. 
         [0055]      FIGS. 10-13  show the relationship of the reinforcement bars from an end elevation view of the F-shape barrier segment  22 .  FIGS. 14A-G  illustrate the simple hardware utilized in forming the coupling of the present invention; namely, rod  34  threaded at both ends, fastener nut  36 , and retaining washer  38 . 
         [0056]    The shapes and dimensions of the reinforcing bars are illustrated in  FIGS. 15A-15E . 
         [0057]    Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. On the contrary, various modifications of the disclosed embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications, alternatives, and equivalents that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.