Abstract:
Removable anchor systems for speed bumps and parking blocks are disclosed. The speed bump or parking block has anchor holes that are aligned with bores in the underlying pavement. The assembly includes an anchor bolt removably threaded into an expanding anchor within the bores in the pavement. The anchor assembly allows the speed bump or parking block to be removed and replaced as required. A plug may be installed in the pavement bore to protect the anchor when the vehicle impediment is removed.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/739,908 filed Nov. 23, 2005, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to vehicle impediments such as speed bumps and parking blocks and, in particular, to removable anchor systems for anchoring speed bumps, and parking blocks.  
       BACKGROUND INFORMATION  
       [0003]     Vehicle impediments in the form of speed bumps and parking blocks provide control of vehicular traffic in parking lots and roadways. These objects can present hazards during winter months in cooler climates because of the need to plow snow from the roads and parking lots. The speed bumps and parking blocks stick up from the pavement and are notorious for catching plow blades of unsuspecting snow plow operators. This results in damage to the plow and/or speed bump/parking block. In some situations catching a parking block or speed bump with a plow blade may cause damage to the vehicle and in the worst case injure the plow operator.  
         [0004]     Speed bumps and parking blocks may also become worn and damaged through routine use. Replacing the speed bumps and parking blocks can damage the underlying pavement unnecessarily, making the work much more time consuming and costly.  
         [0005]     The present invention has been developed in view of the foregoing.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     One aspect of the present invention includes a removable anchor system for a speed bump or parking block comprising a speed bump or parking block having at least one anchor hole extending therethrough, at least one anchor set in a bore in a section of pavement, and an anchor bolt extending through the at least one anchor hole and removably engaged with the at least one expander for removably fastening the speed bump or parking block to the pavement.  
         [0007]     Another aspect of the present invention includes a removable anchor system kit for speed bumps or parking blocks comprising an expander structured and arranged for installation in a pavement bore and an anchor bolt structured and arranged to extend through the speed bump or parking block removably fastenable to the expander, to thereby allow installation and removal of the speed bump or parking block from the pavement.  
         [0008]     Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method of installing a removable speed bump or parking block, comprising installing at least one expander in a pavement bore, positioning the speed bump or parking block over the at least one expander in the pavement bore, inserting an anchor bolt through at least one anchor hole extending through the speed bump or parking block, and removably fastening the anchor bolt to the expander.  
         [0009]     A further aspect of the present invention provides a method for removing a speed bump or parking block comprising, unfastening an anchor bolt from an expander installed in a bore in a section of pavement below the speed bump or parking block, removing the anchor bolt from an anchor hole in the speed bump or parking block, and removing the speed bump or parking block from the pavement. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a removable speed bump mounted on a section of pavement showing the anchor holes for a removable anchor system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the speed bump of  FIG. 1  with hidden lines showing the anchor holes, bores in the underlying pavement and anchor assemblies according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the speed bump of  FIG. 1  with hidden lines showing an anchor hole, a bore in the underlying pavement and an anchor assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view along an anchor hole of the removable speed bump of  FIG. 1  showing details of the removable anchor system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a removable parking block mounted on a section of pavement showing the anchor holes for a removable anchor system according to another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of the removable parking block of  FIG. 5  showing details of the removable anchor system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of an expander which has been fitted with a plug after a removable speed bump or parking block has been removed. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]     As show in  FIG. 1 , a removable speed bump  10  is mounted on pavement  1 . The pavement  1  may be any surface on which vehicles are driven. The speed bump  10  has a top surface  12  and a bottom surface  14  in contact with the pavement  1 . The removable speed bump  10  also has anchor holes  16  which are exposed on both the top surface  12  and bottom surface  14 . The removable speed bump  10  has ends  18  which form the ends of the speed bump  10 .  
         [0018]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show a front view and side view of the removable speed bump  10  of  FIG. 1 . The speed bump  2  has a total length, designated L T  in  FIG. 2  of between 1.0 and 10.0 feet, for example 6 feet. The speed bump  10  has a height, designated H S  in  FIG. 3  of between 1.0 and 4.0 inches, for example 2.5 inches. The outline of anchor assembly  20  is shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . A removable assembly  20  of the present invention fastens the removable speed bump  10  to the pavement  1 . Anchor holes  16  have a center to center spacing along the length of the speed bump designated as L A  in  FIG. 2 . L A  may between 1.5 and 3.0 feet, for example 2.0.  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  shows a cross section of the removable speed bump  10  along one of the anchor holes  16 . Anchor hole  16  has a diameter shown as D A  of between 0.50 and 0.75 inch, for example 0.625 inch. A countersunk portion  17  is located at the transition from anchor hole  16  to top surface  18 . The countersunk portion  17  has a substantially flat bottom surface and a diameter identified as D C  in  FIG. 4  that is greater than the diameter D A . D C  is between 1.25 and 1.50 inches, for example 1.375 inches. Bore holes  2  in pavement  1  are spaced and arranged so that they are substantially aligned with anchor hole  16 . The bore holes  2  in pavement  1  have a diameter identified as D B  in  FIG. 4  of between 0.50 and 0.75 inch, for example 0.625 inch.  
         [0020]     Details of a removable anchor system  20  are shown in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The anchor system  20  includes a bolt  24  running through the anchor hole  16 , washer  26  sits flush in countersunk portion  17  and bolt head  24   a  rests upon washer  26 . An expander  22  is positioned in bore hole  2 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , a drop in style of anchor is used. The anchor system  20  has an expander  22  positioned within the bore  2 . The expander  22  has expansion slots  28 . The expansion slots  28  allow the lower portion of the expander  22  to have a slight inward taper so that it may be inserted into bore hole  2 . Once positioned within the bore the expander  22  can be set in place. The expander is set by inserting the expander disc  30  into the expander and striking the expander disc  30  with a setting tool (not shown) and hammer (not shown). The force applied by this action slides expander disc  30  down into the expander  22  the expansion slots  28  open and the diameter of the expander  22  increases so that is come into pressing engagement with the diameter of the bore D B  and becomes locked or set into the bore  2 . The bolt  24  may then be inserted through the anchor hole  16 . A distal end of the bolt  24  has a threaded portion  24   b  which has male threads. This threaded portion  24   b  is inserted into the expander  22 . The expander  22  has female threads which receive the bolt. A cap  50  may be placed in the countersunk portion  17  to cover the bolt head and provide a finished look and protect the bolt head  24   a  of the removable speed bump  10 . It should be appreciated that most standard concrete anchors can be used in this application. A drop in type of anchor is illustrated in  FIG. 4 , but other anchors may be used. For example, wedge anchors and sleeve anchors may be used.  
         [0021]     In another embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 5 , a vehicle impediments in the form of removable parking blocks  40  fastened to the pavement  1  are shown. The removable parking blocks  40  have parking block anchor holes  46 . Dimensions of the removable parking blocks  40  and spacing of the parking block anchor holes  46  may be similar to the above-mentioned dimensions of the removable speed bump. However, the removable parking blocks  40  are substantially shaped to deter vehicle traffic while a removable speed bump  10  is shaped to allow vehicles to pass over the speed bump at a slow speed. The parking block has a parking block bottom surface  44 , parking block sides  49  and parking block upper surfaces  48 .  
         [0022]     The removable parking block  40  may be held in place with a removable anchor system  20  as shown in  FIG. 6 . Dimensions of the parking block anchor holes  46  are substantially the same as those mentioned above for the anchor holes  16  of the removable speed bump  10  mentioned above. A parking block anchor hole  46  with a parking block countersunk portion  47  extends from an uppermost parking block top surface  40  to the parking block bottom surface  44 . The removable parking block  40  may be fastened to the pavement  1  in a similar fashion as described for the removable speed bump  10 . Shown in the embodiment in  FIG. 6  is a removable anchor system  20  having an expander  22  set in a bore  2  in the pavement  1  with an expander disc  30 . The bolt  24  is inserted through washer  26  which seats in parking block countersunk portion  47 . A threaded distal end of the bolt  24  screws into female threads of the expander  22  to fasten the removable parking block  40  to the pavement  1 . A cap  50  may be placed in the countersunk portion  17  to cover the bolt.  
         [0023]     As mentioned above one benefit of having removable vehicle impediments, such as removable speed bumps  10  or removable parking blocks  40 , is the ability to remove the impediments during winter months so snow plowing can be performed unobstructed. In one embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 7 , removing the bolt  24  allows the speed bump  10  or parking block  40  to be removed and stored for the winter. A plug  60  can then be inserted into expander  22 . The plug  60  may be adapted to fit other anchors which may be used. The plug  60  will keep dirt and other debris from filling expander  22  during the winter months and allow for easy re-installation of the removable speed bump  10  or removable parking block  40  when permitted.  
         [0024]     Whereas particular embodiments of this invention have been described above for purposes of illustration, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that numerous variations of the details of the present invention may be made without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.