Patent ID: 7559535

Claim:
A spacer block for attaching a guard rail to a post, comprising: a pair of spaced apart opposing side walls having respective first ends and second ends; a top panel disposed proximate the first end of said side walls; a bottom panel disposed proximate said second end of said side walls; said top panel, said bottom panel and said side walls forming a block member having a first front face and a second rear face; an engagement mechanism operably coupled proximate said top panel, said engagement mechanism operable to engage said spacer block with said post, the engagement mechanism including at least one tab operably coupled to said top panel, said tab extending beyond said second rear face of said spacer block, means operably coupled proximate a distal end of said at least one tab for engaging an I-beam support post; at least one mounting bore extending therethrough said spacer block from said first front face to said second rear face for receiving a fastener to attach said spacer block to said guard rail; an alignment mechanism operably coupled to and extending from said second rear face of at least one side wall of said spacer block for maintaining lateral alignment of said spacer block on said post; and said side walls, said top panel and said bottom panel comprise a structural foam including a solid inner skin and a solid outer skin having a core of structural foam cells therebetween wherein said structural foam cells decrease in size from a center of said core toward said solid outer skin and toward said solid inner skin.