US3533335A - Contour curb - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent [72} Inventors Edward H. Biddison 212 Woodland Ave, Summit, 07901; Frank G. Cac0ssa,,93 Martin Road Livingston, New Jersey 07039 [Zl] Appl. No. 763,660 1 [22] Filed Sept. 30,1968 [45] Patented 0ct.13, 1970 [54] CONTOUR CURB 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

52 use] .1 94/31,'

188/32 [51] Int.Cl .1 1. E01c1l/22 [50] Field ofSearch 94/1 .5, 31; 256/1311188/32 [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,954,101 9/1960 Corson .1 188/32 3,326,099 6/1967 Cova 94/31 Primary Examiner-Jacob L. Nackenoff Anurney-Towson Price ABSTRACT: A contour curb especially for motor vehicles comprising, a series of blocks, means holding a surface of one block in engagement with the near surface of the adjacent block,'and tying all ofthe blocks in the series together as a unit including, two metal wires the ends of which pass through holes in metal plates, engaging abutments on the blocks at contour a specially design of block for said curb, and means for holding other such elements in assembled relation.

Patented Oct. 13, 1970 3,533,335

INVENTORS EDWARD H. BI'DDISON FRANK G. CACOSSA BY ATTORNEY CONTOUR CURB SETTING AND OBJECTS OF INVENTION The invention relates in general to protective devices and pertains more particularly to a surface bumper device adapted to operate as a stop or barrier for vehicles.

Specifically, we provide preformed, rigid units of suitable material, such as concrete, adapted for convenient, removable, replacable and shiftable installations against, and to upstand from, the ground surface of various locations. Places of use include parking lots, loading docks and the like, where the units function as bumpers limitative of vehicle travel. The invention also has as an object to provide improved bumpers which may also be used as boundry markers, to outline ditches and for decorative purposes.

Many attempts have been made to find a substitute for the fixed curbs used along the edges ofstreets and driveways. One has used short length of prefabricated curb blocks made from concrete and held in place by concrete oozing into downwardly-opening recesses in the lower faces thereof, as they are pressed into place. Another idea, especially for use in garages and parking lots, is the use of cast saddles holding wooden barrier rails and, in turn, held in place by pins or spikes driven into the base through openings in laterally disposed ears. The use of upwardly tapering concrete, blocks held by headed spikes driven through tubes incorporated in said blocks has also been suggested, as well as bumpers of metal and rubber. Our invention is believed to involve improvements over all such devices in the prior art.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved formed, removable, replacable and shiftable bumper device formed mainly of similar concrete elements and characterized by positive vehicle-arresting properties available with a minimum of shock or damage to the vehicle restrained thereby.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved preformed bumper susceptible of operative installation in a desired position ofuse with a minimum oflaborand expense.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved preformed bumper adapted for expedient removal from an installed position of use with a minimum of effort and expense and without occasion for reworking of the area previously occupied thereby.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved multipart preformed bumper device particularly adapted for prefabrication from readily-available materials with facility and economy.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved and preformed bumper device particularly adapted for prefabrication and storage in quantity in anticipation of use, for expedient transportation to and installation at a desired position of use and for repetitious use in any desired succession of particular installations.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, our invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of elements as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in our claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a series of concrete blocks assembled and tied together to make a bumper device or curb embodying our invention, the supporting surface for the series not being flat, so that one ofsaid blocks has dropped to engage a low place on said surface.

FIG. 2 is an end, or axial elevational, view of one of the blocks of FIG. 1, from which have been removed the tie wires, plates, clamp bars and screws used for tightly tying together a plurality of such blocks, except that here an alternative is shown.

FIG. 3 is a nearly isometric exploded view on a larger scale of a series of blocks as in FIG. 1, showing how the parts are united.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical axial sectional view of the series of FIG. 1 to a larger scale.

FIG. 5 is a detailed nearly isometric view of certain of the connecting elements, such as those seen in FIG. 3 but to a larger scale.

FIG. 6 is a plan of a block, such as shown in FIG. 2, but modified'for a curved arrangement of a series of 15 thereof to turn through DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings in detail, and first considering the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5, there is shown what we call a contour curb 11 built up of a series of longitudinally apertured and notched concrete blocks 12, or a number of such series of blocks connected together, each block desirably shaped perferably somewhat like a doubly truncated hemisphere or other similar form presenting convex surfaces for engagement by automobile tires. Each series of blocks is held together by two heavy durable metal, desirably aluminum wires 13, the ends of which pass through holes 14 in durable metal desirably aluminum plates 15 at both ends and durable metal, desirably aluminum, clamp bars 16 at one end. The wires 13 are crimped or offset laterally at 19, as by suitable means such as a so-called Stakon pliers or other device to put dents in opposite sides thereof. This crimping causes the desired bulging beyond the dents and prevents the clamp bar 16 from pulling the wire 13 out through the hole in its plate 15 at one end and the bar at the other, when said wire 13 is tensed.

Strong tensile force is applied at one end of each wire 13 by turning in the durable metal desirably aluminum clamp screws 18 to press the adjacent plate 15 against the nearest block 12 through which the wires pass. One series is connected to the next series in a similar manner, using the other holes for another pair of wires 20, crimped as at 21 and similarly tensed at their other ends (not shown) after passing through the next series of blocks. An assembled curb 11 is shown stopping car wheels 22in FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 illustrates how our curb adapts itself to rest on a road or driveway which is not entirely level. In this figure, the supporting surface 23 is shown as having a low spot at 23a. The block 12 at this point, prior to final tightening of the series, drops from the normal level of the other blocks to engage the low spot 23a.This means that the block assembly does not have to be bent to adapt itself to the support, but rather one or more of said blocks is or are depressed or elevated, as the case may be, to accomodate the curb 11 to the surface on which supported.

A preferred form of block 12 is illustrated in detail in FIG. 3, supplemented by the showing in the alternatives of FIGS. 2 and 6. In FIG. 6 the ends 24 of the block are not parallel to one another, as shown in the other figures, but lie at small angles. These angles are here shown as 3 to the transverse central plane, rather than being parallel to said plane. In a preferred embodiment, the body of the block has a flat base 25, the outer surface of the body above said base being a substantially hemispherical portion generated about the midpoint or center 26 of the base, the radius of said portion being about 3%".

This hemispherical portion is terminated at both ends by vertical truncating planes spaced about 4" apart, that is, 2" on opposite sides of the center 26 and parallel to one another, leaving flat semicircular end surfaces 24 which are to abut similar surfaces on the adjacent blocks of a series. These end surfaces are each notched, countersunk or indented, as at 27, to provide for the reception of the plates 15 which are supported on the abutments so provided at said countersinkings 27.

The countersinkings 27 at opposite ends of each block are pierced by a passage 28a (FIG. 2) or a pair of passages 28 (FIG. 3) provided for the reception of the connecting wires 13 and 20. The fonn 12a of FIG. 2 is the cheaper, while the form 12 of FIG. 3 is stronger. Although we have described the block as desirably of a special shape and size, we do not wish to be limited to a hemispherical shape. Some other shape presenting convex surfaces desirably approximating hemispherical will suffice. The size, although preferred, is not critical as variations one way or the other may be made. The passages 28 desirably flare, from center towards the ends, as illustrated, to allow for some canting of the connecting wires 13 and/or with respect thereto.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that our curb does not have to be of any special length but may be tailored as to length to suit conditions. The curb may be straight, curved, continuous or formed as sections later connected as described. The curb may be laid in places desired with no footing needed. The concrete parts are held in compression, where their strength lies, the connecting wires, preferably of aluminum or other rust-resisting metal for durability, being under tension. Although disclosed mainly for curbs, it will be understood that the means for holding the parts assembled and pressed together may also be employed in other situations, as tie rods for concrete forms.

Having now described our invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the Patent Statutes, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes or modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements of conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.

We claim:

1. A contour curb especially for motor vehicles comprising, a series of blocks, means holding an end surface of one block in engagement with an end surface of the adjacent block, and tying all of the blocks in a series together as a unit including, two wires the ends of which pass through holes in plates engaging portions of the blocksat both ends of the series of blocks, a clamp bar outside one end plate, the ends of said wires which protrude beyond said plates being upset so as not to pull through said holes, and a pair of tightening screws threaded into the clamp bar to bear on said one end plate on opposite sides of the wire therethrough.

2. A contour curb as recited in claim 1, wherein there are means for tying said series of blocks to another series of blocks so held by two other wires comprising, the ends of said other wires passing through other holes in the plate engaged by the screws, the ends of the other wires which protrude through said other holes and beyond said plate being upset so as not to pull through said holes, and a pair of tightening screws hreaded into each clamp bar adjacent the plate at the other end of the other series on opposite sides of the wire therethrough,

3. A contour curb as recited in claim 1, wherein for durability the wires are heavy aluminum and the plates, bars and screws are aluminum so that, upon turning said screws of both bars toward the adjacent plates, the wires are placed under a desired tension to pull the plates toward, and hold, the blocks in tight engagement with one another.

4. A contour curb as recited in claim 1, wherein each block has a flat base, its sides and top are generally hemispherical and terminated by truncating planes spaced equal distances from the center of the hemispherical portions and perpendicular to the base, a generally rectangular passage through each block bordered at top and sides by shoulders providing abutments for the edge portions of said plates.

5. A contour curb as recited in claim 1, wherein each block has its ends disposed at a slight angle to the block axis so that a series of such blocks when set up in line will be curved through a relatively large angle about a desired radius.

6. A contour curb as recited in claim 5, wherein the slight angle is 3, the series is 15 blocks, and the relatively large angle is 7. A concrete block for assemblage with other like blocks to form a contour curb, the base of said block being flat and its sides and top being a generally convex outer surface, said convex surface being terminated by truncating planes spaced equal distances from the center of the convex portion and being perpendicular to the base, forming flat end abutment surfaces arcuate in outline to engage associated blocks, and

said block being apertured between said planes, said end surfaces having countersunk portions to provide surfaces engageable by connecting means.

8. A concrete block as recited in claim 7, wherein there is a pair of laterally spaced apertures which are vertically elongated to form passages for said connecting means.

9. A concrete block as recited in claim 7, wherein the truneating planes are disposed at a slight angle to the block axis so that a series of such blocks when set up in line will be curved through a relatively large angle about a desired radius.

10. Apparatus comprising two wires, plates, clamp bars, screws and a plurality of elements held thereby in abutting relationship, under a desired amount of pressure, by the plates contacting the outer faces of said elements, ends of said wires protruding beyond the abutting elements passing through aligned holes in a first of said plates at one end and a second of said plates and the clamp bars at the other end, with both ends upset outside of said first plate and said clamp bars, respectively, so as not to pull through said holes, the screws being threaded into said clamp bars on opposite sides of the wires therethrough and engaging the adjacent plate for adjustably pressing it on the adjacent end of said abutting elements.

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