Patent Grant
8662788
This invention relates generally to tactile detection embedment plates used in pedestrian walkways, and more particularly to tactile detection plates aligned with a bracket and/or releasably joined together with a bracket connector.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) oversees implementation and enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and has mandated that many walkway surfaces include some form of tactile detection for visually impaired persons. One of the primary ways to provide tactile detectors near hazardous locations (e.g., roadways, railroad crossings, etc.) is with embedment plates having distinctive surface patterns of domes detectable by cane or underfoot to alert the visually impaired that they are approaching potential hazards.
Municipalities, non-governmental entities, such as land developers, railroad companies and others who likewise need to provide tactile-detectable surfaces in pedestrian walkways obviously seek low-cost solutions to implement and maintain tactile surfaces. Various embedment plates, plate materials, and methods for installing plates are known. For example, known plates are made of plastic, steel, and cast iron having tactile surfaces with truncated domes extending upward from the plates. The plates are typically rectangular, triangular wedge square or radial in shape and are installed in concrete or asphalt during construction of the walkway.
Some of these devices are made out of flimsy plastic and are subject to ultraviolet light damage, deterioration and cracking in short periods of time. Also, inherent in the truncated dome design is the exposure of domes to severe impacts by snowplow equipment, particularly snowplow blades and end-loader buckets. Domes made of plastic tend to be sheared off, nicked or cracked when snowplows hit them. Once damaged, the entire plastic embedment plate must be removed and replaced. Attempts to address these problems can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,775,835 to Szekely; 6,449,790 to Szekely; 6,715,956 to Weber et al.; and, U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2004/00428 to Provenzano, III. However, each one of these disclosures suffers from one or more disadvantages.
Steel and cast iron embedment plates are also used. Cast iron plates in particular can be extremely heavy. The size of typical cast iron detectable warning plates are two feet by two feet (2′×2′) and weigh approximately 70 lbs. (+/−) each. Typical curb opening ramp widths are a minimum of four feet (4′) wide so it normally requires two plates for typical curb ramps. Since the current plates are heavy, it normally takes two people to safely lift and place one plate at a time into a concrete ramp. Smaller and lighter weight cast iron plates that are less labor intensive, easier to handle, and install into concrete or asphalt are desirable for general safety reasons. When multiple embedment plates are used, they must be installed edge-to-edge and co-planar with one another. Even skilled and patient installers can find it difficult to properly install large heavy embedment plates in concrete and asphalt. It is particularly difficult when two (2) or more 70 lb. cast iron plates have to be set side by side in fresh concrete or asphalt. Steel and cast iron plates are desirable for durability and strength, so precise installation remains a challenge with heavy two foot (2′×2′) square cast iron plates.
Thus, there is a need for a lighter and durable embedment plate that can be easily aligned with and/or joined to the sides of adjoining plates.
The present invention is directed to an embedment plate with an alignment bracket that aligns and/or joins two embedment plates in a secure, close-fitting, and co-planar relationship. In addition, the embedment plates can be constructed with the features disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/077,739, which is incorporated herein by reference.
With the present invention, releasably joined plates can be quickly aligned with and/or connected to adjoining plates by one person as necessary to comply with ADA requirements. Also, several connected plates can be installed at one time to make larger and more complex plate assemblies quicker to install. Releasably joined plates can be assembled off-site or can be assembled on site just prior to installation. Several releasably joined plates in a plate assembly can be used to speed up the installation process of long plate assemblies, especially at railroad passenger loading and unloading platform areas where there may be continuous detectable warning surfaces of one hundred feet (100′) or more. When longer assemblies of releasably joined plates are connected, it may require an additional person to assist with installation or it may require a piece of equipment that can lift a number of assembled plates at once and place them into the concrete or asphalt. In some embodiments, the use of smaller sized plates in releasably joined assemblies are safer to handle and easier for one person to manipulate as the plate assembly is placed into a concrete ramp.
Various layouts or applications for releasably joined plates can be used with the present invention to accommodate the size and shape of the area, the number of people available to install plate assemblies, and the type of lifting equipment available. Thus, the present invention is adaptable to all types of installations. Lighter weight releasably joined plates are easily loaded and unloaded from truck beds and can be hand carried to a job site where they can be assembled (joined) to create any desired ramp size or shape. The relatively light weight of releasably joined cast iron plates provides safe, fast and efficient detectable warning installations.
One embodiment of the present invention includes a plate with a tactile detection surface for embedment in a moldable material. The plate has at least one edge for alignment with an edge of an adjacent plate. At least one plate includes a bracket for supporting and aligning an adjacent plate in an embedment plate assembly. The bracket can have a shoulder that enables quick and accurate alignment and installation of heavy embedment plates simply by inserting the bracket under an adjacent embedment plate.
Further, the bracket can be aligned with a bracket on an adjacent embedment plate to define a receiver yoke into which a wedge can be placed to releasably connect the plates together into a plate assembly for ease of placement into a moldable material.
The bracket need not include a shoulder and might only be used to align with a bracket on an adjacent plate to define a receiver yoke into which a wedge is placed to releasably join the plates together.
The bracket can further include a lip that engages a recess or other mating surface in the bottom side of an adjacent plate. Once in the recess, the lip can resist lateral movement of adjacent plates away from each other, as well as provide quick alignment of the plates during installation because no further connectors are necessary. Proper plate alignment can be noticeable by the installer when the lip and recess engagement is felt during placement of an adjacent plate.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a plate assembly having: a first plate; a first bracket joined to the first plate; a second plate arranged co-planar and adjacent to the first plate; a second bracket joined to the second plate and aligned with the first bracket to define a receiver yoke between the brackets; and a wedge disposed in the receiver yoke to thereby connect the two embedment plates. The plate assembly first bracket can be disposed adjacent to the second bracket or they can be spaced apart.
The plate assembly first bracket can include a first wedge surface spaced outwardly from the first plate; and the second bracket can include a second wedge surface spaced outwardly from the second plate and spaced apart from the first wedge surface to define the receiver yoke into which the wedge is disposed. More than one wedge can be used in a single receiver yoke.
The plate assembly can further include: a second pair of alignment connector brackets having a first bracket joined to the first plate; and a second bracket joined to the second plate, and the first bracket and the second bracket have portions spaced apart from one another to define a receiver yoke therebetween. A second wedge can be placed into this receiver yoke or an elongate wedge from an adjacent receiver yoke can be used in both.
The plate assembly wedge member can be a rod or a rod with a substantially round cross-sectional shape, such as a concrete reinforcing bar commonly used on construction sites where embedment plates are being installed. Other cross-sectional shapes such as threaded wedge members square channel, angle iron and etc. can be used.
Another plate assembly in accordance with the present invention includes: a first plate; a second plate adjacent to and co-planar with the first plate; a first bracket joined to the first plate and positioned at least partially under the second plate; a second bracket joined to the second plate and positioned at least partially under the first plate, and positioned relative to the first bracket to define a receiver yoke; and a wedge member removably disposed in the receiver yoke. The plate assembly receiver yoke can be elongated and substantially parallel to an edge of the first plate, and substantially parallel to an edge of the second plate. The plate assembly receiver yoke can be wedge-shaped with a wide portion of the wedge near the distal ends of the brackets and the narrow portions of the wedge near the proximal ends of the brackets. And the wedge can be sized to be wedged in the receiver yoke to push the brackets apart and thereby draw the first plate and the second plate together.
The plate assembly receiver yoke can be defined by a first surface on the first bracket, and the first surface faces toward the first plate, and a second surface on the second bracket, and the second surface faces toward the second plate; and the wedge member is wedged between the first surface and the second surface. The plate assembly first surface and the second surface can define a wedge-shaped receiver yoke, and the wedge member can be a rod with a substantially round cross-sectional shape, any other shape and/or can be threaded.
The plate assembly first bracket can have a shoulder on which a lower surface of the second plate bears; and the second bracket can have a shoulder on which a lower surface of the first plate bears. The shoulders thereby aid in the co-planar alignment of the two connected plates. The shoulders can be provided with a lip that mates with a notch, recess or other surface in the underside of a mating plate to further secure and align the plates, as well as aid in installing the plates in moldable material.
The plate assembly first bracket can include a first foot; and the second bracket can include a second foot to help stabilize and support the plate assemblies prior to or during installation. The plate assembly bracket can be joined to the plate or molded integrally therewith.
The invention is also directed to an alignment connector for joining a first plate to a second plate so that the first plate and second plate are substantially co-planar, the alignment connector includes a first bracket joined to the first plate and a second bracket joined to the second plate. The two brackets can be aligned to define a receiver yoke into which a wedge is releasably disposed. The alignment connector first bracket can have a shoulder on which the second plate bears; and/or the first bracket can have a shoulder on which the second plate bears. The alignment connector first bracket can also have a wedge surface that at least partially defines the receiver yoke. The shoulders can be provided with a lip that mates with a notch in the underside of a mating plate to further secure and align the plates.
When the bracket includes a foot, the plates can be dry set (probably on brick pavers or similar to bring them to finish grade) into a formed area and then concrete can be placed into the frame, around the plates, and shoved or vibrated underneath the plates. This may be desirable for large assemblies and particularly beneficial for long assemblies, particularly at railroad passenger loading and loading areas.
The present invention is also directed to a method for installing plate assemblies for being cast in concrete or asphalt pavement. The method includes the steps of: setting a first plate in a desired position for a detectable warning surface; bringing a second plate substantially edge-to-edge and in a non-coplanar relationship with the first plate; and pivoting the second plate toward a co-planar position with the first plate to insert a bracket extending from the second plate under the first plate and into a co-planar position with the first plate to bring the bracket into bearing support of the first plate. The step of pivoting the second plate toward a co-planar position with the first plate can comprise the step of: engaging a lip on the bracket of the second plate with a notch on the first plate to releasably join the second plate and the first plate in an edge-to-edge relationship.
The step of pivoting the second plate more toward a co-planar position with the first plate can comprise the step of: aligning the bracket on the second plate with a bracket on the first plate to define a receiving yoke. This step can be followed by the step of: inserting a wedge into the receiving yoke. The step of pivoting the second plate toward a co-planar relationship with the first plate can also comprise the step of: bringing a bracket on the first plate into bearing support of the second plate.
The method can further include the step of placing a moldable material around and under the first plate and the second plate to form pavement having a detectable warning surface. Alternately, or in addition, the method can be performed by placing the first plate and the second plate into uncured moldable material.
The method can further comprise the steps of: engaging a lip on the bracket with a notch in the first plate to create a plate assembly of the second plate and the first plate; and installing the plate assembly into a pavement location to at least partially define a detectable warning surface. The pavement location can have the moldable pavement material already in place or it can be added after the plate assembly is installed into the pavement location.
These and other embodiments, features and benefits are provided by the present invention.
a, shows a top view detail of the embedment plate 20 depicted in the embedment tile of
b, shows the cross section indicated in
c, shows a side view (both sides being alike) of the embedment plate 20 depicted in
d, shows an end view (both ends being alike) of the embedment plate 20 depicted in
a, shows a top view of a embedment plate 20 similar to that of
b, shows a detailed top view of the ridged projection of
c, shows a side view of two projections 34, on the left a projection with reinforcement ridges 216 and on the right a projection without reinforcement ridges.
In the following detailed description, the same reference numerals will be used for the same or similar elements illustrated in each of the figures.
Illustrated in
Manufacturing tolerances and possibly even desired surface shapes can result in the upper surface 22 not being perfectly flat. Thus, the upper surface 22 and even the embedment tile 20 are described for simplicity herein as “substantially flat” to accommodate desired and undesired shapes and contours. The embedment plate 20 is preferably made of cast iron (illustrated) or steel, but other materials and combinations of materials can also be used.
The upper surface 22 includes projections 34 and embossments 38. The projections 34 and embossments 38 are preferably formed integrally with the upper surface of the embedment plate 20, but they may be joined by other means, as well. The projections 34 and embossments 38 are preferably arranged as illustrated in
In an alternate embodiment, the embedment plate 20 is capped with and joined to a cover plate with suitable connectors (not illustrated). In this manner, the embedment plate 20 can have a reduced thickness, be made of lighter material, and/or be smooth so that the cover plate can be made of more durable material and include tactile domes, other features, or designs, including advertising. Therefore, as used herein, the term “embedment plate” can be a single plate, double plate, or any combination of plates or frames that are joined with an alignment connector or bracket in accordance with the present invention.
As depicted in
The edges 26 are preferably straight, smooth, and free of sharp edges for ease and safety of handling. Nonetheless, the edges 26 can be curved or define projections and recesses (not illustrated) for mating with adjoining embedment plates. The thickness of the edge 26 can be any preferred dimension and will generally depend on the weight and strength of material used to make the embedment plate 20. Further, the edges 26 are preferably thicker than the rest of the embedment plate 20 to provide increased rigidity for a given plate thickness.
The bottom surface 28 includes a bearing surface 42 that is preferably defined by an area of increased thickness around the periphery of the plate 20. The bearing surface 42 does not need to extend completely around the embedment plate 20, but it should be located to mate with the alignment connector brackets 30, as described below. Even when there is no increased thickness around the edges 26, a bearing surface 42 is defined and will bear on an alignment bracket, as described below.
When one embedment plate 20 is to be installed adjacent to another, it is desirable to align them by mating their respective edges closely together and arranging them so their upper surfaces are co-planar. As used herein, “co-planar” describes any relationship between adjacent embedment plates 20 that results in their being compatible, including in the same flat plane, or of the same or complimentary shape. Installing embedment plates 20 in uncured concrete or asphalt therefore requires upper surface alignment with adjacent walkway surfaces and embedment plates 20. Moving, placing, and adjusting embedment plates 20 in uncured concrete or asphalt is difficult even for skilled workers, but accurate alignment is required for safety and aesthetic reasons.
The brackets 30 of adjacent plates 20 can be used to form an alignment connector that aligns adjacent embedment plates 20 edge-to-edge and in a co-planar relationship. The alignment connector is preferably incorporated into at least one bracket 30 on each adjacent embedment plate 20. Each bracket 30 is joined to its respective embedment plate 20 by molding, welding, integral forming, bolting or other suitable manner. As illustrated, the bracket 30 is joined to the bottom surface 28 of the embedment plate 20 with a reinforcing gusset 31 to improve connection strength. The bracket 30 in the preferred embodiment is made of the same material as the embedment plate 20, in the preferred, cast iron. Other embodiments are possible that have brackets 30 and embedment plates 20 made of different materials, including composites of materials.
As illustrated in
As best illustrated in
As seen in
As illustrated in
The wedge 70 in a preferred embodiment will remain in the wedge-shaped receiver yoke 68 due to friction, but it can also be secured in other ways such as a snap fit or with embossments, for example. The receiver yoke 68 can be any shape, but using a wedge-shaped receiver yoke results in the wedge 70 pressing into the receiver yoke 68 to draw the adjacent embedment plates 20 together for a relatively tight fit along their respective edges 26. Other shapes can be used to correspond to the wedge surface 64 shapes described above.
The second plate 20B can slide parallel and along the edge of the first plate 20A after the lip 58 is engaged with the notch 60. Indeed, in some installations, it might be easier to align the plates 20A and 20B by sliding the second plate 20B along the edge of the first plate 20A, in this manner, so that the plates 20A and 20B are engaged and then plate 20B is moved into a desired position.
The plates 20A and 20B can be assembled this way directly in uncured moldable material or before being placed in moldable material. If assembled before placing in moldable material, a wedge 70 can be used to join the two plates together so they can be placed, as an assembly, into moldable material.
The bracket foot 57 provides an anchor when concrete or asphalt cures around it. The foot 57 is desirable, but not necessary, and can be used to prevent the bracket 30 from penetrating the moldable material too deeply or too quickly during installation. Further, the foot 57 can be any desired shape, and it can be solid or define a cavity into which moldable material can flow and cure for improved anchoring.
The wedge 70 can be any desired shape so long as it mates with the receiver yoke 68. The wedge is preferably a rod, such as a concrete reinforcing bar, which is a common item around building sites where embedment plates are installed. Reinforcing bars are typically made of steel, but other materials that are rigid or flexible, can be used. Preferably, the reinforcing bar wedge 70 used in the invention is about one-half inch in diameter (“a No. 4 bar”), but other diameters can be used, particularly if the receiver yoke 68 is wedge-shaped and sized to accommodate different diameter reinforcing bars. Other wedge 70 shapes and constructions are possible, including square, wedge-shape, and triangular cross-sections. Also, the wedge 70 can have threaded ends for connecting to other wedges 70, or to one or more brackets 30, or both.
The wedge 70 can also be used in more than one connector receiver yoke 68. For example, a long bar can be secured in more than one receiver yoke 68. (
To join two embedment plates 20, the embedment plate 20 edges are brought together in a desired arrangement with the brackets 30 from one embedment plate 20 extending beneath the adjacent embedment plate 20. Each embedment plate 20 rests on the shoulder 54 of the mating embedment plate's 20 bracket 30, and preferably the lip 58 of one bracket 30 mates with the notch 60 on the adjacent embedment plate 20.
The wedge 70 typically remains in place due to friction and a compressive force from the brackets 30 because they are flexed somewhat when the wedge 70 is set in place. In addition, as seen in
This arrangement further results in the brackets 30 defining a receiver yoke 68 into which a wedge 70 (such as a concrete reinforcing bar) is inserted and wedged or jammed into place using any suitable means. Typically, no tools are needed and the wedge 70 can be inserted and wedged into place by hand, but hammers and other tools can be used. Preferably, with little effort, the wedge 70 can be jammed into the receiver yoke 68, but the fit permits the wedge to be removed. The wedge 70 can be threaded or at least have thread ends to be secured in place or to another wedge 70 with a nut, for example (not illustrated).
With the wedge 70 in place, the two embedment plates 20 are releasably joined to one another in a relatively tight edge-to-edge and co-planar relationship. The combination of one bracket shoulder 54 of another plate 20 bearing on the bracket shoulder 54 of another plate 20 and the wedge 70 in the receiver yoke 68 prevents the plates from any substantial pivoting relative to one another. The result is a plate assembly that can be handled in much the same way as a single plate, which simplifies handling and installation. This relationship can be established with the embedment plates 20 in a position to be installed into a moldable material, such as concrete or asphalt or prior to installation. Once cured, the concrete or asphalt anchors the embedment plate 20 assembly.
As best depicted in
This method for installing tactile embedment plate assemblies can also include the step of sliding the second plate edge 26 along the first plate edge 26 before or after the lip 58 is engaged with the notch 60. This simplifies assembly because the plate edges 26 can be brought together first and then the second plate 20B can slide in either direction for better alignment with the first plate 20A and/or to adjust a spacing between the brackets 30 on the plates 20.
The step of pivoting the second plate toward a co-planar position with the first plate preferably includes the step of: aligning the bracket on the second plate with a bracket on the first plate to define a receiving yoke to arrive at the releasably joined plate assembly described above. This step is preferably followed by the step of: inserting a wedge into the receiving yoke. As seen in the figures, the step of pivoting the second plate toward a co-planar relationship with the first plate in the illustrated embodiment also brings a bracket on the first plate into bearing support of the second plate.
The plate assembly can be positioned in a desired location and then a moldable material can be placed around and under the plate assembly to form pavement having a detectable warning surface. Alternately, or in addition, the first plate and the second plate can be preassembled and placed as an assembly into uncured moldable material or assembled as described above in the uncured moldable material.
Placing the plates together as described results in a lip on the bracket engaging with a notch in the first plate to assemble the plate assembly. Even without a wedge, such an embodiment of the plate assembly can be lifted and installed into a pavement location to at least partially define a detectable warning surface. The pavement location can have the moldable pavement material already in place or it can be added after the plate assembly is installed into the pavement location.
The shape and configuration of the projections 34 is preferably designed to with stand abuse from snow plows and other heavy equipment. Each tactile projection 34 of an embedment plate 20 generally includes a surface rising from a perimeter 212 to a central top portion 214 (
The projections 34 may further comprise several reinforcement ridges 216 (see
c shows one projection 34 with ridges 216 (on left) and one projection 34 without ridges 216 (on right) to illustrate the difference. In
The number, distribution pattern and sizing of the ridges 216 may vary according to the particular application and the particular type and sizing of upwardly extending projections 34 (e.g., according to whether the projections 34 are formed as truncated domes, diamonds or otherwise). The sizes depicted in
The reinforcement ridges 216 may be formed by various methods. In versions of embedment plates 20 made from sheets of stainless steel or other metals, the projections 34 complete with reinforcement ridges 216 may be formed using a press. Other alternatives to forming the upwardly extending projections complete with ridges 216 may be employed, including forming them by molding or otherwise depending on the materials used (e.g., plastics, etc.).
Referring to
As mentioned above, the size of the embedment plate 20 as well as its shape and number of sides may vary depending on a user's needs. By way of example, in one version as depicted in
The upper surface of the embedment plate 20 may further be conditioned or surfaced so as to provide skid-resistance. For example, if the embedment plate 20 is made of a metal material, such as stainless steel, the upper surface might be etched or otherwise surfaced to provide skid-resistance. In addition or alternatively, the upper surface may be coated with a material to improve or provide its skid-resistant quality. Color for improved visual contrast of the embedment plate 20 may further be provided by treatment of the embedment plate 20 material itself, and/or by coating it with a colorant. A variety of techniques may be used to impart the embedment plate 20 with long-lasting color contrasting and skid resistance.
The foregoing detailed description is for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations therefrom should be read into the following claims.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20130279978 A1 | Oct 2013 | US |
