Expansion joint for road covering structures

Claim 1

IN A ROAD COVERING STRUCTURE, IN COMBINATION, A FIRST PAVEMENT SECTION AND A SECOND PAVEMENT SECTION, SAID SECTIONS HAVING ADJACENT EDGE PORTIONS DEFINING BETWEEN THEMSELVES AN ELONGATED GAP AND AT LEAST ONE OF SAID SECTIONS BEING MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER SECTION SO AS TO CHANGE THE WIDTH OF SAID GAP BETWEEN A MINIMAL AND A MAXIMAL MAGNITUDE; AND A SUBSTANTIALLY GRATE-LIKE ELASTICALLY COMPRESSIBLE EXPANSION JOINT RECEIVED IN SAID GAP, SAID JOINT COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED GRATE BARS EXTENDING IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF SAID GAP, ELASTICALLY DEFORMABLE PACKINGS RECEIVED BETWEEN SAID GRATE BARS, AND BOLT MEANS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID GAP AND PASSING SLIDABLY THROUGH SAID GRATE BARS AND SAID PACKINGS, THE WIDTH OF SAID JOINT IN UNDEFORMED CONDITION OF SAID PACKINGS EXCEEDING THE MAXIMAL WIDTH OF SAID GAP WHEREBY THE JOINT IS PERMANENTLY COMPRESSED BETWEEN SAID EDGE PORTIONS, SAID BOLT MEANS PERMITTING SAID GRATE BARS TO MOVE AWAY FROM EACH OTHER UNDER THE BIAS OF SAID PACKINGS WHEN THE WIDTH OF SAID GAP INCREASES.