Leaf spring pavement joint seal

Claim 2

An expansion joint and seal for roadbed slabs and other modular members having a variable width gap between adjacent members, said joint including, a. a pair of parallel, elongated plates, b. at least one of said plates provided with a plurality of resilient tongues extending therefrom, said tongues having portions which abut the opposite plate, c. an elastomer sheath in contact with and at least partially surrounding said plates and spanning the gap between them, said sheath having portions adapted to abut facing edges of a variable width gap, said sheath portions being urged apart by the action of said resilient tongues.

Claim 3

The seal of claim 1 wherein said plate which is provided with said resilient tongues is formed of a stiff, resilient material, and wherein said tongues are integral with said plate.

Claim 4

The seal of claim 2 wherein each of said plates is provided with integral tongues, the tongues of one plate abutting the opposite plate.

Claim 5

The seal of claim 2 wherein adjacent tongues extend on the same side but in opposite directions from their plate.

Claim 6

The seal of claim 2 wherein said tongues of one plate abut corresponding tongues of the other plate.

Claim 7

An expansion joint and seal for roadbed slabs and other modular members having a variable width gap between adjacent members, said joint including, a. a plurality of generally arcuate, resilient tongues, b. said tongues defining two rows, the tongues of the two rows being spaced from each other, the tongues of the two rows facing in opposite directions, said two tongue rows being fixedly positioned relative to each other, the tongues of the two rows being generally X-shaped in cross section, c. a pair of parallel bearing plates between which said tongues are positioned and against which the ends of said tongues resiliently bear to thereby urge the bearing plates away from each other, d. an elastomer sheath at least partially circumferentially surrounding said bearing plates and spanning the gap between them, said sheath having portions adapted to abut facing edges of a variable width gap.

Claim 8

An expansion joint and seal for roadbed slabs and other modular members having a variable width gap between adjacent members, said joint including, a. a plurality of generally arcuate, resilient tongues, b. said tongues defining two rows, the tongues of the two rows being spaced from each other, the tongues of the two rows facing in opposite directions, said two tongue rows being fixedly positioned relative to each other, the tongues of the two rows being generally X-shaped in cross section, c. a pair of parallel bearing plates between which said tongues are positioned and against which the ends of said tongues resiliently bear to thereby urge the bearing plates away from each other, d. an elastomer sheath at least partially circumferentially surrounding said bearing plates and spanning the gap between them, said sheath having portions adapted to abut facing edges of a variable width gap.

Claim 9

The seal of claim 6 wherein said tongues are integral with a plate, with adjacent tongues facing in opposite directions.

Claim 10

The seal of claim 7 wherein adjacent tongues are spaced from each other by an upstanding portion of said plate.

Claim 11

The seal of claim 6 wherein said tongues are secured to a longitudinally eXtending divider plate, one of said tongue rows being on one side of said divider plate and the other tongue row being on the other side of said divider plate.

Claim 12

The seal of claim 9 wherein said divider plate is provided with transversely extending slots running inwardly from the plate edges toward the center of said plate, to thereby permit limited flexing in the plane of the divider plate.

Claim 13

An expansion joint and seal for roadbed slabs and other modular members having a variable width gap between adjacent members, said joint including, a. an elongated divider plate, b. a pair of elongated, resilient strip elements, arcuate in cross-section, positioned on opposite sides of said divider plate so that the strips thereby define an X-shaped outline in cross-section, c. a pair of parallel, elongated bearing plates between which said arcuate, resilient strip elements are positioned and resiliently bear to thereby urge the bearing plates away from each other. d. an elastomer sheath at least partially circumferentially, surrounding said bearing plates and spanning the gap between them, said sheath having portions adapted to abut facing edges of a variable width gap.

Claim 14

An expansion joint and seal for roadbed slabs and other modular members having a variable width gap between adjacent members, said joint including, a. an elongated divider plate, b. a pair of elongated, resilient strip elements, arcuate in cross-section, positioned on opposite sides of said divider plate so that the strips thereby define an X-shaped outline in cross-section, c. a pair of parallel, elongated bearing plates between which said arcuate, resilient strip elements are positioned and resiliently bear to thereby urge the bearing plates away from each other. d. an elastomer sheath at least partially circumferentially, surrounding said bearing plates and spanning the gap between them, said sheath having portions adapted to abut facing edges of a variable width gap.

Claim 15

The joint of claim 11 wherein said resilient strip elements are provided with transverse slots running inwardly from the edges towards the center.

Claim 16

An expansion joint and seal for roadbed slabs and other modular members having a variable width gap between adjacent members, said joint including, a. a plurality of generally arcuate, resilient tongues, b. said tongues defining two rows, the tongues of the two rows being spaces from each other, the tongues of the two rows facing in opposite directions, said two tongue rows being fixedly positioned relative to each other, the tongues of the two rows being generally X-shaped in cross section c. an elastomer sheath at least partially circumferentially surround said tongues, with the ends of said tongues abutting said sheath, said sheath having portions adapted to abut facing edges of a variable width gap.

Claim 17

An expansion joint and seal for roadbed slabs and other modular members having a variable width gap between adjacent members, said joint including, a. a plurality of generally arcuate, resilient tongues, b. said tongues defining two rows, the tongues of the two rows being spaces from each other, the tongues of the two rows facing in opposite directions, said two tongue rows being fixedly positioned relative to each other, the tongues of the two rows being generally X-shaped in cross section c. an elastomer sheath at least partially circumferentially surround said tongues, with the ends of said tongues abutting said sheath, said sheath having portions adapted to abut facing edges of a variable width gap.

Claim 18

The seal of claim 13 wherein said tongues are integral with a plate, with adjacent tongues facing in opposite directions.

Claim 19

The seal of claim 14 wherein adjacent tongues are spaced from each other by an upstanding portion of said plate.

Claim 20

The seal of claim 13 wherein said tongues are secured to a longitudinally extending divider plate, one of said tongue rows being on one side of said divider plate and the other tongue row being on the other side of said divider plate.

Claim 21

The seal of claim 16 wherein said divider plate is provided with transversely extending slots running inwardly from the plate edges toward the center of said plate, to thereby permit limited flexing in the plane of the divider plate.

Claim 22

An expansion joint and seal for roadbed slabs and other modular members having a variable width gap between adjacent members, and said joint including, a. an elongated divider plate, b. a pair of elongated, resilient strip elements, arcuate in cross-section, positioned on opposite sides of said divider plate so that the strips thereby define an X-shaped outline in cross-section, c. an elastomer sheath at least partially circumferentially surrounding said resilient strip elements, with the longitudinal edges of said strip elements abutting said sheath, said sheat having portions adapted to abut facing edges of a variable width gap.

Claim 23

An expansion joint and seal for roadbed slabs and other modular members having a variable width gap between adjacent members, and said joint including, a. an elongated divider plate, b. a pair of elongated, resilient strip elements, arcuate in cross-section, positioned on opposite sides of said divider plate so that the strips thereby define an X-shaped outline in cross-section, c. an elastomer sheath at least partially circumferentially surrounding said resilient strip elements, with the longitudinal edges of said strip elements abutting said sheath, said sheat having portions adapted to abut facing edges of a variable width gap.

Claim 24

The seal of claim 18 wherein said divider plate is provided with transversely extending slots running inwardly from the plate edges toward the center of said plate, to thereby permit limited flexing in the plane of the divider plate.

Claim 25

The seal of claim 19 wherein said resilient strip elements are provided with transversely extending slots running inwardly from the edges toward the center.

Claim 26

A spring adapted for use in a roadbed joint and seal, including, a. an elongated, rectangular sheet member of resilient material, B. a plurality of integral tongues extending out from the plane of said sheet member, adjacent tongues being on one side of said sheet, adjacent tongues having their roots from opposite longitudinal edges of said sheet member, so that adjacent tongues point in opposite directions, c. said tongues extending generally transversely of said elongated sheet member, d. flexing slots extending transversely of said sheet member, each flexing slot running from one edge of said sheet member towards the other edge.

Claim 27

A spring adapted for use in a roadbed joint and seal, including, a. an elongated, rectangular sheet member of resilient material, B. a plurality of integral tongues extending out from the plane of said sheet member, adjacent tongues being on one side of said sheet, adjacent tongues having their roots from opposite longitudinal edges of said sheet member, so that adjacent tongues point in opposite directions, c. said tongues extending generally transversely of said elongated sheet member, d. flexing slots extending transversely of said sheet member, each flexing slot running from one edge of said sheet member towards the other edge.

Claim 28

A spring adapted for use in a roadbed joint and seal, including, a. an elongated, rectangular sheet of resilient material, b. a plurality of integral tongues extending out from the plane of said sheet member, adjacent tongues being on one side of said sheet, adjacent tongues having their roots from opposite longitudinal edges of said sheet member, so that adjacent tongues point in opposite directions, c. said tongues extending generally transversely of said elongated sheet member, d. said tongues being struck out of said sheet to thereby define a closed slot corresponding to each tongue.

Claim 29

A spring adapted for use in a roadbed joint and seal, including, a. an elongated, rectangular sheet of resilient material, b. a plurality of integral tongues extending out from the plane of said sheet member, adjacent tongues being on one side of said sheet, adjacent tongues having their roots from opposite longitudinal edges of said sheet member, so that adjacent tongues point in opposite directions, c. said tongues extending generally transversely of said elongated sheet member, d. said tongues being struck out of said sheet to thereby define a closed slot corresponding to each tongue.

Claim 30

The spring of claim 22 including, a. flexing slots extending transversely of said sheet member, each flexing slot running from one edge of said sheet member towards the other edge, said flexing slots being laterally spaced from said slots defined by striking out said tongues.