US4645375A — Stationary impact attenuation system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 418 words

A stationary impact attenuation system for reducing the severity of vehicular collisions occasioned by an errant vehicle striking an immovable object comprising: a. support means located in juxtaposed relation to an immovable object and so as to lie between the immovable object and an oncoming errant vehicle, said support means being operative as a support structure; b. impact attenuating means positioned in supported relation on said support means, said impact attenuating means being selectively operative to entrap an errant vehicle striking the stationary impact attenuation system at a first location and to redirect an errant vehicle striking the stationary impact attenuation system at a second location, said impact attenuating means including a plurality of tubular members arranged in the form of a cluster and bracing means positioned in selective ones of said plurality of tubular members, said bracing means including a pair of compression means positioned in each of certain ones of said selective ones of said plurality of tubular members and a first and a second pair of tension means positioned in at least each of said certain ones of said selective ones of said plurality of tubular members, each of said of compression means being positioned in spaced relation one to another in each of said certain ones of said selective ones of said plurality of tubular members and so as to extend perpendicularly to the major axis of said plurality of tubular members, said first pair of tension means being positioned in each of said certain ones of said selective ones of said plurality of tubular members so as to straddle one of said pair of compression means positioned in each of said certain ones of said selective ones of said plurality of tubular members and so as to extend at an acute angle relative to said one of said pair of compression means, said second pair of tension means being positioned in each of said certain ones of said selective ones of said plurality of tubular members so as to straddle the other one of said pair of compression means positioned in each of said certain ones of said selective ones of said plurality of tubular members and so as to extend at an acute angle relative to said other one of said pair of compression means; and c. protective means positioned in juxtaposed relation to said impact attenuating means, said protective means being operative to prevent a buildup of snow and ice on the other components that comprise the stationary impact attenuation system.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 418 words

A stationary impact attenuation system for reducing the severity of vehicular collisions occasioned by an errant vehicle striking an immovable object comprising: a. support means located in juxtaposed relation to an immovable object and so as to lie between the immovable object and an oncoming errant vehicle, said support means being operative as a support structure; b. impact attenuating means positioned in supported relation on said support means, said impact attenuating means being selectively operative to entrap an errant vehicle striking the stationary impact attenuation system at a first location and to redirect an errant vehicle striking the stationary impact attenuation system at a second location, said impact attenuating means including a plurality of tubular members arranged in the form of a cluster and bracing means positioned in selective ones of said plurality of tubular members, said bracing means including a pair of compression means positioned in each of certain ones of said selective ones of said plurality of tubular members and a first and a second pair of tension means positioned in at least each of said certain ones of said selective ones of said plurality of tubular members, each of said of compression means being positioned in spaced relation one to another in each of said certain ones of said selective ones of said plurality of tubular members and so as to extend perpendicularly to the major axis of said plurality of tubular members, said first pair of tension means being positioned in each of said certain ones of said selective ones of said plurality of tubular members so as to straddle one of said pair of compression means positioned in each of said certain ones of said selective ones of said plurality of tubular members and so as to extend at an acute angle relative to said one of said pair of compression means, said second pair of tension means being positioned in each of said certain ones of said selective ones of said plurality of tubular members so as to straddle the other one of said pair of compression means positioned in each of said certain ones of said selective ones of said plurality of tubular members and so as to extend at an acute angle relative to said other one of said pair of compression means; and c. protective means positioned in juxtaposed relation to said impact attenuating means, said protective means being operative to prevent a buildup of snow and ice on the other components that comprise the stationary impact attenuation system.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 23 words

The stationary impact attenuation system as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said pair of compression means comprises a compression pipe.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 56 words

The stationary impact attenuation system as set forth in claim 2 wherein a first and a second pair of tension means are also positioned in the other of said selective ones of said plurality of tubular members and so as to form an acute angle relative to the major axis of said plurality of tubular members.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 48 words

The stationary impact attenuation system as set forth in claim 3 wherein each of said first and second pair of tension means comprises a tension strap, and the acute angle formed by each of said first and second pair of tension straps is an angle of forty-five degrees.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 57 words

The stationary impact attenuation system as set forth in claim 1 wherein adjoining ones of said plurality of tubular members are fastened one to another, and said plurality of tubular members are each capable of being refurbished after the stationary impact attenuation system has been struck by an errant vehicle so as to thereby render them reusable.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 68 words

The stationary impact attenuation system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said plurality of tubular members comprises fourteen tubular members arranged in a total of seven rows such that one of said seven rows contains one of said fourteen tubular members, five of said seven rows each contain two of said fourteen tubular members and one of said seven rows contains three of said fourteen tubular members.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 36 words

The stationary impact attenuation system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said support means includes a concrete pad of sufficient dimensions so as to enable all of said fourteen tubular members to be emplaced thereon.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 84 words

The stationary impact attenuation system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said support means also includes a pair of skids positioned on said concrete pad, said pair of skids extending in spaced parallel relation one to another in the direction of the major axis of said concrete pad, said pair of skids being operative to minimize the frictional forces produced when movement of said fourteen tubular members occurs as a consequence of the stationary impact attenuation system being struck by an errant vehicle.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 89 words

The stationary impact attenuation system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said support means further includes a backup structure located in juxtaposed relation to one end of said concrete pad, said backup structure having at least some of said fourteen tubular members secured thereto, said backup structure having sufficient strength so as to be capable of withstanding the forces produced when the stationary impact attenuation system is struck by an errant vehicle weighing up to forty-five hundred pounds and traveling at a speed of sixty miles per hour.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 52 words

The stationary impact attenuation system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said protective means includes a nonmetallic cover member of sufficient dimensions so as to both span the tops of said fourteen tubular members and provide a hem along at least a portion of the sides of said fourteen tubular members.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1990-02-23	1990-08-25	1991-02-24	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1994-02-23	1994-08-25	1995-02-24	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1998-02-23	1998-08-25	1999-02-24	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Stationary impact attenuation system

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