CNC impact load deflector sleeve and removable collar for cable and post protection

Abstract

This patent application is submitted for a CNC/ILDS sleeve and RC removable collar designed to provide a means of protecting fence cables and posts. Without such protection a conventional rock fall protection fence frequently fails upon impact from large falling rocks spinning at a high angular velocity and with an immense momentum, as demonstrated in many rock fall-induced fence failures. CNC/ILDS sleeves embrace a cable or post to deflect falling rocks spinning at a high angular velocity and associated impact forces and, thereby, protect them by avoiding detrimental blows from the falling rocks. The RC (removable collar) is used when two different-size CNC/ILDS sleeves are used. This is to avoid a smaller sleeve from slipping into a larger one and to assure the protection that CNC/ILDS sleeve is designed for. Additionally, the RC collar also enhances the constructability and eases the maintenance of a rock fall mitigation fence system. In summary, the CNC/ILDS sleeve together with the RC removable collar embraces the fence cable and post, provides a means of their protection, and enhances the safety of traveling motorists.

1 - 5 . (canceled)  
   
   
       6 . A guard device for protecting an object from damage by falling rocks or the like, the guard device comprising: 
 at least one impact load deflector sleeve rotatably positionable about the object.    
   
   
       7 . The guard device of  claim 6  and further comprising: 
 a plurality of impact load deflector sleeves; and    a removable collar positioned between each of the impact load deflector sleeves.    
   
   
       8 . The guard device of  claim 6  wherein at least two of the impact load deflector sleeves have a different diameter.  
   
   
       9 . The guard device of  claim 7  wherein the removable collar has a first collar portion and a second collar portion, the first collar portion being hingedly connected to the second collar portion.  
   
   
       10 . The guard device of  claim 9  wherein each of the first collar portion and the second collar portion has a hinged side and an opening side, and further comprising: 
 a locking mechanism for securing the opening side of the first collar portion to the opening side of the second collar portion.    
   
   
       11 . The guard device of  claim 6  wherein each impact load deflector sleeve is substantially tubular having a diameter greater than the diameter of the object.  
   
   
       12 . The guard device of  claim 6  wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a cable and a post.  
   
   
       13 . A method for protecting an object from damage by failing rocks or the like, the method comprising: 
 rotatably positioning at least one impact load deflector sleeve about the object;    impacting the impact load deflector sleeve with a falling rock; and    deflecting the falling rock by rotating the load deflector sleeve.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  and further comprising: 
 providing a plurality of impact load deflector sleeves; and    positioning a removable collar positioned each of the impact load deflector sleeves.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the removable collar has a first collar portion and a second collar portion, and further comprising: 
 hingedly connecting the first collar portion to the second collar portion.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein each of the first collar portion and the second collar portion has a hinged side and an opening side, and further comprising: 
 securing the opening side of the first collar portion to the opening side of the second collar portion with a locking mechanism.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein each impact load deflector sleeve is substantially tubular having a diameter greater than the diameter of the object.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a cable and a post.