Roadway expansion joint bird protection arrangement

Abstract

A roadway-support bird protection arrangement and method for preventing birds from entering and damaging hollow cores of elongated roadway support structures. The elongated roadway support structures are longitudinally spaced apart to allow for expansion and contraction therebetween. The inventive arrangement includes an elongated foraminous web of material having generally parallel side edges, a reinforcement arrangement on its side edges, an attachment member spaced along the reinforcement member to permit the foraminous web to be supportively hung between adjacent, longitudinally spaced apart roadway support structures so as to keep birds from entering the support structures. The elongated foraminous web is preferably formed in a “V” shape with elongated side wings thereon for disposition between and attachment to the roadway support structures.

1 . A roadway-support bird protection arrangement for preventing birds from entering hollow cores of elongated roadway support structures, which elongated roadway support structures are longitudinally spaced apart to allow for expansion and contraction therebetween, said arrangement comprising:
 an elongated foraminous web of material having generally parallel side edges;   a reinforcement arrangement on said side edges of said elongated foraminous web;   an attachment member spaced along said reinforcement arrangement to permit said foraminous web to be supportively and flexibly hung between adjacent, longitudinally spaced apart roadway support structures so as to keep birds from entering said support structures.   
   
   
       2 . The roadway-support bird protection arrangement as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said elongated foraminous web is formed in a “V” shape with elongated side wings thereon for disposition between and attachment to said roadway support structures. 
   
   
       3 . The roadway-support bird protection arrangement as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said elongated side edges of said foraminous web includes a reinforcement arrangement. 
   
   
       4 . The roadway-support bird protection arrangement as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said reinforcement arrangement has a web securing means arranged therewith. 
   
   
       5 . The roadway-support bird protection arrangement as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said “V” shaped web is expandable and closable about its vertex, in corresponding movement with expansion and contraction of said elongated roadway support structures. 
   
   
       6 . The roadway-support bird protection arrangement as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said web securing means with said re-enforcement arrangement comprises a plurality of spaced-apart anchoring bolts. 
   
   
       7 . The roadway-support bird protection arrangement as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said re-enforcement arrangement comprises a folded-over web portion of said side wings. 
   
   
       8 . The roadway-support bird protection arrangement as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said re-enforcement comprises an elongated cable attached to said side wings of said web. 
   
   
       9 . A method of providing a roadway-support bird protection arrangement for preventing birds from entering hollow cores of elongated roadway support structures, which elongated roadway support structures are longitudinally spaced apart to allow for expansion and contraction therebetween, said arrangement comprising:
 attaching an elongated foraminous web of material having generally parallel side edges to edge portions of said elongated roadway support structures;   placing a reinforcement arrangement on said side edges;   fixing an attachment member spaced along said reinforcement arrangement to permit said foraminous web to be supportively hung between adjacent, longitudinally spaced apart roadway support structures so as to keep birds from entering from a location between said support structures.   
   
   
       10 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , including the step of:
 forming said elongated web into a generally “V” shaped web in cross-section, with an elongated vertex at a fold thereof.   
   
   
       11 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said roadway support structures are generally of “trough” shape with a hollow core, and said support structures are longitudinally spaced apart by about 2 to 12 inches to accommodate expansion and contraction therebetween. 
   
   
       12 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said attachment members comprise spaced-apart bolts extending through said re-enforcement arrangement. 
   
   
       13 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , including:
 forming said elongated web into a generally “W” shape in cross-section to permit a closer hanging web in its suspension from said roadway support structures, while still permitting maximum expandability to said roadway structures.   
   
   
       14 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , including:
 attaching said side wings to edges of said roadway support structures by an adhesive bead to facilitate application and repair of said foraminous web to said support structure.