Road basket and method of making same

Abstract

An improved road basket including a non-metallic dowel, a first support frame including a first support frame first leg and a first support frame first cup moldably secured to the dowel first end, and a second support frame including a second support frame first leg and a second support frame first cup moldably secured to the dowel second end. Multiple dowels can be secured in similar fashion to additional leg members. Preferably, the first support frame first leg and a first support frame second leg are connected by a base frame member. In addition, the first support frame first leg and the first support frame second leg may be connected by an intermediate frame member. The frame may be constructed of a single piece. The dowel is preferably made from fiberglass or glass fiber reinforced polymer and the frame is preferably high density polyethylene.

1 . An improved road basket, the road basket comprising:
 a non-metallic dowel having a dowel first end, a dowel second end and a dowel intermediate portion;   a first support frame including a first support frame first leg and a first support frame first cup moldably secured to the dowel first end; and   a second support frame including a second support frame first leg and a second support frame first cup moldably secured to the dowel second end.   
     
     
         2 . The road basket of  claim 1  further comprising a second non-metallic dowel having a second dowel first end, a second dowel second end and a second dowel intermediate portion, a first support frame second leg and a first support frame second cup moldably secured to the second dowel first end. 
     
     
         3 . The road basket of  claim 2  wherein the first support frame first leg and first support frame second leg are connected by a base frame member. 
     
     
         4 . The road basket of  claim 2  wherein the first support frame first leg and the first support frame second leg are connected by an intermediate frame member. 
     
     
         5 . The road basket of  claim 1  wherein the first support frame and the second support frame are a single piece frame. 
     
     
         6 . The road basket of  claim 5  wherein the single piece frame encloses the dowel first end, dowel second end and dowel intermediate portion. 
     
     
         7 . The road basket of  claim 1  wherein the dowel is comprised of fiberglass. 
     
     
         8 . The road basket of  claim 1  wherein the dowel is comprised of glass fiber reinforced polymer. 
     
     
         9 . The road basket of  claim 1  wherein the first support frame is comprised of high density polyethylene. 
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacturing an improved road basket, the method comprising:
 pultruding a non-metallic dowel;   cutting the non-metallic dowel to a desired length;   placing at least a portion of the non-metallic dowel in an injection mold;   closing the mold around the portion of the non-metallic dowel; and   forming the road basket by molding a frame, with at least a portion of the frame overmolded around the portion of the non-metallic dowel in the mold.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the non-metallic dowel includes a first end and a second end; the mold is closed around the first end and a first frame is formed with at least a portion of the first frame overmolded around the first end. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the mold is closed around the second end and a second frame is formed with at least a portion of the second frame overmolded around the second end. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the non-metallic dowel is comprised of fiberglass. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the non-metallic dowels is comprised of glass fiber reinforced polymer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the frame is comprised of high density polyethylene. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the deformation is secured within the overmold portion of the frame. 
     
     
         17 . A method of using an improved road basket, the method comprising:
 cutting a road basket to a desired length, the road basket comprising a non-metallic dowel having a dowel first end, a dowel second end and a dowel intermediate portion, a first support frame including a first support frame first leg and a first support frame first cup moldably secured to the dowel first end, and a second support frame including a second support frame first leg and a second support frame first cup moldably secured to the dowel second end; and   securing the road basket in a desired location by securing an anchor to the first support frame.   
     
     
         18 . The method of using an improved road basket of  claim 17 , the method further including forming an interface, wherein the interface has a first formation temperature for forming around an outer surface of the dowel first end and a second formation temperature for securing the dowel first end to the first support frame first cup. 
     
     
         19 . An improved road basket, the road basket comprising:
 a dowel wherein the dowel includes an outer surface;   a frame connected to the dowel, the frame including a cup wherein the cup includes an inner surface; and   an interface between the outer surface of the dowel and the inner surface of the cup and wherein the dowel and the cup are secured together at the interface.   
     
     
         20 . The improved road basket of  claim 19  wherein the interface has a first formation temperature for forming around the outer surface of the dowel and a second formation temperature for securing the dowel to the cup.