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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         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 slidably 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 slidably 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 slidably 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 plurality of non-metallic dowels;   cutting the non-metallic dowels to a desired length;   molding a first frame and a second frame in an injection mold, wherein the first and second frames comprise a plurality of frame cups; and   forming the road basket by slidably inserting a portion of non-metallic dowels into the frame cups.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the plurality of non-metallic dowels each include a first end and a second end; the first end of a non-metallic dowel is slidably inserted into a frame cup of the first frame. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the second end of the non-metallic dowel is slidably inserted into a frame cup of the second frame. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the plurality of non-metallic dowels are comprised of fiberglass. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the plurality of non-metallic dowels are comprised of glass fiber reinforced polymer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the first and second frames are comprised of high density polyethylene. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the ends of the plurality of non-metallic dowels are slidably secured within the frame cups. 
     
     
         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 slidably 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 slidably 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 . 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 slidably secured together at the interface.