Roadway guardrail system

Abstract

A roadway guardrail system including a rail and plurality of support posts assembled such that upon impact from a vehicle the rail moves upwardly with respect to the support posts. Fasteners and block-outs may be used in the operative coupling of the rail to the support posts. Upon impact the fasteners and the block-outs move upwardly with respect to the support posts and the rail moves upwardly along with the fasteners and the block-outs.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A roadway guardrail system comprising:
 a support post comprising a first end, a second end, at least one channel, a contact surface, and a contour;   a rail comprising a rail mounting aperture;   a block-out comprising a block-out mounting aperture, wherein the block-out is located between the rail and the support post;   a fastener operatively coupling the rail to the block-out through the rail mounting aperture and the block-out mounting aperture, and wherein the rail is oriented parallel with the contact surface of the support post;   wherein the block-out is operatively coupled to the support post by the block-out or the fastener contacting the contour of the support post at the contact surface of the support post;   wherein the rail, the fastener, and the block-out are configured to, in response to a collision with the rail, move relative to the support post to dissipate energy from the collision as the block-out and the fastener slide with respect to the contact surface of the support post; and   wherein after a predetermined movement a portion of the contour of the support post inhibits movement of the rail, the fastener, and the block-out to further dissipate energy from the collision as the fastener or the block-out contacts the portion of the contour of the support post.   
     
     
         2 . The roadway guardrail system of  claim 1  wherein the support post is further configured to establish a predetermined distance that the rail may move relative to the support post in response to the collision with the rail based on a location of the portion of the contour of the support post that contacts the fastener or the block-out. 
     
     
         3 . The roadway guardrail system of  claim 1 , wherein the block-out comprises at least one projection that communicates with the contour of the support post. 
     
     
         4 . The roadway guardrail system of  claim 1 , wherein the block-out frictionally interacts with the contact surface of the support post to dissipate energy from the collision. 
     
     
         5 . The roadway guardrail system of  claim 1 , wherein the rail aperture is a rail hole. 
     
     
         6 . The roadway guardrail system of  claim 1 , wherein the block-out aperture is a block-out hole therethrough, wherein the block-out hole is configured to receive the fastener, and wherein the fastener communicates with the contour of the support post. 
     
     
         7 . The roadway guardrail system of  claim 1 , wherein the contact surface is at least one flange and the portion of the contour of the support post that inhibits movement of the rail, the fastener, and the block-out is located within the at least one flange or between two or more flanges. 
     
     
         8 . A roadway guardrail system comprising:
 a support post comprising a first end, a second end, at least one channel, and a contour;   a rail comprising a rail mounting aperture;   a block-out comprising a block-out mounting aperture, wherein the block-out is located between the rail and the support post;   a fastener operatively coupling the rail to the block-out through the rail mounting aperture and the block-out mounting aperture;   wherein the block-out is operatively coupled to the support post by the block-out or the fastener contacting the contour of the support post;   wherein the rail, the fastener, and the block-out are configured to, in response to a collision with the rail, move relative to the support post to dissipate energy from the collision as the block-out and the fastener slide with respect to the support post; and   wherein after a predetermined movement one or more portions of the contour of the support post inhibit movement of the rail, the fastener, and the block-out to further dissipate energy from the collision as the block-out or the fastener contacts the one or more portions of the contour of the support post.   
     
     
         9 . The roadway guardrail system of  claim 1  wherein the support post is further configured to establish a predetermined distance that the rail may move relative to the support post in response to the collision with the rail based on a location of the one or more portions of the contour of the support post that contacts the block-out or the fastener. 
     
     
         10 . The roadway guardrail system of  claim 1 , wherein the block-out comprises at least one projection that communicates with the contour of the support post for mounting or inhibiting movement of the block-out. 
     
     
         11 . The roadway guardrail system of  claim 1 , wherein the block-out frictionally interacts with the contour of the support post to dissipate energy from the collision. 
     
     
         12 . The roadway guardrail system of  claim 1 , wherein the rail aperture is a rail hole. 
     
     
         13 . The roadway guardrail system of  claim 1 , wherein the block-out aperture is a block-out hole therethrough, wherein the block-out hole is configured to receive the fastener, and wherein the fastener communicates with the contour of the support post. 
     
     
         14 . The roadway guardrail system of  claim 1 , wherein the contour comprises at least one flange and the one or more portions of the contour of the support that inhibits movement of the rail, the fastener, and the block-out is located within the at least one flange or between two or more flanges.