Manual Concrete Barrier Sawing System with Guide Rail
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for cutting control joints in concrete barriers, such as Jersey barriers, are difficult, dangerous, and require cumbersome protective gear, with existing systems being impractical and requiring vehicles for transportation.
Innovation Solution
A sawing system with a barrier mounting frame, linkage assemblies, and a circular saw attachment that allows manual operation and movement along the barrier, featuring a dampening mechanism and biasing mechanism to support the saw, enabling safe and efficient cutting of control joints without the need for a vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If hand held circular saw is used to cut control joints in concrete barriers, then the task can be performed with simple equipment, but the operation becomes difficult and dangerous requiring cumbersome protective gear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a guide rail system that acts as an intermediary between the worker and the circular saw. The guide rail provides a stable mounting structure with wheels that roll along the barrier top, carrying the circular saw attachment. This intermediary structure eliminates the need for workers to manually support and stabilize the saw while cutting, reducing operational difficulty and danger while maintaining equipment simplicity.
2Ease of operation
If existing automated systems are used to cut control joints, then operational safety improves, but the systems require vehicles for transportation making them impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cutting system into separate functional components: a guide rail assembly with wheels for movement along the barrier, a circular saw attachment for cutting, and a linkage mechanism for positioning. This segmentation allows the system to be manually assembled and disassembled without requiring a vehicle for transportation, while still providing the safety benefits of a stable, guided cutting platform.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual operation without support structure is used, then equipment portability is maintained, but worker safety and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rail serves as a portable intermediary structure that can be manually positioned along the barrier. It provides a stable platform for the circular saw while maintaining portability through its wheeled design that rolls along the barrier top. This intermediary structure improves worker safety by eliminating the need to manually support the heavy saw during cutting operations.
4Ease of operation
If stable mounting structure is introduced to support the saw, then ease of operation improves, but the system becomes impractical due to transportation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the mounting structure from a static, vehicle-dependent system to a dynamic, mobile system. The guide rail incorporates wheels that actively roll along the barrier top, allowing the stable mounting structure to be easily repositioned between cutting locations. This dynamic element maintains operational stability during cutting while eliminating the need for vehicle transportation.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and a method for sawing control joints in concrete barriers is provided. The system includes a barrier mounting frame slidably mountable about the barrier, on the top, first and second lateral faces of the barrier. The system also includes a saw attachment having a circular saw attached thereto, the circular saw being manually operable. A linkage assembly connects the frame mounting barrier to the saw attachment, and allows to manually move the circular saw up or down, and towards or away from the barrier, when in use, to create the control joint transversally along the top, first and second lateral faces of the barrier.