Appeal No. 2000-0523
Application 08/583,307
is so configured as to form a deep longitudinal
corrugation 1 at one edge and a similar deep
longitudinal corrugation 2 at the other edge.
Between these corrugations there is a flat area
indicated at 3. If desired, the extreme edges of
the barrier elements may be turned inwardly as
indicated at 4 and 5 in FIGS. 5 and 6 [column 2,
lines 17 through 24].
The Martin barrier consists of a rail 12 formed of a
plurality of interconnected members 14. These members 14
are of a corrugated form and have an angular or re-
entrant cross-sectional shape. As shown in the
drawing[s] the members 14 have two vertically spaced
corrugations 15 and 16 therein which form continuous
longitudinal ribs 15a and 16a on the traffic side of
the rail. The corrugations 15 and 16 are connected
by an intermediate web portion 17 which forms a
continuous longitudinal flat face 17a on the rail
[column 2, lines 39 through 48].
Claim 1, the sole independent claim on appeal, recites a
guardrail barrier comprising outer curves and a central
portion positioned to provide “an effective depth of between 9
to 15 inches.” The appellants’ specification indicates that2
an effective depth in this range contributes to the safety of
2 The effective depth of the guardrail barrier is measured
“from the centerline of the uppermost curved portion of the
barrier (horizontal radius) to the centerline of the lowermost
curved portion (horizontal radius)” (appellants’
specification, page 2).
11
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Last modified: November 3, 2007