Extruded thermoplastic elastomer expansion joint

DETAILED DESCRIPTION I claim: 1.
A method of manufacturing an expansion joint retainer for use in fastening an elastomeric sea! or strip seal to a structural slab, said retainer having a main body made from a first material, said main body having a thickness selected to permit implacement of said retainer on the edge of a said slab whereby the upper surface of said main body is substantially coplanar with or beneath the upper traffic bearing surface of said slab; said retainer including a retaining element adjacent the lower surface of the said main body, said retaining element being made of a second material serving to provide said retainer with sufficient rigidity to be bolted to said slab, said method being characterized in that said second material is a thermoplastic elastomer and in that said first and second materials are co-extruded to provide a retainer of any desired length having a main body integral with a retaining element.
2.
A method of manufacturing an expansion joint retainer as described in claim 1, further characterized in that a protective front surface made from said second material is also co-extruded with said main body.
3.
A method of manufacturing an expansion joint retainer as described in claim 2, further characterized in that abrasion resistant strips of said second material are co-extruded on the upper surface of said main body.




Description:
The present invention relates to the field of expansion joints for use in connection with parking decks, bridges, and other installations where a flexible water resistant seal is desired to span the joint between concrete or other structural slabs.
An expansion joint is generally made up of three pieces: a flexible elastomeric seal that spans a joint, and a pair of expansion joint retainers, also called "nosings" fastened to the edges of the slabs being joined over the flexible seal.
Before a joint can be spanned with such an expansion;joint configuration, rectangular grooves must be cut or formed in the upper surfaces of the slabs, along the adjacent edges thereof