Uplift restraint for composite expansion joint assembly

Claim 1

In a composite expansion joint assembly comprising: a pair of edge members adapted to define the opposite sides of an expansion groove between bridge deck sections; said edge members having corresponding, elongated openings extending lengthwise of said edge members; laterally spaced support bars extending transversely of said groove with the opposite ends of said bars extending through said openings beyond the opposite sides of said groove; a plurality of elongated resiliently yieldable sealing elements in a side-by-side relation extending longitudinally of said groove; elongated rigid structural members interposed between said sealing elements and extending lengthwise thereof; said structural members being supported above said support bars for lateral sliding movement relative thereto; and uplift restraint means on at least one of said structural members and said support bars for limiting vertical displacement of the former relative to the latter, said uplift restraint means including bracket means affixed to said structural member and extending beneath a portion of said support bar, a pad means supported by said bracket means for engagement beneath and against a portion said bracket means for engagement beneath and against a portion of said support bar, and adjustment means associated with said bracket means and operable with said bracket means and said pad means for selectively varying in a vertical direction the degree of engagement of said pad means against said support bar, said adjustment means being vertically located beneath said portion of said support bar engaged by said pad means.