Guard Rails are designed to prevent people from falling off of elevated surfaces like roads, bridges and stairways. The safety barricades are commonly used on highways or freeways as well as at construction sites and military bases to protect vehicles and personnel. Guard rail bolts are a key part of the system and offer protection against unintended falls by offering a safe and reliable attachment point to the base material.
Unlike standard bolts, the patented design of the guard rail bolts features rounded tapered locking lugs instead of squared off edges. These lugs are specifically designed to push past carbon and debris that would typically jam traditional bolts. The rounded design of the locking lugs also helps to reduce the possibility of the bolt coming loose over time due to corrosion. The bolts are also shot peened to increase the strength of the locking lugs as well as the threads to provide increased durability in harsh environments such as industrial or marine applications.
The specialized design of the bolts also improves upon the traditional washer that is often used with guard rail systems. The new washers feature a patented design to help eliminate the need for pre-drilling and are also shot peened for additional strength. The washers also feature countersinking nibs under the head to remove excess material for a clean finish. The bolts are also proof tested and magnetic particle inspected to ensure quality and durability.
The most significant difference between the two styles of Guard Rail Bolts is that the guard rail bolts can either be installed in a system where they are bolted into posts or in a system where the rails are dropped into slots that have been welded onto the posts. The main benefit of the latter is that it makes the entire system easier to install and provides some flexibility for future adjustments. However, there are some drawbacks to this style of installation. One is that it can be more expensive to purchase the rails in this system as opposed to installing them as bolt on. Another is that it can be difficult to access areas in the system if the rails are bolted into place since you have to take out all of the bolts to gain access.