BREAKAWAY CONNECTION SYSTEM FOR ROADSIDE USE

摘要

A breakaway mounting system (10) for mounting a structure (12) to fixed support surface (14) has a plurality of elongated mounting members (34) extending generally perpendicular to the support surface. An attachment plate (24) is coupled with the structure to be mounted. The attachment plate (24) has a plurality of apertures (30) formed therein and each of the mounting members extends through one of the apertures. A plurality of shearing plates (38 and 40) are provided. Each shearing plate (38 and 40) generally surrounds one of the mounting members (34) and is positioned between the support surface and the attachment plate (24). Each shearing plate (38 and 40) has an upper surface and a lower surface. The area of the shearing plate upper surface is substantially smaller than the area of a lower surface of the attachment plate (24) and the area of the shearing plate lower surface is substantially smaller than the area of the support surface (14). A fastener (56) is attached to the mounting member (34) for securing the attachment plate to the support surface. One of the upper surface and the lower surface of each shearing plate forms a shear plane for shearing the associated mounting member (34) when the structure is impacted by a vehicle (61) with sufficient force.