ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 16 -- United States Patent no. 12,497,738, issued on Dec. 16.
"Concrete dowel plate with shear-activated hinge" was invented by S. Allen Face III (Sleepy Hollow, Ill.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A dowel plate includes a rigid first plate, a rigid second plate, and a coupling attached to and disposed between the first plate and the second plate. The coupling comprises a rigid coupling that prevents relative rotation of the first plate and the second plate about the coupling's longitudinal axis when a torsional shear force acting on the coupling is less than a force threshold. The coupling comprises a hinged coupling that permanently permits the relative rotation when t...