AU2004200747A1 - A roundabout - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s): SAFEROADS PTY LTD A.C.N. 057 357 801 Invention Title: A ROUNDABOUT The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2 A ROUNDABOUT The present invention relates to a roundabout for a roadway.

In particular, the present invention relates to a modular roundabout that can be quickly and conveniently assembled together in position on uneven road surfaces.

According to the present invention there is provided a roundabout for a road that comprises a continuous ring of modules that are positioned side by side and are interconnected together, with each module comprising outer and inner end walls, opposed side walls that define radii of a circle, a base wall and a top wall.

Preferably the roundabout is not mechanically or otherwise connected to the surface of the road and remains in position on the road by virtue of its size and weight.

Preferably the roundabout comprises a plurality of assemblies that mechanically interconnect together adjacent modules.

Preferably each connecting assembly comprises a connecting element that extends across the interface between an adjacent pair of modules and is connected to each of the modules of the pair.

Preferably each connecting element is in the form of a plate.

The connecting element may be any other suitable element such as, by way of example, a rod or bar or strap.

3 Preferably the base wall of each module comprises aligned cut out sections that receive and house each connecting element, whereby each connecting element is clear of and does not contact the road surface.

Preferably each module comprises at least one bore that extends from the top wall to the base wall, each connecting element comprises an upstanding shaft that extends through each bore, and the assembly comprises fasteners that engage the shafts and retain each connecting element to the modules.

Preferably the end walls of each module are concentric.

In an alternative, although not be only other possible alternative, embodiment the end walls are straight walls.

Preferably the base and the top walls define flat surfaces.

Preferably the outer end wall tapers downwardly from the top wall towards the base wall and defines a ramp.

Preferably the modules are formed from a durable material, such as rubber (natural or synthetic).

According to the present invention there is also provided a module for constructing the above-described roundabout, the module being formed from a speed cushion material, the module comprising outer and inner end walls, opposed side walls that define radii of a circle, a base wall and a top wall, the base wall having cut out sections that are adapted to receive and house connecting elements for connecting together adjacent modules when the modules 4 are positioned in side by side relationship to form a roundabout, and at least one bore that extends from the top wall to the cut out section.

Preferably the end walls of each module are concentric.

In an alternative, although not be only other possible alternative, embodiment the end walls are straight walls.

Preferably the base and the end walls define flat surfaces.

Preferably the outer end wall tapers downwardly from the top wall towards the base wall and defines a ramp.

The present invention is described further with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a roundabout in accordance with the present invention constructed from roundabout modules in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a top plan view of two adjacent modules of the roundabout shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a section of one of the modules along the line A-A of Figure 1.

The roundabout 3 shown in Figure 1 is a ringshaped unit of 9.0 meter diameter that is constructed from 72 roundabout modules 3 that are formed from rubber and mechanically connected together, as described hereinafter.

5 The roundabout 3 is not mechanically or otherwise connected to the surface of the road and remains in position on the road by virtue of its size and weight.

The roundabout 3 is constructed from a plurality of modules 5. The use of modules 5 greatly simplifies construction of the roundabout 3. The modules 5 can be conveniently manufactured and transported to a roundabout location and can be conveniently handled on site to construct a roundabout 3.

The form of the modules 5, the selection of rubber for the manufacture of the modules 5, and the interconnection of the modules 5 means that a roundabout 3 can be positioned on uneven road surfaces without impacting on the appearance and performance of the roundabout 3.

Figure 2 illustrates two modules 5 positioned in side by side interconnected relationship.

Each module 5 comprises an outer end wall 7, an inner end wall 9, opposed side walls 11 that define radii of a circle, a base wall 13, and a top wall The base wall 13 comprises four cut out sections 51, with an outer and an inner pair on each side of the module 5. The cut out sections 51 extend inwardly from the side walls 11.

The base wall 13 and the top walls 15 have substantially flat surfaces.

The outer end wall 7 tapers downwardly from the flat top wall 13 towards the base wall 15 and defines a ramp 17.

6 The outer and inner end walls 7, 9 are concentric.

Each module 5 comprises four bores 29, with an outer and an inner pair on each side of the module 5, that extend through the module 5 from the top wall 15 to the cut out sections 51 of the base wall 13.

The roundabout 3 comprises a plurality of assemblies 21 that mechanically interconnect together adjacent modules As can best be seen in Figure 2, there are two connecting assemblies 21, namely inner and outer connecting assemblies, that interconnect each adjacent pair of modules With further reference to Figure 2, each connecting assembly 21 comprises a connecting element that comprises: a flat plate 25 that is positioned and housed in the cut out sections 51 of a pair of adjacent modules 5 and extends across the interface between the modules 5; and two upstanding shafts 37 with screw-threaded upper ends at opposite ends of the plate extend through the bores 29 of the modules Each connecting assembly 21 further comprises nuts 31 that are rotated on the threaded ends of the shafts 37 and hold the connecting elements to the modules In use, a roundabout 3 is constructed by securing four connecting elements to a first module 5 and two connecting elements to all but one of the remaining modules 7 Each connecting element is secured to the modules by inserting one of the shafts 37 of the element so that it extends through one of the four bores 29 in the case of the first module 5 and the two selected bores 29 in the case of the other modules 5, with one half of the plate of each element being located in the associated cut out section 51 of the base wall 13 of the module 5 and the other half of the plate 25 extending outwardly from the side wall 11 of the module 5, and rotating a nut 31 onto the upper threaded end of the shaft 37 and thereby retaining the connecting element to the module Thereafter, the first pre-assembled module 5 and four pre-assembled connecting assemblies 21 are located on the road way in a required position.

Thereafter, a second module 5, namely one of the modules 5 with two pre-assembled connecting assemblies 21, is positioned in side by side relationship with the first module 5 so that the exposed shafts 37 of the two connecting elements on that side of the first module extend through the bores 29 of the second module 5 on that side of the module 5 and nuts 31 are rotated onto the upper threaded ends of the shafts 37 and thereby retain the connecting elements and the second module 5 to the first module The procedure described in the preceding paragraph is used thereafter to connect each successive module 5 that has two pre-assembled connecting assemblies to the preceding module The final module 5, ie the module 5 that was not pre-assembled with connecting assemblies 21, is positioned so that the remaining two exposed shafts 37 on one side of the first module 5 and the two exposed shafts 37 on one 8 side of the last positioned module 5 extend through the four bores 29 of the final module 5 and nuts 31 are rotated onto the upper threaded ends of the shafts 37 and thereby retain the connecting elements and the final module 5 to the first module Each of the bores 29 is countersunk so that the nuts 31 are protected within bores 29. The open ends of the bores 29 are closed by suitable plugs 61 after the nuts 31 are rotated onto the shafts 37.

Many modifications may be made to the embodiments of the roundabout and roundabout module of the present invention described above without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (13)

1. 2. The roundabout defined in claim i, whereby the roundabout is not mechanically or otherwise connected to the surface of the road and remains in position on the road by virtue of its size and weight.
2. 3. The roundabout defined in claim 1 or claim 2 comprises a plurality of assemblies that mechanically interconnect together adjacent modules.
3. 4. The roundabout defined in claim 3 wherein each connecting assembly comprises a connecting element that extends across the interface between an adjacent pair of modules and is connected to each of the modules of the pair. The roundabout defined in claim 4 wherein each connecting element is in the form of a plate.
4. 6. The roundabout defined in claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the base wall of each module comprises aligned cut out sections that receive and house each connecting element, whereby each connecting element is clear of and does not contact the road surface.
5. 7. The roundabout defined in claim 6 wherein each module comprises at least one bore that extends from the top wall to the cut out section, each connecting element comprises an upstanding shaft that extends through each 10 bore, and the assembly comprises fasteners that engage the shafts and retain each connecting element to the modules.
6. 8. The roundabout defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the end walls of each module are concentric.
7. 9. The roundabout defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the base and the top walls define flat surfaces. The roundabout defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the outer end wall tapers downwardly from the top wall towards the base wall and defines a ramp.
8. 11. The roundabout defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the modules are formed from a durable material.
9. 12. A module for constructing the roundabout defined in any one of the preceding claims, the module being formed from a speed cushion material, the module comprising outer and inner end walls, opposed side walls that define radii of a circle, a base wall and a top wall, the base wall having cut out sections that are adapted to receive and house connecting elements for connecting together adjacent modules when the modules are positioned in side by side relationship to form a roundabout, and at least one bore that extends from the top wall to the cut out section.
10. 13. The module defined in claim 12 wherein the end walls of each module are concentric.
11. 14. The module defined in claim 12 or claim 13 wherein the base and the end walls define flat surfaces. 11 The module defined in any one of claims 12 to 14 wherein the outer end wall tapers downwardly from the top wall towards the base wall and defines a ramp.
12. 16. A roundabout for a road substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
13. 17. A module for constructing a roundabout substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 25th day of February 2004 SAFEROADS PTY LTD By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia