CA1115140A - Traffic channeling device - Google Patents

Abstract

INVENTOR
J. W. ?????
TITLE
TRAFFIC CHANNELING DEVICE
ABSTRACT OF THE INVENTION
A traffic channeling device for positioning on a highway in a normal traffic flow pattern. The channeling device comprises generally a paperboard shell structure which has formed on its lower portion, a plurality of flaps which are utilized in combination with holding means to hold the shell structure in a pre-determined position on the highway.
The holding means way comprise a weight being positioned with-in the shell and in the preferred embodiment the weight may comprise at least one and preferably a plurality of automobile tires being positioned within the shell and on top of the flaps.
The paperboard shell also has positioned on the outside thereof warning means for warning the traffic flow that the device has been positioned on the highway in the normal traffic flow with the warning means comprising an adhesive reflecting tape applied to at least a portion of the outside of said shell and preferably to the entire outside shell. The warning means may also comprise a reflective bead-like coating being applied to some portion or all of the outside of the shell.

Description

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l~IC CH~ING DEVICE

01 _ckground of the Invention mis invention relates generally to highway traffic channeling devices and more particularly to a new and novel highway traffic ch~mneling device made out of a p~perboard shell utilized in canbination with warning means and holding means for holding the shell structure on the highway.
Traffic channeling devices are utilized by highway departrnents in the area of construction in progress and serve the function of channeling the normal traffic which must pass by the construction site generally to one lane or to a different area so ~- 10 that the construction can continue without interrupting traffic flow. me traffic channeling devices normally take the 6Orm of steel barrels or plastic barrels and may also take the forn of horses or barricades having signs attached thereto indicating that the traffic is to move to another lane. It is also kn~,~n to use at times stacked autnobile tires which are held in position by sane sort of center post with all of the prior art barrels being designed primarily to divert or channel the flow of traffic frn one lane to another lane.
Scme of the problems witll the beforementioned prior art 20 type of devices relate to storage problerns of the devices, for example, in the case of steel or plastic barrels both before and after construction and also on the job site prior to being placed in position in the traffic flow. Other problems often enco~mtered with the prior art traffic channeling devices such as plastic or steel barrels is that these devices are many times imp~cted by a passing automobile which can result in safety hazards to the construction workers nearby since the plastic or steel ~arrel can act like a projectile when hit by the bumper or fender of a passing autanobile. Gther problerns arise in the extreme high cost ;; 30 of the prior art devices when they must be replaced whenever they are darnaged as a result of a high speed impact by either a passing car or truck.
Prior art highway safety devices utilizing tires AS
in~ct absorbing devices are known in the art as shown in the U.S. Patent 3,848,853, issued Nove~er 19, 1974 to Merton B. Way et al and in the U.S. Patent 3,951,38~, issued April 20, 1976 to P~bert E. Hildreth, Jr. Devices as typified by these two p~.tents - are generally permanently anchored to the ground and are prunarily ' , ~

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-2-01 used as impact absorbing devices to be placffd, ~or example, in an area that may be ha~rdous to a driver that strays from the traffic lane or misses a turn.
It is also known to be able to construct multi-sided shipping receptacles that may be utilized with end hlrn~l flaps for pacXaging circular cbjects such as aut~nobile tires or the like. Prior art of this type is typififfl by the U.S. Patent 1,195,842, issuffd Sept~nber 5, 1916 to W.R. BussenbarX. Such shipping receptacles, while known in the art of packaging, have not to the Applicant's kncwlfflge ever been utili~ffl in cambination with the other novel features of the Applicant's invention to provide a new and novel cham~eling device.
Sumnary of the Invention In order to overccme these problems inherent in the prior art devices, as well as other problems, there has been provided by the subject invention a new and novel traffic channeling device which o~mprises a paperboard shell structure which may be quickly set up at the job site and which is utilized - with various holding means to hold the shell structure in a predetecmined position on the highway with t~e shell structure also containing w~rning means for warning the traffic flcw tha-t the device has been ~ositioned on the highway in the normal traffic flow.
In the preforred embodiment the paperboard shell structure is made in a rectangular configuration and is sized to hold a given weight which is positioned either within or outside of the shell structure with t~e weight serving to hold the shell structure in a given position. T~e warning means may ccmprise in the preferred e~bcdiment an adhesive reflecting tape being applied to a portion or all of the outside of the s~ell of the structure and rnay also cc,mprise a reflective coating such as a bead-like eoating being applied to all or a portion of the outside of the shell.
Accordingly, it is an object and advantage of the invention to provide a relatively inexpensive trafEic c~anneling device which may be easily assembled at the job site and which does not act as a high spee.~ projectile whenever hit by an oncoming vehiele.
Another object and advantage of the invention is to provide a paperboard traffic channeling device which has formed thereon a warning means in the form oE an adhesive reflecting tape or a reflective eoating and which has contained t~erein rn?ans for holding the paperboard shell to the highway in a given position.
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' 01Still another object and advantage of the invention is to provide a new and novel paperboard traffic channeling device which eliminates the costly storage problems inherent with the : prior art type channeling devices as hereinbefore mentionedT.
~hese and other objects and advantages of t~e invention will becoTne app3rent froTn a review of the drawings and froTn a reading of the description of the preferred embosiment, as well as a study of the claims of t~e subject invention.
Brief Description of the Drawings FlG. 1 is a perspective view showing several traffic channeling devices positioned on a highway as normally utilized;
FIG. 2 is a side view showing a preferred embcdiment of : the subject invention;
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view, taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing the interior portion of the subject paperboard traffic channeling device;
: FIG. 4 is a sectional view, taken along line 4-4 of . FIG. 2, showing the subject traffic channeling device with a tap : cap in place and having a plurality of autQTnobile tires positioned --. in the bottc,m thereof;
20FIG. S is a view, similar to the view S~C~I in FIG. 4 showing another ar~QdiTTTsnt of the invention utilizing dirt in . place of the plurality of rubber tires;
,. FIG. 6 is another view similar to FIG. 4 showing another ; eTT~odiment of the invention utilizing a plurality of sand bags positioned on out-turned flaps of the subject ~Tevice, ;FIG. 7 is a top view, taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 4, !~showing the top portion of the preferred em odiment with the top cap removed and also the top with a plurality of inturned flaps ~ stapled tQgether giving rigidity to the shell structure;
~ 30FIG. 8 is a plan vi w of the production blank for the paperboard shell showing the location of- the respective flaps and `.`; placement of the warning means reflector tape of the preferred eTn;t odiTnent;
FIG. 9 is a perspPctive view of a plurality of the . paperboard blanks of the type shc~n in FIG. 8, shcwing the asseTnbled blanks held together in a bundle-like fashion which could easily be stacked and stored prior to utilization at the job site;
FIG. 10 is a plan view of a production blank for the top cap utilized with the preferred aTTbodiment;
FIG. 11 is a side view of the top cap shc~n in FIG. 10 . showing the top cap assembled;

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01 ~lG. 12 i9 a top view, taken along line 12-12 of FIG.
11, showing the top of the assembled top cap FIG. 13 is a bottan view, taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 11, showing the bottan of an assernble3 top cap:
FIG. 14 is a plan view of another en~odiment of the subject invention being fonned of a different type of paperboard and being ~ormed in a generally cylindrical configuration and FIG. 15 is a plan view of the production blank for the en~diment of the invention shown in FIG. 14 of the drawings.
Description of the Preferred E~Tibodisnent Referring now to the drawings in general and in particular to FIG. 1 of the drawing, there is shown a plurality of traffic channeling devices 10 shown positioned in the right hand traffic lane 12 of the subject highway 14 . The put pose of utilizing the traffic channeling devices 10 is to divert the flow of traffic frcnt the right hand lane 12 to the left hand lane 16 in order that sane desired construction n~ay be canpleted in the right hand traffic lane 12 without interrupting flow of traffic on the highway 14.
Turning now to FIGS. 2-4 of the drawing there is shc~n 20 the new and novel traffic channeling device of the sul~ject invention which may canprise in the preferred enb~iment a generally octagonal shape paperboard shell structure shown generally by the nunteral 18 which may have placed on the top thereof an octagonal top cap ~shown general ly by the n~2neral 20 .
me octagonal shell structure 18 is fonned out of corrugated paperboard in the preferred embodi~nent and is formed with a mam~facturer's joint 22 having a plurality of staples 24 applied thereto as is well known in the art.
The paperboard shell structure 18 also has fonned on the 30 lower portion thereof a plurality of flaps 26 which are positioned internally in the preferretl en~odiment but ~nay also be positionea externally as will be described in detail hereinafter.
When the subject traffic channeling device 10 is erected as shown in FIGS. 2-4 of the drawings, there is utilized in cnbination with the device holding means for holding the shell structure in a predetennined position on the highway. In the preferred enibodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing, the holding means may canprise at least one autanobile tire 28 which is positioned inside the shell structure and on top of the 40 inturned flaps 26. ldhen the automobile tire or tires are positioned within the shell structure 18 it can be seen that they serve as a weight on top of the inturned flaps 26 wttich will hold : ' ,~ ~ :, ,. ' :

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01 the shell structure in some predetermined position on the highway against movement caused by gusts of wind at the job site.
By referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawing it can be seen variations of the use of automobile tires as the holding means for the device with FIG. 5 showing a given quantity of loose materials such as dirt 30 being positioned within the shell structure 18. And in a like m~nner, as shown in FIG. 6 of the drawing, the dirt may be positioned within sand bags 32 and placed up~n the flaps 26 which have been turned outwardly in this variation and as sho~n in FIG. 6 of the drawing.
Associated with the outside of the shell structure 18 is warning means for warning the traffic flow that the device has been positioned on the highway in the normal traffic flc~. m e warning means may comprise in the preferred emkodiment an adhesive reflecting tape 34 which is adhered to the outside of the s~ell structure and is positioned on at least a portion of the outside of the shell and may also be applied to the entire portion of t~e outside shell as determined by the local and state highway regulations for such warning devices. The adhesive reflecting tape 34 may be manufactured in various desired colors and m~y be positioned on the outside of the shell structure in whatever pattern is desired by the purchaser of the device and as required ; by the various regulatory agencies.
It is within the spirit and scope of the invention that - the warning means may also comprise a reflective coating being applied to at Ieast a portion of the outside of the shell structure and may also be applied to the entire portion of the outside of the shell structure again as desired by the purchaser or as controlled by regulations. The reflective coating applied may be of a bead-like type similar to coatings used on movie screens and may be formed from other types of coatings manufactured by the producer.
Referring now to FIGS. 14-15 of the drawing there is .. ~hcwn a traffic channeling device of the subject invention constructed in a cylindrical fonn sha~n generally in FIG. 14 by the numeral 36. When constructed in this fonm the shell structure w~uld also comprise a paperboard structure and would be fonned preferably out of kraft paper or some combination of paper laminated or ooated with same material to prevent ~oisture fram entering the paper structure and destroying the structural stability of it. When the channeling device is fonned in the cylindrical shape as shawn by the numeral 36 it would also have applied on the outside thereof the adhesive reflecting tape 34 for .
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01 wnrning the traffic that the structure has been positioned in the traffic flow. ALso, when formed in the cylindrical sllape, the paperboard structure would also contain a ITHnufacturer's joint 22 having a pLurality of staples 24 positioned therein. It is within the spirit and scope of the invention that the m~nufacturer's joint 22 may also be glued to the adjacent p~perhoard panel eliminating the plurality of staples 24 and this variation may also be applied to the octagonal structure shown in FIG8. 1-4. It is also within the spirit and scope of the invention that the paperboard outer shell of the subject device n~y be formeA in 10 other shapes other than octagonal or cylindrical an~ the s~hject invent;on is not to bs limited to the particular outer shape of the structural shell. The cylindrical form of FIGS. 14-15 may also be constructed wi~l~ upper flaps 62 similar to the FIG. 7 octaqonal version.
Referring now to FIGS. 7-9 of the drawings there is shown the erected octagonal structural shell of the preferred embodiment in FIG. 7 and there is shown in FIG. 8 the ~raluction blardc for the actagonal shell prior to its being erected. FIG. 9 shows a plurality of bundles of papsrboard shells being banded 20 together for shipment to the job site. When formed as an . octagonal structure, the paperboard shell l~-s comprises eight rectangular psnel5 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50 an~ 52 hingedly joined together by a plurality of scorelines 54 with the panel 52 also being joined to a manufactursr's flap 56 by means of a scoreline 58.
In the preferred e~ibodiment shown in FIG. 8 of the dra~ing, the paperboard shell structure 18 has formed on one side thereof a series of flaps 26 by means of the scoreline 6!) running the entire iength of the paperboar-l panel. In addition, the <shell 30 structure 18 may have formed on the other side thereof a plurality of fLaps 62 by means of the scoreline 64 running the length of the paperboard structure. me scoreline 64 as well as the scoreline 60 and the scorelines 54 are sht~n by dashed lines in FIG. 8 of the drawing and it is within the spirit and scope of the invention that the paperboard shell can also be constructe-1 with a series of individual panels and flaps being joined together by means of adhesive tape or other joining msans rather than by the use of the scorelines as described in the preferred ernbodiment.
Positioned on the outside of the shell s~ructure and as 40 shown in FIG. 8 of the drawing wDuld be the warninq n~ans in the forms of the adlhesive reflecting tape which is applied to at least a portion of the outside of the shell or may be applied to the .
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01 entire outside shell of the structure as described. I~lhen the octagonal shell structure 18 is manufactured in FIG. 8 of the drawing utilizing the plurality of fLaps 62, the shell structure would then be erected in the octagonal shape shown in FIG. 7 of the drawing and it may be desirable to pt7sition the flaps 62 inwardly of the shell as shown in FIG. 7 and it may .slso be desirable to staple the flaps together by a plurality of staples 66 to give more rigidity to the shell structure.
By the use of a paperboard sheLl. structure similar to that shawn in FIG. 8 of the drawing it can readily be seen that the paperboar(l blank may be manufactured at a corrugating pLant and may be partially assembled so that the manufacturer's flap 56 is joined to the panel 38 and is stapled in place by a pluraLity of staples 24. Ihereafter a given quantity of the partially assenbled shell structures rnay then be bundled together as shown in FIG. 9 of the drawing being held in place by several rope or wire ties 68. When prepacXaged in this manner the bundle of pre-assesnbled shells 70 may be easily stored in a warehouse and may be - ~ easily shipped to the job site for assembly ~Lnd erection into the octagonal shell sha~n in FIG. 2 of the drawing. Fram this it can ' 20 be seen that a much greater quantity of the traffic channeling devices n~ay be stored than ~uLd be heretofore possible in s-torage of the prior art type of steel or plastic barrels or autamobile tires .
Referring now to FIG. 15 of the drawing there is shown a . plan view of the production blar~c of the version of the traffic channeling device shown in FIG. 14 of the drawing wherein the device is formed in a cylindrical shape with the production blar~c canprising a generally elongated rectangular panel 72 having a plurality of fLaps 74 formed on the one side thereof by means of the elongated scoreline 76. Ille flaps 74 would then be utilized internally in the structure or externally as desired, and wouLd function in a manner sinnilar to the fLaps 26 as shown in FIGS. 2-4 of the drawings. In a similar manner the paperboar<l shell panel 72 wouLd have applied to the outer side thereof the adhesive refLecting tape 34 as beforementioned and may also have applied thereto a refLective coating in place of the adhesive refLecting tape 34.
Referring now to FIGS. 10-13 there is sht~wn the top ca2 bhic!h may be utilized with the subject invention whenever the channeling device is forrned in a generally octagonal shaped configuration. The top cap 20 shown in FIG. lO c~nprises a central panel 78 having attached thereto four side panels 80, 82, 01 84, and 86 by means of the scorelines 88, 90, 92, and 94. m e side panel~ 80-86 also have formed therein a pair of scorelines 56 and 98 midway within the panel as sllown in FrG. 10. Forn ~ on the outside of each side pane] 80-86 is a tab 100 which is lesigne~ to be received within a matting slot 102 whenever the side ~anel is folded along the scorelines 96 and 98.
m e central panel 76 also has formed on four sides thereof a somcwhat shorter side panel 104, 106, 108 and llO which is hingedly attached to the central panel 78 by m~ans of the scorelines 112, 114, 116, and 118. The shorter side panels 10 104-110 also have placed therein a series of scorelines 12n, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130, 132 and 134 forming a series of triangular shaped portions 136, 138, 140, 142, 144, 146, 148 and 150.
In erecting the top cap 20 to the position shown in FIG. 11-13 of the drawing the shorter side panels 104-110 are folded about their respective scorelines 112-118 at an angle of 90 degrees to the face of the central panel 76. m ereafter the longer side panels 80-86 are folded about their respective ~' scorelines 88-94 to a position 90 degrees from the face of the central panel 78. m e next step in the erection of t~e top cap 20 20 is to fold the triangular shaped ~ortions 136-150 about tneir ; respective scorelines 120-134 so that the triangular shapedportions are positioned between the two pieces of the respective longer side panels 50-56 as they are folded about their respective scorelines 96 and 98 with the tahs 100 being inserted into the slots 102 to hold the entire top cap in the position shown in FI~S. 11-13 of the drawings.
~hen folded in this manner the top cap 20 then becomes octagonal in shape and may be tightly positioned on top of the octagonal shell structure 18 as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing should it be desired to utilize a top cap with the traffic channeling device. In a liXe manner should it be desired to use a top cap with the cylindrical configuration of the traffic channeling device as shown in FIGS. 14-15 of the drawing then a circular type top cap would be constructed using known paperboard folding techniques to obtain a top cap for that em~xxliTnent.
When the traffic channeling device of the subject invention and its e~nbcdiments is constructed of paperboard, either corrugated or kraft paper uncorrugated, it may also be highly desirable to coat the entire paper surface both inside and outside with a weather resistant coating such as a wax coating or a plastic coating of some type and it i8 within the spirit and scope of the invention that it may also be coated with other types of 01 weatller resistant coatings known in the marketplace to be satisfactory for the purpose o~ coating p~perboard.
Frcm the above it can he seen that the subject new and novel traffic channeling device overccnes the difficulties inherent with the prior art type of steel barrels, plastic barrels, stacked automobile tires and other types of heavy, bulky channeling devices. ~le subject channeling device l~y be quickly erected at the job site and msy be discarded by burning whenever the construction is conplete or may also be broken down and stored in the manner shown in FIG. 9 of the drawing thereby greatly reducing the storage space necessary for a large inventory of ; channeling devices. I~hen the subject new and novel channeling ` device is struck by a passing car or truck as happens in many cases, the subject device will not bec~ne a dangerous proj-ctile ` which could injure the adjacent construction w~rkers but will ~- simply break apart into a harmless pile leaving the aut~nobile tire or the sand or dirt that has been weighting the channeling device down in a harmless pile in the road.
Should it be desired by the purchaser of the channeling device to eli~inate the use of rubber tires, dirt, sand bags or the like to weigh the channeling device down, it is within the ~ spirit and scope of the invention to use holding means in the form - of so~e type of adhesive or other securing material which could be applied to the side of the flaps 26 that is in contact with the roadway. For exanple, when the flaps 26 would be turned inw~rdly as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawing the adhesive !naterial would be ;` applied to the surface 152 to securely adhere the channeling device to the roadway so that it ~ould not be blown away by the action of wind or air currents caused by passing cars or trurks.
In a like manner, when the flaps 26 would be turned out~ardly as shown in FIG. 6 of the drawing, the a(~hesive materidl w~uld be applied to the surface 154 of the flaps 25 to thereby hol,1 the channeling device erect. When utilizing a,lhesives or some other securing material, the dirt 30 or sand bags 32 would probably be eliminated in most cases, however it is within the spirit ~nd scope of the invention that should conditions dictate, these holding n~eans may also be utilized with the adhesive holding means to more securely hold the shell structure on the highway sur~ace.

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01Fran the foregoing it can be seen that there has heen provided by the subject invention a new and novel traffic channeling device that accomp].i~shes all of the objects and advantages of the invention and many others. It should also be : noted that many changes can be made in the structure as shown andin the arrangement of the various parts without departing from the spirit and scope of thc invention and the subject invention is not to be li~ited to the embadiments shown which are given by way of illustration only.
Having described my invention, I claim:

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Claims (14)

Claims

1. A traffic channeling device for positioning on a highway in the normal traffic flow pattern, comprising in combination:
(a) a moisture-proof paperboard shell structure including a frame having a substantially uniform cross-section and an open end, and having formed on the other end thereof a plurality of flaps, said shell structure being designed for standing on the highway in a vertical position with said open end upward so that at least some of said flaps are in contact with the highway surface, said flaps further being designed so that they may be folded inwardly or outwardly as desired by the user of the device;
(b) means, associated with the outside of said shell structure, for warning the traffic flow that the device has been positioned on the highway in the normal traffic flow; and (c) means, associated with said folded flaps, for holding said vertical standing shell structure in a predetermined position on the highway.

2. The device as defined in Claim 1 wherein said warning means comprises an adhesive reflecting tape applied to at least a portion of the outside of said shell.

3. The device as defined in Claim 1 wherein said warning means comprises a reflective coating applied to at least a portion of the outside of said shell.

4. The device as defined in Claim 1 wherein said holding means comprises a weight being positioned within said shell and on top of said plurality of flaps.

5. The device as defined in Claim 1 wherein said holding means comprises at least one automobile tire positioned within said shell and on top of said plurality of flaps.

6. The device as defined in Claim 1 wherein said plurality of flaps are turned outward and said holding means comprises a heavy object positioned on top of each flap.

7. The device as defined in Claim 1 further comprising a top cap being positioned on top of said vertical standing shell structure to cover said one open end.

8. The device as defined in Claim 1 wherein said shell structure is octagonal in shape.

9. The device as defined in Claim 8 further comprising a top cap being positioned on top of said vertical standing shell structure to cover said one open end.

10. The device as defined in Claim 1 wherein said shell structure is cylindrical in shape.

11. The device as defined in Claim 10 further comprising a top cap being positioned on top of said vertical standing shell structure to cover said one open end.

12. The device as defined in Claim 1 wherein said holding means comprises an adhesive being applied to said plurality of flaps formed on the lower portion of the paperboard shell structure.

13. The device as defined in Claim 1 further comprising said paperboard shell structure also having formed on the upper portion thereof a plurality of flaps.

14. The device as defined in Claim 13 wherein the flaps formed on the upper portion of said shell structure are turned inwardly and are stapled together.