EP0537095B2 - Marker for indicating lane switching - Google Patents

Abstract

Diversion-marking device for a motorway, which can be used to mark the switching from one traffic lane (B) to another (A), and essentially consists of a series of substantially horizontal signalling arms (3), placed at intervals from each other over the motorway section in question and having increasing respective lengths (L1, L2, L3, L4). Each signalling arm (3) is mounted so as to pivot about a substantially vertical shaft (4) so that it can be either retracted onto a side of the road, or extended over the traffic lane (B) from which traffic is to be diverted towards the other lane (A), the signalling arms (3) in the retracted position being applied laterally against crash barriers (2) or against a low concrete wall (29; 33, 34). <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a deviation beacon device for highway, or other highway.

Such devices are used for mark the deviation of a traffic lane towards another, in particular from the left lane towards the right lane, especially in risk areas known for the frequency of accidents that occur there, without excluding deviations for maintenance, viability works, and others, in areas whose crossing is dangerous for emergency personnel.

To ensure such markings of diversions, security services and of highway maintenance use usually mobile conical beacons, which must be laid on the road. Given that the traffic drawdown of a lane of traffic to the other must be progressive, one makes a deflection "bevel" whose length must be 100 to 150 m, with a tag placed approximately every 5 m, so that 20 to 30 beacons are necessary. Personnel officers of intervention, whose vehicle is initially parked on the emergency stop lane, and not can wear whenever a small number of tags, have to cross the road on foot a number of times before they can set up their vehicle behind the "bevel" to continue the marking along the length of the track. We understand that when setting up the tags, the officers are exposed to serious risks due to the traffic on the road, and that it arises thus a serious safety issue for the staff intervention.

To solve this problem, starting from the finding that risk areas are well known by security services, we proposed in document FR-A-2 650 846 a deviation beacon for highway intended to be permanently installed in such an area, the setting in service of this beaconing device which can be made in crossing the roadway only once, or even without cross the road in the case of a device controlled distance, so in safety conditions considerably improved.

The deviation device described in this document consists essentially of a series of arms of substantially horizontal signs, arranged at intervals each other on the affected portion of highway and with respective increasing lengths, each of these signaling arm being pivotally mounted so that it can either be retracted on one side of the road, or deployed above of the traffic lane whose traffic is to be diverted towards the other way.

However, this device has the disadvantage that the fixing of the signaling arms is done using parts such as bearings, which protrude from the face of the security barrier bordering the taxiway, constituting a danger for road users.

The object of the present invention is to remedy this disadvantage by proposing a beaconing device deviation for highway which is fixed between safety rails of the central reservation motorway concerned, or between the two parts of a low wall double concrete constituting the separation of the two carriageways of a highway, without any modification resulting in a rupture said slides or said low wall. In the retracted position, the signal arms are applied laterally against rails or against the wall, as the case may be, forming a negligible extra thickness, in no way hampering circulation automobile and does not affect the safety of motorists. In the deployed position of use, these signaling arms, whose length is progressive, mark out a "bevel", of which the optical effect is improved compared to that of the beacons traditional conical, the signaling function being secured, preferably towards the free end of each arm, by a terminal plate provided for example with a retroreflective arrow or any other appropriate means.

Advantageously, the entire part of each arm of signaling which in the deployed position of use is overflowing on the track, is made of a material, such than a plastic, allowing it to break easily in the event of an impact with a vehicle.

On the other hand, each signaling arm is mounted on a pivot, itself fixed on an anchor plate, of preferably with the interposition of screw adjustment means which facilitate the horizontal adjustment of the signaling arm. The pivoting mounting of the signal arms allows them deploy either perpendicular to the roadway, or according to a direction oblique to the road.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the beaconing device is manually operated, each arm of signaling being provided with locking means in separate angular positions corresponding to the position retracted and in the deployed position of use.

According to another possibility, the device for beaconing according to the invention is motorized, with for each arm a motor means able to move it pivotally between its retracted position and its deployed position of use, the motor means associated with the different arms, for example electric cylinders, being themselves controlled to distance.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, made with reference to the appended drawing which represents, by way of nonlimiting examples, some modes of the beaconing device according to the invention.

• la figure 1 est une vue en plan d'une portion d'autoroute équipée d'un dispositif de balisage de déviation selon l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective d'un premier mode de réalisation d'un bras de signalisation d'un dispositif selon l'invention, adapté à des glissières de sécurité ;
• la figure 3 est une vue de face du bras de signalisation de la figure 2 ;
• la figure 4 est une vue de détail, en coupe verticale, des moyens de réglage situés à la base du pivot du même bras de signalisation ;
• la figure 5 est une vue de profil d'un mode de réalisation d'un bras de signalisation d'un dispositif selon l'invention, adapté à un muret double avec intervalle central.

In the attached drawing:

• FIG. 1 is a plan view of a portion of motorway equipped with a deviation beacon device according to the invention;
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a signaling arm of a device according to the invention, adapted to safety barriers;
• Figure 3 is a front view of the signaling arm of Figure 2;
• Figure 4 is a detail view, in vertical section, of the adjustment means located at the base of the pivot of the same signaling arm;
• Figure 5 is a side view of an embodiment of a signaling arm of a device according to the invention, suitable for a double wall with central interval.

If we refer first to Figure 1, we see there depicted a portion of highway, with two carriageways between which is provided with a central separation 1, such as a median, here equipped with safety rails 2. One of the carriageways includes two lanes A and B, and the other two traffic lanes C and D. A device according to the invention is used to mark a deviation from the left lane B from a roadway to the right lane A of the same roadway. AT For this purpose, the deflection buoying device is made up by a series of signal arms 3, arranged at intervals from each other (in the longitudinal direction of the portion of motorway concerned), arms 3 being for example at number of four. Each signal arm 3 is mounted pivoting around a substantially vertical axis 4. The lengths respective L1, L2, L3, L4 of the different signal arms 3 of the same device are increasing, in the direction corresponding to vehicle traffic. Each arm of signaling 3 can pivot, around its axis 4, between a retracted position and a deployed position, Figure 1 showing two beaconing devices whose arms occupy, respectively, these two positions.

So as shown in the lower half of the Figure 1, all signaling arms 3 of the device can be deployed above the left lane B of one roadways, so as to mark out a "bevel" of deviation from this left lane B towards the right lane A, such as illustrated by arrows E and F.

On the contrary, when all the signaling arms 3 are retracted, as illustrated for the other device, the two traffic lanes C and D of the carriageway remain one and the other free and open to traffic. Note that in the retracted position, the signaling arms 3 are folded against the safety rails 2, and are located within the limits of the central reservation 1.

Figures 2 to 4 show the detail of the structure a signal arm 3 and its pivoting mounting. The signal arm 3 has a main part 5 straight, more or less long, located at the outside of the slide 2 and presenting itself as a lattice structure, in plastic, with a frame upper 6, a lower chord 7 and elements of vertical connections 8 and obliques 9. At one end, the frames 6 and 7 are connected, by joints 10 and 11 fitted with a safety pin, with elements horizontal upper 12 and lower 13, forming one and the other an elbow. The upper bent element 12 passes over of the slide 2, and the lower bent element 13 below, these two bent elements 12 and 13 being pivotally mounted around of the same vertical pivot 14, preferably metallic, which materializes the pivot axis 4 of the signaling arm 3, the pivot 14 being located on the inside of the slide 2. In an alternative embodiment, the safety pin in 10 and 11 can be deleted, the elbows 12 and 13 being also made of plastic.

As shown in Figure 3, the free end of the signaling arm 3 advantageously carries a plate of terminal signaling 15, preferably removable, provided of a retroreflective arrow 16 or of another good pattern visible, possibly lit by electric means such than light emitting diodes. The oblique elements 9 of the arms 3 can also have patterns in the form of bands, arrows or the like, present over the entire length of the arms and able to encourage motorists to fall back on Right Lane.

With particular reference to Figures 2 and 4, it can be seen that the pivot 14 is fixed to the ground by a sole anchor 17, which itself includes an upper plate 18 integral with pivot 14, and an extended bottom plate 19 down by 20 studs sealed in a concrete block (not shown). Four adjustment screws 21 allow position the upper plate 18 as desired relative to the bottom plate 19, and four other screws 22 immobilize the upper plate 18 on the lower plate 19, in the previously chosen position.

Figure 2 also shows the means mechanical, designated overall by 23, which allow lock signal arm 3 in two positions separate angles, corresponding respectively to the retracted position and in the deployed position of use. These means 23 include, in the example shown, a cam fixed lock 24, integral with the lower part of the pivot 14, and ending at its ends by two notches 25 and 26. A horizontal rod 27, linked in rotation with the arm signaling 3, carries a locking lever 28 designed to cooperate with the cam 24. When the lever 28 is positioned in the notch 25, the arm 3 is immobilized in extended position of use, indicated by solid lines; when the lever 28 is positioned in the other notch 26, the arm 3 is immobilized in the retracted position, sketched in mixed lines.

The locking lever 28 can be actuated manually, or by foot, or by motorized means, electric or otherwise, to be lifted out of the notch 25 or 26 at the start of deployment or retraction of the arm 3. At the end of deployment or retraction, the lever 28 falls by itself, under the effect of its weight, into the other notch 26 or 25 of the locking cam 24.

The length of the locking cam 24, therefore the spacing between the two notches 25 and 26, can be fixed or adjustable. An adjustable cam 24 allows to choose the position final deployment of the signal arm 3. Thus, the arm 3 is not necessarily deployed perpendicular to the roadway, as illustrated in the drawing; it can also be brought into a deployed position, oriented in a direction oblique to the roadway.

Figure 5 illustrates the adaptation of the device according to the invention to a section of motorway, both of which pavements are separated from each other by a concrete wall double. In this case, the signal arms 3 properly said are not changed from the description previous, and the adaptation only concerns the mounting of the pivot 14 on the wall, it being understood that the arms 3 in position retraction does not exceed the outer edge of the foot of the low wall.

FIG. 5 shows the adaptation of the invention to a double partition wall, with two parallel parts in concrete 33 and 34, between which there remains a central interval 35, used here for mounting the signaling arm 3. Thus, the pivot 14 passes through two superimposed support bearings 36 and 37, fixed by screws against the inside of a part of low wall 33, and made of a folded sheet taking partially supported against said inner face. The element bent upper 12 of arm 3 passes over the part of low wall 33, while the lower bent element 13 passes through a horizontal opening 38, formed in the wall part 33, the length of the opening 38 being sufficient to allow the rotation of said lower bent element 13. The organs mechanical components required to rotate the signal arm 3 are thus protected between the two parts of the wall 33 and 34.

Locking means 23 are also provided in the case of devices adapted to concrete walls; these means 23 can be produced as described above, but as the drawing shows, they are here advantageously located towards the top of the single wall 29 or of the double wall 33, 34.

• par des modifications constructives de détail des bras de signalisation, ou par l'adjonction sur ces bras de tous accessoires ou motifs améliorant leur visibilité ;
• en ayant recours à toute solution équivalente de celle décrite, pour les moyens de verrouillage des bras en position escamotée et en position déployée ;
• en prévoyant une commande motorisée telle qu'à vérins ou moteurs électriques, pneumatiques ou hydrauliques pouvant elle-même être activée à distance, pour le pivotement des bras de signalisation, auquel cas les moyens de verrouillage précités ne sont plus indispensables ;
• en adaptant le nombre de ces bras de signalisation, leurs longueurs et leurs intervalles, selon les cas particuliers d'utilisation :
• en agençant le dispositif pour une déviation non pas de la voie de gauche vers la voie de droite, mais inversement de la voie de droite vers la voie de gauche ;
• en mettant en oeuvre le même dispositif de signalisation de déviation non pas sur une portion d'autoroute au sens strict, mais sur une portion de route à chaussées séparées où peut naturellement se poser un problème similaire.

It goes without saying that the present invention cannot be limited to the sole embodiments which have just been described by way of examples, and which can undergo a certain number of modifications without departing from the scope of the invention. It is thus, in particular, that one would not depart from the scope of the invention:

• by constructive modifications of detail of the signaling arms, or by the addition on these arms of any accessories or patterns improving their visibility;
• using any solution equivalent to that described, for the means for locking the arms in the retracted position and in the deployed position;
• by providing a motorized control such as cylinders or electric, pneumatic or hydraulic motors which can itself be activated remotely, for the pivoting of the signaling arms, in which case the aforementioned locking means are no longer essential;
• by adapting the number of these signaling arms, their lengths and their intervals, according to the particular cases of use:
• by arranging the device for a deviation not from the left lane to the right lane, but vice versa from the right lane to the left lane;
• by implementing the same deviation signaling device not on a section of motorway in the strict sense, but on a section of road with separate carriageways where a similar problem can naturally arise.

Claims (8)

1. Apparatus for signalling traffic deviation for a highway the central reservation (1) of which is provided with safety rails (2), useful for signalling the deviation of a traffic lane (B) towards another one (A), and including a series of generally horizontal signalling arms (3) which are placed at intervals along the related highway section and having respective increasing lengths (L1, L2, L3, L4), every such signalling arms (3) being pivotally mounted round a substantially vertical axis (4) so as to lie either folded along the side of the road or swung out over the traffic lane (B) the traffic of which should be deviated towards the other lane (A), the signalling arms (3) in swung out condition being laterally placed against one of the safety rails (2) of the central reservation (1 ),
   characterised in that every signalling arm (3) is mounted pivotally on a pivot (14) placed between the two safety rails (2) of the central reservation (1), and is connected to said pivot (14) by means of an upper bent element (12) and by a lower bent element (13) which are respectively placed over and under the safety rail (2) along which said signalling arm (3) is placed in swung out condition.
2. Apparatus for signalling traffic deviation according to claim 1, characterised in that the pivots (14) are fixed on a ground anchoring bedplate (17).
3. Apparatus for signalling traffic deviation according to claim 2, characterised in that the anchoring bedplate (17) includes screw adjustment means (18 to 22) for adjusting the levelling of the signalling arm (3).
4. Apparatus for signalling traffic deviation for a highway the central reservation (1) of which is provided with a concrete double low wall (33, 34), useful for signalling the deviation of a traffic lane (B) towards another one (A), and including a series of generally horizontal signalling arms (3) which are placed at intervals along the related highway section and having respective increasing lengths (L1, L2, L3, L4), every such signalling arms (3) being pivotally mounted round a substantially vertical axis (4) so as to lie either folded along the side of the road or swung out over the traffic lane (B) the traffic of which should be deviated towards the other lane (A), the signalling arms (3) in swung out condition being laterally placed against the concrete double low wall (33, 34) of the central reservation (1),
   characterised in that every signalling arm (3) is mounted pivotally on a pivot (14) placed in the central gap (35) between the two parts of the low wall (33, 34) and connected to one of the parts of the low wall (33) by means of two support bearings (36, 37) placed one over the other and one of which (36) is connected to the upper end of the part of the low wall (33), every signalling arm (3) being connected to the pivot (14) by an upper bent element (12) placed over the part of the low wall (33) and by means of a lower bent element (13) which extends through an horizontal opening (38) provided in said part of the low wall (33).
5. Apparatus for signalling traffic deviation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the part (5) of every signalling arm (3) which in swung out use condition spans the traffic lane (B) is made out of a plastics which enables easy breaking in case of impact with a vehicle.
6. Apparatus for signalling traffic deviation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that every signalling arm (3) is provided with means for locking (23) to angular positions corresponding on the one hand to the folded use condition and on the other hand to the swung out use position.
7. Apparatus for signalling traffic deviation according to claim 6, characterised in that the locking means (23) includes a fixed locking cam (24) having two slots (25, 26) at the ends thereof and a locking lever (28) connected to the signalling arm (3) and adapted to co-operate with the cam (24) and the slots (25, 26) thereof, the locking lever being activated by hand or foot or by motor means.
8. Apparatus for signalling traffic deviation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised by including a motor control having for every signalling arm (3) motor means such as electrical jacks associated to a remote control.

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