FR2767545A1 - BASE AND FLEXIBLE ALIGNMENT ROAD BEAM ASSEMBLY - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a flexible alignment base and beacon assembly intended to temporarily delimit a road traffic road neutralized for work. The base is molded in a rubbery material and is designed to maintain the beacon (7) in vertical position and make it stable to air movement along roads. It consists of a frame crossed in its transverse axis by a transverse axial rib (4) comprising in its longitudinal axis an axial and vertical sheath (5) grooved apt, e to accommodate the foot (8) of the tag (7) d 'in a removable way. The sheath (5) and the foot of the beacon (7) are crossed by an anti-theft rod (13) in an orifice (12) and an opening (11) in the foot of the beacon, which is provided with a lifting handle (16). The foot of the beacon can be interchangeable.

Description

The present invention relates to a base and road beacon assembly

  flexible alignment, such a set

  being intended to be used in the road industry to be placed temporarily along a traffic lane

  culation in order to delimit the influence of a work site or any other temporary obstacle occupying a

  traffic lane to be neutralized.

  French patent applications Nos 95 11750 and 96 06027 filed on October 2, 1995 and May 9, 1996 respectively by the applicant describe a basic set

  with integrated crutches and flexible sign

  temporary road improvement and improvements. The same applies to European patent application No 767 276

  also filed on September 18, 1996 by the applicant.

  The whole described by these patent applications comprises

  on the one hand, a base or base consisting of a lower plate with rectangular section surmounted by a plate with an isosceles trapezoidal section which is integral with it and forming two crutches molded in its mass, traversed over its entire height by an axial transverse sheath vertical grooved, and on the other hand a flexible plastic panel whose foot which is integrated therein

  suitable for being housed in the base sleeve.

  The application of this system to the anchoring of alignment beacons had not then been treated specially by these patent applications, since such beacons

  can be adapted to the type of base described there.

  However, it turns out that anchoring such tags

  does not require the use of such a perfect base

  tionné and also heavy, therefore rather expensive, and that adaptations, simplifications and innovations described and motivated below can be made to the system during the study of the anchoring of flexible alignment road markers - called tags in the following - which are lighter than signs

  motorway signs for example.

  In terms of the use of such tags, various solutions have been provided by prior invention patents 2. Thus, this is the case of French patent application No. 95 04224 which relates to a self-lifting beacon articulated at its base on a flat rectangular magnetic base which can be secured to a floor covering 5 incorporating ferromagnetic metal particles; this system therefore requires the provision of an adequate road surface or shoulder, perfectly delimited and indexed, flat, which makes the system non-versatile for all roads. This is also the case of PCT patent no WO 96 / 26321 which also relates to a beacon articulated at its base on its

  base to obtain a certain area of inflection, but the base of the beacon requires a fairly complex cut to be anchored in its base according to a system which is also quite complex, and therefore expensive.

  The problem to be solved concerning the beacons and temporary signs placed along the roads is as follows. Due to their position along motorways or on islands

  directional, they are liable to be hung or

  paid by a vehicle accidentally leaving its path

  jectory. Also, they are most often bent or broken.

  On the other hand, these are expensive tags and signs,

  in particular because of their self-adhesive film coating

  the retro-reflective film which is sometimes more expensive than the support, in particular the retro-reflective films of the upper class most used because of their qualities at night. Users are therefore looking with panel manufacturers for a way to use them as long as possible without being damaged by impacts, for reasons of economy. It is also necessary that the installation and removal of the panels be

  easy and fast often under circulation.

  According to the present invention, the system for placing and removing the foot of the beacon in its base remains simple,

  fast and effective against air movement.

  An alignment tag, the dimensions of which

  dimensions are 1200 x 250 mm, of which 1000 x 250 mm for 3 the surface of the symbol and 200 x 250 mm for the surface of the foot, is lighter and less bulky than a triangular road sign of 1250 mm side for example full. It follows that the base can be simplified and lightened, and the proposed reduction consists in removing the upper plate with an isosceles trapezoidal section. On the other hand, the

  since the width of a beacon is reduced, the width of the base can also be reduced, which leads to a rectangular base, which can also be used10 to anchor panels of a range of reduced dimensions for narrow roads and scale models for the

  seignment of road signs; but a simplified square base can obviously be manufactured if necessary.15 Such a rectangular base is therefore in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped, therefore flat, including the following elements of the initial base which is the subject of patent applications of the applicant are retained: end projections forming front and rear grip handles on the base, with notches,

  - bottomless vertical sheath with first and second bottomless vertical grooves forming the socket seat-

  ment of the foot of the beacon and its possible reinforcements, - transverse central rib, hereinafter called transverse axial rib, - upper and lower wedging rails and spikes,

  - electric battery or electric battery box supports.

  The new simplified base is presented according to the invention.

  tion in the form of a frame of uniform height consisting of two longitudinal edges and two edges

  transverse with a transverse axial rib traversed in the direction of its length by a bottomless vertical axial sheath, which can moreover overflow35 on the longitudinal sides of the base. The trans-

  versales form in their central part each a grip handle at the front and at the rear of the base

  with a recess under and against these borders.

  4 Two battery supports, but without scalloped rim,

  are always placed on either side of the transverse axial rib but whose bottom coincides with the lower level of the base, the grips5 forming the rim - offset - of the battery supports.

  Compared to the initial base, the lateral and transverse sides of the new base are now inclined, that is to say chamfered in whole or in part, for reasons of vehicle safety, like most of the bases sold, which also allows

to lighten the bases.

  The width of the grooved axial and vertical transverse sheath corresponds to the thickness of the base of the beacon, which has the same thickness as the beacon. But the beacons are mostly double-sided, which does not allow them to fix any axial reinforcement over their entire height as for a traffic sign, except using a non-reversible beacon. There are also

  so-called running lights that require

  are trying some vertical reinforcement. Also, the plate extends-

  reinforcement provided in the applicant's patent applications are replaced by two lateral reinforcements in

  plastic profiles fixed or molded with the base

  reads against its vertical sides, either from the upper level of the base, or also against the sides of

  the part built into the base of the foot of the beacon.

  To complete this device, one or two return plates

  strong can be fixed against the foot up to the limit

  lower moth of the symbol, the dimensions of these

  strong corresponding to the dimensions of the grooves of the base.

  The elongated vertical shape of the sides of the tag does not

  hardly allows narrowing and flaring of the foot above

  above the wedging heels provided for the feet of the pan-

  temporary signaling devices. Also, in the case of

  the beacon, the wedging heels are formed by the sail-

  lees of lateral reinforcements limited to the upper level of the base relative to the normal width of the beacon; in

  the case where the lateral reinforcements are extended internally

  laughing at the base, that is to say along the built-in foot of the beacon, or in the absence of lateral reinforcements, the beacon is slightly enlarged from the upper level of the base

  to create a border along the sides of the symbol. At-

  in other words, the total width of the beacon must be greater than the width of the built-in part of its foot, the height of which corresponds to the height of the

  basement. In case of built-in side reinforcements, the ex-

  the ends of the vertical leg of the base must be

  swam accordingly, that is, widened.

  Like the foot of the pan-

  temporary signaling devices described in the applicant's European patent application, an opening for the use of

  hanging handle V-shaped, in its part

  castrable in the base scabbard. This feature makes it possible to provide an anti-theft system for beacons, which are often stolen. Just drill a hole

  horizontal in the vertical axis of the transverse axial rib

  versal of the base, throughout the thickness of said nerve

  vure, opposite and in the axis of the opening of the handle for hanging the beacon installed on its base, and introducing a metal round rod; this rod is curved at a right angle on one side, and pierced with a hole on the other side to be able to introduce the handle of a padlock. Of course, the distance between the angle

  bend the rod and the padlock hole is greater than

  greater than the thickness or width of the transverse axial rib

  and the diameter of the hole used as an orifice for the anti-theft rod is greater than the diameter of this

  rod, this orifice being circular.

  To avoid losing the anti-theft rod during handling

  base lations, this is placed in a clip or

  elastic clamp fixed either against the transverse axial rib

  on one of the battery supports near

  mity of the hole made in the rib. This solution also makes it possible to secure the beacon on its base without the padlock, the curved end at right angles to the rod

  anti-theft device can then be inserted into the clips.

  To facilitate the shifting of the base / beacon assembly provided with the anti-theft rod in place, a hook-shaped lifting handle is fixed to the top of the beacon since grips cannot be opened in the foot of the beacon as for the panels. Finally, to remedy the problem of destruction of the beacon in the event of loss of control of a vehicle by its

  driver often causing damage to the front of the vehicle

  vehicle and certain replacement of the unused tag

  ble by the road manager, the following solution

  is proposed as a variant with regard to the design

tion of the foot of the beacon.

  Indeed, rupture tests have shown that this

  this occurred at the level of the wedging heels of the foot of the beacon or of the panel, or if the rupture did not occur

  was not producing, the foot was bent from this ni-

  calf, under the effect of the passage of a vehicle wheel. In

  case of bending at right angles to the foot of a beacon in

  lycarbonate for example, the verticality of the tag is not completely restored and the tag becomes as unusable as a broken foot tag. Also, it

  just design an interchangeable foot tag fa-

  made of inexpensive, flexible, breakable or curved material

  cold trace. The tag is recoverable after impact

  while the lower part of his foot is replaced.

  This lower part of his foot is made of a material that is less efficient than the support of the symbol and therefore more economical, for example plywood, or rigid expanded polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the

  flexural modulus is low. After rup-

  ture, the recessed part of the foot can be easily

  recovered since the sheath of the base is bottomless.

  To make the interchangeable foot, the foot of the tag is cut a little above the wedging heels and the lower part is replaced by a new partial PVC foot for example, surmounted by a U-shaped profile whose widened branches are suitable to serve as a sheath at the top of the 7 foot of the tag. The spacing of the legs of the U-shaped sheath is very slightly greater than the thickness of the beacon and its upper foot to facilitate its introduction. The two elements are then screwed or bolted5 together while remaining removable. We thus obtain in fact two superimposed sheaths: that of the base and that of the foot, separated by a flexible element but not very resistant to bending. The length of the U-shaped profile is greater

  to the width of the built-in part of the foot of the beacon so as to provide two upper ta-

  lons of timing, and to ensure good stability of the tag in this new sleeve. In general, the length of the sheath is equal to the width of the tag if its ends are not closed, which is possible. The new foot is either molded with its profile, or the

  two branches of the U-shaped profile are fixed against the foot by gluing or by a mechanical connection. The ends of this profile must be widened if the corresponding tag is reinforced laterally.

  All the adaptations, simplifications and innovations described above can be transposed to the bases and temporary traffic signs which have been the subject of the aforementioned three patent applications of the applicant, as well as to the foot model with rectilinear and parallel sides without protrusions of the panel. being part of the base assembly /

  flexible double-crutch panel which was the subject of French patent No. 94 15624 of December 19, 1994 of the applicant. The accompanying drawings and listed below illustrate the invention.

  FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of an installed base and beacon assembly.

  Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section

  vertical of the base on a scale of 1/5 made at its axis.

  Figure 3 shows a vertical cross section of the base on a scale of 1/5 made at the face

  front of the transverse axial rib.

  Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a

interchangeable foot tag.

  According to the preferred embodiment represented by FIG. 1 and by FIG. 2 for the hidden parts, the base is constituted by a frame of 600 x 400 mm, of a uniform thickness or height of 80 mm, formed by two longitudinal edges (1) of a section of 80 x 75 mm bevelled externally on 25 mm at the top from their mid-height, and by two transverse edges (2) of a section of 80 x 60 mm chamfered

  externally on 25 mm at the top, forming in their part

  central tie grips (3) of the base, front and rear. This frame therefore has an interior void

480 x 250 mm.

  A transverse axial rib (4) is fixed in this void in the transverse axis of the frame, with a length of 250 mm, a width of 120 mm and a height of

  80 mm which is sufficient to anchor the foot of a beacon.

  A bottomless axial and vertical transverse sheath (5) is open in the longitudinal axis of the transverse axial rib (4) and has a cross section of 250 x 7 mm for a height of 80 mm. It has in its front and rear walls a first nonreferenced vertical central groove, bottomless, with a cross section of 100 x 6 mm, which has a second groove

  vertical unit not referenced, bottomless, sec-

  50 x 6 mm straight line, these grooves having a

  height of 80 mm. Their opening is drawn on the fi-

  gure 1 and they are visible in figure 2. The oven-

  transverse axial and vertical rail (5), grooved and bottomless, therefore has in its central part a width of 7 + (6 x 2) + (6 x 2) = 31 mm thus leaving a clearance of 1 mm for anchoring a 6 mm thick beacon

  with reinforcements of the same thickness.

  As for the bases which have been the subject of the aforementioned patent applications of the applicant, two upper rails 9 and two lower wedging rails are fixed.

  above and below the transverse axial rib (4) of the base, but are not referenced or drawn so as not to overload the drawings. These rails have the same dimensions5 - except their length - and the same spacings as those of the initial bases; crampons are also provided.

  The presence of the transverse axial rib (4) forms two frames of 250 x 180 mm of internal dimensions

  with the two longitudinal edges (1) and the two borders

  hard transverse (2). The two frames thus created each have a floor of 250 x 130 x 20 mm for use

  battery holder (6) fixed against the rib (4) and the two longitudinal edges (1) leaving a 50 mm empty space in front of each handle. These battery supports (6) are fixed to the lower level of the base.

  The beacon (7) is cut with its integrated foot (8) along a rectangle of 1200 x 250 mm in a polycarbonate plate 6 mm thick, self-extinguishing, flexible and reputed to be unbreakable, therefore very resistant to impacts, transparent for a better understanding of FIG. 1, and reinforced by lateral reinforcements (9) made of plastic profiles projecting 25 mm to form two wedging heels (10) of the foot (8) of the

  beacon (7) from the upper level of the base.

  The tag (7) being put in place, the lower part

  lower of his foot (8) is embedded in the nerve

  transverse axial frame (4) over a height of 80 mm and a width reduced to 248 mm to provide a lateral clearance of 2 mm, while the tag (7) has a width

  300 mm taking into account its lateral reinforcements (9).

  The built-in part of the foot (8) of the tag (7) has an opening (11) visible in FIG. 4, for use as a V-shaped hanging handle.

  circular (12) 12 mm in diameter allowing the passage-

  sage of a round and metallic anti-theft rod (13) 10 mm in diameter is open in the thickness of 120 mm from the transverse axial rib (4) in its vertical axis and

  opposite the opening (11) for use as a hanging handle

  bion zion (7), this opening being x 30 mm therefore largely sufficient to let pass

the anti-theft rod (13).

  This anti-theft rod (13) measures 180 mm in length, is bent at 90 o on one of its ends and pierced with a 6 mm hole on the other end to allow the passage of a padlock handle (14), and its useful length is mm. A clip (15) is fixed on a battery holder (6) towards the transverse axial rib (4), so that

  to place the anti-theft rod (13) there waiting for use

  tion, according to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 1 does not show the clip for reasons of clarity of the perspective drawing. Finally, the upper part of the tag (7) is provided with a hook-shaped suspension handle (16)

60 x 30 mm according to figure 1.

  Figure 4 shows precisely as a variant the interchangeable foot tag system (17). For its realization, the integrated foot (8) of the beacon (7), here without lateral reinforcements nor axial reinforcements, of a width of 300 mm with a border of 25 mm on each side, is cut in two parts in the direction of its width so as to obtain an interchangeable foot (17) the part of which can be embedded in the axial transverse sleeve (5) of the base of 250 x 80 x 7 mm, has a straight section

  248 x 6 mm for a height of 80 mm.

  Two 25 mm wedge heels (10) result from the difference in width between the built-in part and the non-built-in part of the interchangeable foot (17) of the beacon (7) and a sheath in the shape of a U-profile (18) molded on the interchangeable base (17) so as to obtain a profile 300 mm long, with an external section of 80 x 20 mm and a sheath of 25 x

  6 mm inside section, so that the upper level

  laughing sheath (18) coincides with the lower level

  the beacon symbol (7), i.e. 200 mm above

  above the lower level of the base. The upper part there

  the foot (8) of the tag (7) is embedded in the oven

  reau (18) in the shape of a U profile and is held in this sheath by means of bolts which pass through the two branches of the sheath, and the upper part of the foot of the beacon. The bolts are tightened using so-called butterfly nuts to obtain assembly and disassembly

easy and manual system.

  The built-in part of the interchangeable foot (17) also has an opening (11) for use as a handle for hanging the beacon (7), and the interchangeable foot (17) is molded with its sheath (18) made of rigid expanded PVC. The sheath could also consist of two elongated metal plates screwed to the part

  interchangeable foot upper to form two rails.

  The manufacture of the base and beacon assembly is of interest

  both the plastics industry and industry

sorts elastomers.

  Beacons can be manufactured either by injection

  tion of thermosetting plastic and more

  specifically in polyester, or even in composite materials

  tes, either by laser or water jet cutting of sheets extruded in thermoplastic resins and more precisely of polycarbonate sheets, preferably

  recycling. Their manufacture in roto- plastic

  blow molded or extruded can also be considered.

  As for the bases, they can be produced by molding

  of an agglomerate of recovered rubber particles

  tion bonded by a polyurethane adhesive or by an elastomer, the rubber particles being able to

  come in particular from tires and electric cables

  shredded telecommunications or telecommunications.

Claims (7)

  1 / Pedestal and flexible road beacon assembly of the pedestal / temporary sign assembly type comprising, on the one hand, a square or rectangular pedestal made of rubber material provided with two gripping handles5, transverse axial rib (4) traversed along its longitudinal axis by an axial and vertical transverse sleeve (5) grooved without bottom, of two upper wedging rails fixed on the rib   transverse axial (4), of two lower rails of cala-   ge fixed under the same transverse axial rib, and of a battery support (6) on each side of its transverse axial rib (4), and on the other hand a flexible beacon (7) of plastic material whose integrated foot ( 8) is able to be embedded in the axial and vertical transverse sheath (5) of the base to be anchored there and provided with two wedging heels (10) of the foot (8) of the tag (7) and of an opening ( 11) for use as a handle   suspension of the beacon (7), this assembly being characterized   laughed in that the base is flat and that it is made up   by a square or rectangular frame formed by two bor-   hard longitudinal (1) with chamfered lateral edges and by two transverse edges (2) with chamfered lateral edges, in that a circular orifice (12) is open to pass through the entire thickness of the transverse axial rib (4) of the base , in that a round metal anti-theft rod (13) is held on the base by   a clip (15), in that the two lateral sides and ver-   the beacons of the beacon (7) are reinforced by a lateral reinforcement (9), in that the upper part of the beacon (7) is provided with a lifting handle (16) in the form of a hook and in that the foot of the tag (7) is interchangeable (17) and provided with a mounting sleeve   (18) of a part of the foot (8) of the tag (7).   2 / Base and flexible beacon assembly according to resale   dication 1 characterized in that the circular orifice (12) is open horizontally in the vertical axis of the   13 transverse axial rib (4) of the base opposite the   vertex (11) for use as a handle for hanging the beacon and practiced in its foot (8).   3 / Base and flexible beacon assembly according to the re-   vendications 1 and 2 characterized in that the round metal anti-theft rod (13) has a diameter less than that of the circular orifice (12) of the transverse axial rib (4) of the base, in that this anti-theft rod (13 is curved at a right angle at one end and is pierced with a hole for the handle of the padlock (14) at the other end, and in that the distance between the angle   straight and the end hole is greater than the thickness or width of the transverse axial rib (4).   4 / assembly base and flexible beacon according to claim 1 characterized in that the clips (15) holding hold of the anti-theft rod (13) is fixed either against the transverse axial rib (4) of the base, or on a support battery (6), near the circular orifice (12) of the axial rib (4) .20 5 / Base and flexible beacon assembly depending on the   claim 1 characterized in that the reinforcements la-   teral (9) of the tag (7) are constituted either by two plastic profiles, or by molding with the tag, and in that the reinforcement is ensured either over the entire height of the tag (7) and its   foot (8), either from the upper level of the base.   6 / assembly base and flexible tag according to claim 1 characterized in that the width of the tag (7) possibly reinforced is greater than the width of the part of its foot (8) built into the base. 7 / Base and flexible beacon assembly according to   claim 1 characterized in that the interchanging foot   geable (17) of the tag (7) is made of material   flexible, breakable or can be bent cold.   8 / Base and flexible beacon assembly according to   14 claims 1 and 7 characterized in that the foot in-   terchangeable (17) of the tag (7) is surmounted by a sheath (18) in the form of a U-shaped profile, closed or not at its ends, and in that the spacing of the two elongated branches of the sheath (18) is very slightly greater than the thickness of the foot (8) of the tag (7).   9 / assembly base and flexible beacon according to claims 1 and 8 characterized in that the part   upper of the integrated foot (8) of the beacon (7) is embedded in the sheath (18) in the form of a U-shaped section of the interchangeable foot (17) of the beacon, and in this   that it is fixed in a removable way in this sheath ('18) using screws or bolts and nuts.   / Base and flexible beacon assembly according to   claims 1 and 8 characterized in that the length   sheath (18) in the form of a U-shaped profile is greater than the width of the part which can be built into the base of the foot (8) of the beacon (7) and in that its ends are enlarged.