GB2049767A

GB2049767A - Self-erecting Road Marker Pyramid

Info

Publication number: GB2049767A
Application number: GB8012921A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: WARNING PYRAMIDS Ltd
Current assignee: WARNING PYRAMIDS Ltd
Priority date: 1979-04-19
Filing date: 1980-04-18
Publication date: 1980-12-31
Also published as: GB2049767B

Abstract

A portable road marker 10 for marking off an accident area, or to warn of a hazard, or to define a diversion on a roadway is in the form of a hollow pyramid of which the four walls are hinged one to another so that the marker can be pressed from its erected condition to a flat condition about a diagonal plane for storage purposes, the mark incorporating erecting means such as spring cord 13 in tube 15. A portable container 30 which also has the function of a marker can store a set of the aforesaid portable road markers 10 flush with one another when in the flat condition. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements Relating to Self-Standing Portable Road Markers This invention relates to portable road markers of the kind which are used to mark-off, for example, an accident area, or to warn of a hazard or to define diversion on a roadway.

The present day hazard warning marker is in the form of a cone which is produced as a blow moulding which requires to be weighted and the weight usually takes the form of a long sand filled polythene tube tucked in round the base of the cone. On inspection, these sand bags are rarely found in the cone, due, either to being burst in use, or removed. Since the cones can only be moulded in one colour, a white plastics sleeve is fitted round the body of the cone to give the familiar red/white/red aspect. Some sleeves are of non-reflective white adhesive material but the more expensive cones have a sealed plastics sleeve containing minute glass beads against a white background to give reflection. These beads invariably fall to the bottom of the sleeve or the sleeve itself is eventually burst and falls off.

Although stackable, such cones take up a great deal of storage space and due to their basic shape, cannot be quickly made available in an emergency, nor do they readily lend themselves to any form of mechanical handling.

An object of the present invention is to provide a road marker by which the disadvantages of the known markers aforesaid are obviated or mitigated.

According to the present invention there is provided a portable road marker for the purpose aforesaid, said marker being in the form of a hollow pyramid of which the four walls are hinged one to another so that the marker can be pressed from its erected condition to a flat condition about a diagonal plane for storage purposes, and means urging the marker to its erected condition.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pyramidal marker according to one embodiment of the invention, looking towards one corner of the marker and with the marker wall broken away at the lower part thereof at said one corner and the sides flanking same to reveal the internal construction at said lower part; Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a pyramidal marker according to a second embodiment of the invention, looking towards the same corner as in Fig. 1 and again with the marker wall broken away at the lower part thereot at said one corner and the sides flanking same to reveal the internal construction at said lower part;; Fig. 3A is a perspective view of a pyramidal marker according to a third embodiment of the invention, looking towards one corner of the marker; Fig. 3B is an elevational view of the marker of Fig. 3A in the flattened condition ready for storage thereof; Fig. 3C and 3D are views showing components of the means urging the marker of Figs. 3A and 38 into the erected condition and permitting flattening of same for storage purposes; Fig. 4A is a perspective view of a pyramidal marker according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, looking towards one corner of the marker and with the marker wall broken away at the lower part thereof at said one corner and the sides flanking same to reveal the internal construction at said lower part; Fig. 4B is an underneath plan view of the pyramidal marker shown in Fig. 4A:: Figs. 4C, 4D, 4E and 4F illustrate component parts of the means urging the marker of Figs. 4A and 4B into the erected condition and permitting flattening of same for storage purposes, Fig. 4C being a cross-section through a combined sheathing and guide component to sheath a rigidifying and ballasting member shown on a smaller scale in Fig. 4D and guiding a strip of elastomeric material shown also on a smaller scale in Fig. 4E, and Fig. 4F showing a retaining stud, two of which are used, one at each end of the elastomeric strip to secure same to the wall of the pyramidal marker adjacent diagonallyopposed corners; Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are perspective views of three different portable containers in which a number of pyramidal markers in accordance with the invention can be stored when folded flat; and Fig. 8 is a pictorial view showing schematically at (a) the removal of a flattened pyramidal marker in accordance with Fig. 1 from the portable container of Fig. 5, at (b) an intermediate stage in the automatic opening of the marker to its erected condition, at (c) the fully-opened marker from below, and at (d) the fully-opened marker from above.

For convenience all pyramids illustrated in the drawings are shown with an included angle of 300 at their apices, but this angle may be varied to suit specific applications and conditions.

The method of manufacture employed of pyramid blanks according to the invention is that used in the carton making industry. Thus, the blanks are printed, creased, punched and cut from a web of appropriate material passing through the various stages of a suitable web offset machine of a type which would be dependent on the degree of quality and the range of printed colours required, the creasing permitting the hingeing action between the walls of the pyramid.

Fig. 1 shows a blank assembled and erected as a pvramid 10. The blank has a flap 12 which is secured to the adjacent wall of the pyramid by welding, bonding or glueing. An elastic cord 1 3 extends between diagonally opposed corners of the pyramid adjacent the lower end thereof, and is secured at its ends by fasteners 14. The elastic cord 1 3 passes freely through a tube 1 5 which prevents the pyramid from collapsing inwardly in the direction in which the cord 1 3 extends. The pyramid can, however be collapsed in the opposite diagonal direction with consequent stretching of the elastic cord 1 3, along the diagonal plane intercepting the pyramid corners whereat the cord ends are secured, and can be stored flat with other markers in a container Figs.

5 and 8, or Fig. 6, or Fig. 7, to be hereinafter described. When a marker is withdrawn from the container, it is automatically pulled into its erected condition by the elastic cord 1 3.

The marker 1 OA shown in Fig. 2 is similar to that shown in Fig 1, except that, instead of a single tube 15, there are two tubes 15A of equal length and abutting end-to-end. This permits the pyramid marker 1 OA not only to be collapsed, but to be folded upon itself thereafter, as indicated. In this foided condition, one or more markers 1 OA can be located in a holder, which can, for example, be attached to the interior of a car, for use as a warning, in the event of a break-down or other emergency.

The tube 1 5 and the tubes 15A act as ballast, as well as rigidifying the pyramid.

Referring now to Figs. 3A to 3D, the marker 1 OB is similar to that shown in Fig. 1, except that, instead of the elastic cord 13 and the tube 1 5, use is made of a steel spring 1 8 which itself limits inward movements of the diagonally opposed pyramid corners to which it is connected. Two opposed walls of the pyramid marker 1 OB are provided at their lower ends with elongate weights 1 9, and end portions of the spring 18 are connected to the opposed weights 19, respectively.

Referring to Figs. 4A to 4F, the pyramidal marker 10C (Figs. 4A and 48) is distinguished from the markers 10, 1 OA and 1 OB hereinbefore described by the means urging same into the erected condition and permitting same to be flattened for storage purposes. The various component parts of this means are shown in Figs.

4C to 4F and are a combined sheathing and guide component 20 (Fig. 4C), a rigidifying and ballasting member 21 (Fig. 4D), a strip 22 of elastomeric material (Fig. 4E), and two retaining studs 23 (Fig. 4F).

The component 20 is a plastics extrusion and is shown on an enlarged scale in Fig, 4C. It comprises a tubular portion 24, through which the rigidifying and ballasting member 21 is adapted to extend with slight projection therefrom at both ends, and two rectangular leaves 25 and 26, whereof the major linear dimension of each is the same as the length of the tubular portion 24 and a longer edge of each is rooted to the tubular portion along the full length thereof. The leaves 25 and 26 are spaced slightly from one another at their rooted edges and diverge slightly in the unstressed condition in the direction away from the tubular portion 24.At their longer edges remote from the tubular portion 24, the leaves 25 and 26 are provided with complementary snap-fitting formations 27 and 28, respectively, which, when snap-fitted together, hold the leaves 25 and 26 in parallel relationship and close the gap therebetween at the edges remote from the tubular portion 24 to define an elongate slot 29 through which the strip 22 of elastomeric material extends with its major dimension paralleling the leaves 25 and 26. The strip 22 is located in position before the formations 27 and 28 are snap-fitted together and the strip projects under slight tension from both ends of the slot 29.The length dimensions of the combined sheathing and guide component 20 and the ballasting member 21 are tailored to the diagonal dimension of the pyramid marker 1 0C adjacent the bottom of the latter, and the projecting ends of the strip 22 are secured to the walls of the marker 1 0C adjacent the diagonallyopposed corners, one to one side and the other to the other side to balance the whole. The retaining studs are pressed through the marker walls from the exterior, the barbs thereof piercing the strip and being bent over to clamp the assembly of means urging the marker into the erected condition. As the component 20 is a plastics extrusion and the tubular portion 24 thereof sheathes the rigidifying and ballasting member 21, the latter need not be of a non-ferrous metal and is, for example, of black mild steel.The ends of the member 21 are conically shaped to engage snugly in the diagonally-opposed corners of the erected pyramidal marker 1 OC. The various component parts of the means urging the marker into the erected condition can be easily assembled and, moreover, can be readily disassembled from a damaged pyramidal marker for re-use with a replacement marker.

Referring now to Figs. 5 to 8, the containers 30, 30A, and 408 are open at the top and of any convenient shape to permit the insertion and withdrawal of collapsed pyramidal markers 10, 1 0A, OB or 1 0C, that is markers which have been flattened by being pressed from the erected condition simultaneously from externally of the opposed diagonal corners at the ends of the diagonal transverse to that along which extend the means urging the markers into the erected condition. At one end, each of the containers carries a panel 31 bearing an appropriate sign.

The panel 31 has end flaps 31 A which project laterally of the container and can be folded to lie along the sides of the container, as shown in Figs.

5, 7 and 8, in an out-of-use position. Catches, one shown at 32 in Fig. 7, project through the side walls of the container and hold the flaps 31 A in their out-of-use position. The catches 32 can be released or engaged by manual operation of a control device, not shown. When the catches 32 are released, the flaps 31 A are swung into their in-use position (Fig. 6) by springs, which also are not shown. A panel 32 with flashing warning lights 33 is also provided at said end of the container in the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and each of the containers 30A and 30B carries on its base an electric switch control 34 which is automatically depressed to operate the lights, when the base of the container is placed on the road, and switches-off the lights when the container is lifted.The warning lights 33 may be connected to a dry cell battery, or may have a battery chargeable by the electric system of a vehicle in which the container 30A or 308 is carried, or may be connected direct to the battery of the vehicle.

The containers 30 and 30A each have a straptype carrying handle 35 while the more sophicated container 30B of Fig. 7 has a levertype handle 36 longitudinally through which extends part of a spring-loaded Bowden cable 37 to activate by way of a press stud 38 a togglelinkage sign-release mechanism to release from a store 39 alternative signs for attachment to the panel 31. A light-sensitive resistor 40 at the upper face of a forwardly-projecting section 41 mounting the lights 33 controls a fluorescent tube 42 at the underside of the section 41 to illuminate the sign on the panel 31. At the upper part of the rear end of the container 30B is accommodation at 43 for a rechargeable battery and electronic circuitry to be switched on and off through the switch control 34.

The pyramidal markers may be made from any suitable material, such as waterproofed cardboard, plastics material metal or wood, and, dependent upon the material, hinges may be employed instead of creases or lines of weakening.

As a result of the invention, a given number of the markers can be stored in a much smaller space than known cone markers, the markers are self-erecting when withdrawn from storage, and they can be appropriately pre-printed and coloured.

Claims

1. A portable road marker for the purpose aforesaid, said marker being in the form of a hollow pyramid of which the four walls are hinged one to another so that the marker can be pressed from its erected condition to a flat condition about a diagonal plane for storage purposes, and means urging the marker to its erected condition.

2. A portable road marker as claimed in claim 1, in which the means urging the marker to its erected condition comprises a length of elastomeric material extending in said diagonal plane between the diagonally-opposed corners adjacent the lower end of the pyramidal marker through rigidifying and ballasting means of length appropriate to symmetry of the marker in its erected condition.

3. A portable road marker as claimed in claim 2 in which the rigidifying and ballasting means is a tube.

4. A portable road marker as claimed in claim 2, in which the rigidifying and ballasting means comprises two tubes of equal length and abutting end to end.

5. A portable road marker as claimed in claim 1, in which two opposed walls of the marker are provided at their lower ends with elongate weights and the means urging the marker to its erected condition comprises a steel spring end portions of which are connected to the respective opposed weights at diagonally opposed corners in said diagonal plane and the central portion of which limits inward movement of the diagonally opposed corners at which said end portions are connected.

6. A portable road marker as claimed in claim 2, in which the rigidifying and Dallasting means comprises a combined sheathing and guide component sheathing a rigidifying and ballasting member projecting at both ends therefrom to engage in said diagonally-opposed corners in the erected marker, and guiding said length of elastomeric material.

7. A portable road marker for marking off an accident area, or to warn of a hazard, or to define a diversion on a roadway, said marker being a hollow pyramid of plastics material of which the four walls are hinged to one another so that the marker can be pressed from its erected position to a flat condition about a diagonal plane for storage purposes, a plastics extrusion having a tubular portion, through which extends a rigidifying and ballasting member with slight projection therefrom at both ends to engage in the diagonally-opposed corners cut by said diagonal plane, and two rectangular leaves whereof one major linear dimension of each is the same as the length of the tubular portion and a longer edge of each is rooted to the tubular portion along the full length thereof, the leaves being spaced slightly from one another at their rooted edges and diverging slightly in the unstressed condition in the direction away from the tubular portion, the leaves being provided at their longer edges remote from the tubular portion with mutually complementary snap-fitting formations which, when snap-fitted together, hold the leaves in parallel relationship and close the gap therebetween at the edges remote from the tubular portion to define an elongate slot through which a strip of elastomeric material extends and is anchored at both ends projecting from the extrusion to a wall of the marker adjacent the respective one of said diagonally-opposed corners.

8. The combination of a set of portable markers each as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 and a portable container having accommodation for said set of markers flush with one another when each marker is pressed from its erected condition to a flat condition about the diagonal plane in which acts the means urging the marker to its erected condition.

9. The combination claimed in claim 8 in which said portable container is equipped as a marker with, interalia, lights, battery power and circuitry for the lights.

10. A portable marker for the purpose aforesaid substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A portable marker for the purpose aforesaid substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A portable marker for the purpose aforesaid substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 3A to 3D of the accompanying drawings.

13. A portable marker for the purpose aforesaid substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 4A to 4F of the accompanying drawings.

14. The combination of a set of portable markers each as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 13, and a portable container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.

1 5. The combination of a set of portable markers each as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 13, and a portable container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings.

1 6. The combination of a set of portable markers each as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 13, and a portable container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings.