GB2077332A - Portable road markers - Google Patents

Abstract

A two-part free standing traffic marker cone or cylinder comprises a hollow elongated deformable stem member 21 made from a low density material and a flexible resilient base member 25 of substantially greater area than the maximum cross- sectional area of the stem, the base member being passed downwards over the stem member until it grips the latter close to its lower open end. The stem 21 may be a plastics moulding having a small base flange and the base member 25 be cut from heavy sheet rubber. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Traffic markers This invention relates to traffic markers such as cones and cylinders.

It is current practice to draw attention to a hazard in a public place by deploying free standing traffic cones around the boundary of the hazard.

Such cones are normally moulded in one piece from plastics or rubber materials and are provided with widened bases to assist stability. Plastics materials are less dense than rubber materials and cones made from a plastics material often have a hollow base which can be filled with a denser material such as sand, water or the like to achieve improved stability. Hollow bases are extremely vulnerable to wheel damage from traffic and markers readily become rendered unsuitable for reuse. Rubber cones tend to be more durable than plastics cones but have the disadvantages that they are more expensive, their stems have to be provided with coloured sleeves to conform with statutory visibility standards and the greater weight of stem assists overturning on impact by a vehicle.

Plastics traffic cylinders are commonly employed to separate contra-flow traffic into temporary lanes. These cylinders may be fixed to the cast iron bases of 'Catseyes' (Registered Trade Mark) or to independent bases nailed or otherwise fixed to a road surface. Such cylinders are more expensive to install than traffic cones and are prone to vehicle damage due to the semi-rigid means adopted for fixing them to a road surface.

An object of the present invention is to provide a two part, free-standing marker including a stabilising base which can readily be disengaged from the stem for ease of replacement should either part become damaged. A further object is to provide a portable marker which can be installed on a road surface by dropping it base downwards from the platform of a slowly moving lorry such that it will remain in an upright position after impact with the road surface.

According to the present invention there is provided a two part, free-standing traffic marker which comprises a hollow, elongate deformable stem member made from a low density material having a marginal flange or rib at a lower end, and a flexible, resilient detachable base member of substantial area as compared with the crosssectioned area of the lower end of the stem, the base member including an orifice adapted for assembly with the stem by passing the base member downwards over the stem and into resilient gripping engagement with the stem adjacent the said marginal flange or rib.

In various preferred aspects the invention thus includes the provision of a traffic marker with a stem moulded from a low density deformable material and a base cut from an elastic material produced in sheet form, the stem consisting of an axially symmetrical, hollow, vertical member in the shape of a cylinder or cone which has an outgoing marginal flange or rib at its lower end, and the base consisting of a regular shaped mat with a central orifice of dimensions related to those of the flange or rib such that the marker is assembled by passing the base downwards over the stem until contact is made with the flange or rib.

The stem is preferably the shape of a right circular cone to permit stacking of a plurality of markers for ease of storage, handling and transport but any regular shape is appropriate. In the case of a cone-shaped stem the lower end is kept open but the upper end may be either open or closed. In the case of a regular shaped stem such as a cylinder which does not permit stacking of markers, either or both ends may be open or closed. The stem is formed by moulding a low density material such as ethyl-vinyl-acetate, polyethylene or the like, and which is coloured as required to conform with statutory visibility standards. The outgoing marginal flange or rib provided at the lower end of the stem serves the dual purpose of strengthening the stem thus assisting recovery after impact and also to retain the base in contact with the stem.

The base is normally square to avoid wastage of material but may be of any shape e.g. circular.

The base can be moulded from a high density material or simply cut from rubber sheeting the thickness or width of which is selected to provide a self-righting force when the cone is tilted. The base may be provided with plain major surfaces or may even be perforated but it is preferably ribbed on both major surfaces the direction of ribbing being rotated through 90 degrees on opposed faces. The ribbing on the lower surface tends to prevent slippage of the base and hence the marker on the road surface and the ribbing on the upper surface reduces any suction effect caused by a vehicle tyre passing over the base. Rotation of the direction of ribbing through 90 degrees on opposed surfaces is preferred as it provides for a better distribution of forces generated on distortion of the base.

The marker is assembled by placing the base over the stem and pushing it down into contact with the stem flange or rib. If found desirable it can be kept in place by applying adhesive or the like. A peripheral rib moulded at a height above the flange or rib just greater than the thickness of the base is a useful means of retaining the base in contact with the stem on impact by a vehicle. In such a case the base is stretched over the rib.

The flexible base of the marker allows it to be installed on and to keep contact with most surfaces. Due to the extremely low centre of gravity which can be achieved when using a marker according to this invention arising from the combined use of low density material in the stem and high density material in the base it can be installed quickly and efficiently by dropping it from the platform of a slowly moving lorry. The forces generated on impact with the road surface are absorbed by the elasticity of the rubber base and assist in maintaining the marker in an upright position. A large number of such markers can be installed in a very short period of time during which the installer is afforded the protection of his vehicle.

It is recognised that the stems of this type of marker are less durable than the bases but it is a simple matter to replace either component.

The invention also comprehends a method of installing a marker as described, which comprises assembling a stem member and a base member as described, and locating the assembled marker against a surface.

Some preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a stem member.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a base member.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line X-X in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side view of a traffic marker according to the invention and comprising the stem of Figure 1 and the stabilising base member of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a side view of an alternative stem.

Figure 6 is a plan view of an alternative base member for use with the stem of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line Y-Y in Figure 6.

Figures 8 and 9 are respectively side views of further embodiments of traffic marker, and Figure 10 illustrates diagrammatically the restoration of a traffic marker according to the invention after deflection.

Referring initially to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, Figure 1 shows an elongate deformable stem member 21 moulded bya rotational moulding process from ethyl-vinly-acetate or other suitable low density plastics material. The marker 21 is hollow and open at its lower end whereat it has an outwardly projecting marginal flange or rib 22. The marker 21 is in the form of a traffic cone the upper end of which may include a socket 23 for mounting an extension post, a direction sign or other indicating device therein if desired.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a flexible, resilient detachable base member of substantial area as compared with the cross-sectional area of the lower end of the stem 21. The base member 25 is made by moulding or stamping from a high density material such as rubber. Member 25 is square in plan, but may have any desired outline.

The member 25 has a central orifice 26 and a plurality of slits 27 extend radially outwardly from the orifice 26 and form resilient, flexible tongues 28 between adjacent slits. The length of the slits is such that when the base 25 is passed downwards over the stem of the marker 21 for assembly therewith, the base 25 is retained on the stem 21 by the rib 22 and the tongues 28 are deformed into resilient engagement with the wall of the stem adjacent the lower end thereof and the mat 25 grips the stem 21 resiliently adjacent the lower flange or rib 22. The two-part traffic marker so assembled is seen in Figure 4.

Figure 5 shows another form of stem 31 which is similar to the stem 21 of Figure 1 except that it is cylindrical instead of conical in form. The stem 31 has a flange 32 at its lower end.

Figures 6 and 7 show a base member 35 for use with the stem 31. The base mat 35 is circular in plan, and is provided with a central orifice 36 the diameter of which is chosen such that when the base member 35 is passed downwards over the stem 31 the resilient mat is slightly stretched in the vicinity of the orifice 36 and grips the stem adjacent the lower flange 32.

Figures 6 and 7 also illustrate a further feature whereby the major surfaces of the base member are formed with parallel ribs 39. The ribs on the opposite faces extend in perpendicular directions.

This feature can of course also be applied to base member 25 of Figure 2. The ribbed surfaces of the base member resist creep of the traffic marker on the road on the one hand and displacement due to suction from vehicle tyres on the other hand.

Figure 8 shows a further embodiment of traffic marker comprising a stem member 41 similar to the stem member 21 of Figure 1 but provided with a series of annular projections 44 from the wall of the stem spaced from the lower end flange (not shown in Figure 8) by an axial distance substantially equal to the thickness of the base member 45 surrounding the orifice therein. On assembly of the base member 45 to the stem 41, the former is stretched over the projections 44 which then engage the inner edge of the base member at the orifice and serve to retain the base member against displacement.

Figure 8 also shows that the base member 45 may have a thickness which varies and is greater adjacent to the orifice than at its perimeter.

Figure 9 shows an embodiment similar to Figure 8 but having a cylindrical stem member 51 formed with an annular rib 54 instead of the projections 44, to retain the base member 55 as described.

If desired adhesive can be used to obtain a detachable bond between the stem member and the base member.

Figure 10 illustrates the typical action of the free standing traffic marker of this invention when displaced by impact with a vehicle. On impact the flexible resilient base 5 deforms but the gripping engagement thereof with the stem prevents separation of the stem 1 from the base 5. Even when the marker is deflected so that the principal axis of the stem is substantially horizontal, on release it will revert to its upright stance because deformation of the toe region 5a of the base causes only a slight rise in the centre of gravity of the marker, deformation of the heel 5b due to its own weight provides a restoring moment about the toe, acts to reinforce the principal restoring moment due to the resiliency of the material of the base member in resisting deformation.

Claims (11)

1. A two part, free-standing traffic marker which comprises a hollow, elongate deformable stem member made from a low density material having a marginal flange or rib at a lower end, and a flexible, resilient detachable base member of substantial area as compared with the crosssectional area of the lower end of the stem, the base member including an orifice adapted for assembly with the stem by passing the base member downwards over the stem and into resilient gripping engagement with the stem adjacent the said marginal flange or rib.

2. A traffic marker according to claim 1, wherein the base member is moulded from a high density material such as rubber.

3. A traffic marker according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the base member is formed with a plurality of slits extending radially outwardly from the central orifice and forming between adjacent slits tongues which on assembly with the stem are deformed into resilient engagement with the wall of the stem adjacent the lower end.

4. A traffic marker according to claim 3, wherein the stem is formed with means to engage the inner edge of the base member at the orifice.

5. A traffic marker according to claim 4, wherein said means comprise an annular rib or a series of annular projections from the wall of the stem.

6. A traffic marker according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the major surfaces of the base member are ribbed.

7. A traffic marker according to claim 6, wherein the ribs on each major surface are parallel inter se.

8. A traffic marker according to claim 7, wherein the direction of the ribs on one surface is at 90 to the direction of the ribs on the other surface.

9. A traffic marker according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the thickness of the base member is greater adjacent the orifice than at its perimeter.

10. A method of installing the two-part traffic marker as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which comprises assembling the base member with the stem member by passing the base member downwards over the stem member until the members are in resilient gripping engagement, and placing the lower end of the marker on a surface.

11. A traffic marker substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.