GB2078829A

GB2078829A - Street posts

Info

Publication number: GB2078829A
Application number: GB8020568A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: GRADJEVINSKI INST
Current assignee: GRADJEVINSKI INST
Priority date: 1978-10-09
Filing date: 1980-06-24
Publication date: 1982-01-13
Also published as: DE2939979A1; YU237078A; FR2438712B1; IT7950501A0; YU39850B; BE883982R; GB2033945A; SE434285B; FR2438712A1; BE879224A; IT1164834B; SE8004664L; NO793216L; SE7908326L

Abstract

A traffic direction post has an elongate support member extending vertically from the ground at a position spaced laterally from a road. The support member includes first and second portions 2, 22 along its length, these portions being coupled by a rupturable element 8 providing a predetermined weakened zone in the support member which will break if the first and second portions are subjected to a predetermined torque. The support member has an arm 3 extending therefrom at its end remote from the ground, the free end of the arm carrying a traffic-information or traffic-direction indications and extending upwardly from the free end of the arm, e.g. so as to be positioned above a road shoulder. <IMAGE>

Description

1

GB 2 078 829 A

1

r SPECIFICATION * Traffic direction post

5 The present invention is a console traffic direction post intended for highway engineering and for regulating vehicule traffic on highways, as a replacement of the existing direction posts.

It is often the case with traffic direction posts that 10 they are located on the shoulders of the highway at a certain distance from the roadway. With such a location, the direction posts are exposed to destruction by vehicules and machines used for grass mowing and snow clearance. Mechanised highway 15 maintenance of pavement and shoulders, such as grass mowing, snow and humus clearance is thus considerably delayed and made difficult. Setting up new direction posts is very expensive and takes time. For these reasons the security of the traffic is 20 reduced, because direction posts are missing, and as their replacement is slow, or they may be only barely visible and partly covered by humus, snow, grass and weeds.

The object of the present invention is to provide an 25 improved form of traffic control post.

According to the present invention, a traffic direction post comprises an elongate support member adapted, when in use to extend substantially vertically from the ground at a position spaced laterally 30 from a road, said support member including first and second portions along its length coupled by a rupturable element providing a predetermined weakened zone in the support member which will break if the first and second portions are subjected to 35 a predetermined torque, an arm extending laterally from said support member at its end remote from the ground to terminate in a free end for overhanging the shoulder of the road; and a direction member bearing a traffic-information or traffic-direction in-40 dication and extending upwardly from said free end of the arm for positioning above the road shoulder.

In use, the post has its elongate support member extending substantially vertically from the ground at a position spaced laterally from the road, said 45 support member including first and second portions along its length coupled by a rupturable element providing a predetermined weakened zone in the support member which will break if the first and second positions are subjected to a predetermined 50 torque, an arm extending laterally from said support member at its end remote from the ground to terminate in a free end overhanging the shoulder of the road, and a direction member bearing a traffic-information or traffic-direction indication and ex-55 tending upwardly from said free end of the arm whereby it is positioned above the road shoulder.

In a preferred form, the first and second portions of said support member are engaged one within the =" other, and said rupturable element is a pin, e.g. of 60 plastics material, engaged transversely through the interengaged portions.

The direction member may be a post extending vertically from the free end of the arm, and it may be removably engaged in an opening of the arm. 65 In a preferred embodiment, a reflector member is carried by the arm, and is advantageously pivotable about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the arm.

For example, a sleeve may be positioned rotatably 70 about the arm, and the reflector member secured to the sleeve, or the arm may be apertured at its underside, the bracket being carried on a pin extending across said aperturing, the reflector member being secured to said bracket.

75 The traffic direction post may be engaged in a staking element placed in the ground.

The advantages of the improved traffic direction posts compared to existing direction posts include the following:

80 - they permit easier, quicker and higher quality maintenance of the shoulder and the pavement in cases of grass mowing, or removal of humus and dirt from the shoulder;

- they offer a better solution for snow clearance; 85 -they simplify and accelerate placing of the direction sticks in winter;

-they substantially reduce possibilities of breaking down and damage, and can more easily be repaired.

Their height can be regulated and they can be 90 disassembled easily, if necessary.

Thus there is obtained better security of the traffic, and better highway maintenance.

An embodiment of traffic direction post in accordance with the invention is hereinafter particularly 95 described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:-

Figure 1 is an elevation of a first embodiment of traffic direction post in position on a highway;

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the traffic direction 100 post to show details of a weakened portion included in the vertical post;

Figure 3 is a vertical section of a modification of the traffic direction post of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical section of a further modifica-105 tion of traffic direction post.

Figure 5 is a vertical section of a still further modification of direction post.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the traffic direction post is composed of a prefabricated staking carrier 1 110 that is mechanically or manually driven into a pre-drilled hole on an embankment, the diameter of the hole being about 10% smaller than that of the carrier 1. In the staking carrier 1 there is inserted a vertical support post 2 on which is mounted a 115 horizontal arm 3. To the arm 3 is firmly connected a portion 12 of post that is inserted in the top end of the remainder of support post 2. The connection between portion 12 and the remainder of support post 2 is obtained by a rupturable plastics pin 8 120 which passes through the support post 2 and portion 12.

Near the free extremity of the horizontal arm 3 there is mounted a sleeve 9, located axially by stop pins 10. On the sleeve 9 is secured a reflector stud 4 125 that is rotatable about the arm 3 together with sleeve 9. The stud 4 can have different transverse sections but a triangular form is preferred. At the free extremity of arm 3, in opening 11, there is inserted a vertical direction stick 5, e.g. to guide travellers in 130 winter during high snows.

GB 2 078 829 A

The elements of the traffic direction post may be produced from different materials, but plastics is preferred.

In Figure 3 the same elements of the traffic 5 direction post are shown as in Figure 2, but in Figure 3 the reflector stud 4 is hanging by a bracket 15 on an axis 14 placed in an opening 23 on arm 3. The reflector stud 4 can swing on its axis 14.

In Figure 4the traffic direction post is similarto the 10 construction shown in Figure 2 with the same elements, but in Figure 5 a longer portion of the vertical support post 2 and the horizontal arm carrier

3 are mutually firmly connected. The upper portion of the vertical support post 2 is inserted into a

15 shorter lower portion 22 and the two portions are connected by a rupturable plastics pin 8, the lower portion of the support post 22 being inserted into staking element 1.

Figure 5 shows the traffic direction post of the 20 same construction as in Figure 4 except that the stud

4 is hanging by its bracket 15 from an axis 14 placed in an opening 23 on arm 3.

Claims

CLAIMS 25

1. A traffic direction post comprising an elongate support member adapted, when in use to extend substantially vertically from the ground at a position spaced laterally from a road, said support member

30 including first and second portions along its length coupled by a rupturable element providing a predetermined weakened zone in the support member which will break if the first and second portions are subjected to a predetermined torque, an arm extend-35 ing laterally from said support member at its end remote from the ground to terminate in a free end for overhanging the shoulder of the road; and a direction member bearing a traffic-information or traffic-direction indication and extending upwardly 40 from said free end of the arm for positioning above the road shoulder.

2. A traffic direction post comprising an elongate support member extending substantially vertically from the ground at a position spaced laterally from a

45 road, said support member including first and second portions along its length coupled by a rupturable element providing a predetermined weakened zone in the support member which will break if the first and second portions are subjected to 50 a predetermined torque, an arm extending laterally from said support member at its end remote from the ground to terminate in a free end overhanging the shoulder of the road, and a direction member bearing a traffic-information ortraffic-direction in-55 dication and extending upwardly from said free end of the arm whereby it is positioned above the road shoulder.

3. A traffic direction post, as claimed in either of claims 1 and 2, wherein said first and second

60 portions of said support member are engaged one within the other, and said rupturable element is a pin engaged transversely through the interengaged portions.

4. A traffic direction post, as claimed in claim 3, 65 wherein the pin is of plastics material.

5. A traffic direction post, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the direction member is a post extending vertically from the free end of the arm. *

70

6. A traffic direction post, as claimed in claim 5, wherein the post is removably engaged in an opening of the arm.

7. A traffic direction post, as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, including a reflector mem-

75 ber carried by the arm.

8. A traffic direction post, as claimed in claim 7, wherein the reflector member is pivotable about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the arm.

9. A traffic direction post, as claimed in claim 7, 80 wherein a sleeve is positioned rotatably about the arm, and the reflector member is secured to the sleeve.

10. A traffic direction post, as claimed in claim 7, wherein the arm is apertured at its underside, and

85 wherein a bracket is carried on a pin extending across said aperturing, the reflector member being secured to said bracket.

11. In combination, a traffic direction post as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, and a

90 staking element in which the post is engaged.

12. A traffic direction post, as claimed in claim 1, substantially as described herein with reference to any of Figures 2 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A traffic direction post, as claimed in claim 2, 95 substantially as described herein with reference to any of Figures 2 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

14. The combination of claim 11 substantially as described herein with reference to any of Figures 2 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by Croydon Printing Company Limited, Croydon, Surrey, 1981,

Published by The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A 1AY, from which copies may be obtained.