GB2086454A

GB2086454A - Road marker studs

Info

Publication number: GB2086454A
Application number: GB8127536A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: DEBUSCHEWITZ JOHANN GmbH
Current assignee: DEBUSCHEWITZ JOHANN GmbH
Priority date: 1980-10-30
Filing date: 1981-09-11
Publication date: 1982-05-12
Also published as: ATA377081A; DE3040847A1; FR2493368A1; AT375985B; NL8104898A

Abstract

The underside of a domed plastics road marker stud, shown carrying opposed reflectors, is provided around its marginal region (2a) with undercut apertures (13) and peripheral slots (12) for keying adhesive, the adhesive being applied as an annulus confined to the marginal region (2a). The stud shown has stiffening ribs 15, 16, 17 and air-release apertures 19. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method of applying a marking element with firm adherence onto roadways, runways and the like by means of an adhesive, and marking element therefor The invention relates to a method of applying a marking element, especially a marking stud of plastics material, with firm adherence on to roadways, runways and the like, by means of an adhesive, and to the formation of the marking elementtherefor.

Marking studs of plastics material generally have circular disk bodies which are connected adhesively fast with the surface of the roadway, runway and the like. The known marking studs, which in many cases are composed of polyethylene and are produced by direct injection moulding, have at their bottom surface for stiffening purposes ribs or the like through which at the same time there is obtained an improvement in the keying or anchorage of the adhesive substance in addition to a mechanical support effect. The application of the marking studs on to the roadway or runway surface is effected by applying to the roadway or runway surface or the like a precise amount of the adhesive, for example, of a two-constituent adhesive, a fusion adhesive or the like, in the form of a splotch or blob, whereupon the marking element, i.e. the marking stud, is pressed on to the blob of adhesive.In doing so, the blob of adhesive is keptto such a size that, underthe pressure during the pressing of the marking stud on to the roadway or runway surface, the quantity of adhesive must be spread from the middle outwards so that the marginal parts of the marking stud are also gripped. As this can not be guaranteed as a matter of course, a quantity of adhesive somewhat more than is necessary for the blob of adhesive is applied as a precaution, especially if the plastics material of the marking element exhibits only a slight adherence in relation to the plastics adhesive substance. The adhesion of the marking stud to the surface of the roadway or runway can to some extent be impaired if the marginal portion of the marking stud is not firmly anchored through the adhesive with the surface of the roadway or runway or the like.Due to this, there may result a premature loosening of the marking stud by the traffic.

The object of the invention is to make the uniting by firm adhesion of the marking element with the surface of the roadway or runway or the like more reliable and more positive and at the same time economize in adhesive.

According to the present invention we provide a method of applying a marking element especially a marking stud of plastics material orthe like, with firm adherence on to roadways, runways or the like, by means of an adhesive, in which use is made of a marking element comprising a disk-shaped body provided with borings and/or slots in spaced arrangement at the marginal portion thereof, and the marking element is applied, adhesively fast at the marginal portion thereof only, on to the roadway, runway or the like.

Preferably the adhesive substance is applied in annular form on to the roadway, runway or the like.

The invention proceeds from the recognition that the durability of the adhesion of the marking elemenu with the substratum difinitely depends on the marginal portion of the marking stud or the like. At the same time care must be taken that the adhesive substance finds at the marginal portion of the marking stud an adequate possibility of anchorage with the marking stud, which is ensured by the recesses arranged for this purpose at the marginal portion of the marking stud. Such recesses are preferably borings and/or indentations or slots arranged distributed around the marginal portion of the marking stud and into which a sufficient amount of the adhesive substance can penetrate. By obesrving these measures, the adhesion achieved between the marking element and the roadway or runway surface is outstanding.At the same time, it is possible to keep the inner area of disk-shaped body free from adhesive substance. This leads to the considerable advantage that it is possible to make do with a substantially lesser amount of adhesive than hitherto.

The annular area of the marginal portion requires a substantially lesser amount of adhesive than if adhesive substance were used in an amount such that it extends over the entire bottom surface of the disk-shaped body of the marking stud. About twothirds of the amount of adhesive is saved per marking stud in relation to the method up till now. In view of the vast number of marking elements, there is a considerable saving in the amount of adhesive, which is relatively expensive whether it be twoconstituent adhesive or a fusion adhesive. There is obtained an increased economy with considerably improved adhesion.

The application of the adhesive substance in annularform on to the roadway or runway or the like does not involve any difficulty and does not represent a cost-increasing step. It is merely necessary that there is used an annular nozzle conforming to the size of the disk-shaped body of the marking stud, instead of the hitherto-used nozzle provided with a circular area.

It is merely necessary with this to ensure that the adhesive substance is supplied in an appropriately lesser amount, because it is not necessary that the adhesive substance should spread radially outwards from the annulus.

The borings and/or marginal recesses near or at the edge of the marking disk lead in addition to a mechanical anchorage of the marking disk with the adhesive. The borings and the like permit control of the adhesive flow at the bottom surface of the diskshaped body during the placement of the marking element. Of particular importance are the marginal recesses which are filled in by the adhesive substance. What is provided for above all in this way is that the marginal portion of the disk-shaped body is adhesively united and remains united with the roadway or runway surface on the one hand by the adhesive effect and on the other hand by the supplementary mechanical anchorage. The borings and the like also bring about release of pressure from the bottom surface of the disk-shaped body. The penetration and distribution of the adhesive substance is facilitated.A particularly accurate and uniform measured quantity ofthe adhesive is, moreover, rendered possible.

The recesses at the marginal portion, particularly the marginal indentations. preferably open out conically in the upwards direction. This leads to anexceptional clasping of the marking diskatthe marginal portion by means of the solidified adhesive substance.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, borings may be arranged not only in the marginal portion of the marking element but also in the central area of the marking element, and pass completely through the disk-shaped body in the central area. These further borings serve for the release of pressure from the central area of the bottom surface of the marking disk, so that no closed air cushions form between the marking stud and the surface of the roadway or runway.

The bottom surface of the disk-shaped body preferably has radially-extending bars or ribs, the borings or holes opening into the spaces between the bars or ribs.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figs. 1,2 and 3 illustrate in plan view, in side elevation and in inverted plan view, a marking element in accordance with the invention for use in carrying out the method according to the invention. A tenacious annular surface adhesion of the marking stud on the support and the like is rendered possible by the method according to the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, the marking element 1 has a disk-shaped body 2 of plastics material or the like, which may be in the form of a stud with dome-shaped top surface and flat underside and is essentially round in outline. The disk-shaped body 2 with this is preferably provided with at least one straight-line portion 3 and/or 4, with which join up recesses 5 and/or 6 in the depth of the disk-shaped body, the rear walls 7,8 of the recesses being formed for the installation of reflectors 9, 10.

The marginal portion of the disk-shaped body 2 is provided with a relatively large number of open slots 11 and 12, in order to achieve a keying and anchoring with the adhesive substance at the outer peripheral area of the disk-shaped body. Moreover, the marginal portion of the disk-shaped body is provided with boreholes 13. The latter may be arranged one between each two successive open slots 11, 12.

In this way the adhesive can pass upwards through the boreholes and the slots and consequently renders possible a very secure mechanical anchorage of the disk-shaped body 2 with the runway or roadway surface and the adhesive. The outwardlyopen slots 11, 12 may be formed opening out conically in the upwards direction.

Bars 15, 16 and 17, extending radially in groups, may be arranged for stiffening purposes on the bottom surface of the disk-shaped body 2. Moreover, borings 19 are preferably provided in the central area of the bottom surface of the disk-shaped body 2, these borings being carried through to the upper surface 20 of the disk-shaped body 2. These borings 19, which may be arranged in a circle around the centre point of the body 2, give rise to a release of pressure from the recesses formed between the bars, so that the development of air cushions and the like is reliably prevented.

Such a formation of the disk-shaped body of the marking stud with marginal slots and, if necessary, pressure-releasing borings in the central area, renders possible an anchorage of the marking stud by means of the adhesive only along the marginal portion of the disk-shaped body. It is sufficient if the adhesive substance is applied to the surface of the roadway or runwayorthe like in an annular form essentially corresponding to the area 2a of the bottom surface of the disk-shaped body, so that the marking stud is firmly united only around the marginal area thereof with the substratum. The effectiveness of this union in conjunction with the additional mechanical anchorage leads to a perfectly adequate adhesion of the disk-shaped body to and stability thereof on the roadway or runway surface. There is in that way a considerable saving in adhesive substance.The durability and stability of the adhesion is extraordinary. The danger of separation of the diskshaped body from the roadway or runway through forcing the body open at the marginal portion thereof is certainly eleminated by the reliable and tenacious anchorage around the marginal portion of the disk-shaped body. Many a plastics material of marking studs, for example polyethylene, has a poor adhesion to the adhesive substance. The anchorage of the marking stud is achieved in this instance by the gripping of the adhesive substance with the recesses provided in relatively close succession in the marginal portion of the disk-shaped body. In the case of markers which are used only temporarily, for example at building sites and the like, the marking studs are once more chipped off. With the size ofthe spot of adhesive hitherto, there are left behind socalled phantom markings which in many cases are still visible for years and can be disturbing for traffic.

This disadvantage is obviated or mitigated as a result of the essentially smaller quantity of adhesive with the anchorage of the marking studs only at the marginal portion.

The distribution of the precesses as borings and/or slots at the marginal portion of the disk-shaped body of the marking element is preferably provided in a relatively close series. Advantageously, the recesses at the marginal portion of the disk-shaped body are arranged at a spacing of about 1cm. from one another.

Claims

1. A method of applying a marking element, especially a marking stud of plastics material or the like, with firm adherence on to roadways, runways or the like, by means of an adhesive, in which use is made of a marking element comprising a diskshaped body provided with borings and/or slots in spaced arrangement at the marginal portion thereof, and the marking element is applied, adhesively fast at the marginal portion thereof only, on to the roadway, runway or the like.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the adhesive substance is applied in annular form on to the roadway, runway or the like.

3. A marking element for use in carrying out the method according to claim 1 or 2, in which the slots and/or borings open out conically in the upwards direction.

4. A marking element according to claim 3, in which further borings are arranged in the central area of the marking element or disk-shaped body and pass through the disk-shaped body.

5. A marking element according to claim 4, in which the bottom surface of the disk-shaped body has radially-extending bars or ribs, and said further borings open out into the spaces between the bars or ribs.

6. A method of applying a marking element, especially a marking stud of plastics material or the like, with firm adherence on to roadways, runways or the like, by means of an adhesive substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A marking element for use in carrying out the method according to claim 6, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.