GB2100322A

GB2100322A - Temporary road marker posts or the like

Info

Publication number: GB2100322A
Application number: GB8118470A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: JOHNSTONE SAFETY Ltd
Current assignee: JOHNSTONE SAFETY Ltd
Priority date: 1981-06-16
Filing date: 1981-06-16
Publication date: 1982-12-22
Also published as: GB2100322B

Abstract

A temporary road bollard is formed from a substantially rigid base portion 1 to which is attached an inflatable pillar portion 2 by means of a rib and groove configuration. The pillar portion 2 can be inflated to form a truncated conical structure through a valved connector piece 4. The base portion 1 incorporates an annular space 8 for receipt of ballast or water for weighting purposes. For transportation the pillar portion 2 can be deflated so that the whole structure occupies a small space. A string of inflatable posts in permanent positions may be connected by pipework to an air pump. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to temporary posts or the like It is common practice to provide movable or removable post structures to act as temporary markers on roads to indicate areas over which vehicles should not travel. These usually take the form of a conical post on a heavv base or a cylindrical post which can be fixed into the road surface. Usually these post structures are made from plastics material to lessen the possibility of damage due to accidental impact with a vehicle.

Such post structures are relatively bulky (although they are not normally particularly heavy) and therefore occupy a substantial space when being transported.

It is an object of this invention to provide a temporary post structure or the like which occupies a small space until such time as it is to be put into use.

Accordingly this invention provides a temporary structure in the form of a post, road bollard or the like, comprising a base portion for fixing or resting the structure on the ground, and a hollow pillar portion which can be inflated from a collapsed state where it stands up from the base portion, the pillar portion being provided with an inflation aperture.

With such a structure, for transportation purposes, the pillar portion can be deflated so that the overall volume of the structure will then be quite small.

In the preferred embodiment the pillar portion is double-walled, the space between the walls being the region to be inflated, and ideally will be in the form of a truncated hollow cone. If the base portion is of annular form then the structure can be so formed that an identical cone can be stacked within the hollow central region of the cone by insertion through the base and into the conical pillar region.

If desired, the pillar portion could be made detachable from the base portion.,For example, the pillar portion and base portion could be interconnected by a flexible annular rib and groove configuration.

It is of course also possible to provide that the base portion is also inflatable from a collapsed state. In this case, if the inflatable interior of the base portion is integral with the inflatable interior of the pillar portion, then the hollow structure can be inflated from a single inflation apertures Alternatively, the base portion may be of substantially rigid form. Ideally the base will incorporate a hollow cavity for the receipt of ballast, or will provide a connector piece for attachment to a ground fixing. In this latter case, the base portion could be adapted to be recessed in a ground mounting whereby the collapsed pillar portion may be received within the ground mounting to hide away the structure below the ground. The structure could then be permanent or semi-permanent and brought into commission by inflation of the pillar portion so that it will rise above the ground.If a string of these post structures is provided in permanent positions they could be interconnected by pipework to an air pump or the like from which they can readily be inflated or deflated.

Ideally the inflation aperture will provide a connection piece for attachment to a pump and it is preferred that the inflation aperture should incorporate a valve. It is advantageous to ensure that the inflation aperture is hidden within the interior of the structure when the pillar portion is fully inflated, to remove the immediate temptation of unauthorised tampering with the structure to cause the pillar portion to be deflated. If desired an integral compressed air supply cylinder could be connected to the inflation aperture so that, after transportation to a working site, the pillar portion can be immediately inflated without the need to operate a pump.

It is preferred that the pillar portion at least of the structure should be formed from plasticised polyvinyl chloride, polythene or ethyl vinyl acetate.

The invention may be performed in various ways and a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section through one form of post structure according to the invention: and Figure 2 is an enlarged view of part of the structure to show the details thereof.

The post structure shown in the drawings basically comprises a substantially rigid base portion 1 interconnected with an inflated pillar portion 2. The pillar portion 2 is double-walled to provide an annular space 3 between the walls which may be filled with air through a valved connector piece 4 to create a conical pillar portion of substantially rigid appearance. The pillar portion 2 is interconnected with the base portion 1 by means of an annular rib 5 and groove 6 configuration as is shown clearly in Figure 2. The base portion 1 has an internal collar 7 which forms an annular space 8 for the receipt of ballast such as sand or water. Alternatively an inflatable tube could be inserted in the space 8 which could be filled with water through a filling aperture.

It would of course be possible to interconnect the inflatable pillar portion 2 with the base portion 1 by means other than the rib and groove configuration 5, 6 (as shown) or indeed to form the two parts integrally. Also the filling aperture provided by the connection piece 4 could be situated elsewhere but this will desirably be towards the bottom end of the pillar portion 2 and to the inside rather than on the outside so that it will be hidden away.

As can be seen both the base portion 1 and the pillar portion 2 are of conical form so that they can be stacked one on top of the other. For transportation the pillar portion 2 can be deflated and even removed from the base portion 1 and the base portions themselves could be stacked one within the other.

Claims

1. A temporary structure in the form of a post, road bollard or the like, comprising a base portion for fixing or resting the structure on or in the ground, and a hollow pillar portion which can be inflated from a collapsed state to a state where it stands up from the base portion, the pillar portion being provided with an inflation aperture.

2. A structure according to claim 1, wherein the pillar portion is double-walled, the space between the walls defining a closed volume to be inflated.

3. A structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the pillar portion is in the form of a truncated hollow cone.

4. A structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the base portion is of annular form.

5. A structure according to claims 3 and 4, so formed that an identical cone can be stacked within the hollow central region of the cone by insertion through the base and into the conical pillar region.

6. A structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the pillar portion is detachable from the base portion.

7. A structure according to claim 6 wherein the pillar portion and base portion are interconnected by a flexible annular rib and groove configuration.

8. A structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the base portion is also inflatable from a collapsed state.

9. A structure according to claim 8, wherein the inflatable interior of the base portion is integral with the inflatable interior of the pillar portion.

10. A structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the base portion is of substantially rigid form.

1 A structure according to claim 10, wherein the base incorporates a hollow cavity for the receipt of ballast.

12. A structure according to claim 10, wherein the base portion comprises or incorporates a connector piece for attachment to a ground fixing.

13. A structure according to claim 12, wherein the base portion is adapted to be recessed in a ground mounting whereby the collapsed pillar portion may be received within the ground mounting to hide away the structure below the ground.

14. A structure according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the inflation aperture provides a connection piece for attachment to a pump.

1 5. A structure according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the inflation aperture incorporates a valve;

16. A structure according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the inflation aperture is hidden within the interior of the structure when the pillar portion is fully inflated.

17. A structure according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein an integral compressed gas supply cylinder is connected to the inflation aperture.

18. A structure according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the pillar portion at least of the structure is formed from plasticised polyvinylchloride.

19. A temporary structure in the form of a post, road bollard or the like and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.