GB2200936A

GB2200936A - Reflective kerbstone

Info

Publication number: GB2200936A
Application number: GB08703054A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Frederick Richard Jones
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-02-11
Filing date: 1987-02-11
Publication date: 1988-08-17
Also published as: GB8703054D0

Abstract

A concrete kerbstone incorporates an inherently light-reflective and/or an inherently light-emitting material, at least some of said material being visible at the surface of the kerb stone. Thus a vehicle driver can more readily see the kerb stones either by the reflection of the vehicle lights or by the light being naturally emitted from the kerb stones.

Description

DESCRIPTION IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO BUILDING MATERIALS.

The present invention relates to building materials.

More particularly, the present invention relates to building materials made of concrete, especially for use in constructing roads etc., e.g. concrete kerb stones. Such concrete kerb stones define the side edge of a road by usually providing a raised edge.

However, such concrete kerb stones are usually off-white or grey in colour, and are not readily visible to a vehicle driver, especially in bad weather conditions, and whilst such a raised kerb stone edge can be hit by a vehicle, thus immediately warning a driver that he is too close to the side of the road, such an impact, especially at speed, can be dangerous. To aid drivers it is known to provide a white line parallel to the kerb. However, this is an additional expense.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a concrete building material, such as a kerb stone, which is more readily notable by a vehicle driver.

According to the broadest aspect of the present invention there is provided a building material comprising a solid item made of concrete and incorporating an inherently light-reflective material and/or an inherently light-emitting material, at least some of which is visible at the surface of the item.

If reflective material is used it is preferably in fragmented form and is added to the fluid concrete during the manufacture of the building material, e.g.

during the manufacture of the kerb stone. The fragmented reflective material is preferably randomly mixed with the fluid concrete to obtain an even spread of the reflective material throughout-the kerb stones. Alternatively the reflective material may be more concentrated in one particular region, as desired.

As an alternative to randomly or locally mixing the fragmented reflective material with the fluid concrete during manufacture of, for example, kerb stones, the reflective material fragments may be merely pressed into at least a portion of the surface region of the moulded kerb stone when the concrete has semi-solidified. Alternatively, the fragments of reflective material may be detachably secured to the wall of a concrete mould so that they are formed in the kerb stone as the concrete cures.

The reflective material can be comprised of any suitable material, e.g. glass or a plastics material, and can be in any desired form, e.g. powder, granules, crystalline etc. Further, the effective material may be of any desired colour, contrasting or blending with the concrete. preferably the reflective material is as durable as the concrete itself.

In use, the reflective material used in accordance with the present invention in, for example, kerb stones, is picked out by vehicle headlights, and as a result provides a positive and permanent visible line guide to vehicle drivers.

Whilst the reflective material used in the present invention may be especially manufactured for the present invention, it is envisaged that waste material of a suitable type may be used, thus reducing manufacturing costs to a minimum.

If inherently light-emitting material is used, e.g. phosphorescent material, this is preferably incorporated in the building material, e.g. kerb stone, during manufacture, the phosphorescent material being randomly mixed with the fluid concrete to provide an even spread of the phosphorescent material throughout the kerb stone. Alternatively, the phosphorescent material may be concentrated in one or more regions of the kerb stones.

In use, the light-emitting material may naturally emit light waves which can be easily seen at night, or the light-emitting material may be such as to absorb and emit light, the emitted light being seen during the hours of darkness.

The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig.L is- a perspective view of a kerb stone constructed according to the present invention; and Fig.2 schematically illustrates the kerb stone of Fig.l, in use.

The kerb stone 1 illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and constructed according to the present invention, comprises a generally rectangular block of concrete 3 having fragments 5 of reflective material embedded therein. The fragments 5 are glass fragments, though any other suitable reflective material fragments, e.g. fragments of a plastics material, can alternatively or additionally be used.

In manufacturing the kerb stone 1 the glass fragments 5 are merely homogeneously mixed with the fluid concrete so as to provide a random though uniform spread of the fragments throughout the tnix.

When moulded and cured, the kerb stone has a proportion of the fragments 5 flush with its outer surface, these visible fragments 5 being solely important as regards the present invention. Whilst the fragments 5 within the kerb stone have no useful function except insofar as they act as a durable filler, this method of manufacture is at present considered to be the simplest and cheapest method, especially when using fragments of waste reflective material.

Alternatively, reflective material fragments can be either moulded in or pressed into the outer surface of the partially cured kerb stone. In this way, reflective material is only used for the purpose required, as described herebelow.

In use, the illustrated kerb stone 1 is located with other such kerb stones along the side of a road so that the reflective fragments 5 can be picked out by the headlights of a moving vehicle, thus providing a positive and permanent guide line for the vehicle driver, which is especially of use in bad weather, e.g. rain, fog etc.

In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the reflective material is replaced by a phosporescent material. Any other light-emitting material can of course be substituted. The light emitting material can either naturally emit light, or be of the type that absorbs and emits light waves.

Whilst the above description makes particular reference to a kerb stone 1, any other building material item made of concrete can be manufactured according to the present invention, to provide advantage , e.g. building corner stones or bricks, or exposed concrete lintels for use, for example, on bridges crossing roads.

The present invention thus provides a relatively cheap building material with inbuilt advantages evident in subsequent use.

Claims

1. A building material comprising a solid item made of concrete and incorporating an inherently light-reflective material and/or an inherently light-emitting material, at least some of which is visible at the surface of the item.

2. A building material as claimed in claim 1, in which the light-reflective material is in fragmented form.

3. A building material as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the light reflective nterial is class.

4. A building material as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the light reflective material is a plastics material.

5. A building material as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the light reflective material is evenly spread throughout the concrete.

6. A building material as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the light reflective material is concentrated in one particular region of the concrete.

7. A building material as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the light reflective material is pressed into or moulded into the surface of said item during manufacture of said item.

8. A building material as claimed in claim 1, in which the light-emitting material is a phosphorescent material.

9. A building material as claimed in claim 1 or claim 8, in which the light-emitting material is evenly spread throughout the concrete.

10. A building material as claimed in claim 1 or claim 8, in which the light-emitting material is concentrated in one or more regions of the concrete.

11. A building material as claimed in any one of the preceeding claims, in which said item is a kerb stone.

12. A building material constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described Nith reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.