GB2291673A

GB2291673A - Improvements in traffic islands

Info

Publication number: GB2291673A
Application number: GB9515083A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Bartingale; John Lyndon Cuming
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-07-23
Filing date: 1995-07-21
Publication date: 1996-01-31
Also published as: GB9515083D0; GB9415410D0

Abstract

A traffic island comprises a base moulded from plastics, resin or thermoplastics material and preferably consisting of a number of layers (1, 2, 3). The base is adapted to be detachably attached to a road or like surface by a series of bolts, pins, nails or like fastening members (6) which are passed through bores (4, 5) in the base and engaged in a road or like surface. A traffic bollard or post may be incorporated in the base which may also accommodate electric ducting to enable the bollard or a sign on the post to be illuminated. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAFFIC ISLANDS This invention relates to improvements in traffic islands and is particularly concerned with the construction and installation of islands for use as traffic calming and control, with or without the facility to accept an illuminated bollard, on the public highway or on private property.

A problem with conventional traffic islands is that they are designed to be constructed on site, either by using precast curb sections and infilling with concrete or tarmac materials, or by using a prefabricated frame which is then infilled in a similar manner as previously described.

The major problems experienced with these conventional methodsvof construction are: a) the cost of different materials and their transport to site, b) the preparation of foundations on site, c) the high labour time and therefore cost of construction and installation, d) the time from construction commencement to commissioning from the traffic management viewpoint, e) once the island is in place it is impractical or costly to modify.

The present invention seeks to avoid all of the disadvantages of the conventional methods discussed above and to provide a traffic island capable of being fully preconstructed prior to transporting to site, being affixed to the road or highway without any requirement for preparation of the road surface, and which can easily be installed, modified, moved or removed and replaced without the need to disrupt traffic outside of a single 24 hour period.

According to the invention, there is provided a traffic island comprising a base, moulded from a plastics, resin or thermoplastics material and consisting of at least one layer, and means for detachably attaching the base to a road or like surface.

Preferably, the base is provided with a series of holes each of which is adapted to receive said means for attaching the base to a road or like surface.

The attaching means desirably comprise a series of bolts, each of which is adapted to be received in a respective hole in the base, and a corresponding number of screw-threaded inserts each of which is adapted to be secured to or in a road or like surface for receiving the bolts whereby the base can be attached to said road or like surface.

Alternatively, the attaching means may comprise a series of pins, nails or like fastening members, each of which is adapted to be received in a respective hole in the base, said fastening members being adapted to be driven into a road or like surface to attach the base to said surface.

The base may consist of a plurality of layers which are laminated together or it may consist of an outer layer of a covering material enclosing an internal block of material.

The base may further include a frame adapted to receive and mount a traffic bollard and/or a post. The frame is desirably made of metal. An electric conduit may be incorporated into the base to permit the bollard and/or post to be illuminated.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a traffic island according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 11-11 in Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a second embodiment of a traffic island according to the invention; Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line IV-IV in Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 5 is a plan view of a third embodiment of a traffic island according to the invention; Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line VI-VI in Fig. 5 in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 7 is a plan view of a fourth embodiment of a traffic island according to the invention; Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line vm-vm in Fig. 7 in the direction of the arrows;; Fig. 9 is a section corresponding to Fig. 8 but showing a variation; Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section through another embodiment of a traffic island according to the invention; Fig. 11 is a plan view of a further embodiment of a traffic island according to the invention; Fig. 12 is a section taken on the line Xll-XII in Fig. 11 in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 13 is a plan view of a modified form of the traffic island shown in Figs. 11 and 12; Fig. 14 is a section taken on the line XIV-XIV in Fig. 13 in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 15 is a plan view of a further modified form of the traffic island shown in Figs. 11 and 12; Fig. 16 is a section taken on the line XVI-XVI in Fig. 15 in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 17 is a plan view of yet another embodiment of a traffic island according to the invention;; Fig. 18 is a section taken on the line XVIII-XVIII in Fig. 17 in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 19 is a section corresponding to Fig. 18 but showing a variation; and Fig. 20 is a longitudinal section of a still further embodiment of a traffic island according to the invention.

In the drawings, like parts are denoted by like reference numerals.

Reference will first be made to Fig. 1 of the drawings in which a traffic island according to the invention comprises a base consisting of a top layer 1 and a number of additional layers, dependent on the thickness required, such as 2 and 3. These layers 1, 2 and 3 are laminated either from rubber, plastics, thermoplastic rubber or similar materials which can be cut from a sheet or moulded into the required shape and size prior to lamination.

A series of bores 4 are provided in the top layer 1 and a series of bores 5 are provided in each of the additional layers 2, 3. The bores 5 have a smaller diameter than that of the bores 4 and each is adapted to receive a respective bolt 6. The bores 4 are adapted to receive the heads 7 of the bolts 6. The bores 4 and 5 in the layers 1 and 2, 3 respectively are aligned with one another whereby bolts can be inserted into the bores and their threaded ends engaged in screwthreaded inserts 8 which are positioned in a road or like surface.

In order to secure the base to a road or like surface, the base is located in a desired position on the surface and the surface is marked at the locations corresponding to the bores 5. The base is then temporarily moved away so that the inserts 8 can be drilled into the surface at the marked locations. The base is then repositioned and secured to the surface by the bolts 6 which engage with the threaded inserts 8. The bores 4 in the top layer 1 can then be closed by bungs 9 which may be a force-fit in the bores or may be glued in the bores.

The embodiments shown in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings are similar to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 except that, in the case of Fig. 1, the base has the shape of an oval whereas, in Fig. 3, the base has the shape of only half of an oval with rounded corners and, in Fig. 5, the base is circular. The construction and method of mounting on a road or like surface is otherwise similar to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings, a traffic island is provided with a pair of metal frames 12 for the mounting of bollards (not shown).

The layers 1, 2 and 3 are provided with openings 11 to receive the metal frames 12 and, as shown in Fig. 8, each frame 12 is provided with a flanged base 13.

These bases are located between the layers 2 and 3 before these layers are laminated together. As an alternative, the frames 12 may be inserted through the openings 11 in the layers 1, 2 and 3 after the layers have been laminated together as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings.

As a further alternative, a traffic island according to the invention may be provided with posts 14 instead of bollards as shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings.

Each post desirably has a base portion 15 of greater diameter than the remainder of the post which is located in a bore of corresponding size in the lowermost layer 3 as well as a flanged base 16. The posts may be incorporated into the traffic island during the lamination of the layers 1, 2 and 3 or inserted into corresponding openings in the layers after said layers have been laminated together.

Turning now to the embodiment shown in Figs. 11 and 12 of the drawings, the traffic island according to this embodiment comprises an internal filler block or core 21 around which is moulded a rubber, plastics, resin or thermoplastic covering or skin 22. The internal filler block or core 21 may be made from any suitable filler material and the moulding can be made as a whole form or sectionally to complete the required form. Recessed bores 23 are provided in the covering or skin 22 for the reception of bolts 6. This embodiment is otherwise similar to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings and the manner in which it can be secured to a road surface is essentially the same.

The embodiments shown in Figs. 13 and 15 of the drawings are similar to the embodiment shown in Fig. 11 except that while, in the case of Fig. 11, the base has the shape of an oval, in Fig. 13 the base has the shape of half an oval with rounded corners and in Fig. 15 the base is circular. The construction is otherwise similar to the embodiment shown in Figs. 11 and 12 of the drawings and the method of mounting on a road or like surface is similar to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 17 and 18 of the drawings is similar to the embodiment shown in Figs. 11 and 12 except that, in this case, the traffic island is provided with a pair of metal frames 12 for the reception of bollards (not shown). The internal filler block or core 21 is formed from a number of pieces which are intended to surround the frames 12 as indicated in Figs. 18 and 19 of the drawings. Each frame 12 has a flanged base 13 and the bollards may be incorporated into the base of the traffic island during moulding of the outer covering or skin 22 as shown in Fig. 18 or inserted into a corresponding opening 24 in the said outer covering or skin 22 after moulding as shown in Fig. 19.

As a further alternative illustrated in Fig. 20 of the drawings, a traffic island according to the invention may be provided with a pair of posts 14 which may be incorporated into the base during moulding of the outer covering or skin 22 or inserted into corresponding openings in the base after moulding.

The traffic islands shown in Figs. 17 to 20 of the drawings can be secured to a road or like surface in a similar manner to the embodiment shown Figs. 11 and 12 of the drawings.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a traffic island which can be prefabricated and/or sectionally moulded in plastic, resin rubber or thermoplastic rubber and which can be transported to site complete and installed without previous preparation, with the exception of an electrical supply for the purposes of bollard illumination if required. According to the invention, the island may be of any size and shape that can be accommodated by the manufacturing process or is required by the installation.

The island laminated from the layers 1, 2 and 3 or moulded can, according to the invention, accommodate various fixings either laminated or moulded into the base of the island or inserted through the base. The bollards and posts are only examples of fixings that may be required and/or fitted.

It will be seen that the traffic control island according to the invention solves the problems of installation time, installation cost, prolonged traffic management during installation, road/highway preparation prior to installation and relocation and/or modification.

It should be noted that the invention is not restricted to the above described embodiments but variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, although the embodiments of Figs.

1 to 10 are shown with three laminated layers, the number of layers will vary according to the thickness of material being used and the final thickness required.

Further, the embodiments shown have bolt fixings but this method of fixing may change to nailing, adhesive bonding, free standing or another method. Moreover, signs may be fixed to the posts 14 and if an electrical supply istconnected, the bollards and/or signs on the posts may be illuminated. Alternatively, the bollards and/or signs may be provided with an independent power supply such as, for example, solar cells.

Claims

1. A traffic island comprising a base, moulded from a plastics, resin or thermoplastics material and consisting of at least one layer, and means for detachably attaching the base to a road or like surface.

2. A traffic island according to claim 1, wherein the base is provided with a series of holes each of which is adapted to receive said means for attaching the base to a road or like surface.

3. A traffic island according to claim 2, wherein the attaching means comprise a series of bolts, each of which is adapted to be received in a respective hole in the base, and a corresponding number of screw-threaded. inserts each of which is adapted to be secured to or in a road or like surface for receiving the bolts whereby the base can be attached to said road or like surface.

4. A traffic island according to claim 2, wherein the attaching means comprise a series of pins, nails or like fastening members, each of which is adapted to be received in a respective hole in the base, said fastening members being adapted to be driven into a road or like surface to attach the base to said surface.

5. A traffic island according to any preceding claim, wherein the base consists of a plurality of layers which are laminated together.

6. A traffic island according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the base comprises an outer layer of a covering material enclosing an internal block of material.

7. A traffic island according to any preceding claim, wherein the base includes a frame adapted to receive and mount a traffic bollard.

8. A traffic island according to any preceding claim, wherein the base includes a frame adapted to receive and mount a post.

9. A traffic island according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the frame is made of metal.

10. A traffic island according to any one of claims 7 to 9, ,wherein an electric conduit is incorporated into the base to permit the bollard and/or post to be illuminated.

11. A traffic island substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.