GB2293965A - Traffic cone cleaner - Google Patents

Traffic cone cleaner Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2293965A
GB2293965A GB9515422A GB9515422A GB2293965A GB 2293965 A GB2293965 A GB 2293965A GB 9515422 A GB9515422 A GB 9515422A GB 9515422 A GB9515422 A GB 9515422A GB 2293965 A GB2293965 A GB 2293965A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
traffic cone
cleaner
cleaning
traffic
cone
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB9515422A
Other versions
GB9515422D0 (en
Inventor
John E A Macdonald
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Dee Organ Ltd
Original Assignee
Dee Organ Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GB9420620A external-priority patent/GB9420620D0/en
Application filed by Dee Organ Ltd filed Critical Dee Organ Ltd
Priority to GB9515422A priority Critical patent/GB2293965A/en
Publication of GB9515422D0 publication Critical patent/GB9515422D0/en
Publication of GB2293965A publication Critical patent/GB2293965A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01HSTREET CLEANING; CLEANING OF PERMANENT WAYS; CLEANING BEACHES; DISPERSING OR PREVENTING FOG IN GENERAL CLEANING STREET OR RAILWAY FURNITURE OR TUNNEL WALLS
    • E01H1/00Removing undesirable matter from roads or like surfaces, with or without moistening of the surface
    • E01H1/005Mobile installations, particularly for upkeeping in situ road or railway furniture, for instance road barricades, traffic signs; Mobile installations particularly for upkeeping tunnel walls
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B08CLEANING
    • B08BCLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
    • B08B1/00Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools
    • B08B1/30Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools by movement of cleaning members over a surface
    • B08B1/32Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools by movement of cleaning members over a surface using rotary cleaning members
    • B08B1/34Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools by movement of cleaning members over a surface using rotary cleaning members rotating about an axis parallel to the surface
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01FADDITIONAL WORK, SUCH AS EQUIPPING ROADS OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLATFORMS, HELICOPTER LANDING STAGES, SIGNS, SNOW FENCES, OR THE LIKE
    • E01F9/00Arrangement of road signs or traffic signals; Arrangements for enforcing caution
    • E01F9/60Upright bodies, e.g. marker posts or bollards; Supports for road signs
    • E01F9/623Upright bodies, e.g. marker posts or bollards; Supports for road signs characterised by form or by structural features, e.g. for enabling displacement or deflection
    • E01F9/654Upright bodies, e.g. marker posts or bollards; Supports for road signs characterised by form or by structural features, e.g. for enabling displacement or deflection in the form of three-dimensional bodies, e.g. cones; capable of assuming three-dimensional form, e.g. by inflation or erection to form a geometric body
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01FADDITIONAL WORK, SUCH AS EQUIPPING ROADS OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLATFORMS, HELICOPTER LANDING STAGES, SIGNS, SNOW FENCES, OR THE LIKE
    • E01F9/00Arrangement of road signs or traffic signals; Arrangements for enforcing caution
    • E01F9/60Upright bodies, e.g. marker posts or bollards; Supports for road signs
    • E01F9/688Free-standing bodies

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Geometry (AREA)
  • Cleaning In General (AREA)
  • Refuge Islands, Traffic Blockers, Or Guard Fence (AREA)

Abstract

A traffic cone cleaner comprises a housing 10 defining a cleaning chamber 13 into which the conical portion of a traffic cone 25 may be inserted. Cleaning means, preferably in the form of a number of cylindrical brushes 20A, 20B act upon the surface of the cone in order to clean it. The brushes may be driven by an electric motor. The cone is preferably located relative to the brushes by a rod 14 which, in use, extends through the centre of the cone. The cone cleaner may be operated automatically upon insertion of a cone by means of one or more switches 15B which are acted upon by the cone when it is inserted. A detergent solution may be fed into the cleaning chamber. There may be wheels or castors 52B, 53. The housing may be inclined away from the horizontal to allow easy and safe insertion of a cone by an operator in a standing position. <IMAGE>

Description

"Traffic Cone Cleaner" The present invention relates to a traffic cone cleaner, and especially, but not exclusively to a cleaner for plastic traffic cones.
Plastic traffic cones are frequently used to section off parts of roads which are undergoing maintenance work. Plastic traffic cones are generally made in a conspicuously coloured plastic material and generally include reflective panels in order to further enhance their visibility. It is important that traffic cones remain highly conspicuous in use, and it is therefore necessary to avoid the build-up of dust from road works, road grime caused by spray from traffic and similar substances on the surfaces of traffic cones which may reduce their visibility. However, traffic cones are frequently used under conditions in which such substances are common, such as in the vicinity of roadworks or on busy roads, and in order to maintain the visibility of the traffic cones it is therefore necessary to clean them.
Since a large number of traffic cones are often used to section off a single area and removing them to a cleaning site would be time consuming, it is desirable to clean the traffic cones in situ, and to take only a short time to clean each traffic cone. Furthermore, since traffic cones are frequently sited in potentially hazardous areas, such as adjacent to heavy traffic, the mode of cleaning the traffic cones should enable an operator to maintain a high degree of awareness of his surroundings, preferably remaining upright.
According to the present invention there is provided a traffic cone cleaner comprising: a housing defining a cleaning chamber and having entrance means allowing at least part of a traffic cone to enter said cleaning chamber; cleaning means within said cleaning chamber adapted to clean the surface of a traffic cone; traffic cone location means configured so as to locate a traffic cone relative to said cleaning means; and driving means adapted to effect cleaning of said located traffic cone by said cleaning means.
Preferably, said cleaning means comprises brush means adapted to engage the surface of a traffic cone.
Preferably, said traffic cone location means is adapted to locate a traffic cone in contact with said brush means.
Preferably, said driving means drives said brush means causing at least one surface of said brush means to slidingly engage a traffic cone located by said location means.
Preferably, said brush means is driven by said driving means so as to rotate about an axis of rotation passing through said brush means.
Preferably, said brush means comprises a plurality of elongate brushes, said brushes being substantially generally cylindrical and being adapted to rotate about their axes.
Preferably, said axes of said elongate brushes are inclined so as to converge, and, in use, are spaced substantially equidistantly about the conical surface of a traffic cone being cleaned, the axis of each of said brushes being substantially parallel to the generatrix of said conical surface of said traffic cone.
Preferably, in use, said brushes are driven so as to rotate or precess substantially about the axis of a traffic cone being cleaned.
Preferably, there is provided control means including switch means which causes the driving means to drive said cleaning means upon insertion of at least part of a traffic cone into said cleaning chamber.
Preferably, said cleaning chamber includes inlet means allowing insertion of a cleaning agent into said cleaning chamber, and outlet means allowing egress of said cleaning agent from said cleaning chamber.
Preferably, said traffic cone cleaner includes processing means for processing said cleaning agent, after it has been used in the cleaning of a cone, in order to prepare said cleaning agent for re-use in said cleaning chamber.
Preferably, said driving means provides a driving force to transport said cleaning agent from said outlet means to said inlet means.
Preferably, said driving means is an electric motor.
The traffic cone cleaner may include electricity generating means.
Preferably, said traffic cone cleaner includes ground engaging roller means, which may include wheels and/or castors, allowing said traffic cone cleaner to be manually transportable.
Said ground engaging roller means may be lockable.
Preferably, said housing is substantially generally cylindrical.
Preferably, in use, the axis of said substantially generally cylindrical housing is inclined away from the vertical and the horizontal.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig.l is a schematic partial cross-section of an embodiment of a traffic cone cleaner according to the present invention, showing a traffic cone being cleaned; Fig.2 is a perspective end view of the embodiment of Fig.1 without the traffic cone; and Fig.3 is a cross-sectional view showing a section of a traffic cone being cleaned by the embodiment of a traffic cone cleaner illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.
Referring to the drawings, an embodiment of a traffic cone cleaner, generally designated 1, comprises a generally cylindrical housing 10 defining a generally cylindrical cleaning chamber 13. The axis of the cylindrical housing 10 is inclined from the horizontal.
At the upper end of the cylindrical housing 10 there is a flanged portion 11, which defines the traffic cone entrance means 12 in the form of a circular aperture, through which the conical portion of a plastic traffic cone 25 may be inserted into the cleaning chamber 13.
Mounted on the flanged portion 11 are switch means in the form of first and second switches 15A and 15B.
In the cleaning chamber there is provided cleaning means comprising brush means in the form of three cylindrical brushes 20A, 20B, 20C, the axes of which converge so as to define a substantially conical space adapted to receive the conical portion of a plastic traffic cone 25. The brushes 20A, 20B, 20C are equidistantly spaced about the axis of the conical space (which, in the illustrated embodiment, corresponds to the axis of the cleaning chamber 13 and the axis of the housing 10). Extending along the axis of the conical space is an elongate location rod 14.
The location rod 14, in combination with the flanged portion 11 (which is adapted to abut the base of a traffic cone inserted into said cleaner) comprises traffic cone location means.
The cleaning chamber 13 is provided, towards its upper end, with cleaning agent inlet means in the form of a shower head 31 through which a liquid cleaning agent, such as water, optionally with an additional cleaning agent in solution, may be sprayed into the cleaning chamber 13. The cleaning chamber 13 is also provided, towards its lower end, with outlet means in the form of an exit 32 via which the liquid cleaning agent (hereinafter referred to as water) may exit from the cleaning chamber 13 after use. An exit pipe 33 is provided for the transport of the used water to processing means in the form of a pump and filter unit 34, and a feed pipe 35 transports filtered water from the pump and filter unit 34 back to the shower head 31.
The housing 10 is provided with a sludge drain tap 36 at, or close to, its lowest point.
The cylindrical housing 10 is mounted on and supported by a wheeled frame, generally designated 50, which is provided with ground engaging roller means in the form of a pair of wheels 52A, 52B and a pair of castors 53 (of which only one is shown). One of the castors 53 is provided with a braking and locking mechanism 54. the wheeled frame 50 includes a pair of parallel vertical frame members 51A, 51B which are attached at their upper ends to the upper end of the housing 10, and attached at their lower ends to a pair of parallel horizontal frame members 55 (of which only one is shown) which run towards the lower end of the housing 10 and connect the wheels 51A, S1B to the castors 53.
The frame 50 also includes a pair of parallel handle members 57 (of which only one is shown) and a pair of inclined support frame members 56 which extend between the horizontal frame members 55 and the handle members 57, and upon which are mounted support brackets (not shown) which support the lower end of the cylindrical housing 10.
The inclined support frame members 56 support driving means in the form of an electric motor 40 and an associated drive train. The motor 40 drives the cylindrical brushes 20A, 20B, 20C via a drive train comprising a drive shaft 41, which extends from the motor 40 into the housing 10, and a sealed gearbox 42 which is located inside the housing 10.
The wheeled frame 50 is strengthened by provision of first and second horizontal bracing members 38A, 38B which connect the parallel vertical frame members 51A, 51B. The wheeled frame 50 further includes a first pair of brackets 61A, 61B and a second pair of brackets 62 (of which only one is shown) which extend downwardly from the horizontal frame members 55 and support a platform 60. In the present embodiment the platform 60 supports electricity generating means in the form of a generator 45, which provides power to the motor 40, and which may be demounted if desired.
This embodiment of a traffic cone cleaner 1 is designed so that the motor 40 is only activated when the switches 15A, 15B are operated. The switches 15A, 15B are configured such that they are operated by pressure from the base portion of a traffic cone 25 when the conical portion of the traffic cone 25 is inserted into the cleaning chamber 13. Traffic cones are generally truncated close to where the vertex would be on a true cone, and are generally provided with an aperture at the narrow, truncated end. In order to insert a traffic cone into the cleaning chamber 13 an operator places the traffic cone 25 so that the location rod 14 passes through the aperture of the traffic cone 25.
The operator then pushes the traffic cone 25 until the base of the traffic cone abuts the flange portion 11 of the housing 10. When the base of the traffic cone 25 abuts the flange portion 11 of the housing 10 it will also press upon the switches 15A, 15B and cause the motor to operate. (The switches are connected to the motor by connections which are not shown in the drawings.) When in this position the conical portion of the traffic cone 25 will be in contact with each of the brushes 20A, 20B, 20C, and will be securely located in the conical space defined by the axes of the brushes 20A, 20B, 20C by the location rod 14 passing through the traffic cone and by the abutment of the base of the traffic cone with the flange portion 11.
Operation of the motor causes the brushes 20A, 20B, 20C to rotate about their own axes, and also to precess, substantially about the axis of the inserted traffic cone. This motion of the brushes 20A, 20B, 20C is illustrated in Fig.3 and helps to ensure that they rapidly clean substantially all of the conical surface of the traffic cone 25. This motion is brought about by the configuration of the drive train between the brushes 20A, 20B, 20C and the motor 40.
Operation of the motor 40 also operates the pump and filter unit 34 causing water to be pumped to the shower head 31 and sprayed into the cleaning chamber 13, enhancing the cleaning action of the brushes 20A, 20B, 20C. The dirty water then collects at the lowest point of the cleaning chamber 13, from where it is drawn, by the action of the pump and filter unit 34, through the exit pipe 33, filtered and returned to the shower head 31 via the feed pipe 35.
After a given time the cleaned traffic cone 25 may be withdrawn from the cleaning chamber 13, releasing the switches 15A, 15B and thus automatically turning off the motor 40.
Due to the combination of rotation and precession of the brushes, as illustrated in Fig.3, the cleaning operation is generally short in duration and the provision of wheels 52A, 52B, castors 53 and handle members 57 allows the traffic cone cleaner to be easily moved and manoeuvred. The inclined configuration of the cylindrical housing 10 enables traffic cones to be inserted by an operator easily and without undue bending which could disorientate the operator or reduce his awareness of the surroundings, including nearby traffic. The described embodiment would be robustly constructed using a galvanised steel drum for the cylindrical housing 10, using armour electric cable where appropriate and stainless steel for the moving parts where appropriate. Although a generator 45 is included in the description the traffic cone cleaner could also be run from a separate electricity supply.
The described embodiment of a traffic cone cleaner thus provides a compact portable traffic cone cleaner for use on-site, eliminating the need for time consuming relocation of traffic cones to be cleaned, and enabling safe and rapid on-site cleaning of traffic cones. The described embodiment allows effective cleaning of a traffic cone in just a few seconds.
Improvements and modifications may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention. For example for safety reasons the described embodiment requires both switches 15A, 15B to be operated in order to operate the motor, but a variation could have a smaller or greater number of switches depending upon safety requirements. It is envisaged that mechanical equivalents of the elements described could be used.
The cleaning means could comprise one or more high pressure water jets rather than the brush means of the described embodiment.

Claims (19)

1. A traffic cone cleaner comprising: a housing defining a cleaning chamber and having entrance means allowing at least part of a traffic cone to enter said cleaning chamber; cleaning means within said cleaning chamber adapted to clean the surface of a traffic cone; traffic cone location means configured so as to locate a traffic cone relative to said cleaning means; and driving means adapted to effect cleaning of said located traffic cone by said cleaning means.
2. A traffic cone cleaner as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said cleaning means comprises brush means adapted to engage the surface of a traffic cone.
3. A traffic cone cleaner as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said traffic cone location means is adapted to locate a traffic cone in contact with said brush means.
4. A traffic cone cleaner as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said driving means drives said brush means causing at least one surface of said brush means to slidingly engage a traffic cone located by said location means.
5. A traffic cone cleaner as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 4, wherein said brush means is driven by said driving means so as to rotate about an axis of rotation passing through said brush means.
6. A traffic cone cleaner as claimed in Claim 5, wherein said brush means comprises a plurality of elongate brushes, said brushes being substantially generally cylindrical and being adapted to rotate about their axes.
7. A traffic cone cleaner as claimed in Claim 6, wherein said axes of said elongate brushes are inclined so as to converge, and, in use, are spaced substantially equidistantly about the conical surface of a traffic cone being cleaned, the axis of each of said brushes being substantially parallel to the generatrix of said conical surface of said traffic cone.
8. A traffic cone cleaner as claimed in either of Claims 6 or 7, wherein, in use, said brushes are driven so as to rotate or precess substantially about the axis of a traffic cone being cleaned.
9. A traffic cone cleaner as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein there is provided control means including switch means which causes the driving means to drive said brush cleaning means upon insertion of at least part of a traffic cone into said cleaning chamber.
10. A traffic cone cleaner as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein said cleaning chamber includes inlet means allowing insertion of a cleaning agent into said cleaning chamber, and outlet means allowing egress of said cleaning agent from said cleaning chamber.
11. A traffic cone cleaner as claimed in Claim 10, wherein said traffic cone cleaner includes processing means for processing said cleaning agent, after it has been used in the cleaning of a cone, in order to prepare said cleaning agent for re-use in said cleaning chamber.
12. A traffic cone cleaner as claimed in Claim 11, wherein said driving means provides a driving force to transport said cleaning agent from said outlet means to said inlet means.
13. A traffic cone cleaner as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein said driving means includes an electric motor.
14. A traffic cone cleaner as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein said traffic cone cleaner includes electricity generating means.
15. A traffic cone cleaner as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein said traffic cone cleaner includes ground engaging roller means.
16. A traffic cone cleaner as claimed in Claim 15, wherein said ground engaging roller means comprises one or more wheels and/or castors.
17. A traffic cone cleaner as claimed in either of Claims 15 or 16, wherein said ground engaging roller means are lockable.
18. A traffic cone cleaner as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein said housing is substantially generally cylindrical.
19. A traffic cone cleaner as claimed in Claim 18, wherein in use, the axis of said substantially generally cylindrical housing is inclined away from the vertical and the horizontal.
GB9515422A 1994-10-13 1995-07-27 Traffic cone cleaner Withdrawn GB2293965A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9515422A GB2293965A (en) 1994-10-13 1995-07-27 Traffic cone cleaner

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9420620A GB9420620D0 (en) 1994-10-13 1994-10-13 Traffic cone cleaner
GB9515422A GB2293965A (en) 1994-10-13 1995-07-27 Traffic cone cleaner

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9515422D0 GB9515422D0 (en) 1995-09-27
GB2293965A true GB2293965A (en) 1996-04-17

Family

ID=26305791

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9515422A Withdrawn GB2293965A (en) 1994-10-13 1995-07-27 Traffic cone cleaner

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2293965A (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2421174A (en) * 2004-12-18 2006-06-21 Milikraft Ltd Cleaning device with multiple extendable rotary cleaning components
GB2434970A (en) * 2006-02-09 2007-08-15 Julian Marcus Brown Apparatus for cleaning a traffic cone

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2254248A (en) * 1991-04-05 1992-10-07 Marlin Machines Limited Road traffic marker post cleaner
GB2268772A (en) * 1992-07-18 1994-01-19 Tickhill Eng Co Ltd Apparatus for collecting/setting road traffic cones
GB2276537A (en) * 1993-03-04 1994-10-05 Derek David Eastman Traffic cone cleaning tank

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2254248A (en) * 1991-04-05 1992-10-07 Marlin Machines Limited Road traffic marker post cleaner
GB2268772A (en) * 1992-07-18 1994-01-19 Tickhill Eng Co Ltd Apparatus for collecting/setting road traffic cones
GB2276537A (en) * 1993-03-04 1994-10-05 Derek David Eastman Traffic cone cleaning tank

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2421174A (en) * 2004-12-18 2006-06-21 Milikraft Ltd Cleaning device with multiple extendable rotary cleaning components
GB2421174B (en) * 2004-12-18 2007-12-27 Milikraft Ltd Cleaning apparatus
US8245344B2 (en) 2004-12-18 2012-08-21 Milikraft Limited Cleaning apparatus
GB2434970A (en) * 2006-02-09 2007-08-15 Julian Marcus Brown Apparatus for cleaning a traffic cone
GB2434970B (en) * 2006-02-09 2010-08-04 Julian Marcus Brown Cone washer/cleaner

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9515422D0 (en) 1995-09-27

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