GB2377244A

GB2377244A - Apparatus for laying and collecting road cones

Info

Publication number: GB2377244A
Application number: GB0115002A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Patrick Flynn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-06-20
Filing date: 2001-06-20
Publication date: 2003-01-08
Also published as: GB0115002D0

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a chamber 4 for storing road cones 5 and a delivery system for picking up a cone from the chamber and placing it on a roadway or picking up a cone of the road and placing it back in the chamber. The apparatus is preferably in the form of a road vehicle 1 with the enclosure being a chamber that forms part of the vehicle. The enclosed chamber may have at least one aperture at one end, adjacent the rear of the vehicle, through which cones may be dispensed or retrieved. The chamber may include a number of elongate compartments 4A-E for storing cones that each have an aperture. The delivery means preferably includes a first handling device 8 adjacent a conveyor 9 that has a first end adjacent the chamber and a second end adjacent the roadway, with the first handling device acting to move cones between the chamber and conveyor and visa versa, while a second handling device acts to move cones between the road and the conveyor when collecting cones. The conveyor may be adapted to swivel from a first position where it trails behind a vehicle to place cones to a second position where the conveyor faces forwards towards the front of the vehicle to collect cones.

Description

Title : Apparatus For Laying And Collecting Road Cones The present invention relates to an apparatus for laying and collecting road cones.

When extending or making repairs to roadways, it is common practice to cordon off part of the roadway by use of road cones. To lay the road cones, a lorry loaded with such cones is taken to the roadway and the cones are placed manually on the roadway. This is a labour intensive exercise, and passing traffic can cause injury or death to those laying the road cones. Similar problems occur when removing road cones after the roadway has been extended or repaired.

The invention seeks to provide an apparatus for laying and collecting road cones, which apparatus may form part of a vehicle.

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for laying and collecting road cones comprising : a) a chamber for storing road cones, and b) delivery means to pick up a road cone from the chamber and to place it on a roadway or to pick up a road cone off the roadway and place it in the chamber.

Preferably the apparatus is a vehicle adapted to move on a roadway.

In one embodiment the chamber is an enclosed chamber forming part of a vehicle. Preferably the enclosed chamber has at least one aperture at one end of the chamber adjacent the rear of the vehicle, said aperture allowing road cones to be dispensed or retrieved therethrough. Preferably the chamber includes a plurality of elongate compartments for storing road cones, each compartment having an aperture.

Preferably the delivery means includes a first handling device adjacent, a conveyor, in use, having one end adjacent the chamber and a second end adjacent a roadway, and a second handling device adjacent the conveyor second end, said first handling device being adapted to deliver road cones from the chamber to said one end of the conveyor or to deliver road cones from the conveyor to the chamber, and said second handling device being adapted to collect road cones off the roadway and to place then on the second end of the conveyor.

Preferably the conveyor is adapted to swivel from a first position where the conveyor trails behind a vehicle to place road cones on a roadway to a second position where the conveyor faces towards the front of the vehicle to collect road cones from a roadway.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the apparatus delivering road cones on a roadway, and Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the apparatus collecting road cones from a roadway.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown an apparatus in the form of a vehicle 1 for laying and collecting road cones. Vehicle 1 includes a vehicle cab 2, and engine (not shown), and wheels 3 under a chassis (not shown).

Mounted on the chassis is a chamber in the form of an elongate rectangular box 4. Box 4 has five elongate compartments 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E for storing road cones 5. Road cones 5 are stacked in columns as shown in each compartment. The floor of each compartment includes an elongate board 6 pivoted generally at its centre by a pair of opposing brackets 7 (only one shown) so that it can be inclined down towards the back of the vehicle (as shown in the drawing) when road cones are being dispensed from each compartment so they will slide towards the back of the vehicle. Similarly, board 6 can be inclined towards the front of the vehicle when road cones are being placed in a compartment so they will slide towards the front of the vehicle. Each compartment 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E has an open rear end to define an aperture at the rear of the vehicle through which road cones can be dispensed or retrieved.

A delivery means is provided to pick up a road cone from the chamber and to place it on a roadway or to pick up a road cone off the roadway and place it in the chamber. The delivery means includes a first handling device 8, a belt conveyor 9 having three components 9A, 9B, 9C, and a second handling device 10.

Conveyor component 9A transports cones across the width of the vehicle. Conveyors 9B and 9C transport road cones in a direction in line with the direction of vehicle travel. Conveyor 9B is mounted on a rotating plate I I so that it can swivel through l800 whereby conveyors 9B, 9C can rotate from the rear position shown in Figure 1 trailing the vehicle to the forward position shown in Figure 2 facing the front of the vehicle.

First handling device 8 can move horizontally to delivers road cones from any one the compartments of chamber 4 to one end of the conveyor as provided by conveyor component 9A or to deliver road cones from the conveyor component 9A to the chamber 4. The second handling device 10 collects road cones off the roadway and places them on the second end of the conveyor as provided by conveyor 9C.

In use when it is desired to place road cones on a roadway, the vehicle is allowed to move slowly forward with the conveyor 9C in the position shown in Figure 1. Board 6 of each compartment is inclined down towards the back of the vehicle (as shown in the drawing) so road cones slide towards the back of the vehicle. The road cones are systematically removed from each compartment by the first handling device 8 onto conveyor component 9A. The cones then travel from component 9A onto conveyor component 9C (via component 9B). Conveyor component 9C places each cone on the ground.

When it is desired to collect road cones from a roadway, the vehicle is allowed to move slowly forward with the conveyor 9C in the position shown in Figure 2. Board 6 of each compartment is inclined down towards the front of the vehicle (as shown in the drawing) so road cones slide towards the front of the vehicle. As the vehicle moves forward, the road cones are systematically removed from the road by the second handling device onto conveyor component 9C. The cones then travel from component 9C onto conveyor component 9A (via component 9B). The first handling device 8 then picks up each cone and places each cone systematically into the compartments.

The invention may take a form different to that specifically described above. For example the chamber and delivery means could be on trailer towed by a vehicle rather than part of a vehicle.

The delivery means could be other than formed by the first handling device, the conveyor, and the second handling device.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS I. An apparatus for laying and collecting road cones comprising: a) a chamber for storing road cones, and b) delivery means to pick up a road cone from the chamber and to place it on a roadway or to pick up a road cone off the roadway and place it in the chamber.
2. An apparatus according to claim I when in the form of a vehicle adapted to move on a roadway.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the chamber is an enclosed chamber forming part of a vehicle.
4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the enclosed chamber has at least one aperture at one end of the chamber adjacent the rear of the vehicle, said aperture allowing road cones to be dispensed or retrieved therethrough.
5. An apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the chamber includes a plurality of elongate compartments for storing road cones, each compartment having an aperture.
6. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the delivery means includes a first handling device adjacent, a conveyor, in use, having one end adjacent the chamber and a second end adjacent a roadway, and a second handling device adjacent the conveyor second end, said

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first handling device being adapted to deliver road cones from the chamber to said one end of the conveyor or to deliver road cones from the conveyor to the chamber, and said second handling device being adapted to collect road cones off the roadway and to place then on the second end of the conveyor.
7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the conveyor is adapted to swivel from a first position where the conveyor trails behind a vehicle to place road cones on a roadway to a second position where the conveyor faces towards the front of the vehicle to collect road cones from a roadway.
8. An apparatus for laying and collecting road cones substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.