GB2604871A

GB2604871A - Safety signs

Info

Publication number: GB2604871A
Application number: GB2103542.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Milburn Michael
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2021-03-15
Filing date: 2021-03-15
Publication date: 2022-09-21
Also published as: GB202103542D0

Abstract

A magnetic safety sign 10 comprises a piece of flexible material 12 having a top edge 16 and a bottom edge 20. Magnets 32, 34 are located near the top and bottom edges of the piece of material for removably secure the sign to a metallic surface. The fabric is shaped, e.g. by means of a sewn fold or dart 14, 16, such that at least a part of the fabric protrudes from the metallic surface to which the sign is attached. The sign further comprises at least one reflective element 26 arranged to protrude from the surface of the sign. The reflective elements may be formed by looped pieces of reflective material attached to the material of the sign. The sign may carry a warning and be attached to a roadside barrier.

Description

Safety Signs

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to safety signs, and in particular to magnetic safety signs for use on roadside barriers.

Background of the Invention

Haul roads are temporam roads used in construction areas to allow for the movement of construction materials and machinery to and from the construction site Haul roads are typically narrow, and often run alongside main road carriageways, separated by a safety barrier. Traffic cones are often deployed along the edge or edges o ía haul road, and these cones are often colour-coded to warn drivers of particular dangers such as overhead structures and overhead high voltage cables, or to indicate no stop zones. Such traffic cones narrow the haul road further. This is a problem for all drivers on such roads, but particularly for drivers of wide or low-loader vehicles.

It would he desirablc to provide an improved means frit warning drivers on haul roads that does not ripac the width of the road.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention there is provided a magnetic safety sign compris la a piece of flexible material having a top edge and a bottom edge and a pair of side edges, at least one magnet located near the top edge of the piece of material, and at least one magnet located near the bottom edge of the piece of material, wherein each magnet is attachable to a metallic surface to removably secure the sign to a metallic surface, wherein the fabric is shaped such that at least a part of the fabric protrudes from the metallic surface to which the sign is attachable, the sign further comprising at least one reflective element arranged to protrude from the surface of the sign.

Preferably, the at least one reflective element located near to the top edge and/or the bottom edge of the piece of material. The at least one reflective element may he a piece of reflective tape. Preferably the piece of reflective tape is folded into a loop having a looped end and a base. The tape is then secured onto the piece of material at the base of the loop, thereby allowing the looped end of the tape to protrude from the piece of material Preferably, sign comprises at least two reflective elements.

Preferably, the sign includes at least four magnets: at least two magnets located near the top edge of the piece of material, and at least two magnets located near the bottom edge of the piece of material.

Preferably, at least one of the top and bottom edges of the piece of material is provided with stiffening means.

More preferably, both the top and bottom edge of the piece of material is provided with stiffening means.

Preferably, the piece of material comprises a fire-resistant fabric.

Preferably, the piece of material is shaped by including at least one fold secured along at least one edge of the ece of material. The at least one fold is preferably secured along the edge of the piece of material by a line of stitching.

The at least one fold may be included on any of the edges of the piece of material.

Preferably, the piece of material is shaped by including at least two folds each fold secured along at least one edge of the piece of material. The at least Iwo folds may each be secured along the same edge of the piece of mater Alternatively, the at least two folds may each fold secured along a different edge of the piece of material.

The or each fold may be sewn into the piece of material as a dart, the or each dart extending from one of the edges of the piece of material Preferably, the piece of material is shaped by including two darts sewn into the piece of material.

Preferably, the top edge of the piece of material is wider than the bottom edge of the piece of material so that the safety sign has a tapered shape.

The safety sign may be provided with warning messages that may be printed on or attached to the piece of material, invention provides an improved means for warning drivers on haul roads. The safety sign quickly and easily attaches to metallic surfaces such as road side barriers and does not impact the width of the road.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the Drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the safety sign of the invention: Figure 1 illustrates a front view of a safety sign; Figure 2 illustrates a side view of the safety sign of Figure 1; Figure 3 illustrates a rear view of the safety sign of Figure 1; Figure 4 illustrates a front view of an alternative example of a safety sign; Figure 5 illustrates the safety sign of Figure 1 with the positions of magnets shown in dotted lines; and Figure 6 illustrates the safety sign of Figure 1 in use on a road-side barrier.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Referring now to the Figures, an example of a safety sign is shown generally at 10. The main body of the sign comprises a piece of flexible material 12, preferably a fire-resistant fabric In the example shown in Figures 1 to 4, two darts 14 are fiffnied in the flexible material by folding a portion of the top edge of the fabric to a point and closhig the dart with a line of stitching 16. The top of the fold is also secured within the top seam 15. The darts give the sign a three-dimensional structure and allows the sign to protrude from the surface to which it is attached, as shown more clearly in Figure 2. The sign has a top edge 18 and a bottom edge 20 and preferably has a tapered shape as illustrated in the drawings, with the top edge being wider than the bottom edge.

The darts are shown formed along the top edge of the piece of flexible material, each folded towards the centre of the sign. The darts could be formed along any edge of the material, and could be folded in any direction to give the desired three-dimensional structure.

The top of the sign includes two reflective elements 26, which in this example are pieces of reflective tape that are formed into a loop and stitched onto the sign at the base of the loop with a line of stitching 28, preferably close to the top edge 18 of the sign. Attachment of the reflective tape to the sign in this way allows the reflective tape to protrude from the surface of the sign, as shown more clearly in Figure 2. As the reflective elements 26 protrude from the surface of the sign, they will reflect light from vehicle headlights which are oriented at right angles to the sign, alerting drivers to the presence of the road side barrier to which the signs arc attached.

The signs may include text, or warning messages 30 as illustrated in Figure 1 Signs may also be coloured to attract attention or to correspond to standard colour coded waning systems.

The signs are designed to be attached to a surface via magnets incorporated into die sign. As illustrated in the example of Figure 5, two magnets 22 arc sewn into a top seam, adjacent the top edge, as shown in dotted lines. Two magnets 24 (also shown in dotted lines) are also sewn into a bottom seam, adjacent the bottom edge. Preferably each sign includes two top magnets 22 and two bottom magnets 24, in a spaced apart relationship as illustrated. In an alternative embodiment, the sign may have just one top magnet and one bottom magnet. The magnets arc used to attach the safety sign 10 to a metallic surface, such as a road-side barrier 36, as illustrated in Figure 6. The length of the sign is sufficient to span the gap between the rails on a road-side barrier 36 such that the top edge 18 of the sign can attach to the top rail, and the bottom edge 20 of the sign can attach to the bottom rail of the barrier In the illustrated example the magnets are sewn into pockets in the seams at the top and bottom edges However, the magnets may be attached to the sign using any suitable method, including a suitable adhesive.

In a preferred example, as illustrated in Figure 1, both the top and bottom edges of the sign arc provided with stiffening means fia example a length of stiffened fabric 32, 34 is provided along the top and bottom edges. Use of stiffening means prevents the sign from folding in half and prevents the two magnets from attaching to each other whilst the signs are being stored. This is preferable since it makes deployment of the signs much easier.

Figure 4 illustrates an alternative example of the safety sign of the invention, In this example, only one of the top and bottom edges may be provided with such stiffening means, as illustrated in Figure 4 where only the top edge of the sign is stiffened. In this example the fabric is shaped simply using tucks or folds 38 rather than darts and the dotted line 40 represents a fold in the fabric rather than a line of stitching. The folded top edge of each tuck 38 is secured within the top seam 15. The tucks are shown formed along the top edge of the piece of flexible material, each folded towards the centre of the sign The tucks could be formed along any edge of the material, and could be folded in any direction to give the desired three-dimensional structure.

Claims

Claims 1. A magnetic safety sign comprising a piece of flexible material having a top edge and a bottom edge, and a pair of side edges, at least one magnet located near die top edge of the piece of material, and at least one magnet located near the bottom edge of the piece of material, wherein each magnet is attachable to a metallic surface to removably secure the sign to the metallic surface, wherein the fabric is shaped such that at least a part of the Fabric protrudes from the metallic surface to which the sign is attachable, the sign further comprising at least one reflective element arranged to protrude from the surface of the sign.
2. A magnetic safety sign according to Claim 1, wherein die at least one reflective element is located near to die top edge and/or the bottom edge of the piece of material.
3. A magnetic safety sign according to Claim 1, wherein the at least one reflective element comprises a piece of reflective tape, the piece of tape folded to form a loop having a looped end and a base, wherein the piece of re 'Elective tape is secured onto the piece of material at the base of the loop such that the looped end protrudes from the surface of the sign.
4. A magnetic safety sign according to any preceding claim, the sign comprising at least four magnets, at least two magnets located near the top edge of the piece of material, and at least two magnets located near the bottom edge of the piece of material.
5. A magnetic safety sign according to any preceding claim, wherein the at least one of the top and bottom edges of the piece of material is provided with stiffening means.
6. A magnetic safety sign according to any preceding claim, wherein both of die top and bottom edges of die piece of material are provided with stiffening means.
7. A magnetic safety sign according to any preceding claim, wherein the piece of material comprises a fire-resistant fabric.
8. A magnetic safety sign according to any preceding claim, wherein the piece of material is shaped by including at least one fold secured along at least one edge of the piece of material.
9. A magnetic safety sign accoa ng to Claim 8, comprising at least two folds, each fold secured along at least one edge of the piece of material.
10. A magnetic safety sign according to Claim 8 or 9, comp sing at least two folds, each fold secured along the same edge of the piece of material.
11. A magnetic safety sign according to Claim 8 or 9, comprising at least two folds, each fold secured along a di fferent edge of the piece of material.
12. A magnetic safety sign according to any of claims 8 to 11, wherein the or each fold is sewn as a dart in the piece of material.
13. A magnetic safety sign according to any preceding claam wherein the top edge of the piece of material is wide than the bottom edge of the piece of material.
14. A magnetic safety sign according to any preceding claim further comprising warning message printed al Or attached to the piece of material.