US1599066A - Flexible post - Google Patents

Description

s w. RUSHMORE Sept. 7 1926,

FLEXIBLE POST Fil ed June 10, 1924 60 SLOW 1 -'AND AVOID g HILHDREN INVENTOR Jkmzzel if? flaw/(more v 1/ I BY v ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES SAMUEL w. RUSHMORE, or

PLAINFIELD, new Jamar.

FLEXIBLE ros'r.

Application filed June 10,

My present invention is shown as embodied in a traific sign post of a portable type such as are commonly used in the middle of the streets, near schools, for in stance, or at intersection or along curbs where the conditions and sometimes the relativelysmall size of the post, tend to make collisions with the post a common occur rence. But it will be evident that certain features of the invention are adaptable to posts that may not be traflic signs and may not be portable.

One specific object, however, is to provide a trafiic post of durable construction which may be knocked down and run over by a motor vehicle without substantial injury toeither the post or the vehicle To, this end, the post is flexible and resilient, being formed of some tough mate '2'0 rial such as reclaimed rubber, preferably strengthened and reinforced 'so that it is pyctically indestructible by collision.

It preferably tapers toward the top, and, for purposes of reinforcement, I prefer to 2 use a helical or other spirally coiled wire spring imbedded in the material of the post If desired, a pair of such springs coaxially arranged and oppositely coiled may' be utilized to resist crushing strains without undesirably affecting the flexibility of the 0st.

P In accordance with another feature of the invention, I employ a sign at the top of the post which is integral therewith and prefer ably; of the same flexible material, so that it is also capable of sustaining considerable rough treatment. v Preferably the bottom'portion of the post fits within a socket in a cast iron or concrete 40 -base. and the angles of socket engagement are such that the post can'fall "free or'be pried out of: the socket, thus avoiding danger of. injuring the car by upsetting the post andturning its relatively heavy base -'on edge in position to be struck by the crank case or othe vulnerable parts of the car. r

In the accompanying drawings: Fig.'- 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of my improved trafiic post. j Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating. a slight modification. v s The post or upright 10 is. of some tough flexible resilient material, preferably taperkeyed from strains which are likely to occur whenthe 1924. Serial in. 719,040. I

of the post is preferably larger and heavier than the upright body and'is received in a socket 14 in a relatively heavy base 15.

The base may be of cast iron or may be in the nature of a permenently fixed metallic or concrete support. The lower end of the post fits the socket 1 1, but isnon-positively engaged therein and the socket or the post end or preferably both, are tapered at a suitable angle, such that the 'post may be readily dislodged from the socket and thrown free of ,the base when struck by a vehicle. Preferably thesocket and post end are squared so that the sign is practically axial rotation, with respect to the base..

Toreinforce the post against crushing post is very sharply flexed or is run over, I employ a reinforcing member in the nature of a helical steel springil6 embedded in the post and extendin throu hout most of the length thereof pre erably lnto the socket engaging end and into'the sign. The taper of the post and the coil is preferably uniformg To further strengthen the device, a supplemental reinforcing member such as the steel spiral 17 ,(Fi' ure 2) may be imbedded inthe post, coil I being concentric with, arranged within and coiled oppositely to the spring 16.

This reinforcement, while oflering maximum resistance to crushing strains, will present little resistance to bending strains, caused by a light impact against the post. By virtue of the above described construction', an ordinary collision may be taken care of by-a bending of the post, while bending at very sharp angles, as by running over the post after it has been already widely flexed, will operate to pry the post completely out of the base, without tippingover the base. -;So far as concerns this feature of 1. traflic post including a flexible up right, a sign plate supported on the upright right, a relatively heavy base having a tapered socket therein, the lower end of said upright fitting Within the socket and having non-positive engagement therewith, whereby it may be knocked or pried free of the base by collision. i

2. A traflic post including a rigid base and flexible rubber upright having tapered socket engagement with the base and coiled spring embedded in the upright and extending into the socket engaging lower end thereof.

3. A traffic post including abase, an upand integral therewith, a coiled spring em bedded in the upright and extending into the sign plate.

4:. A trafllc post including a relatively heavy base having a squared socket therein, a flexible upright, a sign carried by the up right, the lower end of said upright being squared to fit the socket whereby the sign is keyed at a definite angle to the base.

Signed at Plainfield in the county of Union and State of New Jersey this 29th day of May A. D. 1924.

SAMUEL W. RUSHMORE.

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