US1771892A - Traffic marker - Google Patents

Description

. Patented July 29, 1930 PATENT OFFICE I HOLLOWAY KILIBORN, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT TRAFFIC MARKER l Application filed July 30, 1929. Serial No. 382,264.

This invention relates to improvements in pavement markers which are employed to outline lanes for trafiic or pedestrians.

Metallic disks or'trafilc markers have heretofore been secured to roadways to outline paths for traffic, and, in general, they have proven more desirable than outlines which are painted on the pavement. There are, however, certain undesirable features accompanying the use of these metallic markers.

For example, inadequate means were provided for attaching the disks to the pavement, and this resulted in the loss of some of the disks which, obviously, would break 1 the continuity and destroy the effect of the outline. Furthermore, the disks have been made of metals which are soft and unsuitable to retain the desired high light-reflecting polish. The metal markers, in addition, were dangerous to pedestrians, because one stepping upon them was liable to slip on their smooth surfaces and fall to the road. The object of my invention is to provide a metallic trafiic marker which will overcome these undesirable features. 4

A further object of the invention is to provide a trafiic marker which may be readily secured in position upon a. paved roadway, and which has an outward spherical surface of hardened metal of such composition as in use will remain polished to reflect light.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a traflic marker of spherical concavo-convex formation which has instrumentalities associated therewith to extend centrally through the marker and into the pavement to securely position the marker, and which is adaptetd to wear unevenly, as hereinafter described to prevent slipping by pe- 40 destrians who may step on it.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in plan, showing the marker as it is assembled upon,t-he pavement; Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on a vertical plane extending centrally through the marker and through a section of the pavement underlying the marker, and shows the position of the elements thereof preparatory to locking the marker in place; Figure 3 is a vertical 5 sectional view, taken on plane 33 of Figure 1, showing the elements of the marker as they are ultimately positioned to fix the marker to the pavement; Figure 4 shows in front, side, and top-plan elevations one of the gripping-fingers employed to retain the marker; and Figure 5 is a bottom view of the assembled gripping-fingers which are expanded into the locked position which is shown in vertical section in Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings the reference numeral 1 indicates the body of the traific marker of the present invention, and 2 denotes the gripping or locking-fingers which cooperate with the wedge-plug 3 to retain the body of the marker upon the pavement C5 4. It is to be noted that the body 1 is of spherical concavo-convex formation, and that its periphery constitutes a thin edge 5. Disposed inwardly of the bod is a boss 6 which does not, and which des1rably should not extend downwardly to the plane of the peripheral edge 5. The marker, embodying these details of construction, obviously, may seat snugly upon the pavement to prevent objects (such as snow-shovels) from catching under the edge 5. If the marker is affixed on an asphaltum roadway, due to its concaved shape, it is free to settle; that is, the body 1 may sink into the roadway until the asphaltum has completely filled the concavo- 60 space beneath it. Having thus settled, it is very hard to dislodge, even without the utilizatron of special attaching means.

In the pavement a hole 16 is formed over which the marker isplaced, as illustrated in 35 Figure 2, and the four gripping-fingers 2 are dropped into place. The locking-plug 3 may then be driven downwardly .to expand the lower ends of the fingers, and to force the barbs 7 thereof into the pavement, as shown 99 in Figure 3. The plug 3 is of a particularly effective shape. It is circular in cross section. throughout Its length, and is provided with a tapered head 3* which tends to facilitate its downward movement between the grippingfingers. Adjacent the tapered head, the body of the plug declines inwardly to form the shoulder 3 This shoulder latches beneath the lower edges 8 of the fingers 2, and serves to prevent movement of any of the elements comprising the marker, after they have been forced into locked position, as illustrated in Figure 3.

Of course, the adaptation of mounting means which are expansible into locking position within a hole is not considered to be new. However, the particular form of the locking-fingers 2, and the manner in which they cooperate with the body 1 and the plug 3 are deemed to be novel. These fingers are desirable because they maybe inexpensively formed in a stamping operation. Their heads 2 are'of arcuate formation, and cooperate with each other to automatically adjust themselves. recessed shoulder 10 in the body 1, and due to the shape of the heads 2, the fingers properly space themselvesready for the plug 3 to be driven thercbetween. It is a fool-proof arrangement, an unskilled laborer may correctly secure the markers to the pavement.

It has been discovered that hard stainless steel proves to be a desirable material of which to form the body 1. This steel will not tarnish, and as a matter of fact, in use it becomes and remains highly polished, and affords a very effectual light-reflecting surface.

The gripping-fingers 2 are composed of a metal, such as steel, which is much softer than that of the body plate 1, and the plug 3 is formed of metal which is between the metals of the plate 1 and the fingers in degree of hardness. The essential point is that the plate, the fingers and the plug should be composed of metals of different degree of hardness. This will cause the several elements to wear away unevenly, and will cause an irregular or rough top-surface to be always presented by the marker, which rough surface will tend to prevent pedestrians from slipping, if they should step thereon. To prevent such slipping, when the markers are newly installed, the upper surfaces 2 of the fingers are pointed or roughened, as shown in the drawings.

What I claim is:

1. A traffic marker including a concavoconvex metal plate having a central opening,

That is to say, due to the my hand.

HOLLOWAY KILBORN.

a shoulder oiiset in said opening, a plurality of gripping-fingers passing through said opening, and a fin er-expanding plug, said fingers being provi ed with heads to seat on said shoulder and to cooperate one with the other and with said opening and shoulder to space the fingers around said eXpandingp u 2. A trafiie marker including a convex metal plate having a central opening, a shoulder offset in said opening, a plurality of gripping-fingers passing through said opening, a finger-expanding plug, said fingers being provided with heads to seat on said shoulder and to cooperate one with the other and with said opening and shoulder to space the fingers around said expanding-plug, and the

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