US2031396A

US2031396A - Traffic marker

Info

Publication number: US2031396A
Application number: US709630A
Authority: US
Inventors: August L Voight
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1934-02-03
Filing date: 1934-02-03
Publication date: 1936-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 1953-02-18

Description

Feb. 18, 11936. A. 1.. VOIGHT 2,031,396

TRAFFI C MARKER Filed Feb. 3, 1954 C) C) Q 70 c) C) D g Q C) D c1 c: D g 3 C) (3 3 o D Q C) (D (I) C) (:1 Q E: c) g C) D D a C) (3 D g Q C) D D i (3 Q 4 7- roe/vars Patented Feb. -18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a traffic marker.

An object of the invention is to provide a traffic marker which is relatively inexpensive, which may be easily secured in position, and which is durable in service.

Another object is to provide a traffic marker which may have associated therewith letters, numbers, or other legends whereby the markers may serve the plural function of traflic markers, street signs, house numbers and the like.

A further object is to providea traflic marker of the character just specified, wherein the number, letter or legend on the marker is so formed as to be readily visible from a substantial distance.

A still further object is to provide a trafiic marker having a portion formed so as to assume automatically a wedge-like configuration as the marker is installed in the street, whereby it will be securely anchored in position.

A still further object is to provide a trafiic marker which is so formed that it may be used conjointly with other similar traflic markers to create a trafiic sign wherein the several markers bearing the letters or numbers of the sign cannot have separate rotation. 1

Another object is to provide markers which are particularly adapted to be secured in the driveways of residences and other buildings and to indicate the street number or other data relative to such residences or buildings.

Further and additional objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter during the detailed description of the invention which is to follow.

Referring to the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a street intersection and shows a plurality of the markers in position so as to indicate the cross walks and to give the names of the intersecting streets so that the operators of vehicles approaching the intersection from. diiferent directions can readily determine the name of the cross street;

Fig. 2 shows in full lines and in top plan view one of the markers and in dot and dash lines other markers arranged on opposite sides thereof;

Fig.3 is a transverse sectional view through a marker and is taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and shows the marker before it is secured in the street;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig, 3, looking in the direction of th Q IQW Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but shows the marker after it has been partially secured in po.- sition in the street;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but illustrates the marker when it is fully secured in the street, 5 and Fig. '7 is a view of a modified form of the marker which is particularly adapted for use in the driveways of residences and other buildings.

The marker comprises a head or button Hi and a securing or anchoring stem ll. Although the head or button l0 may be of any desired shape, it is preferably provided with oppositely disposed fiat edges l2 so that when a plurality of the markers are arranged closely adjacent to form the name of a street the flat sides l2 of adjacent markers will be in engagement with each other and will act to prevent separate rotation or movement of the individual markers, that is, all the markers of the name will function to brace the adjacent markers and combined will form what might be said to be a unitary traffic sign.

In order to provide for economical manufacture of the markers and to make the same durable in use, as well as to facilitate the functioning of the self-acting wedge, later to be referred to, the markers preferably will be formed of aluminum alloy castings. As it is desirable that the markers be brightly colored, so as to be clearly visible and to contrast sharply with the letters or number appearing thereon, it is proposed to color certain portions of the marker by any well known coloring process. The upper surface of the head or button ID of the marker is provided with a plurality of upwardly extending projections l3, providing between the rows of such projections, grooves or furrows, with the result that such grooves or furrows will' not be subjected to the traffic passing over the markers and that the coloring of the markers will remain effective for a much longer time.

The letters or numbers appearing on the markers are preferably directly cast thereon after which they are ground or polished to remove the coloring therefrom and to place them in contrast with the balance of the markers.

Referring to the letter A, indicated in the I drawing and used for purposes of illustration, it will be seen that the upper part of the letter, indicated at M, is distorted or broadened, which fact, when combined with the upward inclination of the letter from its lower end to its upper end, increases the visibility thereof.

As is usual in the construction of traflic markers it is proposed to have the upper surface of the buttons or heads I0 increase upwardly, inclining toward the centers of the heads, that is the upper surfaces are given a rounded contour. The letters or numbers that are placed on the buttons, on the other hand, incline upwardly in a straight line from their lower ends to their upper ends, such letters or numbers being so formed that their lower ends are substantially flush with the surface of the marker, or of the projections (3, while the letters or numbers extend at the same upward inclination past the high point of the head or button and to the opposite ends of the marker, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. In order to make the description of this arrangement clearer, the numbers or letters are upwardly inclined from edge to edge in the same manner as would be a traffic marker button that was upwardly inclined from edge to edge, while the remainder of the head or button I!) of the present marker is upwardly inclined only to its middle point, after which it is downwardly inclined at the same angle to its opposite edge.

The anchoring stem l! is provided midway of its ends with a transverse opening l5, generally circular in shape, and from which extends downwardly an elongated opening [6, which is of outwardly flared curved formation, said opening providing for a transverse locking key when the marker is installed, as will later be explained. The lower end of the stem is pointed and is formed of two divergent relatively thin strips l'l integrally connected together at their lower ends and integrally joined to the stem at their upper ends by a relatively thin section l8. The junction between the stem and the head ID on the under side of the head has extending outwardly therefrom a plurality of recesses I 9 separated by ribs 20 which serve to assist in preventing the rotation of the marker when it is installed.

In installing the marker in an asphalt pavement a hole is made in the pavement to a depth substantially equal to one-half the length of the stem, if the installation is taking place during cold weather, and the hole is filled with hot asphalt. The stem of the marker is then pushed through the hot asphalt until its lower pointed end engages the bottom of the hole. The marker is then driven into position by imparting blows to the head of the marker during which time the divergent portions I1 of the stem are forced upwardly into the key opening l6 until they assume a substantially horizontal position, at which time their lower ends become severed and the stem takes the position shown in Fig. 5, it being noted that the movement of the portion IT to horizontal position has forced those parts of the stem forming the side walls of the opening I5 outwardly and slightly into the hardened material of the street. The head of the marker is now slightly above the level of the street, while the soft asphalt has seeped out and fills the recesses I9 on the under side of the head and also the openings I5 and 16 in the stem. Additional blows are imparted to the head of the marker to force it downwardly to the fully secured position, during which time the portions 1! of the stem, which are now in engagement horizontally with the hardened material of the street, bend upwardly into the position shown in Fig. 6, while those parts of the stem forming the wall of the opening l6 dig into the hardened material of the street and increase their outward bend. The marker is thus securely anchored in the street by the self-acting wedge at the lower end of the stem and by the key in the opening iii of the stem and is held against rotation when the asphalt which has flowed into the recesses [9 has hardened.

When the marker is installed in a brick or concrete pavement a hole is first drilled in the pavement to a depth substantially equal to the length of the stem from its upper end to the pointed tip formed by the portions I! and of a width slightly greater than the diameter of the stem. The hole is filled with hot asphalt or cement and the stem is forced through the soft asphalt or cement until its pointed lower end engages the head portion of the street at the bottom of the hole. The marker is then driven into position of expansion by imparting blows to the head of the marker which causes the spreading of the portions I! of the stem and the creation of a firm locking wedge at the lower end of the stem.

The markers primarily are intended to be used to designate the crosswalks at street intersections and such use is clearly indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

It is often very difficult for the operators of vehicles to read the street signs that are ordinarily placed either upon the corner buildings or upon the lamps posts at street intersections and it is proposed to use the present markers, not only to designate the crosswalks and traflic lanes, but also as street signs which clearly and readily give the names of the streets both to pedestrians and to operators of vehicles. To this end, as previously stated, the signs will be furnished with letters formed thereon and in installing the crosswalks the markers, with the proper letters for the intersecting streets, can be used to form that portion of the crosswalk lines which is in the line of vision of approaching traflic. A driver of a vehicle, therefore, as he comes to the street intersection merely glances at the crosswalk to obtain the name of -the cross street, it being remembered that the visibility of the lines is accentuated by the distortion of the upper portion of the letters and by their upward inclination from their lower end to their upper end.

In Fig. 7 there is illustrated a marker which is especially adapted to be used in the driveways of residences and other buildings to indicate their street number, name of occupant, or other data relative thereto.

This form of marker will have its head 21 in v the form of a letter or number, the marker shown in Fig. 7, for purposes of illustration, having its head in the form of the numeral l The upper surface of the head will incline upwardly from the lower end of the head to its upper end so as to increase the visibility thereof. It is also proposed to have the upper ends of the letters or numerals of increased width and proportions to further increase the visibility thereof, similarly to the manner in which the letters or numbers are formed on the marker shown in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive.

The marker is provided with a plurality of depending anchoring legs 22, three of these legs being shown in the drawing by way of illustration. The legs 22 are wedge-shaped at their lower ends while certain of the legs are provided With key openings 23.

It is contemplated that this form of marker will be installed in the apron of the driveway of a building, either when the driveway is being made, or at some subsequent time. A number of the markers of suitable numerals to form the street number of the building can be laid in the driveway before it has set, the upper surface of the marker heads being flush at the lower ends of the heads with the surface of the apron and rising gradually to the upper ends of the heads where it will be slightly above the apron's surface. The material of the driveway will flow through the openings 23 of the legs 22 and when it has set will form a locking key which looks the marker in position sufliciently securely to withstand the few impacts to which it would be subjected.

In the case of driveways which have already been laid it would be necessary to cut recesses in the apron into which the markers can be seated, hot asphalt or soft cement having been poured into the recesses and which, upon hardening, serves to hold the markers in position.

It will be understood that the markers will be placed in the center of the apron of the driveway and therefore will not be subjected to frequent traflic impacts.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, it should be understood that the invention is susceptible of various modifications and adaptations within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A traflic marker of the character described,

I comprising a securing stem and a head secured to the upper end thereof, said stem having at its lower end a transverse opening forming separated legs and downwardly convergent portions connecting the lower ends of said legs, said opening, legs, and convergent portions constituting means which automatically expands when the stem is driven into a pavement and provides an anchoring wedge for holding the stem in position in the pavement. I

2. A traffic marker of the character described, comprising a securing stem and a head secured to the upper end thereof, said stem having at its lower end a transverse opening forming separate legs, said legs being connected at their lower ends by downwardly convergent portions forming a sharp point and being relatively thin with respect to said legs, wherefore when the stem is driven into a pavementthe material of the latter will-force said convergent portions upwardly into said opening until their connected ends separate and will laterally expand said legs into the pavement to thus provide an anchoring wedge for holding the stem in position.

AUGUST L. VOIGHT.