US2221908A

US2221908A - Highway striper

Info

Publication number: US2221908A
Application number: US259585A
Authority: US
Inventors: Romeo A Bossl
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1939-03-03
Filing date: 1939-03-03
Publication date: 1940-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 1957-11-19

Description

Nov. 19, 1946. R. A. BOSSI HIGHWAY STRIPER Filed March 3, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 mhmww.

- \nvenTcm Romeo A.Bos.si 57 ATTyS.

Nov. 19, 1940. R. A. BOSS] HIGHWAY STRIPER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 5, 1939 lnvenfor. Romeo A. Bossi R. A. BQSSI ,908

H-IGHWAY STRIPER Filed March 3, 1959 I s Sheets-Sheet 3 \nveni'ofi Romeo A. Bossi R. A. BOSS! 2,221,908

HIGHWAY STRIPER Filed March 5, 1939 5' Sheets-Sheet 4 Nov, 19, 1940, R. A. BOSS! 2,221,908

HIGHWAY STRIPER Filed March 3, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

m \nvenTor. I83- Romeo ABossib mwwm" AH YS.

Patented Nov. 19, 1940.

UNITED STATES HIGHWAY STRIPER Romeo A. Bosai, Newton Center, Mass.

Application March 3, 1939, Serial No. 259,585

This invention has for its object the painting along a highway of a stripe such as now extensively employed for indicating tramc lanes.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine for painting such a stripe which will apply the stripe to the roadway rapidly and accurately along the predetermined line and with a minimum amount of labor.

The object of the invention is further to provide a machine of a novel character, preferably self-propelling, which will enable the driver readily and accurately to guide the machine along the desired line.

The object of the invention is further to provide means for insuring a sharply defined beginning and ending of the painted stripe section.

The object of the invention is further to provide pattern-controlled means for painting the stripe.

The object of the invention is further to provide the machine with means for indicating the position of the front supporting wheels laterally with respect to the desired position of the painted stripe on the roadway.

The object of the invention is further to provide means by which the position of the machine with respect to the sides of the roadway may be indicated.

The object of the invention is further to provide means by which the machine may be employed to mark upon the roadway the line substantially to be followed with the application of the painted stripe.

These and other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully from the accompanying description and drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

The drawings illustrate. a simple and preferred 40 form of machine embodying the invention with the portions thereof which may be of generally standard construction and with which the inven in Fig. l with some of the parts omitted to sim- 50 plify the illustration, with the front body section indicated in dotted lines in a second position, and with an auxiliary mechanism for painting a side stripe indicated in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a view chiefly in transverse vertical 55 'cross section taken through the pivotal connection between the rear and body sections of' the machine. i

Fig. 4 is a view partially in side elevation and partially in vertical cross section of the main elements involved in the application of the painted stripe to .the roadway.

Fig. 5 is a detail chiefly in vertical cross section of the auxiliary mechanism for painting a side stripe.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the main elements 10 of a pattern mechanism for controlling the discharge of strip sections of material to be carried by the wheels to the roadway at the beginning and the end of the striped sections and for controlling the discharge -'of the paint.

' Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 6. I

Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a .detail of a lever mechanism shown in Figs. 6 to 8.

It has long 'beencommon to mark the surface of highways travelled by automobiles with narrow, painted stripes either continuous or in spaced sections for the purpose of indicating trafiic lanes or for separating the portions of the highway designed for travel in opposite directions. These stripes are of different colors, depending upon the color of the roadway, and difierent materials are employed for the stripes. The term pain is herein used as broadly descriptive of any suitable material which may be employed for this purpose.

The application of these painted stripes to the roadway is generally performed by hand or by means of very simple mechanisms and is necessarily a relatively slow and expensive operation. It is necessary, moreover, that the stripes shall be applied with substantial accuracy so that the lanes of traffic shall be properly distributed, giving to each lane its proper share of the width of the roadway. Furthermore, it is desirable from an aesthetic standpoint that the stripes shall be marked with straight lines and smooth, even curves in correspondence with the path of the roadway.

The present invention in its preferred form provides a self-propelling machine which may be driven along the highway, occupying a mini mum amount of space, and guided so as rapidly and accurately to apply the required painted stripe either continuous or in required spaced sections throughout any desired length and in accordance with any variation in the direction of the roadway.

In its preferred form the machine comprises two body sections, a rear body section I and a front body section 2. The rear body section is provided with a pair of supporting wheels 3. Thesesupporting wheels 3 are preferably to be operated in the same manner as the driving wheels of an ordinary automobile, the motor therefore being indicated at 4. Since the means for driving and controlling these wheels may be of any suitable or standard type, no further illustration or description thereof is necessary. The frame 5 of the rear section at its forward end curves upward and tapers into a vertical head 6 provided with a central vertical shaft bearing.

The front section 2 narrows in width toward the front end and the framework thereof includes a central girder I extending in the longitudinal axis of the front section. This girder terminates at the front in a head 8 directly above the head 6.

The front section 2 of the body is provided with a pair of supporting wheels maintained at all times parallel with the longitudinal axis of the front section. These wheels act not only to support the front section of the machine but also the front end of the entire machine and are also spaced apart the width of the desired stripe so that the paint may be applied to the roadway between these wheels with the width of the stripe defined thereby.

These front supporting wheels 9 and III are carried by a shaft H secured in the arms of a yoke l2 having a central, vertically extending shaft I3. This shaft is journalled in the vertical bearing of the head 6 and is securely fastened in the head 8, its upper end l4 being shown as polygonal and having a tight fit in a polygonal opening in the head 8. A ball bearing I5 is shown interposed between the yoke l2 and the head 6 so that that weight of the front section is transmitted directly through the shaft l3 to the supporting wheels 9, while the weight of the rear section is transmitted through the ball hearing to the yoke and thence to the supporting wheels.

The front section of the body in the rear of and in longitudinal alignment with the pivotal axis l3 and the front wheels present a platform l6 which at the rear is of arcuate shape having its center at the shaft l3, and

fits against an upstanding portion ll of the rear body section of similar arcuate shape. The front section of the body fits within the rear section and at its rear slides upon a transverse girder I8 mounted in the rear section. Thus there is pro- 5 vided by the shaft I3 a pivotal connection bewheels.

tween the two body sections having its axis vertical and extending midway the front supporting The driver is located on the platform preferably in a seat I9 located centrally on the front section so that the driver sits with his legs straddling the girder 1 directly over the 70 port the front end of the machine and also act 75 illustrated in which a steering post 29 having a to direct the path of movement of the machine. Any suitable means may be employed for steering the machine by means of the front supporting wheels. A simple and preferred construction is hand wheel 2| is journalled in the front section in front of the drivers seat and is provided at its lower end with a pinion 22 engaging an arcuate rack 23 formed on the frame 5 of the rear section with its center coincident with the axis of the shaft l3.

Both the rear and the front section of the body are preferably closed in, the rear section being shown as provided with a door 24 at one side and the front section with a door 25, the central portion of the front section being set down into the rear section as illustrated. The top of the front section is provided with a suitable hood 26 to protect the driver and with a suitable dash or instrument board 21.

The paint for marking the stripe on the roadway, as already noted, is applied directly between the front supporting wheels 9 and I8 and the width of the stripe is defined by these wheels. A preferred construction is illustrated more in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. The wheels 9 and ID are journalled on sleeves 28. These sleeves are provided with central openings fitting the shaft II which is of polygonal cross section and are longitudinally adjustable on the shaft so as to adjust the width or space between the wheels. For that purpose each sleeve 28 at its outer end is provided with a pin 29 passing therethrough and through one of the holes 30 in the shaft II. Each wheel is journalled on its sleeve between an annular shoulder 3| and a removable cap 32. Each wheel is provided with a slightly resilient tire 33 having a flat tread 34 and a fiat inner side surface 35 with these inner side surfaces preferably parallel. These tires are preferably made of heavy, slightly resilient rubber and are secured in place by any suitable means. As shown, the tires are solid, provided with radial pins 36 having projecting heads 31 fitting into grooves or recesses in the solid hub portion of the wheels and held in place by removable annular side plates 38 secured in position by screws 39.

A spray nozzle head 40 is supported directly beneath the shaft ll between the wheels with its opening 4| extending close to the roadway. This spray nozzle head and the means for supplying the paint thereto and discharging it therefrom may be of any suitable design and construction in accordance with the broader scope of the invention.

A simple and preferred form of means for supplying and discharging the paint is illustrated. In the rear body section there is mounted a tank or container 42 containing the supply of paint, an air compressor 43 operated from the motor 4, and a tank 44 of compressed air maintained by the air compressor. A pipe connection extends from the paint tank 42 to the nozzle 40. As illustrated, this pipe connection comprises a rigid section 45 supported by brackets 46 from the shaft II and the yoke l2 and entering a valve head 41. The portion of this pipe connection extending between the front and rear body sections must be flexible in order to permit the turning of the front section of the body with respect to the rear section and, as shown, the section 48 of this pipe connection is a flexible hose extending from the section 45 back [30 the paint tank 42. Similarly there is provided a pipe connection from the source of compressed air to the spray nozzle. This is shown asa rigid pip 49 entering the valve head 4'! and supported likewise by the brackets 46 and with a flexible section or hose 50 extending back to the compressed air tank 44. The compressed air tank is also preferably connected to the paint tank 42 as by the connection 5| to assist in stirring up the paint. Asuitable valve 5 mechanism for controlling the discharge of paint from the valve head 41 to the nozzle is provided and is indicated as operated by a lever 52. To provide for an easy feeding of the paint through the nozzle opening 4| without too much spattering, a baffle plate 53 is shown as located in the spray nozzle head 40 extending longitudinally thereof.

Since the flat, inner side surfaces of the tires of the wheels act to limit and define the width of the stripe formed by the paint discharged from the nozzle, more or less paint may collect upon these surfaces and might work onto the treads and would tend to make the edges of the painted stripe uneven. Means are therefore provided for keeping the tires free from the paint. For that purpose a receptacle, preferably formed of metal, is supported on the shaft ll between the wheels, and wipers are provided engaging the inner side faces of the tires and acting to wipe paint therefrom and discharge it into the receptacle. This receptacle, which is shown in vertical cross section in Fig. 4 and the upper part of which is shown in transverse section in Fig. 3, is a box-like structure open at so the top. The rear wall 54 stands substantially vertical but is formed with a shoulder 55 seated upon and secured to the shaft H. The front wall 56 extends upward generally parallel with the rear wall and the bottom wall 51 is located 95 well below the shaft H. The side walls 5 8 flare outwardly and extend beneath inward projecting portions of the tires 33. Two or more wipers may be provided and three pairs are herein shown. Each wiper is a curved metal blade having a strip 59 of felt or suitable material removably secured to and projecting from its edge and fitting snugly against the inner face 35 of the tire and its lower end adiustably mounted as by the set screws 60 upon transverse bars 6! extending between the side walls 58 of the re-.

ceptacle. The wipers therefore act to engage the inner side faces of the tire and, as the wheels rotate, to wipe therefrom any paint carried thereon and. discharge it into the receptacle which will be cleaned out from time to time.

It is desirable that the painted stripe, whether.

continuous or in sections, shall begin and end with a sharply defined transverse straight line and this would be difficult, if not practically impossible, to secure simply by starting and stopping the feed on discharge of the paint from the nozzle mouth. The invention therefore provides means for insuring that the stripe or striped section shall begin and end with such a 0 sharply defined line. This, as well as the feed or discharge of the paint, may be controlled manually by the driver of the machine or, as further provided by the invention, may be controlled by a pattern mechanism to act automat- 65 ically when the strfipe is to be formed in a number of longitudinally separated sections.

In the construction illustrated, a roll of suitable sheet material is-mounted in front of and above the front supporting wheelsand at the 0 beginning or the end of a stripe or striped section a strip section of this sheet material is discharged onto the supporting wheelsso as to extend transversely thereof and across the intervening space and be carried thereby to the roadway to receive the paint at the end of the stripe or striped section. When this strip section reaches the roadway, the discharge of the paint is begun or stopped according as the stripe or striped section is beginning or ending so that the painted stripe on the roadway ends with 'a I straight line sharply defined by the edge of the section of the sheet material. As the rotation of the wheels continues, this section of sheet material with .the paint thereon is carried up by the wheels and stripped off into a receptacle. m

In the constructiondllustrated, the roll 62 'of sheet material is mounted on a shaft 63 supported between brackets 64 secured to and projecting forward from the yoke I2. Any suitable material may be employed but preferably 15 this material is paper coated on one face with an adhesive which will adhere to the tread surfaces of the tires but which will not readily adhere to the opposite surface of the paper when rolled up. Beneath the roll of sheet material 20 there is mounted on a shaft 85 journalled in the brackets 64 a cylinder 66 having a peripheral layer Bl of rubber or suitable resilient material.

.This peripheral layer 61 does not extend over a short segment of the cylinder 66 and opposite 25 this segment and interiorly the cylinder is provided with a heavy weight 68. A sharp knife 69 projects from the. cylinder midway the ends of the layer 61 andtransversely of the cylinder.

A lug 30 extends from the shaft 65 down along- 30 side one of the brackets 66 and engages the hooked end of a lever H fulcrumed at 12- on the bracket. The parts are positioned, as shown in Fig. 4, when the lug I0 is locked by the lever H. The strip of paper leads from the roll 62 35 over a bar 13 mounted in the bracket 6t and is held in engagement with the outer periphery of the rubber-covered cylinder 66 by a star wheel it freely revolubl on a shaft 15 mounted on the bracket 64. When, now, the latch lever H is tripped, releasing the lug Hi, the weight 68 causes the rubber-covered cylinder to rotate counterclockwise, feeding the strip of sheet material into engagement with the tread surfaces of the front supporting wheels so that it extends transversely across these wheels and across the intervening space. The rotation of the wheels,

as the machine moves forward, continues the rotation of the rubber-covered cylinder with the strip of sheet material pressed between and adhering to the treads of the supporting wheels until'the cylinder has made one revolution and the knife 69 coming into engagement with the strip stretched across the space opposite the weight has severed the strip. The lug 10 then 35 again engages the latch lever 1! which has been returned to locking position by the spring 16. The strip of sheet material is now carried by the further rotation of the supporting wheels to the roadway. If it is at the beginning of a stripe or striped section, the discharge of paint is started so that it begins upon the strip laid upon the roadway and if it is at the end of a stripe or striped section, the discharge of paint is stopped so that the paint ends on the strip section. Thus in either case a clean, sharp line is formed at. the end of the painted stripe. As the rotation of the supporting wheels continues,

-the strip section is carried upward, adhering to the treads until it engages the end II of a 7i stripper plate projecting between the wheels. This stripper plate I8 is mounted inside of and secured to the side walls of a receptacle 19. The side walls of this receptacle are bolted to the yoke I2 and hold the receptacle close to and in the '75 rear of the supporting wheels. Consequently, as

the rotation of the wheels continues, the strip of sheet material with the paint thereon is removed by the stripper and discharged into the receptacle.

When the striped sections being painted are long or substantially continuous, the control of the discharge of paint and of the discharge of the strip material at the beginning and end of the stripe is preferably manual. As a simple means for such control, a connector 80 may extend from the end of the latch lever 1I up to a suitable control, as 9I on the dashboard 21 within reach of the driver and a second connector 82 may extend from the end of the lever 52 to a control 83 on the dashboard. Thus the driver, by pulling on the controls 9! and 83, may start the discharge of paint and the discharge of the strip of sheet material. The control 03 would be locked in open position as long as the discharge of paint is continued, and when it was to be stopped, it would be released 7 and a suitable spring such as 84 would act to close the valves and stop the discharge of paint.

:5 The invention further provides pattem-con trolled mechanism for controlling the discharge of the paint and the discharging of the sections of sheet material at the beginning and the end of a striped section so that these features will operate automatically as long as a required arrangement of separated painted stripe sections are to be painted upon the roadway. A simple and preferred mechanism for efiecting such an automatic control is illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9,

inclusive. The main elements of this mechanism are preferably mounted as'indicated generally at 95 on the front body section beneath the driver's seat and power is supplied thereto by a flexible cable 96 having a pinion 81 and gear 88 conneco tion with one of the rear wheels 3. The mechanism illustrated comprises a bed plate 89. Bearing brackets 90 and 9I extend upward from the bed plate at opposite sides, The main portion of the bracket 90 is hinged at the bottom at 92 to the bed plate and the end portion is secured to the bed plate by a bolt 93. The bracket 9I is secured to the bed plate by bolts 94. A shaft 95 is journalled in the main portion of the bracket 90 and in an open bearing in the bracket 9|.

5. A second shaft 95 is journalled in the two brackets. A shaft 95 has keyed thereto a roller 91 and a similar roller 98 is carried by a shaft 99 journalled in open bearings in the brackets I 00 which are adjustable toward and from the roller 91.

5 For this purpose the brackets I00 are dovetailed into groovesJilI on the bed plate and are locked in adjusted position by set screws I03, the heads I04 of which are likewise dovetailed into the grooves. An endless belt I05 or other suitable m flexible element extends around the

rolls

91 and 99 and is so arranged as to be driven by rotation of the roll 91. This belt has adjustably mount-- ed therein pins or strikers which constitute the pattern elements. As illustrated, the belt is provided with a series of holes or eyelets I06 into which suitable pins I01 may be inserted as required. It will be seen that by adjusting the rear roll 98 toward and from the front roll 91 any desired length of endless belt may be provided. The shaft 95 with the main portion of the bracket 90 may be swung on the hinge 92 to allow of removal and replacement of the pattern belts. The roll 91 is driven, to drive the traveling belt I05, from the flexible shaft al- 7; ready referred to. As illustrated, this shaft is iournallecl at its end in a bearing I00 forming the end of a stud I09 secured in the hinged portion of the bracket 90. At its end the shaft 05 is provided with a bevelled pinion IIO meshing with a bevelled gear III journalled on the outer 5 end of the shaft 95 and held against movement longitudinally of the shaft by a peripheral groove II2 engaging a disk II3 rotatable on the stud I09 to hold against movement longitudinally thereof and a disk II4 similarly mounted on a 10 stud II5 also secured in the bracket 90. The gear III carries a clutch member H8 and a cooperating clutch member H1 is secured to the shaft 95, At the outer end this shaft is provided with a hand wheel II8. A latch II9 is I mounted on the bracket 9I and may be slid into engagement over either of two grooves I20 in the shaft 95 both to hold the shaft in the open bearing and to position the clutch. When it, is desired to have the pattern mechanism operate, the $0 shaft 95 is pushed inward carrying the clutch member II1 into engagement with the clutch member II9 and the latch II9 is slid overthe outer groove of the shaft 95. Thereupon the pattern belt will be continuously driven in synchronism with the forward movement of the entire machine. the shaft 88 being driven, it will be remembered, from one of the rear wheels. The control for the discharge of the strip sections of sheet material to define the beginning and end 30 of the stripe is operated by the shaft 95. Arms I2I and I22 are adjustably secured to this shaft at I23 and I24 and project in the paths of the pins I01. The outer end of the shaft 95 has secured thereto a lever arm I25. A spring I25 ex- 35 tending between this lever arm and the bracket acts to hold the lever arm against a pin I21 with the arms I22 in position to be struck by the pins I01. A suitable connector I29 extends from the end of the lever arm I25 to the latch lever 40 1I. Thus it will be seen that by positioning a pin in either of the rows of holes I06 in the belt I05, the shaft will be rocked at a predetermined time to unlatch the lever H from the lug 10 and effect the discharge of the strip of sheet 45 material with the same result as in the case of the 'manual operation already described. The .control of the discharge of the paint from this pattern mechanism is shown as secured by means of a lever I29 mounted on a vertical shaft I30 50 beneath the lower run of the belt I05. This lever is releasably held in either of its two extreme positions, shown respectively in full and dotted lines in Fig. 9, by a spring I3I having a bulge I32 engaged by a projection I33 in line with the 5 main arm of the lever I29. The lever is provided around its fulcrum with an enlargement having radial projections I34 and I35 extending into the paths travelled by the pins I01 located in the pattern belt. A suitable flexible connector 0 I35 extends from the outer end of the lever I29 to' the end of the lever 52. With the parts in 'the position shown in full lines in Fig. 9, the

valves for discharging the paint are closed. When now a properly located pin I01 on the pat- 05 tern belt rides against the projection I34, the lever I29 is snapped to the position shown in dotted lines, thus pulling the lever 52 upward and opening the valves. The parts remain in this position until another properly located pin I01 m strikes the projection I35 swinging the lever I29 from the dotted line position back to the full line position and thus allowing the spring 84 to close the valves.

It will thus be seen that at any time the ma- 1 chine may be placed under the control of this pattern mechanism and operate under its control to produce any desired arrangement of the roadway, as, for example, at a short distance from a curb, and the invention provides means for painting such a stripe. For this purpose a pair of auxiliary wheels similar to the front pair of wheels hereinbefore described are supported from the front body section of the machine for-- ward of the front wheels. The wheels of this auxiliary pair are maintained parallel with and at one side of the longitudinal axis of the front section and are spaced apart the width of the desired stripe and provision is made for feeding the paint to the space between the auxiliary wheels. This auxiliary apparatus would only be in position when it was desired to paint such a side stripe and consequently would preferably be detachably connected to the machine and provided with detachable connections extending to the paint and air supply. A form of construction is illustrated somewhat in detail in Fig. 5 and the position thereof on the mechine is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The auxiliary wheels I31 and I38 are shown as having tires I39 of the same material as in the case of the main front wheels. These tires are shown having an inner annular rib and in each case clamped in place between a rigid portion of the body of the wheel and an annular plate I40 by suitable bolts. The wheels are mounted on ball bearings I4I on a central hub structure rigidly connected to and supported by a bracket I42. This bracket is suitably connected to and extends forward and then laterally from the head 8 of the front section of the machine. This auxiliary pair of wheels is provided with the wipers I43 and a receptacle I44 similar to those already described. Likewise, the means for discharging the paint between the wheels is illustrated as similar to that already described. The nozzle spray head I45, the valve head I46 with its operating lever I41 and connection I48 extending therefrom, the pipe I49 for the paint and the pipe I50 for the compressed air may also be of similar construction to that already described. Flexible or hose connections I5I and I52 extending respectively to the paint and air pipes are illustrated. When the auxiliary striping mechanism is in use, the

flexible pipes

48 and 50 may be disconnected from the

pipes

45 and 49 and connected to the flexible pipes I5I and I52, respectively. The lever I41 for controlling the valves will be operated in the same manner as the lever 52 and have its connector I48 extending back to the dashboard or other convenient position for operation.

It will thus be seen that by the use of this auxiliary mechanism the machine may readily be guided so as to paint a stripe adjacent to a curb I53 at the side of the road or along any desired line at the side of the machine.

It is important, if not necessary, that the driver of the machine shall have some accurate guide on the roadway to enable the painted stripe to be applied in the required position laterally of the roadway. If the machine is employed in repainting a worn or partially obliterated stripe, the driver can use that as a guide, but usually it will be necessary to mark the roadway sufflciently to enable the driver to guide the machine with accuracy and paint an even and'regular stripe. For the purpose of insuring the required guiding of the machine, the invention provides a simple and effective means. Preferablythe machine will be run over the roadway, making a temporary mark on the roadway. Then the ma,- chine will be guided by the driver to follow as closely as possible this mark but avoiding irregularities therein to paint an even stripe.

The front body section of the machine is shown as provided with a forwardly projecting frame I54 secured at I55 to the front end of the body section and at I58 to the yoke I2, so that this frame is rigid with the front body section and symmetrically disposed laterally with respect to its longitudinal axis. For preliminarily mark- Ing the roadway, there is shown in Fig. 1 an arm I51 hinged at I58 to a support I59 which, when In use, will be mounted on the frame I54 so that the arm I51 will swing in a vertical plane parallel with the longitudinal axis of the front-section and preferably about in the plane of one of the front starting wheels. This arm has adjustably mounted therein a block I50 of suitable marking material, such, for example, as soapstone. Thus as the machine is driven over theroadway, the required preliminary mark will be made.

In order to enable a required line longitudinally of the roadway at the center thereof or at a predetermined distance from the center or from either edge of the roadway to be determined, the machine may be provided with an indicating mechanism. An indicator IBI is shown mounted on a suitable support I62 from the frame I54 so as to face the driver and readily be viewed by him as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The elements of this indicator are operated by flexible shafts I12 and I13 which extend, respectively, to, and'rotate with, shafts I10 and I19 journalled in brackets I and II" symmetrically located on the front section of the body as, for example, in the space behind the driver's seat. The shafts I10 and I19 have secured thereto similar large pulleys I02 and similar small pulleys I08. Thus equal amounts of rotary movement of the pulleys will be transmitted through the flexible shafts to give equal movements of the indicating elements. Two cords I84 and I85 of equal length extend around and are connected to the corresponding pulleys I02. These cords run over suitable guides I88 and down through tubes I81 carried by the yoke I2. Rods I88 are secured, preferably removably, to the yoke and project laterally therefrom at right angles thereto.,

Take-up means are provided for rotating the pulleys I02 reversely to the rotation effected by pulling the cords and for that purpose levers I89 are fulcrumed at I90 at the rear of the driver's seat.

It will thus be seen that if the ends of the cords I84 and I85 be drawn outward at right angles to the yoke I2, as indicated by the guide rods I85, and to equal distances from the yoke, the indicating elements will turn together and remain in alignment, while if one cord be drawn a greater distance than the other, the indicating elements will separate. In use, therefore, the ends of the cords are held by men and carried along as close as possible to the side edges of the roadway and if a marking line is to be laid midway of the roadway, the driver of the machine simply has to steer it so as to keep the indicating elements in alignment.

The machine is provided with suitable lights and other means for assisting the driver in viewing the marking of the roadway, the painting of advance of the laying of the paint.

the stripe and in properly steering the machine. A light is shown at I93 on the front of the hood 26 directed toward the indicator I6I and another light I94 is conveniently mounted on the frame I54 reflecting directly upon the roadway. A mirror I95 adiustably mounted at the front end 'of the frame I 54 enables the driver to viewthe space between the wheels where the painted stripe is being laid and also the bulk of marking material I80. The machine is also provided with a suitable bumper I96 at the front end of the frame I54 and alsowith an upright I91 to protect the indicator IGI. It is desirable also that the roadway should be cleaned in advance of the marking of the line when the marker I60 is used and in For that purpose a scrubbing brush I98 is shown resting on the roadway and pivotally connected at I99 to the lower end of the upright I91.-

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A striping machine comprising a rearbody section having a pair of supporting wheels, a front body section, a pivotal connection between the two sections having its pivotal axis vertical, a pair of supporting wheels on the front section spaced apart the width of the desired stripe and maintained parallel with and equidistant from the longitudinal axis of the front section passing through said pivotal axis, a platform on the front section in the rear of and in longitudinal alignment with the said pivotal axis and front wheels, means for feeding paint to the space between the front wheels and means on the front section controlled from the platform for turning said section on the pivotal axis, thus to enable a driver located on the platform always to be in line with the space where the paint is applied and readily and accurately to guide the machine along the line of the desired stripe.

2. A striping machine comprising the construction defined in claim 1 in which the pivotal axis of the connection between the two body sections intersects the axis of the pair of front wheels.

3. A striping machine comprising the construction defined in claim .1, together with means operable from the said platform for controlling the paint feeding means.

i. A striping machine comprising a pair of roadway-engaging wheels spaced apart the width of the desired stripe, means for feeding paint to the space between the wheels, and means for discharging to, and transversely across, the wheel treads a strip section of sheet material to be carried by the wheels to the roadway to receive roadway engaging wheels spaced apart the widthof the desired stripe, means for feeding paint to the space between the wheels, and pattern-controlled means for discharging to, and transversely across, the front wheel treads strip sections of sheet material to be carried by said wheels to the roadway to receive the paint at the beginning and at the end of each painted. stripe.

'7. A striping machine comprising a rear bo y section having a pair of supporting wheels, a front body section, a pivotal connection between the two sections having its pivotal axis vertical, a pair of supporting wheels on the front section spaced apart the width of the desired stripe and maintained parallel with and equidistant from the longitudinal axis of the front section passing through said pivotal axis, a platform on the front section in the rear of and in longitudinal alignment with the said pivotal axis and front wheels, means for feeding paint to the space between the front wheels, a steering post journalled in the front section at the front of said platform and having a pinion at its lower end, and an arcuate rack on the rear section engaging said pinion and having its center coincident with said pivotal axis, thus to enable a drive located on the platform always to be in line with the space where the paint is applied and to steer the ,machine along the line of the desired stripe.

8. A striping machine comprising a rear body section having a pair of supporting wheels, a front body section having a pair of supporting wheels maintained parallel with the longitudinal axis of the front section and spaced apart the width of the desired stripe, a pivotal connection between the two sections having its pivotal axis vertical and extending midway the front wheels,

a nozzle mounted on the front section between the supporting wheels to spray paint to the space between the wheels and thus form a stripe upon the roadway the width of said space, a paint container and a source of compressed air mounted on the rear section, and pipe connections ex-' tending respectively from said container and from said source of compressed air to the nozzle.

9. A striping machine comprising a pair of parallel spaced roadway-engaging wheels having slightly resilient tires withflat treads and fiat inner side surfaces, means for discharging paint on the roadway between said wheels to form a stripe as the machine advances, the width of which is defined by the distance between the wheels, a receptacle mounted in the rear of the wheels, and wipers engaging the said inner side faces of the tires acting as the wheels rotate to wipe therefrom any paint carried thereon and discharge it into the receptacle.

10. A striping machine comprising a pair of parallel spaced roadway-engaging wheels having slightly resilient tires with flat treads and flat inner side surfaces, means for discharging paint on the roadway between said wheels to form a stripe as the machine advances, the width of which is defined by the distance between the wheels, a roll of adhesive coated sheet material, means for detaching a strip section of said material from the roll and positioning it with its adhesive face upon and transversely of the wheel treads and across the intervening space, and means for removing the strip section from the wheels after it has been carried thereby down upon andoff from the roadway.

11. A striping machine having the construction defined in claim 10, together with means for controlling the discharge of the paint to cause the discharge to begin on a strip section after it has been carried by the wheels to the roadway and to end on another strip section after it has been carried by the wheels to the roadway.

12. A striping machine comprising a pair of parallel spaced roadway-engaging wheels having slightly resilient tires with flat treads and flat inner side surfaces, means for discharging paint on the roadway between said wheels to form a stripe as the machine advances, the width of which is defined by the distance between the wheels, a roll of' adhesive-coated sheet material, and pattern-controlled means for detaching a strip section of said material from the roll and ceptacle mounted in the rear of the wheels and means for removing the strip section from the wheels and discharging it into the receptacle after it has been carried by the wheels down upon and off from the roadway.

15. A striping machine comprising a pair of parallel spaced roadway-engaging wheels having silghtly resilient tires with fiat treads and fiat in:

ner side surfaces, means for discharging paint on the roadway between said wheels to form a stripe as the machine advances, the width of which is defined by the distance between the wheels, a roll of adhesive-coated sheet material, and normally inactive strip-feeding and severing means acting when released to engage the wheels and be operatedthereby to feed a strip section of said sheet-material with its adhesive face into engagement with the wheel treads transversely thereof and to sever the said section from the roll and then return to inactive position.

16. A striping machine comprising a rear body section having a pair of supporting wheels, a front body section having a pair of supporting wheels maintained parallel with the longitudinal axis of the front section and spaced apart the width of the desired stripe, a pivotal connection between the two sections having its pivotal axis vertical and extending midway the front wheels, means on the front section for turning said section on the pivotal axis, an auxiliary pair of wheels maintained parallel with and at one side of the longitudinal axis of the front section and supported from the front section forward of the supporting wheels, the said auxiliary wheels being spaced apart the width of a desired stripe, and 20 means for feeding paint either to the space between the front wheels or the space between the auxiliary wheels as required.

1-7. A striping machine comprising the construction defined in claim 4, together with pattern mechanism for controlling the paint-feeding means and the strip section-discharging means to cause stripes of predetermined length, separated predetermined distances to be painted with strip sections of the sheet material receiving the paint at each end of each stripe.

ROMEO A. 'BossI.