US2507880A - Road barricade or trestle - Google Patents

Description

y 1950 E. 1.. BELL 2,507,880-

ROAD BARRICADE OR TRESTLE Filed Dec; 29, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 O' B R l E N ROAD SCLOSED l Luminescent or ref/ecfive' coating IN VEN TOR. VERA/57 L. 55L 1.

ATTORNEY y 6, 1950 E. L. BELL 2,507,880

ROAD BARRICADE 0R TRESTLE Filed Dec. 29, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. [P/V$TL.5LL

Me/MM ATTORNEY Patented May 16, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a barricade, and has for an object to provide an improved barricade or saw-horse intended for use both as a road barricade and as a saw-horse, or trestle, as a platform support for use in providing temporary tables or platforms especially useful by painters and paper hangers.

A further object of this invention is to provide a barricade or trestle that is collapsible into a minimum of space and one that is made principally or entirely of metal, and hence is both more substantial in fact and in appearance than the conventional barricade or saw-horse. Road barricades are generally made of wood, and although fairly weighty, present a flimsy appearance, and because of such appearance, present a temptation to irresponsible motorists, causing a considerable expense to the contractor who has to maintain a road barricade while doing a construction job. A further difficulty with wooden barricades is their weight and bulkiness, making it a three-man job to set up and take down a barricade, in addition to a large truck and a large storage space.

It is an object of this invention to provide a collapsible barricade, easily handled by the driver of a small truck, without more than one helper at most, and very easily without any helper, which can be quickly set up and taken down and stored in a small space.

A further object of this invention is to provide a barricade to which a lamp may be readily attached in such manner as to discourage casual theft thereof, as contrasted with the present system of hanging a lamp on a wall on the end of a wooden barricade, from which it may be removed by a passing irresponsible motorist without stopping his automobile.

A further object of this invention is to provide a barricade or trestle which may readily support a plurality of direction, warning, and advertising signs without interfering with its portability.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a barricade consisting, in its simpl st form, of but two or more pairs of a single special casting, and in its more elaborate form, of two or more pairs of one or of two additional special casting parts, to which conventionally available tubing is added to complete the barricade or trestle.

A further object of this invention is to thus provide a kit consisting of the two or more pairs of the special casting, and also, if desired, or the same number of the one or two additional special castings, which may be stored and shipped by the manufacturer in a minimum space, and to which the conventional available tubing is added by the local distributor or user, thus keeping shipping and inventory costs at a minimum.

A further object of this invention is to provide a barricade or trestle which may be made in a standard length, and which may be multiplied in length by merely addin either a single or a pair of the special castings for each additional unit of length desired, along with the necessary tubing.

A further object of this invention is to provide a trestle which includes conventional tubing which is perforated at spaced points so as to reduce the temptation of theft thereof for conversion to plumbing use.

A further object of this invention is to provide a road barricade which may be readily weighted on the job so as to make it stable even in the strongest winds by merely pouring sand into the hollow legs thereof, such sand being always available on construction jobs.

A further object of this invention is to provide a road barricade which may be made luminescent or reflective of lights, thus makin it visible in the glare of a vehicle headlight, and reducing or eliminating the need for hanging warning lamps thereon.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of this invention in use as a road barricade;

Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a lamp support therefor;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of a foot;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through one of the head castings on a large scale;

Fig. 6 is a View showing the inner face of a head;

Fig. '7 is a peripheral edge view of a head, and

Fig. 8 is a slightly modified view similar to Fig. 2.

There is shown at H) the completed road barricade made up according to this invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the road barricade consists of a horizontal cross bar H, at least two pairs of legs [2, and at least two pairs of locking heads M, one of the heads being shown in more detail in Figs. 5, 6 and '7.

On the bottom of each leg l2 there is provided a non-slip foot I5. A rubber overshoe It may be 3 added to each foot I5, particularly when this invention is used as a trestle indoors for temporary tables or platforms, so as not to mar up the floor surface.

As a barricade, one or more signs I! are suspended by rings l8 from the cross bar H, and in addition, a Warnin flag 2B is supported by a post 2| in an integrally formed socket 22 in one head of each pair, while the socket 22 in the other head of each pair is used to support a detour or other sign or warning 23 suspended by rings it from a horizontal rod 24 mounted on the posts 25 in any suitable manner, as by extending through friction-tight diametrical holes.

The cross bar i and the legs l2 are each made of conventionally one-inch outside diameter pipe or tubing, available at any plumbing supply, and to reduce the temptation of stealing them from the job for plumbing use, a number of small spaced perforations 26 are drilled therein.

Two pairs of locking heads it are necessary for assembling a trestle or a barricade of conventional length, and barricades of greater length in multiples of the original length may be made by adding one cross-bar and one pair of heads, legs, and feet for each additional length. Each locking head i is an identical casting as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and '7, and consists of a centrally apertured di .1 portion 3% about three inches in diameter and about seven-sixteenths inch in thickness.

The outer face 3| of the disk 34) is provided with an axially extending socket 32 having an internal diameter to receive and support the end of a piece of One-inch tubing to be used as the cross-bar ii. The depth of the socket 322 should be about seven-eighths of an inch, so that a set screw 33 may extend through the side thereof into the cross bar H, as in Figs. 1 and 2, or alternatively, a cotter pin 34 may be inserted through the opposite sides and through appropriately drilled holes in the ends of the cross-bar H, as in Fig. 8.

Radially extending from the outside of axial socket 32, partially in the periphery of the disk, is a socket 35, of the same diameter as socket 32, to receive the end of the leg [2, and have it secured thereto, either by a set screw 33 as in Figs. 1 and 2, or by a cotter pin 34, as in Figs. 3 and 8. As shown in Fig. 3 a cotter pin may also be used as a support for a lamp 36 when such is desired, making the lamp less readily subject to theft by a passing irresponsible party, as it is when it is merely hung on a nail as in the conventional wooden barricade. Also radially extending from the outside of socket 32 and partially through the periphery of the disk is the second, but small socket 22, to receive and support the post 2| or 25, the socket 22 forming an angle of about 150 with the socket 35.

Extending from the center of the face 38 is an apertured boss 53 about one-inch in diameter and about three-sixteenths of an inch in height. Also extending from this same inner face are a plurality of positioning knobs ll and 42, the knob 4i having one radial side 43 almost coinciding with the axis of post socket 22. These knobs ll and G2 are located adjacent to an end at the periphery of the disk inner face 38, and have a height twice that of the boss 49. By assembling two of the heads i l with their inner faces 33 opposite to each other and their knobs 4! adjacent each other, by means of a bolt and nut either of the conventional type 4 in Fig. 2 or of thewing type 45 in Figs. 6 and I, the wings being slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the cross bar ll, there is provided the main feature of this invention, a pair of interlocking heads of identical construction, which will receive and support a cross bar H in each cross bar axial socket 32 if desired in an extended barricade, and a pair of legs [2 in foldable relation to each other, the angle that the legs l2 make to each other being determined by the position of the three knobs 4i and 42 on each inner face limiting the rotation of the heads to each other to slightly less than 120, and by adding the knob 46 spaced about 30 from one knob 42, as shown in Fig. 6, their rotation is limited to about 60, the knobs 46 serving to limit the collapsed position of the legs to substantially parallel position to each other.

A non-slip foot l5'is provided for attachment, when desired, to the bottom of each leg l2, either by a set-screw 33 as in Figs. 1 and 2, or by a cotter pin 35 as in Fig. 8; Each foot l5 consists of a bottom pyramid-knobbed disk or pad 41 from whose back there extends a leg receiving socket 48 whose axis is at an angle of about 60, so that when the leg I2 is in extended position, the bottom pad is horizontal. Inasmuch as the non-slip surface of the pyramid-knobbed disk would damage the floors when used indoors as a trestle, a rubber overshoe l6, molded to fit thereover, may be stretched thereover for such indoor use.

Except for the rubber overshoe I 6, all the parts are of metal and hence not easily damaged or broken in use, whereby the upkeep and labor costs thereon are greatly reduced as compared to wooden barricades. When a different type of sign is needed on a wooden barricade, it must be repainted or a different barricade must-be provided, While with this invention, a different sign I! is merely hung in place. If the barricade is used in an area of extremely high winds, the legs may be temporarily removed and filled with sand to add weight. Sand is always available at a road under construction, and the perforations 26 are too small to cause serious leakage, although, if desired, such perforations may be plugged with wads of paper or the like.

By coating the signs and flags with reflective red glass beads or red luminescent paint, the visibility of the-signs at night may be so greatly enhanced that the need for the lamps 35 is reduced or eliminated. Further, such coatings may also be placed on the bars, legs,'and interlocking heads as well, if desired.

As thus constructed and assembled, a much more substantial barricade is provided, having a tremendously lower labor and upkeep cost as compared to conventional wooden barricades, thus contributing to vehicular safety by lowering road construction and upkeep costs.

While several forms of the improvement have been described and illustrated'herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within'the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus set forth the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

l. A road barricade or trestle comprising a plurality of'pairs of substantially identical inter locking disk heads pivotally secured together through their axial centers, means limiting the rotation of said heads to each other, a cross bar tubing, an axially extending cross bar tubing receiving socket'on the outer face of each head, a plurality of leg tubings, and a radially extending leg tubing receiving socket on each head.

2. A road barricade or trestle comprising a plurality of pairs of substantially identical interlocking disk heads pivotally secured together through their axial centers, means limiting the rotation of said heads to each other, a cross bar tubing, an axially extending cross bar tubing receiving socket on the outer face of each head, a plurality of leg tubings, a radially extending leg tubing receiving socket on each head, and a foot for each leg having an angularly inclined leg tubing receiving socket on the top thereof.

3 For use in providing, in combination with lengths of cross bar and leg tubing, a trestle or road barricade, a plurality of interlocking heads, each head consisting of a centrally apertured disk, an axially extending cross bar tubing receiving socket extending from one face of said disk, a central boss extending from the opposite face of said disk, and a pair of angularly spaced sockets extending radially along the first face of said disk.

4. For use in providing, in combination with lengths of cross bar and leg tubing, a trestle or road barricade, a plurality of interlocking heads, each head consisting of a centrally apertured disk, an axially extending cross bar tubing receiving socket extending from one face of said disk, a central boss extending from the opposite face of said disk, and a pair of angularly spaced sockets extending radially along the first face of said disk, the angular spacing between said sockets being about 150.

5. For use in providing, in combination with lengths of cross bar and leg tubing, a trestle or road barricade, a plurality of interlocking heads, each head consisting of a centrally apertured disk, an axially extending cross bar tubing receiving socket extending from one face of said disk, a central boss extending from the opposite face of said disk, and a pair of angularly spaced sockets extending radially along the first face of said disk, the angular spacing between said sockets being about 150, one of said sockets being arranged to receive a leg tubing therein, the other of said sockets being arranged to receive a post therein.

6. For use in providing, in combination with lengths of cross bar and leg tubing, a trestle or road barricade, a plurality of interlocking heads, each head consisting of a centrally apertured disk, an axially extending cross bar tubing receiving socket extending from one face of said disk,

a central boss extending from the opposite face of said disk, a pair of angularly spaced sockets extending radially along the first face of said disk, the angular spacing between said sockets being about 150, one of said sockets being arranged to receive a leg tubing therein, the other of said sockets being arranged to receive a post therein, and a plurality of axially extending knobs, substantially twice the height of said central boss, radially spaced about said opposite face of said disk adjacent the periphery thereof.

7. For use in providing, in combination with lengths of cross bar and leg tubing, a trestle or road barricade, a plurality of interlocking heads, each head consisting of a centrally apertured disk, an axially extending cross bar tubing receiving socket extending from one face of said disk, a central boss extending from the opposite face of said disk, a pair of angularly spaced sockets extending radially along the first face of said disk, the angular spacing between said sockets being about 150, one of said sockets being arranged to receive a leg tubing therein, the other of said sockets being arranged to receive a post therein, and a plurality of axially extending knobs, substantially twice the height of said central boss, radially spaced about said opposite face of said disk adjacent the periphery thereof, one of said knobs having its near radial face substantially coinciding with the radius extending through the axis of said post socket and one of said knobs being displaced about more or less from said first mentioned knob.

ERNEST LELAND BELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 259,142 Hart June 6, 1882 1,408,636 Power Mar. 7, 1922 1,408,675 Wimberg Mar. 7, 1922 1,798,548 McCurdy Mar. 31, 1931 1,869,365 Corduan Aug. 2, 1932 1,999,920 Wolfson Apr. 30, 1935 2,170,201 Knapp Aug. 22, 1939 2,249,685 Dearing July 15, 1941 2,455,664 Ferguson et a1. Dec. 7, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 798,792 France Mar. 11, 1936

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