US2941447A - Highway marker - Google Patents

Description

June 21, 1960 e. R. ABBOTT, SR

HIGHWAY MARKER Filed April 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2.

. 44 24 1o 44 46 0 FIG 3 I 5 I r I 1 r I I I I z I g 9 {A N '7 IIIIIIIIIIIIII/III/IIIIIIIIIIII/MII III/II IN VENTOR ATTORNEY June 21, 1960 G. R. ABBOTT, SR 2,941,447

HIGHWAY MARKER Filed April 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 8.

GHEEN R. ABBOTT INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent HIGHWAY MARKER Gheen R. Abbott, Sr., 7440 Girard Ave., La Jolla, Calif. Filed Apr. 11, 1957, Ser. No. 652,215 3 Claims. 01. 88-79) This invention relates generally to road markers and, more particularly, it pertains to road markers of the reflecting type.

Reflecting road markers have been employed for some time. They provide for the reflection of the light from the lamps of oncoming motor vehicles, when installed in a highway, and thereby enable the users to follow the line of travel that they mark off. Certain conditions on the highway, such as rain, snow, dust and mud, frequently obscure the face of the reflecting components and make them less effective. Also, when the tralfic consists of heavy vehicles and trucks, the weight of these vehicles tends to crush the reflectors or break them, and thereby render them inoperative or ineffective.

While the road markers are usually placed at the rim of the bordering lines of the roadway lanes they encompass, the trafiic is usually erratic enough to cause frequent passage by the vehicles on top of the markers. In the present invention, the weight of the vehicle is employed to press down on the reflectors and bring them flush with the highway surface, which not only saves them from breakage but enables them to automatically clean themselves.

This invention anticipates the limitations of conventional highway markers by providing a road marker which will fit in the highway so as to provide reflection therefrom, and, in addition, includes a mechanism that will permit the reflectors to be resiliently depressed and wiped to remove any particles of dirt collected thereon, when run overby a vehicle.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved reflecting road marker which will include an arrangement for automatically cleaning its reflector, or reflectors, from dust, snow, mud and rain.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved road marker which will be effective as a reflecting road marker and, at the same time, have a structure capable of withstanding heavy trafi'ic conditions.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a new and improved reflecting road marker which can make use of the weight derived from vehicular traffic running over it to operate it for the purpose of cleaning its reflecting components and depressing it into the highway so it will not be crushed or damaged by heavy traflic, as well as including arrangement for facile replacement.

Still other objects of this invention are to provide road markers which are economical to manufacture, eflicient and reliable in operation, and which are easy to install and maintain.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the following drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a road marker comprising this invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the marker shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the marker shown in Fig. 1, in operative position;

2,941,447 Patented June 21,

Fig. 4 is an end view of the marker shown inFig. 1, in operative position;

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a detail of the gasket for the marker of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the marker comprising this invention; and

Fig. 8 is a cross section taken along line 8-8 of, Fig. 7.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings, there is illustrated a road marker (centerline marker) 10 for use in marking lanes in roads,'highways, and the like. This marker 10 is generally of rectangular form and consists of a case 12 having a pair of spaced bosses 14 in its base,. and a flange 16 extending outwardly and around the: periphery of the case 12.

The upper face of the case is open and it receives a: floating bridge member 20. Bridge member 20 has a. pair of spaced bosses 22 corresponding to bosses 14 in.-

the lower face of the case 12, as pointed out above. A coiled spring 18 is positioned between each matching pair of bosses 14 and 22. This spring 18 normally sup ports the bridge member 20 and the receptacle 44 for the reflectors 46 in a position projecting from the upper face of the case 12.-

On the upper face of the bridge member 20, there is provided two pairs of vertically extending, parallel spaced buttresses 24. Each pair of buttresses 24 is spaced from the other pair of buttresses for receiving a receptacle 44 therebetween. This receptacle 44 supports two pairs of reflectors 46, with one pair being located on either face of the receptacle 44. These reflectors 46 are inserted in apertures 48 provided in the opposite facesof the recep- 7 The receptacle 44 is secured to the bridge member 20 by a screw 50 whichpasses through the receptacle and has its threaded end in engagement with a threaded aperture provided in the bridge member 20.

A gasket 26, having an H shaped embossment 28 thereon, as best seen in Figs. 1, 2, and 6, is positioned adjacent to the bridge member 20. This gasket 26 is of the same width and length as the upper face of the case 12, including the flange 16. A slot 30 is provided in the gasket 26 to allow the receptacle 44 for the reflectors 46 to pass snuggly therethrough. Two pairs of slots 32 are also provided in the gasket 26, including the H shaped embossment 28, to allow the two pairs of buttresses 24 to pass therethrough.

An H shaped retainer plate 42 is provided on top of the gasket 26, with leg portions extending between each pair of spaced buttresses 24, for retaining the gasket 26 in an operative position. The retainer plate 42 and gasket 26 have a plurality of spaced apertures 40 provided therein for screws 38, whose threaded ends are received in threaded .apertures provided in the flange 16 of the case 12. Rivets 34, received in holes 36, are utilized to, secure the leg portionsv of the retainer plate 42 to the gasket 26. The retainer plate 42 is used on the top of case 12 to spread the pressure over a larger area on the highway. If desired, this retainer plate 42 can be made in two half sections.

I It is to be pointed out that the gasket 26 prevents the depressed and the reflectors wipe or scrape against the gasket 26, due to the snug fit thereof with the gasket.

The operation of the marker 10 will now be described. The marker 10 is inserted in the highway, as shown in Figsa3 and 4. When a vehicle-rolls over its body, it presses the bridge member 20 down into the case 12. As the receptacle 44 and bridge member 20 are lowered into zgthe case 12, therubb'er gasket 261brushes over the reflectors 46 and cleans them off in a' verticaldirection;

'Referring' now-to Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings, there isi-llus't rated a road side mar'kerf110 which can be used on the side of a highway-or road; This marketr 110 is a modification of the'highw-ay marker 10. It consists of a rectangular case 1 12, having a boss 114 inits base and a flange 116 surrounding the upper face of the case 112, as previously described for the first embodimentof the marker 10. V

This case-112 is open at its upper fiace and has a bridge member 120 therein. This "bridge member 120 has a boss 122 provided on itslower face corresponding to boss 114 in the base of case 112. A coiled spring 118 ispositioned between these bosses 114 and 122, which b'osses hold the spring in an operative position.

' A gasket 126, having a slot 130, is provided adjacent to the upper surface of case 112. The bridge member 120 has a receptacle-144 provided on top thereof to receivethe two pairs of reflectors 146. This receptacle 144'passes through the slot'1-30' provided in gasket 126.

An'emboss-ment 128 is provided on the gasket 126, and it has the slot 130 provided therein. A retainer plate 142 is positioned on top of the gasket'126. The'plate 142 and'gasket126 are secured in position by screws 133 fastened to the flange '11-6 of the case 112. V

In operation, when a load is applied to the receptacle 144, the bridge member120 is depressed to compress the spring 118. The vertical faces of the gasket 126, including theernbossm'ent, adjacent the slot 130, wipe thereflectors'146 clean as previously described. When the load is'removed, the spring'11'8 forces the receptacle 144 above the surface of the road to again display the reflectors 146.

'Itis to be noted'that' the cases 12 or I12,'in either embodiment of the invention, are preferably formed of anon-corrosive .material,such' as bronze, whil'ethe other metal components are'formed of aluminum.

"The markers 10 and 110 have a number of valuable features. The reflectors on the markers are'kept clean and in anoperative condition. The reflectors '46 or 146 are protected against breakage due to vehicles running over them.

'The construction of the markers 10 and-1I0 is simple, yet efiective. The labor of keeping the reflectors 46 and 146 free of dirt or the like is avoided and maintenance of the markers is kept at a minimum. These markers take very little space on the highway. They attract attention of the drivers of vehicles so they will be guided thereby. The markers 10 and 110 can be installed while the highway is being built or repaired and made an integral part of it.

The forms of the invention disclosed herein are for the purpose of illustrating how the invention can be made in a. particular instance, and it is appreciated that other constructions could be designed anddeveloped that would employ the same principles and yet come within the scope'of the appended claims.

Whatisclaimed is:

1. A marker 'for a highway, comprising, structure defining a substantially rectangular casing opened at its upper face and having a flange extending outwardly and transversely thereto around the periphery thereof, the bottom of said casing having a pair of spaced, upwardly extending bosses located along the longitudinal axis thereof, a floating bridge member extending across said open upper face of said casing and arranged to move downwardly into said casing, said bridge member having a pair of spaced, downwardly extending bosses corresponding to said pair of spaced, upwardly extending bosses in the bottom of said casinggresilient means including a coil positioned between and having its ends engaging each corresponding set of bosses for resiliently supporting said bridge member in said casing and to allow it to move upwardly and downwardly therein, said bridge member having two pairs of vertically extending, equally parallel space'd buttresses mounted on the top thereof in the longitudinal direction of said casing, wit-hthe upper surfaces of the buttresses of each pair of buttresses being curved upwardly from said floating bridge memher and extending inwardly toward each other and in substantial arcuate'alignment with each other, the buttresses of each pair of buttresses also extendinginwardly toward the corresponding buttresses in the other pair of buttresses and each end thereof arranged as a cantilever beam, the cantilever beam ends of the buttresses of each'pair of buttresses being longitudinally spaced from the cantilever beam ends of the buttresses of the other pair of buttresses but in axial alignment therewith, a receptacle secured to the top ofsaid'floatin-g member and extending vertically upwardly therefrom, said receptacle being positioned transversely to'the longitudinal axis of said casing in the space between the cantilever beam ends of said pairs of buttresses and having reflectors secured to the opposite vertical faces thereof, the upper surface of said receptacle being arcuately arranged so as to constitute a continuation ofthe arcuate surfaces of said longitudinally spaced pairs of buttresses, and gasket means for sealing said casing, said pairs of longitudinally spaced buttresses and said receptacle, said sealing means being arranged to clean the faces of said reflectors, said buttresses being arranged to protect said reflectors.

2. An arrangement as recited in claim 1., wherein said gasket means are of substantially H-shape with slots therein corresponding to the positions of said pairs of buttresses and receptacle.

3. An arrangement as recited in claim 2, and -a'retai-ningplate for securing said gasket means'to said flange of said casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UN ITED' STATESPATENTS 1,496,811 Lange et a1 June 10, 1924 1,785,952 Griggs et al Dec. 23, 1930 1,986,097 Arey V Jan. 1, 1935 2,073,968 Krebs Mar. 16, 1937, 2,157,059 Rosener- May 2, 1939 2,192,878 Beebe 'Mar. 12, 1940 2,224,554 Stedman Dec. 10, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 648,542 Great Britain Jan. 10, 1951 690,398 Great Britain Apr. 22, 1953

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