WO2002023505A1

WO2002023505A1 - Portable traffic-light signals and sets

Info

Publication number: WO2002023505A1
Application number: PCT/GB2001/004123
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas Moss
Original assignee: Thomas Moss
Priority date: 2000-09-16
Filing date: 2001-09-17
Publication date: 2002-03-21
Also published as: AU2001286113A1

Abstract

A portable traffic-light signal (10) comprises a traffic-light head (12) and at least three extendable legs (14). Each leg is movable between an in-use position in which the leg is extended and projects downswardly from the head so that the legs are splayed and the head can be stood on the legs on the ground, and a stowed position in which each leg is contracted and does not substantially project in its longitudinal direction from the head. By employing at least three legs, the signal can readily be made more stable that if the head were supported on a single pole. By employing legs that can be extended and contracted, the signal occupies little space when being transported or stored, and yet can be made so that it is easy to set up. Two such signals (10, 40) are provided in a set and have means (42, 44, 46) for connecting the heads together in a stowed configuration so that the front face of each head is covered by the other head to portect the front faces of the heads when not in use.

Description

TITLE

Portable Traffic-light Signals and Sets

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to portable traffic light signals and sets.

Traffic-light signals often need to be put in place temporarily, for example to control traffic around a road works site or road accident scene, or in the case of a special event, abnormally heavy traffic, or a failure of a permanent set of traffic-light signals.

Desirably, such traffic-light signals should be easily transportable, easy to set up, inexpensive to manufacture, occupy little space when not in use and be resistant to damage when being transported. The present invention, or at least specific embodiments of it, is concerned with meeting some, if not all, of these requirements.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a portable traffic-light set, comprising at least two traffic-light heads each having a front face, and means for connecting the heads together in a stowed configuration so that the front face of each head is covered by the other head, or at least one of the other heads, to protect the front faces of the heads when not in use. Preferably, the front face of each head has at least two lamp lenses that are covered and protected by the other head or heads when the heads are in the stowed configuration. This therefore provides protection for the lenses of the heads against accidental breakage or scratching. Traffic-light signals are usually used in pairs, and so using the heads to protect each other is convenient and avoids the need for some other form of protection.

In the case where the front face of each head has a plurality of outwardly-projecting visors, each visor on each head is preferably arranged to overlap one of the visors on the other head, or one of the other heads, when the heads are in the stowed configuration.

The traffic-light set preferably further comprises, for each head, at least three extendable legs, each leg being movable between an in-use position in which the leg is extended and projects downwardly from the head so that the legs are splayed and the head can be stood on the legs on the ground, and a stowed position in which the leg is contracted and does not substantially project in its longitudinal direction from the head. By employing at least three legs, the signal can readily be made more stable that if the head were supported on a single pole. By employing legs that can be extended and contracted, the signal occupies little space when being transported or stored, and yet can be made so that it is easy to set up.

This latter feature may be provided independently of the first aspect of the invention. Therefore, according to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a portable traffic- light signal, comprising a traffic-light head and at least three extendable legs, each leg being movable between an in-use position in which the leg is extended and projects downwardly from the head so that the legs are splayed and the head can be stood on the legs on the ground, and a stowed position in which the leg is contracted and does not substantially project in its longitudinal direction from the head.

The legs are preferably hinged to the head. By hinging the legs to the head, the legs are permanently attached to the head and therefore will not get lost. In one embodiment, the hinging is adjacent the top of the head, and in another embodiment, it is adjacent the bottom of the head. Preferably, the signal includes hinged brackets extending between the head and the legs for stabilising the signal when the legs are in their in-use positions.

Preferably, each leg when in the stowed position extends longitudinally of the head between upper and lower ends of the head. Generally, it will be desirable for the largest dimension of the head to be its height, and so this feature facilitates storage of the legs.

In the case where the or each head has a generally rectangular outline when viewed in plan, each leg when in the stowed position may lie within the rectangular outline of the head. Accordingly, in the stowed position the legs do not project outside the rectangular outline of the head.

In the case of either aspect of the invention, the head, or at least one of the heads, preferably contains a recoil drum for an electrical cable for connecting that head to another head, the other head, one of the other heads, or a power supply. Also, the head, or at least one of the heads, preferably contains an electrical phase controller circuit for controlling the signal or signals. Preferably, the traffic-light signal or traffic-light set is arranged to be powered by electricity at a nominal supply voltage of 12 or 24 volts from the electrical system of a motor vehicle. The traffic-light signal or traffic-light set may be provided in combination with a generally flat base, and means for releasably attaching the head, or at least one of the heads, to the base. Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of traffic-light signal with its legs in their in-use positions;

Figure 2 is a front view of the signal of Figure 1 with its legs in their stowed positions;

Figure 3 is similar to Figure 2, but showing a complementary signal of a traffic-light set;

Figure 4 is a side view of the signals of Figures 2 and 3 in their stowed configuration, with the lower visors of each signal shown sectioned;

Figure 5 is a front view of a second embodiment of traffic-light signal with two of its legs in their in-use positions and one of its legs in its stowed position;

Figure 6 is a side view of the signal of Figure 5 together with a base board, both shown partly cut away;

Figure 7 is a front view of a third embodiment of traffic-light signal with two of its legs in their in-use positions and one of its legs in its stowed position; and

Figure 8 is a side view of the signal of Figure 7 with all of its legs in their in-use positions.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a traffic-light signal 10 comprises a signal head 12 and three legs 14. The head 12 is formed by a rectangular box 20 with three lamp lenses 22 set in the front face of the box 20. Two of the legs 14 are connected by hinges 24 to the left and right sides of the box 20 at the top edges of the sides and adjacent the front edges of the sides. The other leg 18 is connected by a similar hinge to the rear of the box 20 in the middle of its top edge. Each leg 14 has an upper tubular part 26 and a lower part 28 telescopically arranged, with a locking device 30 which can be operated to lock each leg 14 in an extended configuration (Figure 1) or a contracted configuration (Figure 2). The length of each of the upper and lower parts 26,28 of each leg 14 is about equal to the height of the box 20. The lower end of the lower part 28 of each leg 14 is fitted with a rubber foot 32. The upper part 26 of each leg 14 is connected adjacent its lower end to the box 20 by a centrally-hinged stabiliser bracket 34. Accordingly, the signal 10 can be moved between an in-use configuration as shown in Figure 1 in which the legs 14 are extended and splayed outwardly each at an angle, limited by the stabiliser brackets 34, of about 15 degrees to the vertical, and a stowed configuration as shown in Figure 2 in which the legs 14 are contracted and extend alongside the adjacent side or rear of the box 20, and in which the legs 14 and their feet 32 do not project substantially below the base of the box 20.

Referring now also to Figures 3 and 4, each of the lamp lenses 22 is provided with a visor 36,38, with the upper and lower visors 36 having a slightly smaller diameter than the middle visor 38. The signal 10 forms a traffic-light set with a complementary signal 40, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, that is outwardly identical to the signal 10 except that, on the signal 40, the visor diameters are interchanged so that the upper and lower lamp lenses 22 are provided with the larger-diameter visors 38, and the middle lamp lens 22 is provided with the smaller-diameter visor 36. Accordingly, when the signals 10,40 are in their stowed configurations as shown in Figures 2 and 3, they can be fitted together, face-to-face, as shown in Figure 4, with the visors 36,38 of the two signals 10,40 overlapping each other. This therefore provides protection for the lamp lenses 22. In order to hold the set of signals 10,40 in the configuration shown in Figure 4 and to assist in carrying the set, a number of retaining straps 42 and a carrying handle 44 are fitted between pairs of pegs 46 provided on the boxes 20.

One of the signal head boxes 20 contains a master phase controller with a control panel 48, together with a recoil cable drum 50 carrying cable for connecting the set to a source of electricity. The other signal head box 20 contains a slave phase controller, together with a recoil cable drum 48 carrying cable for connecting the slave controller to the master controller in the other signal head box 20. The controllers and lamps are arranged to be powered by electricity having a nominal supply voltage of 12 volts DC, 24 volts DC or 240 volts AC, as desired. Alternatively and preferably, multi- or dual-standard circuitry may be employed so that the set can be run off all three, or any two of these voltages, particularly 12 and 24 volts DC. The combination of compact size, when stowed, together with the ability to run off 12 or 24 volts DC means that the traffic-light set can, for example, be carried around in the boot of a police car, so that it is immediately ready for use in an emergency and can be powered by the vehicle's battery.

It will be appreciated that many modifications and developments may be made to the traffic-light set described above.

For example, Figures 5 and 6 show an embodiment of the invention which is similar to that described above, except that the telescopic legs 14 are hinged to the box 20 adjacent the base of the box 20, rather than at the top of the box 20, by brackets 50. Each bracket 50 provides a channel which sandwiches the leg 14 between its sides. Each bracket 50 has a first pair of holes 52 to receive a releasable pin 54 to hold the leg 14 in its in-use position (see the left-hand side of Figure 5), and a second pair of holes 56 to receive the pin to hold the leg in its stowed position (see the right-hand side of Figure 5). A base board 58 is also shown, partly cut away, onto which the signal head can be releasably attached by catches 60. This may be used if the signal is placed, for example, on the roof of a police car in an emergency so as to protect the roof from scratching.

In the embodiments described above, in the stowed configuration, the contracted legs 14 project from the sides and the rear of the signal head box 20. In another embodiment, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the sides and the rear of the box 20 are formed with recessed channels 62 which accommodate the legs 14 when in their stowed positions so that they lie within the rectangular footprint of the box 20. In the case where the box 20 is formed of moulded plastics, the channels 62 may be moulded into the box 20. Indeed, the channels 62 may be enclosed by the box, with each leg being extractable longitudinally from the lower end of the channel.

Various other modifications and developments may be made. For example, whereas the telescopic legs 14 have been described above as having two parts 26,28, they may alternatively be formed by three telescopic sections. Furthermore, although it is preferred that the legs 14 are hinged to the signal head box 20 so that the legs 14 cannot be readily separated from the box 20, the legs 14 may instead be detachable from the box. Moreover, although each signal 10,40 has been described above as having three legs 14, it may instead have, for example, four legs. In addition, the heads 12 may be fitted with traffic detectors.

It should be noted that the embodiments of the invention has been described above purely by way of example and that many other modifications and developments may be made thereto within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A portable traffic-light set, comprising at least two traffic-light heads each having a front face, and means for connecting the heads together in a stowed configuration so that the front face of each head is covered by the other head, or at least one of the other heads, to protect the front faces of the heads when not in use.

2. A traffic-light set as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front face of each head has at least two lamp lenses that are covered and protected by the other head or heads when the heads are in the stowed configuration.

3. A traffic-light set as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the front face of each head has at least two outwardly-projecting visors, each visor on each head being arranged to overlap one of the visors on the other head, or one of the other heads, when the heads are in the stowed configuration.

4. A traffic-light set as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising, for each head, at least three extendable legs, each leg being movable between an in-use position in which the leg is extended and projects downwardly from the head so that the legs are splayed and the head can be stood on the legs on the ground, and a stowed position in which the leg is contracted and does not substantially project in its longitudinal direction from the head.

5. A portable traffic-light signal, comprising a traffic-light head and at least three extendable legs, each leg being movable between an^'in-use position in which the leg is extended and projects downwardly from the head so that the legs are splayed and the head can be stood on the legs on the ground, and a stowed position in which the leg is contracted and does not substantially project in its longitudinal direction from the head.

6. A traffic-light signal or set as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the legs are hinged to the head.

7. A traffic-light signal or set as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the legs are hinged to the head adjacent the top of the head.

8. A traffic-light signal or set as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the legs are hinged to the head adjacent the bottom of the head.

9. A traffic-light signal or set as claimed in any of claims 6 to 8, and including hinged brackets extending between the head and the legs for stabilising the signal when the legs are in their in-use positions.

10. A traffic-light signal or set as claimed in any of claims 4 to 9, wherein each leg when in the stowed position extends longitudinally of the head between upper and lower ends of the head.

11. A traffic-light signal or set as claimed in any of claims 4 to 10, wherein the or each head has a generally rectangular outline when viewed in plan, and each leg when in the stowed position lies within the rectangular outline of the head.

12. A traffic-light signal or set as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the head, or at least one of the heads, contains a recoil drum for an electrical cable for connecting that head to another head, the other head, one of the other heads, or a power supply.

13. A traffic-light signal or set as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the head, or at least one of the heads, contains an electrical phase controller circuit for controlling the signal or signals.

14. A traffic-light signal or set as claimed in any preceding claim, and arranged to be powered by electricity at a nominal supply voltage of 12 or 24 volts from the electrical system of a motor vehicle.

15. A traffic-light signal or set as claimed in any preceding claim, and including a generally flat base, and means for releasably attaching the head, or at least one of the heads, to the base.