WO2006064267A1 - Illuminated barrier system, and illumination unit therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

A temporary traffic barrier system is desribed for use with one or more road traffic control uprights such as road traffic cones or the like. The system includes at least one tape cartridge from which barrier tape may be deployed and into which barrier tape may be rewound for stowage to provide a temporary barrier, having a lower part adapted to mount the tape cartridge on or about an upper part such as an apex of a road traffic control upright so as to sit in use generally thereabove, and an upper part provided with means to releasably engage a light unit; and a light unit releasably engagable on the said engagement means on the cartridge so as to sit stably generally thereabove; wherein the mounting means between the cartridge and the light unit comprises a releasable fitting.

Description

ILLUMINATED BARRIER SYSTEM, AND ILLUMINATION UNIT

THEREFOR

The invention relates to a temporary traffic barrier unit, comprising a barrier tape dispenser suitable for mounting on a portable road traffic control upright, such as a road traffic cone or the like, such as to dispense tape to serve as a barrier, in combination with a removable lighting unit. The invention also relates to a method of deploying a barrier, in particular a temporary barrier, comprising the use of such dispenser devices and lighting units.

Temporary road traffic control uprights, such as road traffic cones or the like, are well established as means by which areas of roadway can be cordoned off or otherwise delineated and/or hazard warnings can be indicated on a temporary basis. The uprights are usually at least partly reflective and/or have lights hung therefrom for enhanced night-time visibility. The need for such delineation may arise for a variety of established reasons, including separation and direction of streams of traffic, indicating a prohibition of vehicular or pedestrian access to a restricted area, for example during periods of road repair, giving a warning of or delineating the area of a temporary stationary hazard, such as a broken down vehicle, accident, spillage or the like.

The invention relates to a barrier tape dispenser and light attachment suitable for use with a wide range of temporarily deployable upright traffic control structures which can be deployed either singularly or particularly in array to delineate areas and/or give warnings in the manner above described. Such structure are often referred to as "traffic cones", and similar references frequently made herein for convenience and exemplification. It will however be understood by those skilled in the art that such references to "cones" are not mathematically descriptive of the structures in question, which may in this context comprise conical, pyramidal, cylindrical and other upright structures, whether free standing, including separable stands, or temporarily road- mounted. In the context of the present invention it will also be appreciated that it can be construed as including temporarily deployable signage, in particular such as warning triangles and the like.

One convenient use for road traffic cones and the like is to deploy them in an array as a barrier. Such road traffic cones are easily deployable and conveniently transportable. Nevertheless, a barrier comprises entirely of cones is not without its limitations. To be effective, such a barrier is likely to need a large number of cones placed relatively closely together. This increases costs, and is time consuming to deploy.

A further use of temporary deployable traffic control uprights, including simple cones and other temporary signage such as warning triangles whether deployed singularly or in an array, is to give warning of and/or delineate a stationary hazard in the road, such as a broken down vehicle spillage, obstruction or the like. Where the intention is to give a warning, the relatively small size of single cones and warning triangles limits visibility at a distance and can reduce the effectiveness of the warning. Where the intention is to provide a cordon delineating the hazard, a single warning triangle, signage or cone will often not suffice.

Accordingly, to reduce the number of cones required for a given barrier, it is known to provide barrier systems wherein road traffic cones are spaced more widely and lateral extensions are provided linking therebetween. For example, cones might be provided with means to mount rigid lateral plastic extensions with suitable hazard markings therebetween. It is also known to tie lengths of plastic tape, provided with a suitable hazard pattern, between the cones. UK Patent No. 2152563 describes a plastic strip specifically adapted for engagement with the upright parts of road traffic cones.

Most of these systems are crude, can be difficult to handle particularly in the wind, and are not always easy to store in advance of deployment. Accordingly, units have been proposed in which barrier tape is retractably stored within a cartridge suitable for mounting on or about a road traffic cone or other upright. Most conveniently, for considerations of stability, and to give maximum directional flexibility, a tape dispensing cartridge of this type should mount generally at or about and above the apex of such a cone or upright, broadly over its longitudinal axis (and consequently about its centre of gravity). Such a system is described for example in UK Patent No. 2387406, to which the present invention is particularly applicable.

The deployment of road traffic cones and other uprights for barrier and other area delineation and warning purposes requires good visibility even in poor light conditions, such as might be associated with fog, dusk or darkness. For this reason, the cone or other upright is often manufactured from or incorporates on a surface layer thereof some highly reflective material. For this reason also it is frequent practice for at least some of the uprights forming a barrier to be provided with lights. Typically, these lights are self contained units including a battery power source which are designed merely to be hung from the upright by a suitable hanging attachment, to be activated and give illumination either by an operator or by some suitable ambient light sensor, time switch or the like.

Such a light attachment suffers from the disadvantage that since it hangs to the side of the upright it tends to affect stability adversely. Battery power sources are necessarily heavy, and anything which takes the centre of mass of the upright assembly away from its longitudinal axis is likely to lead to a degree of instability. Conventional hanging lights are even less suitable in conjunction with temporary barriers of the sort described hereinabove. The extended barrier tape is likely to interfere with the free hanging of the light and/or an already attached light is likely to limit the ability to extend and deploy the temporary barrier tape.

If barrier tape dispensing cartridge-based systems, such as that described by UK Patent No. 2387406, are to be made practical for use in all light conditions, there is thus a general desire to ensure that they are provided with a convenient and effective illumination facility which confers the advantages of individual removably deployable lights but in a manner which is fully compatible with the use of dispensing cones to deploy temporary barriers. At present, there is no practical system which allows both a barrier and a light to be fitted on the same cone.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a temporary light fitting for use with a barrier unit mountable upon a temporary road traffic control upright which mitigates some or all of the above disadvantages.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide a temporary barrier unit and removable light combination mountable upon a temporary road traffic control upright that lends itself to easy storage, convenient transportation to a barrier site, and easy handling even in difficult environmental conditions.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide a temporary barrier unit with illumination facility mountable upon a temporary road traffic control upright that is adaptable to provide a variable sized barrier between two such uprights or one such upright and a fixed structure and/or that is adaptable for incorporation into a system comprising a barrier delineating an area of complex and variable shape. Thus, according to the present invention in a first aspect there is provided a temporary traffic barrier system suitable for use with one or more road traffic control uprights such as road traffic cones or the like, the system comprising at least one tape cartridge from which barrier tape may be deployed and into which barrier tape may be rewound for stowage to provide a temporary barrier, having a lower part adapted to mount the tape cartridge on or about an upper part such as an apex of a road traffic control upright so as to sit in use generally thereabove, and an upper part provided with means to releasably engage a light unit; and a light unit releasably engagable on the said engagement means on the cartridge so as to sit stably generally thereabove; wherein the mounting means between the cartridge and the light unit comprises a releasable fitting, for example of a bayonet type.

In accordance with the invention, the cartridge sits generally above and about the apex of the cone or other upright, for example engaging thereon, in particular preferably in an interference/friction fit, under the action of gravity, or via some other fitting mechanism not requiring specific mechanical fixings. Since the cartridge unit sits above the apex, generally on an axis of the cone or other upright and/or stably about its centre of gravity, the arrangement is particularly stable. Complex mechanical fixings are not necessary to make the arrangements sound.

Similarly, the light unit is attached generally above the cartridge, and hence generally above and about the axis and/or centre of gravity of the upright. The overall arrangement is relatively stable, particularly when compared with prior art systems where a light and/or cartridge is hung to the side of the upright, and by positioning the light unit above the cartridge, tape can be deployed in any direction. The mounting means at the lower part of the cartridge, by means of which the cartridge is (and when fully assembled, the cartridge and light assembly are) engaged upon the upright is conveniently a means to effect an interference fit (i.e. friction fit) or other means free of more complex mechanical connectors over and about the upper part of the upright. In one alternative, the mounting means comprises a suitably shaped hollow tubular portion. The tubular portion may be generally cylindrical to fit on a generally cylindrical upright, or (truncated) conical or pyramidal to fit a conical or pyramidal upright, or any suitably accommodating shape.

The means by which the light fitting engages upon the upper part of the tape cartridge is conveniently a releasably operable mechanical fitting, such as a bayonet-style fitting, that is to say a fitting which combines a suitable arrangement of detents and recesses to provide a fitment system which is rotatable between a locked and an unlocked position. An alternative fitting, such as a threaded fitting, might be used.

In a particularly preferred arrangement, the mounting means on the upper part of the cartridge comprise an annular top portion, the inner edge of the annulus having circumferentially disposed therearound a plurality of projecting and recessed portions, and a lower part of the light fitting is provided with a plurality of corresponding circumferentially disposed projecting portions, so shaped as to allow insertion of the lower part of the light fitting through the annulus in the top of the cartridge as the projecting portions pass through the gaps created by the recesses in the top of the cartridge, but to be locked into position by rotation of the light fitting relative to the cartridge whereby the projections in the lower part of the light fitting engage upon the complementary projections on the inner annular circumference of the cartridge top. The tape cartridge is conveniently but not necessarily as described in

GB2387406, that is to say the unit is hollow to define a tape storage cavity, a spindle rotatably mounted in the tape storage cavity having tape wound thereon, a deploying aperture in the tape cartridge through which at least a leading edge of tape projects externally, to allow the tape in use to be dispensed therefrom by unwinding from the spindle, a receiving means on the tape cartridge to engagingly receive a leading edge of tape from another like cartridge in use, mounting means associated with a lower part of the cartridge to mount the tape cartridge on or about an upper part such as an apex of the road traffic control upright.

Thus, for use, the cartridge is mounted generally above a road traffic cone or other upright. Tape is unwound from the spindle within the cartridge and pulled out through the deploying aperture. To complete a barrier, a second tape cartridge is mounted upon a second upright, or a terminating mounting of equivalent configuration is otherwise provided at a second remote site. The leading edge of tape dispensed from the first cartridge is received and engaged upon a receiving means provided on the second cartridge or by the mounting. Large barriers of complex shape can be constructed using multiple cartridges and multiple uprights. Thus, a system preferably comprises a plurality of cartridges, and consequently also preferably comprises a plurality of light fittings. However, it will be apparent in practice that the number of cartridges and light fittings in any given system need not be equal, in particular since in a typical barrier system it might not be necessary to attach lights to all of the cartridges in use.

Where cartridges are deployed without lights attached, additional closures are preferably provided as part of the system to allow only hole in the top of the cartridge associated with the light mounting to be closed, for example to keep out the weather. Thus, when a light is not fitted, such a closure is fitted in the alternative. Such a closure therefore conveniently has an equivalent bayonet- style fitting by means of which it is releasably engagable on the cartridge, or alternatively other, e.g. threaded, fitting.

Each light fitting conveniently comprises an upper, illuminating portion and a lower, engagement portion for engagement with the top of the cartridge. Conveniently the upper portion comprises a transparent cover, defining a volume in which an electrical light source such as a light bulb is disposed. The fitting, for example in the lower portion, conveniently also includes an electrical power source such as a battery power source. The upper portion is conveniently dome shaped, and may for example comprise a transparent cover of suitable plastics material to cover a bulb within the cavity therein defined, which cover may for example be suitably coloured.

The arrangement is compact and easily stored, taking up little space, yet adapts to the provision of a wide variety of sizes and shapes of barrier. The cartridge is stably engaged generally above the upright, and is thereby readily deployable to a variety of lengths. The light similarly fits generally above the cartridge and so is highly visible and does not interfere with tape deployment. After use, the tape may be withdrawn back and reeled back into the cartridge and rewound onto the spindle for storage and reuse. The light may be removed. Thus the unit is compactly stored and is reusable.

The tape cartridge engages above a road traffic cone or other traffic control upright by means of the mounting means associated with a lower part thereof.

The mounting means are preferably adapted to engage on or about the uppermost part of the road traffic upright, and in particular on or about the apex of a road traffic cone or the like in interference fit. For example, the mounting means may comprise a tubular lower portion of suitable shape to co- operably engage with the upright, for example a cylindrical lower portion to engage with an upright with an upper portion of generally cylindrical shape, an optionally truncated conical lower portion to engage with an upright of generally conical shape, an optionally truncated pyramidal portion to engage with an upright of generally pyramidal shape etc. The tubular lower portion preferably comprises flexibly resilient material and/or is slotted such as to be resiliently deformable as the cartridge is pushed onto the upper portion of the upright to effect the interference fit.

Other additional or alternative mounting means will readily suggest themselves. For example, the mounting means may comprise mutually co- operable and slots or the like, providing for sliding and/or rotational engagement, or may comprise screw fixings, or may comprise mutually co- operable aperture and rod fixings, such as bolt arrangements. Any combination of fittings is suitable for the mounting means. However, it is preferable if the mounting means are adapted for engagement on or around the apex of a road traffic cone, warning triangle or the like of conventional design, so that the device can be fitted to existing cones, triangles and other warning signage and does not require especially co-operably manufactured cone designs.

It will be understood that references herein to temporary road traffic control uprights, or to road traffic cones, triangles or other warning signage are references to temporary and portable structures for placement on a road way comprising generally a stable ground engaging portion, which may be an integral platform portion, a separable stand, or means to engage temporarily in to the road surface itself, and a generally upright portion. The generally upright portion may or may not be generally tapering, and may or may not taper in a mathematically conical manner. For example, truncated conical, generally pyramidal or truncated pyramidal or cylindrical shapes will be familiar. Additionally, generally two-dimensional shapes such as warning triangles and like signage will also be familiar. The tape is of any flexibly resilient elongate material suitable for winding onto and off the spindle. Optionally, the tape comprises an elongate flexible strip, a rope or a cord. Conveniently, the tape comprises an elongate thin flexible strip of material, for example of plastics sheet material or woven or non- woven fabric material. The width of the material is determined by the need for flexibility and the given application, but is likely to be in the range 2cm to 10cm or thereabouts. The length of the material is determined by likely desired lengths between two mounting points in a barrier, and by the storage capacity of the cartridge.

The tape is preferably comprised of material and/or provided with a surface pattern or surface layer of material incorporating suitable hazard warning markings or information, for example in alphanumeric form, in the form of brightly coloured stripes, chevrons or the like. Preferably, the tape comprises or incorporates a reflective surfaced material so as to be readily illuminated by reflection (e.g. in car headlights) for safety at night.

The tape may also be fabricated from material and/or surface treated for weather resistance etc.

To obviate problems which might be associated with strong winds, the tape can be perforated/reticulated, especially where the tape is relatively wide.

The tape cartridge and light assembly sits upon and above the uppermost portion of the road traffic control upright, for example at the apex of the cone or triangle, and accordingly the tape barrier strip and light sit stably about the axis of the upright and at a higher level than that in GB 2152563 and like prior art. This can improve visibility, and enhance the functionality and safety of the barrier. In a preferred embodiment, to increase this still further, the cartridge and/or light fitting incorporates a means for height adjustment, whereby the height at which a tape dispensing portion of the cartridge and/or the illuminated portion of the light fitting seats in use can be varied. The means for height adjustment may comprise mutually telescoping or folding cartridge portions and/or detachable extending portions to raise the height of the dispensing part of the cartridge and/or illuminated part of the light away from the mounting means in engagement with a cone or other upright in use.

In one embodiment the cartridge is conveniently generally cylindrical. The lower portion of the cartridge is shaped to fit the upright on which it is to be mounted, and may for example be itself generally cylindrical for engagement above a cone of circular cross section, or of other tubular shape complimentary to the cone on which it is to be mounted. In an alternative embodiment the cartridge has a slotted lower portion for engagement with the apex of a flat warning triangle. In either case, the part of the light projecting above the cartridge is conveniently generally dome-shaped.

The tape dispensing spindle is rotatably mounted, especially such as to seat generally above a vertical axis midline of an upright, and in particular where the upright has rotational symmetry about a vertical axis, to seat generally above that in use to give enhanced stability. One end of the tape is fixedly mounted to the spindle, and the tape is wound thereon such that another free end of the tape is able to protrude through the deploying aperture for dispensing.

Means are provided to facilitate restowage of the tape after use from a dispensed configuration to a stored configuration wound upon the spindle. At its simplest, means might merely be provided to allow the spindle to be rotated in a suitable direction to rewind the tape for example linked to an externally accessible winding handle or other means. Conveniently however, the spindle comprises means for biasing tape wound thereon to a stowed position. In particular, for example, the means for biasing the tape to a stowed position comprises spring biasing means acting on the spindle to tend to urge the spindle to rotate in a direction which would tend to rewind the tape. This has three advantages in particular. First, it simplifies the rewinding process after use. Second, it maintains the dispensed tape in tension in use so that the material of the tape need not have significant rigidity to comprise an effective generally horizontal barrier between two cones, other uprights or other mounting sites. Third, it tends to draw tape back into tension when it has been stretched in use, for example by the wind.

Releasable locking means may be provided to lock the spindle into position when the tape is dispensed a predetermined desired amount. Additionally or alternatively an inertia reel lock may be provided in association with the spindle which when deployed allows some limited play in the tape, but prevents excessive sudden further deployment.

The tape leading edge is preferably provided with a stopper, suitably sized and shaped to engage against the deploying aperture as the tape is withdrawn to prevent the leading edge from being drawn entirely back into the cavity and facilitate future dispensing.

The tape leading edge preferably has a connecting portion to be engagingly received in the receiving means of a second cartridge or other like device in use to form a barrier portion. Preferably, the connecting portion is a rigid projecting portion, and the receiving means comprises an apertured receiving means.

Conveniently, the connecting portion and the stopper may be provided by the same component. For example, the leading edge of the tape may comprise a rigid end rod suitably sized to be unable to fit through the dispensing aperture, and suitably shaped to engage with a co-operating apertured portion comprising the receiving portion of a cartridge.

Preferably, a plurality of receiving means are provided disposed radially at several angles around the cartridge. This allows construction of adjacent barrier sections at a plurality of different angles, and allows construction of complete barriers of complex shape. It is a particular advantage of the invention that fitment of the light above the upright and cartridge does not interfere with this freedom.

Conveniently, the deploying aperture incorporates means to clean the surface(s) of the tape as it is wound/rewound onto the spindle after use. For example, close fitting brushes may be provided which bear upon a surface or surfaces of the tape as it is withdrawn, to brush off accumulated dirt or the like so that this is not drawn into the cartridge when the tape is stowed.

According to the present invention in a second aspect there is provided a road traffic control upright such as a traffic cone to serve as a road barrier in combination with a system as hereinbefore described comprising a tape dispenser cartridge as hereinbefore described engaged upon and/or about an uppermost part thereof and a light fitting as hereinbefore described engaged thereabove.

According to the invention in a third aspect there is provided a barrier comprising a plurality of road traffic control uprights on at least some of which are mounted a cartridge as hereinbefore described, with tape deployed therefrom extending to a receiving means on another cartridge and/or an equivalent receiving means on an alternative fixed location, with at least some of the said cartridges having a light fitting as hereinbefore described mounted thereabove. Optionally, some of the mounting sites created by one or more such cartridges may be replaced by one or more terminating mountings of equivalent configuration for fixing to other fixed structures.

The invention in a fourth aspect also comprises the use of one or more cartridges and light fittings as hereinbefore described in conjunction with one or more temporary deployed uprights such as cones as hereinbefore described, and optionally further in conjunction with terminating mountings on one or more other fixed structures, which term were used herein includes stationary vehicles or other hazards, to form a temporary deployable illuminatable barrier. Thus one or more tape lengths are deployed from one or more cartridges to make up the barrier, being fixed to a series of temporary deployable uprights and/or to one or more such fixed sites, and one or more lights are attached.

According to the present invention in a fifth aspect there is provided a method of forming a temporary deployable illuminatable barrier, which comprises the steps of: providing a plurality of road traffic control uprights such as road traffic cones or the like; mounting tape cartridges as hereinbefore described on or about an uppermost part of at least one of the said uprights; mounting light fittings as hereinbefore described to at least some of the cartridges; dispensing tape from at least some such tape cartridge; engaging the leading edge of the dispensed tape from the cartridges to a receiving means on another such cartridge and/or to an equivalent receiving means on an alternative fixed location.

According to the present invention in a sixth aspect, there is provided a light fitting as above, suitable for use with and fitment to a tape dispensing cartridge as above in a temporary illuminatable traffic barrier. In a possible embodiment, one or more terminating mounting units on suitable fixed structures can take the place of cartridges. In this case, in a preferred embodiment of the method, at least one terminating mounting unit is provided adapted for mounting on a fixed structure, and in particular to the body of a stationary vehicle, provided with a receiving means identical to the receiving means on the said cartridge(s), and the method includes engaging the leading edge of the dispensed tape from at least one of the said cartridges to the receiving means on such a terminating mounting unit.

The invention will now be described by way of invention only with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is partially cut away view of a cartridge in accordance with the invention with the tape undeployed;

Figure 2 is a view of the cartridge of Figure 1 in intact formation; Figure 3 is an illustration of the connection of the tape from the cartridge of

Figure 1 with another like cartridge;

Figure 4 is an illustration of a barrier formed by the cartridges of the embodiment of the invention with a light fitting in place;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the means by which the light fitting connects to the cartridge;

Referring first to Figure 1, a cartridge (1) is shown consisting of a moulding of suitable high impact plastics material such as polypropylene. The cartridge (1) is of generally cylindrical cross section, defining a tape storage cavity (3). The cartridge is shown without a light fitting for illustration.

Within the tape storage cavity (3) is mounted a vertical cylindrical spindle (5), which is mounted for rotation relative to the cartridge (1) about an axis generally coaxial with the cylinder comprising the cartridge (1). Shown in an undispensed configuration wound around the spindle (5) is a length of tape (7) comprising PVC with a reflective surface and a suitable alarm marking material consisting of alternate red and white chevrons (9a, 9b). A distal end of the tape is provided with a rigid plastic rod like portion (11) which, as will be seen from later drawings, serves both to prevent the tape being drawn wholly back into the cartridge and to effect connection of the tape when deployed with another like cartridge.

The tape dispenser is biased to the stowed configuration by means of a spring biasing means (not shown) acting on the spindle (5) and tending to urge it in a clockwise direction when viewed from above in this instance, such as to tend to urge the tape to be rewound.

A lower hollow portion of circular cross section (8) (being cylindrical or conical section as the case may be to fit the upright) allows the cartridge to be retained on a traffic upright in use. The cartridge is pushed onto the apex of an upright and retained by an interference (friction) fit. No other fixings are required. The top part (12) is provided with a means to retain a light fitting, shown in more detail in figure 4.

In Figure 2, a cartridge (1) is shown without any tape present for illustrative purposes. In use, the tape will protrude through the deployment aperture (13). The deployment aperture (13) is provided with a pair of close fitting brushes (15) which in use will bear upon a portion of tape as it passes out, and more particular back in, through the brashes, and serve to remove accumulated dirt and debris from its surfaces so that the accumulated dirt and debris is not brought back into the cavity within the cartridge.

Figure 2 also illustrates a receiving connecting portion (17) whose operation will be seen in relation to Figures 3 and 4. In the present embodiment, receiving portions (17) are provided at right angles radially in three positions on the cartridge (I)₅ with the fourth position at right angle radially comprising the dispensing aperture. This gives a good degree of flexibility in constructing a variety of barrier structures. In other instances, alternative arrangements of receiving connectors (17) will give alternative functionality.

Figure 3 illustrates the connecting action between tape and cartridge. The rod (11) at the leading end of the dispensed tape (7) dispensed from a first dispenser cartridge (not shown) is adapted to slidingly engage with the receiving projection (17) of the second dispenser cartridge (21) in Figure 3. Thus, the tape is caused to extend between the two cartridges and form a barrier. It can be noted that the rod (11) is configured to be wider than the deploying aperture (13) in its respective cartridge, and accordingly, it also serves to prevent the end of the tape from being entirely drawn back within the cartridge when the tape is withdrawn after use.

Figure 4 illustrates a cartridge in accordance with the invention in place on a traffic cone, and having a light fitting in accordance with the invention fixed thereupon. Where appropriate, like components from figures 1 to 3 are labelled with like numerals.

A lower hollow portion (8) of circular cross section which increases gradually to accommodate the shape of the upper portion of a road traffic cone (25) enables the cartridge body (1) to be fitted on the road traffic cone (25) by means of an interference fit. The cartridge (1) sits about and above the apex of the cone, generally above its rotational axis and consequently generally above its centre of gravity, in a particularly stable arrangement.

The cartridge is shown with its tape (7) deployed, and this will be attached to another like cartridge or other fixing point (not shown). A second length of tape (7a) from a second dispenser cartridge (not shown) is also illustrated in the figure. This is engaged by means of a connecting rod (Ha) in a receiving means on the cartridge (1).

A light fitting (31) is mounted directly above the cartridge. The light fitting comprises a rim portion (32) with a lower engaging portion (see figure 5) which is fabricated of suitable tough and resilient material, for example of like material to the material of the cartridge casing, and for example of injection moulded polypropylene with a 20% glass fill. The light fitting further consists of a domed portion (33) of suitably transparent material, and for example acrylic, which may be suitably coloured as appropriate for the hazard warning. Within the dome portion, one or more light sources, for example a light bulb, may be retained. The base of the light fitting also conveniently includes a suitable power source such as a battery, and any necessary controlled electronics, for example time switching or photo sensitive switching apparatus to ensure that the light operates only in conditions of darkness.

Engagement between the light fitting (31) and the cartridge (1) is by a bayonet fitting arrangement between the top of the cartridge (1) and a lower part of the light fitting (31), and this is illustrated in greater detail in figure 5.

A cartridge (1) is shown in plan view in figure 5a. The top portion (41) of a suitable high impact plastics material such as injection moulded polypropylene with a 20% glass fill has a generally annular configuration with a central hole. It is retained in place on the body of the cartridge by means of the screws (42). A further screw fitting (43) is provided on an upward projection of the spindle axis, on which can be retained by means of a screw fitting a top cover (not shown) to close the aperture created by the annular top (1) when a light unit in accordance with the invention is not fitted. Alternatively, a top closure could be provided with a bayonet fitting equivalent to the light fitting. The bayonet fitting comprises projecting portions (45) extending inwardly from the inner circumference of the annular top (41), four of these being equidistantly circumferentially spaced around the inner annular circumference of the top (41). These are adapted to engage with similarly circumferentially disposed projections (48) in a downwardly extending connecting portion (47) from the base (46) of the light fitting (31) as illustrated in figure 5b. It will be apparent that these complimentary projections are so arranged that in a first orientation it will be possible to insert the projecting portion (47) into the aperture created by the annular top (41), but then by suitable rotation of the light fitting (31) relative to the cartridge (1), the light fitting will be moved to a position where the projections (48 and 45) are complementary engaged in a locking configuration. This provides an effective and convenient releasable fitting which allows for ready engagement of the light fitting in situ. It will of course be understood that this is an example only, and that a number of generally similar fitting arrangements will readily suggest themselves.

It can be seen that the light fitting (31) fits stably above the cartridge (1), thus allowing free dispensing and/or connection of the tape in all four of the radial directions provided, and also ensuring that both cartridge and light fitting are disposed stably above and about the centre of gravity of the traffic cone or other upright in use, with the advantages of increased height and increased stability set out previously. The invention thus constitutes a particularly flexible solution for the provision of a temporary deployable and illuminatable barrier making use of road traffic control uprights.

Claims

1. A temporary traffic barrier system suitable for use with one or more road traffic control uprights such as road traffic cones or the like, the system comprising at least one tape cartridge from which barrier tape may be deployed and into which barrier tape may be rewound for stowage to provide a temporary barrier, having a lower part adapted to mount the tape cartridge on or about an upper part such as an apex of a road traffic control upright so as to sit in use generally thereabove, and an upper part provided with means to releasably engage a light unit; and a light unit releasably engagable on the said engagement means on the cartridge so as to sit stably generally thereabove; wherein the mounting means between the cartridge and the light unit comprises a releasable fitting.

2. A system in accordance with Claim 1 wherein the mounting means at the lower part of the cartridge comprises a shaped hollow tubular portion adapted to sit above and about the apex of the upright.

3. A system in accordance with Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the mounting means at the lower part of cartridge is adapted to engage upon the upright to effect an interference/friction fit therewith.

4. A system in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the mounting means between the cartridge and the light unit comprises a releasable bayonet fitting incorporating a suitable arrangement of detents and recesses to provide a fitment system which is rotatable between a locked and an unlocked position.

5. A system in accordance with Claim 4 wherein the mounting means on the upper part of the cartridge comprise an annular top portion, the inner edge of the annulus having circumferentially disposed therearound a plurality of projecting and recessed portions, and a lower part of the light fitting is provided with a plurality of corresponding circumferentially disposed projecting portions, so shaped as to allow insertion of the lower part of the light fitting through the annulus in the top of the cartridge as the projecting portions pass through the gaps created by the recesses in the top of the cartridge, hut to he locked into position by rotation of the light fitting relative to the cartridge whereby the projections in the lower part of the light fitting engage upon the complementary projections on the inner annular circumference of the cartridge top.

6. A system in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the tape cartridge is hollow to define a tape storage cavity, a spindle rotatably mounted in the tape storage cavity having tape wound thereon, a deploying aperture in the tape cartridge through which at least a leading edge of tape projects externally, to allow the tape in use to be dispensed therefrom by unwinding from the spindle, a receiving means on the tape cartridge to engagingly receive a leading edge of tape from another like cartridge in use, mounting means associated with a lower part of the cartridge to mount the tape cartridge on or about an upper part such as an apex of the road traffic control upright.

7. A system in accordance with any preceding claim where each light fitting comprises an upper, illuminating portion and a lower, engagement portion for engagement with a top of the cartridge, the upper portion comprising a transparent cover defining a volume in which an electric light source is disposed, and the lower portion incorporating a power storage source.

8. A system in accordance with Claim 7 wherein the upper portion of the light unit comprises a transparent cover of suitable plastics material to cover an electrical bulb within the cavity therein defined.

9. A system in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the tape comprises an elongate thin flexible strip of material.

10. A system in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the tape is comprised of material and/or provided with a surface pattern or surface layer of material incorporating suitable hazard warning markings or information.

11. A system in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the tape cartridge incorporates means acting upon the spindle for biasing tape wound thereon to a stowed position.

12. A system in accordance with any preceding claim wherein releasable locking means are provided to lock the spindle into position when the tape is dispensed to a predetermined desired amount.

13. A system in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the leading edge of a tape has a connecting portion adapted to be engagingly received in a complimentary receiving means of a second cartridge or other like device in use to form a barrier portion.

14. A road traffic control upright such as a traffic cone provided in combination with a system in accordance with any preceding claim to serve as a road traffic barrier, and comprising a tape dispenser cartridge engaged upon and/or about an uppermost part of the upright and a light fitting as hereinbefore described engaged thereabove.

15. A barrier comprising a plurality of road traffic control uprights on at least some of which are mounted a system in accordance with one of Claims 1 to 13 including a cartridge with tape deployed therefrom extending to a receiving means on another cartridge and/or an equivalent receiving means on an alternative fixed location, with at least some of the said cartridges having a light fitting mounted thereabove.

16. The use of one or more cartridge and light fitting combination in accordance with one of Claims 1 to 13 in conjunction with one or more temporary deployed road traffic uprights to form a temporary deployable illuminatable barrier.

17. A method of forming a temporary deployable illuminatable barrier, which comprises the steps of: providing a plurality of road traffic control uprights such as road traffic cones or the like; providing tape cartridges having from which barrier tape may be deployed and into which barrier tape may be rewound for stowage to provide a temporary barrier, having a lower part adapted to mount the tape cartridge on or about an upper part such as an apex of a road traffic control upright so as to sit in use generally thereabove, and an upper part provided with means to releasably engage a light unit; providing light fittings having releasably engagable on the said engagement means on the cartridge so as to sit stably generally thereabove; mounting the tape cartridges on or about an uppermost part of at least one of the said uprights; mounting light fittings as hereinbefore described to at least some of the cartridges; dispensing tape from at least some such tape cartridges; engaging the leading edge of the dispensed tape from the cartridges to a receiving means on another such cartridge and/or to an equivalent receiving means on an alternative fixed location.

18. A light fitting suitable for use with and fitment to a tape dispensing cartridge in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 13 in a temporary illuminatable traffic barrier.