GB2197900A

GB2197900A - Road cone with removable adaptor

Info

Publication number: GB2197900A
Application number: GB08628328A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John William Ofield
Original assignee: POLICON Ltd
Current assignee: POLICON Ltd
Priority date: 1986-11-27
Filing date: 1986-11-27
Publication date: 1988-06-02
Anticipated expiration: 2006-11-27
Also published as: GB8628328D0; GB2197900B

Abstract

In road marking apparatus comprising a road cone (1), an adaptor, and positive locking means between the cone and the adaptor, the positive locking means may comprise complementary screw threads on the cone and the adaptor, or a bayonet type fixing. The adaptor suitably comprises a hollow body provided with slots for holding a barrier and/or holes for mounting lamps. An adaptor of the above type and comprising five barrier slots, three mutually spaced apart by 90 DEG in three quadrants of the adaptor and the other two being mutually spaced apart by 45 DEG in the fourth quadrant, is also disclosed. Also disclosed is a stabilisation foot for a traffic cone comprising a moulded or cast metal loaded, plastics annular body of relatively reduced radial width. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO ROAD MARKING APPARATUS The present invention relates to road marking apparatus, and in particular to a road cone with a removable adaptor.

In addition to their use as marking posts, road cones are often used as supports for other road marking equipment, such as barriers and lamps. It is known to provide road cones with adaptors, which rest over the top of a cone, and have various slots, holes and projections with which attachments such as barriers or lamps may be engaged. Existing adaptors are provided with a hole which has substantially the same taper as a road cone, and fits over the top of the cone. However this simple arrangement is rather loose and adaptors tend to become dislodged from cones, together with their attachments. It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the above mentioned problem.

According to the present invention there is provided road marking apparatus comprising a road cone, an adaptor, and positive locking means between the cone and the adaptor.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the positive locking means comprises an external screw thread at the apex of the cone and a complementary internal screw thread in the adaptor.

In a second preferred embodiment of the invention the positive locking means comprises an internal screw thread provided in the top of the cone and a complementary external screw thread provided on a projection within a tapered hole in the bottom of the adaptor.

In a third preferred embodiment of the invention the positive locking means comprises an internal screw thread provided in the apex of the cone and an external screw thread provided in a projection extending from the bottom of the adaptor.

In a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention the positive locking means comprises a bayonet fitting between the cone and the adaptor.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a road cone in accordance with the present invention; Fig. la is a part sectional view of the apex of a cone in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the road cone of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of an embodiment of an adaptor in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 4 is a side view of an adaptor which fits over the cone of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an embodiment of an adaptor which fits over the cone apex of Fig. la; Fig. 6 is a side view of an alternative adaptor which fits over the cone apex of Fig. la; Fig. 7 is a plan view of a cone adaptor according to a second aspect of the present invention; and Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional of the lower part of a traffic cone with a stabilisation foot according to a third aspect of the present invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a road cone 1 is provided at its apex 2 with an external screw thread 3. A cone adaptor 4, shown in Figs. 3 and 4, comprises a hollow body 5 provided with barrier slots 6 and lamp holes 7. A hole 8 which opens to the under side of the adaptor 4 has a taper substantially the same as that of the apex 2 of the cone 1. An internal thread 9 located at the inner end of the hole 8 is adapted to register with the external screw thread 3 at the apex 2 of the cone 1.

In Fig. la the apex 10 is provided with an internal screw thread 11. An adaptor 12, shown in Fig. 5 has a projection 13 within a hole 14 in the bottom of the adaptor. The projection 13 is provided with an external screw thread 15, which is adapted to mate with the internal screw thread 11 of the apex 10.

The adaptor 16 shown in Fig. 6 has a solid bottom 17 from which extends a projection 18 on which is provided an external screw thread 19 adapted to mate with the internal screw thread 11 of the cone 10.

In use the adaptor 4 or 12 or 16 is placed on the cone 1 so that the internal screw thread 9 locates over the external screw thread 3, or the external screw thread 13 or 19 locates over the internal screw thread 11 respectively. The adaptor is then twisted about the vertical axis of the cone 1, which results in positive locking between the adaptor and the cone.

The embodiments described above are by way of example only, and it should be noted that numerous variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For example the adaptor may be locked to the cone by means of a bayonet fitting or snap fastening means.

Cone adaptors as can be seen from Fig. 3 conventionally have four barrier slots 6 mutually spaced 900 apart.

In the embodiment of cone adaptor 20 shown in Fig. 7 there are five barrier slots, three of which, indicated at 21, are spaced mutually apart by 900, while the other two, in the fourth quadrant of the adaptor 20, and indicated at 22 are spaced 450 apart.

With this arrangement, the number of barrier planks or similar employed to fence off an area can be reduced.

A second aspect of the present invention, therefore, is an adaptor for mounting on a traffic cone by push fit or screw or bayonet engagement comprises five barrier slots, three mutually spaced.

apart by 900 in three quadrants of the adaptor and the other two being mutually spaced apart by 450 in the fourth quadrant.

It will be manifest that the slot walls are drilled as are the barrier planks for securement together by pegging, the pegs being secured by lanyards to the adaptors.

A third aspect of the present invention is concerned with the usual large rubber or PVC foot provided for such traffic cones in an effort to stabilise them against movement by passing traffic or even due to collision by traffic.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved stabilisation foot for a traffic cone.

According to this aspect a stabilisation foot comprises a moulded or cast metal-loaded, plastics annular body of relatively reduced radial width.

The stabilisation foot 23 (Fig. 8) is formed of urethane resin with isocyanate resin as a catalyst mixed with powdered limestone or pyrites on a 0.5:1 to 1:1 by weight ratio and with powdered steel dross added to provide desired weight, the mixture being cast or moulded to the shape shown, i.e. a double stepped configuration, namely upper relatively shallow step 24 in radial terms and lower relatively deeper step 25 again in radial terms.

The whole stabilisation foot 23 is substantially narrower, see dimension R, in radial terms compared with existing stabilisation feet.

The stabilisation foot compared with existing stabilisation feet has good resilience to weight characteristics, good resistance to wear and tear, exposes a much larger area of the lower part of the cone than hitherto (thus improving cone visibility), has much greater stability due to metal weighting which assists resistance to any tendency to "walking" , and has greater resistance to lower temperatures (less likelihood to crack or fracture).

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Road marking apparatus comprising a road cone, an adaptor, and positive locking means between the cone and the adaptor.

2 Road marking apparatus ir.c-d irA |n chair 1, in which the positive locking means comprises an external screw thread at the apex of the cone and a complementary internal screw thread in the adaptor.

3. Road marking apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the positive locking means comprises an internal screw thread provided in the top of the cone and a complementary external screw thread provided on a projection within a tapered hole in the bottom of the adaptor.

4. Road marking apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the positive locking means comprises an internal screw thread provided in the apex of the cone and an external screw thread provided in a projection extending from the bottom of the adaptor.

5. Road marking apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the positive locking means comprises a bayonet fitting between the cone and the adaptor.

6. Road marking apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

7. An adaptor for mounting on a traffic cone by push fit or screw or bayonet engagement comprises five barrier slots, three mutually spaced apart by 900 in three quadrants of the adaptor and the other two being mutually spaced apart by 45" in the fourth quadrant.

8. An adaptor for mounting on a traffic cone, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A stabilisation foot for a traffic cone comprising a moulded or cast metal-loaded, plastics annular body of relatively reduced radial width.

10. A stabilisation foot as claimed in claim 9, formed of urethane resin with isocyanate resin as a catalyst mixed Wi tii powdered limestone or pyrites on a 0.5:1 to 1:1 by weight ratio and with powdered steel dross added to provide desired weight.

11. A stabilisation foot for a traffic cone, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 8 of the accompanying drawings.