GB2235485A

GB2235485A - Traffic separator

Info

Publication number: GB2235485A
Application number: GB9017422A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Smith
Original assignee: EUROPALITE Ltd
Current assignee: EUROPALITE Ltd
Priority date: 1989-08-12
Filing date: 1990-08-08
Publication date: 1991-03-06
Anticipated expiration: 2010-08-08
Also published as: GB8918439D0; GB9017422D0; GB2235485B

Abstract

A hollow, elongate traffic control device 10, has two opposing end walls 14 provided with complimentary interconnecting means whereby one device may be interconnected by one of its ends 14 to the corresponding opposite end of a smaller neighbouring device, the said interconnection means allowing limited pivotal movement of one device relative to the other. Suitably each side wall 12 comprises a lower portion 18, which is perpendicular to the base 10, and an upper portion 20 which is inwardly inclined between its junction with the lower portion 18 and the top 16. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO TRAFFIC CONTROL APPARATUS The present invention concerns improvements in or relating to traffic control apparatus, .especially but not exclusively temporary traffic separators for use, for example, when road works are being carried out.

During the course of road construction or repair it is often necessary to divert traffic and one form of traffic control apparatus used in such circumstance provides a temporary kerb. Commonly, railway sleepers or kerb stones are placed on the existing road surface to delineate the edges of the temporary road. These are disadvantageous in that they are awkward to handle, are not visually conspicuous, are limited in the situations in which they can be used and can often be readily displaced with respect to their neighbours thereby destroying the continuity of the temporary kerb they provide. In addition it is often difficult to firmly attach to them, for example, posts for carrying railings, warning lights and other additional apparatus.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate these disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided a traffic control device comprising a hollow elongate member having a base, a pair of opposed side walls, a pair of opposed end wails and a top, the end walls including complimentary interconnecting means whereby one device may be interconnected by one of its ends to the corresponding opposite end of a similar neighbouring device, said interconnection means allowing limited pivotal movement of one device relative to the other.

Preferably the device is manufactured from plastics material by a rotational moulding technique.

Preferably each side wall has a lower portion extending substantially perpendicular from the base and an upper portion inwardly inclined in a direction away from the base. Preferably the angle of inclination is substantially 500.

Preferably one end wall has a protrusion projecting therefrom, the protrusion being greater than semi-cylindrical with its axis of rotation arranged perpendicularly to the plane of the base.

Preferably said end wall on each side of the protrusion is inclined rearwardly away from the line of contact of the protrusion with the wall towards the side wall.

Preferably the other end wall has a re-entrant cylindrical recess formed therein, the diameter of said recess being slightly greater than the diameter of said cylindrical protrusion on said one wall and the axis of said recess being perpendicular to the plane of the base.

Preferably said other end wall, on each side of the entrance to the cylindrical recess is inclined rearwardly from said entrance to said side wall.

Alternatively one end wall has a protrusion projecting therefrom, the protrusion comprising a first lug whose upper and lower surfaces are parallel to the base and which has a passage therethrough perpendicular to the base.

The first lug may be substantially triangular.

Further alternatively the other end wall has a protrustion projecting therefrom, the protrusion comprising a further lug whose upper and lower surfaces are parallel to the base and which has a passage extending therethrough perpendicular to the base. An additional lug may also be provided on said other end wall, vertically spaced from said further lug by a distance greater than the thickness of the said first lug, said additional lug having a passage therethrough aligned with the passage through said further lug.

Preferably the top of the device is provided with an aperture through which ballast can be introduced into the device. The top may also include recesses for accommodating traffic guidance means, traffic signs, warning lights and the like.

Preferably two inverted channels are formed in the base extending between said sides, the axes of the channels being normal to the longitudinal axis of the device.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a plan of the device Fig. 2 shows a view from below Fig. 3 shows a side view Fig. 4 a view of one end of the device Fig. 5 a cross-sectional elevation in the direction of arrows V in Fig. 1, Fig. 6 shows a plan view of an alternative device; and, Fig. 7 shows a side view of the device of Fig. 6.

A road traffic control device is manufactured by rotational moulding from plastics material and comprises a base 10, a pair of upstanding side walls 12. A pair of opposed end walls 14 and a top 16. Each side wall comprises a lower portion 18, which is perpendicular to the base 10 and an upper inclined portion 20, which is inwardly inclined between its junction with the lower portion 18 and the top 16. The angle of inclination is substantially 500. Two channels which, in use, are inverted extend across the base 10 between the lower portions 18 of the sides 12. A further inverted channel 24 is formed on the base 10 and extends between the channels 22, having the same depth thereof and having its axis coincident with the longitudinal axis of the device.

A square section protrusion 26 projects downwardly from the roof of channel 24 into the channel, the protrusion having a square cross-section and converging in a direction towards the base 10. The height of the protrusion is less than the depth of channel 24.

Co-axial with said protrusion there is provided a square section recess 28 in the top 16. A further deeper recess 30 is also provided in the top, adjacent one of the ends of the device, and on the side of the recess 28 remote from the recess 30 there is provided an aperture 32 through the top 16.

Means are provided at each end of the device to enable it to be releasably interconnected to a similar device, the interconnection allowing limited pivotal movement of one device relative to its neighbour about an axis which is perpendicular to the base outwardly spaced from one end wall and inwardly spaced by the same amount from the other end wall. The interconnection means as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 comprise a male member formed on one end wall 14 and a female member formed on one end of the wall 14 and a female member formed in the opposite end wall 14. The male member comprises a protrusion 34 which is almost completely cylindrical with its longitudinal axis perpendicular to the plane of the base and lying on the longitudinal id-plane of the device. A part cylindrical re-entrant recess 36 forming the female connector is formed in the other end wall 14, the axis of said cylindrical recess being perpendicular to the base and being inwardly spaced from said other end wall by a distance which corresponds to the distance by which the male protrusion 34 is outwardly spaced from the one end wall 14.

The planar end wall sections on each side of the protrusion 34 and recess 36 are each inclined rearwardly from the lines of connection of the protrusion with the end wall or from the entrance to the recess 36, to the point of connection with the side wall 12, the angle of inclination being of the order of 1100 to the plane of the side wall.

Alternative connection means, shown in Figs. 6 and 7, comprise a first, generally triangular lug 38 extending, when the device is in use, horizontally from one end wall 14, and two similar lugs 40 also extending, in use, horizontally from the opposite end wall 14. Each lug 38, 40 has a passage 42 formed therethrough. The two lugs 40 extend mutually parallel, spaced apart by a distance equal to or greater than the thickness of a first lug 38, such that a first lug 38 can be located between said lugs 40.

Conveniently, the plastics material used to form the device is of a conspicuous colour and devices are manufactured in at least two colours so that alternate colours can be utilised when a series of devices is connected together.

In operation, when a temporary traffic control is required, a first device is laid on the surface at the edge of the temporary road which it is intended to delineate and a further device, preferably of a different colour, is connected to the first device by lowering it onto the first device from above such that the male member of one device is accommodated within the female recess of the other device. If the control devices comprise the alternative interconnection means shown in Figs. 6 and 7 then the further device is slid up to the first device such that the first lug 38 of one device is located between the lugs 40 of the other device so that the apertures 42 are all aligned, to permit a pin (not shown) to be passed therethrough to secure the interconnection between the devices whilst permitting pivotal movement about the axis of the pin.The devices can then be aligned relative to each other to delineate either a straight or curved road edge.

If it is required to ballast the device then ballast, for example, in the form of water, gravel, sand or concrete can be poured into the device by way of the aperture 32. Traffic warning lights can be removably accommodated in the recess 30 in the top 16 and posts for supporting railings, warning tapes or the like can penetrate the recess 28 and extend downwardly into the interior of the protrusion 26.

It will be realised that when the device is ballasted it is difficult to move manually and as a result the passages 22 in the base are so sized and located that the tines of a forklift truck can pass therethrough, thus facilitating the mechanical handling of the device.

Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example the cross-sectional shape of the device can be altered. It can be manufactured from materials other than plastics and by techniques other than rotational moulding techniques.

The male and female interconnecting means can take different forms, provided that they allow for temporary interconnection of devices in a manner which allows relative pivotal movement between the devices but prevents longitudinal separation of the devices. Alternative mechanical handling means can be employed, for example, lifting eyes can be incorporated in the device instead of or in addition to the channels 22. The device can have reinforcing ribs moulded therein and the side walls, and especially the upper portions thereof, can have a different shape.

Claims

1. A traffic control device comprising a hollow elongate member having a base, a pair of opposed side walls, a pair of opposed end walls and a top, the end walls including complimentary interconnecting means whereby one device may be interconnected by one of its ends to the corresponding opposite end of a similar neighbouring device, said interconnection means allowing limited pivotal movement of one device relative to the other.

2. A traffic control device according to claim 1, manufactured from plastics material by a rotational moulding technique.

3. A traffic control device according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which each side wall has a lower portion extending substantially perpendicular from the base and an upper portion inwardly inclined in a direction away from the base.

4. A traffic contol device according to claim 3, in which the angle of inclination is substantially 500.

5. A traffic control device according to any preceding claim, in which one end wall has a protrusion projecting therefrom, the protrusion being greater than semi-cylindrical with its axis of rotation arranged perpendicularly to the plan of the base.

6. A traffic control device according to claim 5, in which said end wall on each side of the protrusion is inclined rearwardly away from the line of contact of the protrusion with the wall towards the side wall.

7. A traffic control device according to claim 5 or claim 6, in which the other end wall has a re-entrant cylindrical recess formed therein, the diameter oisaid recess being slightly greater than the diameter of said cylindrical protrusion on said one wall and the axis of said recess being perpendicular to the plane of the base.

8. A traffic control device according to claim 7, in which said other end wall, on each side of the entrance to the cylindrical recess is inclined rearwardly from said entrance to said side wall.

9. A traffic control device according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which one end wall has a protrusion projecting therefrom, the protrusion comprising a first lug whose upper and lower surfaces are parallel to the base and which has a passage therethrough perpendicular to the base.

10. A traffic control device according to claim 9, in which the first lug is substantially triangular.

11. A traffic control device according to claim 9 or claim 10, in which the other end wall has a protrusion projecting therefrom, the protrusion comprising a further lug whose upper and lower surfaces are parallel to the base and which has a passage extending therethrough perpendicular to the base.

12. A traffic control device according to claim 11, in which an additional lug is provided on said other end wall, vertically spaced from said further lug by a distance greater than the thickness of the said first lug, said additional lug having a passage therethrough aligned with the passage through said further lug.

13. A traffic control device according to any preceding claim, in which the top of the device is provided with an aperture through which ballast can be introduced into the device.

14. A traffic control device according to any preceding claim, in which the top of the device comprises recesses for accommodating traffic guidance means, traffic signs, warning lights and the like.

15. A traffic control device according to any preceding claim, in which two inverted channels are formed in the base extending between said sides, the access of the channels being normal to the longitudinal axis of the device.

16. A traffic control device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5.

17. A traffic control device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 6 and 7.

18. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed in the foregoing specification or claims and/or shown in the drawings, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.