U.S. patent number 3,732,842 [Application Number 05/141,729] was granted by the patent office on 1973-05-15 for road safety device and accessories.
Invention is credited to Arthur G. Vara, Sr..
United States Patent |
3,732,842 |
Vara, Sr. |
May 15, 1973 |
ROAD SAFETY DEVICE AND ACCESSORIES
Abstract
A road safety marker featuring an improved marker stabilizing
base removably connected thereto and safety accessories.
Inventors: |
Vara, Sr.; Arthur G. (Hamburg,
NY) |
Family
ID: |
22496970 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/141,729 |
Filed: |
May 10, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
116/63P;
D10/113.2; D10/109.1; 340/908.1; 116/63C; 40/612; 404/10 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01F
9/654 (20160201); E01F 9/688 (20160201); E01F
9/615 (20160201) |
Current International
Class: |
E01F
9/012 (20060101); E01F 9/011 (20060101); E01f
009/10 () |
Field of
Search: |
;116/63,63P
;40/125N,125J,145A,130 ;94/1.5 ;340/114,321,115,119 ;240/10.61 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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|
|
|
|
|
|
284,352 |
|
Apr 1968 |
|
AU |
|
1,091,035 |
|
Oct 1954 |
|
FR |
|
Primary Examiner: Capozi; Louis J.
Claims
I claim:
1. A safety marker for highways or the like comprising in
combination:
a generally cone-shaped marker portion having a ledge portion
arranged to extend radially from adjacent a relatively large
diameter base end thereof; and
a supporting base portion for stabilizing said marker portion when
said base end thereof is supported by engagement with a marker
supporting surface, said base portion including metallic supporting
ring means dimensioned to be fitted downwardly over said marker
portion to rest on said ledge portion, a plurality of supporting
surface engaging spring legs, and means for affixing an inner end
of each of said legs to said ring means to extend radially
outwardly in opposite directions therefrom, said legs being
flexible relative to said ring means and relative to each
other.
2. A marker according to claim 1, wherein said legs are of a number
and arranged about said ring means such that any adjacent pair of
said legs cooperate to define an angle less than 90.degree..
3. A marker according to claim 2, wherein at least six of said legs
are fixed to said ring means and said legs are substantially
equally spaced peripherally of said ring means.
4. A marker according to claim 1, wherein said legs are formed from
coil springs characterized as being readily flexible substantially
throughout the length thereof, and said means for affixing said
legs to said ring means includes a plurality of stud means
extending radially outwardly from said ring means and fixed one
concentrically of said inner end of each of said legs and a
plurality of resiliently deformable means arranged one
concentrically of said inner end of each of said legs to extend
lengthwise thereof inwardly and outwardly beyond a radially outer
end of said stud means, each said leg being arranged concentrically
intermediate its associated stud means and resilient means.
5. A marker according to claim 4, wherein said stud means is fixed
to extend concentrically inwardly of its associated leg and said
resilient means is in the form of a sleeve.
6. A marker according to claim 5, wherein each of said stud means
is threadably joined to coils of said inner end of its associated
leg and each of said sleeves is a plastic sleeve friction fitted
over its associated leg, said stud means being characterized as
producing slight axial separation and radial expansion of the coils
to which it is joined, thereby to positively lock said leg on said
stud means automatically upon threading of said stud means
thereinto.
7. A marker according to claim 1, wherein said legs are
characterized as being formed of relatively rigid coil springs made
flexible by opening adjacent coils of said springs adjacent said
inner ends thereof.
8. A marker according to claim 7, wherein said means for affixing
said legs to said ring means includes means to journal said legs
for rotation about an axis extending lengthwise of said inner end
thereof.
9. A marker according to claim 7, wherein said attaching means
includes a plurality of stud means fixed one to each of said inner
ends of said legs, each of said stud means being rotatably
supported by said ring means, each of said stud means terminating
at a point lengthwise of its associated leg spaced relatively
radially inwardly from said point at which said adjacent coils are
opened.
10. A marker according to claim 9, wherein each of said stud means
is threadably received within coils adjacent said inner end of its
associated leg and extends radially outwardly through a receiving
opening in said ring means dimensioned to accommodate for free
rotational movement of said stud means therewithin, said stud means
being characterized as producing slight axial separation and radial
expansion of the coils within which it is received thereby to
positively lock said leg on said stud means.
11. A marker according to claim 1, wherein said marker portion is
of hollow frusto-conical construction and formed of a light weight
translucent plastic material, said marker portion having an opening
through said base end thereof and an opening through a relatively
small diameter upper end thereof; and said marker additionally
includes means for suspending a battery operated light source
within said marker portion, said suspending means including bracket
means for supporting said light source and at least two spring leg
members fixed to and extending co-directionally from said bracket
means for suspending said bracket means within said marker portion,
said leg members having hook-shaped free end portions normally
spaced one from another a distance in excess of the diameter of
said upper end opening, whereby when said hook end portions are
moved upwardly through said base end opening said leg members are
resiliently deformed towards one another by engagement of said look
end portions with inner wall surfaces of said marker portion and
when said hook end portions are moved outwardly through said upper
end opening said leg members are operable to position said hook end
portions in overlying relationship to an upper edge of said marker
portion bounding said upper end opening, said leg members being
dimensioned such that when said hooked end portions are disposed to
rest on said bounding upper edge, said bracket means is suspended
within said marker portion above said supporting surface.
12. A marker according to claim 11, wherein said marker
additionally includes a light reflecting device for removably
closing said upper end opening, said device comprising at least one
sleeve closed adjacent an upper end thereof and dimensioned to be
friction fitted downwardly over said hook end portions and about
said upper end of said marker portion, said sleeve being covered
throughout substantially the whole of the cylindrical outer surface
thereof with a relatively highly reflective material.
13. A marker according to claim 1, wherein said marker portion is
of frusto-conical construction; and said marker additionally
includes a light reflecting device mounted on an upper end of said
marker portion, said light reflecting device including at least two
sleeves having the cylindrical outer surfaces thereof covered with
relatively highly reflective material and a spacer member having
its outer cylindrical surface formed of a relatively non-reflective
material, said spacer member being fixed adjacent opposite ends
thereof within said sleeves to maintain said sleeves in axially
spaced relationship, at least one of said sleeves being dimensioned
to be slip-friction fitted downwardly over said upper end of said
marker portion.
14. A marker according to claim 1, wherein said marker portion is
of hollow frusto-conical construction having an operning through
said base end and an opening through an upper end thereof, and said
marker additionally includes means for mounting an auxiliary
warning device on said upper end of said marker portion, the last
said means including a tapered plug formed of a soft elastomeric
material and dimensioned to be slip-friction fitted into said upper
end opening and a standard for mounting said auxiliary warning
device above said plug, said standard being formed of a resiliently
deformable plastic material and having a lower end thereof imbedded
within said plug.
15. A supporting base for a highway or like marker of the type
including a generally cone-shaped marker portion having a ledge
portion arranged to extend radially from adjacent a relatively
large diameter base end thereof for base supporting said marker
portion in engagement with a supporting surface, said supporting
base comprising in combination:
metallic supporting ring means dimensioned to be freely fitted
downwardly over said marker portion to rest on said ledge
portion;
a plurality of supporting surface engaging spring legs; and
means for affixing an inner end of each of said legs to said ring
means to extend radially outwardly in opposite directions
therefrom, said legs being flexible relative to said ring means and
relative to each other.
16. A supporting base according to claim 15, wherein at least six
of said legs are affixed to said ring means and said legs are
substantially equally spaced peripherally of said ring means.
17. A supporting base according to claim 15, wherein said legs are
formed from coil springs characterized as being readily flexible
substantially throughout the length thereof; and
said means for affixing said legs to said ring means includes a
plurality of stud means extending radially outwardly from said ring
means and fixed one concentrically of said inner end of each of
said legs and a plurality of resiliently deformable means arranged
one concentrically of said inner end of each of said legs to extend
lengthwise thereof inwardly and outwardly beyond a radially outer
end of said stud means, each said leg being arranged concentrically
intermediate its associated stud means and resilient means.
18. A supporting base according to claim 17, wherein each of said
stud means is threadably joined to coils of said inner end of its
associated leg and each of said resilient means is a sleeve formed
of a plastic material and friction fitted over its associated
leg.
19. A supporting base according to claim 15, wherein said legs are
characterized as being formed of relatively rigid coil springs made
flexible by opening adjacent coils of said springs adjacent said
inner ends thereof; and
said means for affixing said legs to said ring means includes a
plurality of stud means fixed one to each of said inner ends of
said legs, each of said stud means being rotatably supported by
said ring means and terminating at a point lengthwise of its
associated legs spaced relatively radially inwardly from said point
at which said adjacent coils are opened.
20. A supporting base according to claim 19, wherein each said stud
means is threadably received within coils adjacent said inner end
of its associated leg and extends radially outwardly through a
receiving opening in said ring means dimensioned to accommodate for
free rotational movement of said stud means therewithin.
21. A safety marker for highways or the like comprising in
combination:
a hollow frusto-conically shaped marker portion formed of a light
weight translucent plastic material, said marker portion having an
opening through a relatively small diameter upper end and an
opening through a relatively large diameter base end thereof, said
base end serving to support said marker portion in engagement with
a supporting surface and having a ledge portion arranged to extend
radially outwardly thereof;
a supporting base portion for stabilizing said marker portion to
maintain said base end in engagement with said supporting surface,
said base portion having an opening therethrough dimensioned to
permit said base portion to be fitted downwardly over said marker
to rest on said ledge portion, said base portion extending radially
outwardly of said ledge portion; and
means for suspending a battery operated light source within said
marker portion, said suspending means including bracket means for
supporting said light source and at least two spring metal leg
members fixed to and extending co-directionally from said bracket
means for suspending said bracket means within said marker
portions, said leg members having hook shaped free end portions
normally spaced one from another a distance in excess of the
diameter of said upper end opening, whereby when said hook end
portions are moved upwardly through said base end opening, said leg
members are resiliently deformed towards one another by engagement
of said hook end portions with inner wall surfaces of said marker
portions and when said hook end portions are moved through said
upper end opening said leg members are operable to position said
hook end portions in overlying relationship to an upper edge of
said marker portion bounding said upper end opening, said leg
members being dimensioned such that when said hook end portions are
disposed to rest on said upper bounding edge, said bracket means is
suspended within said marker portion above said supporting
surface.
22. A safety marker according to claim 21, wherein a pair of leg
members are provided and relatively arranged to position said hook
end portions thereof in overlying relationship with diametrically
opposite sides of said upper bounding edge thereby to permit
swinging movement of said bracket means within said marker portion;
and said marker additionally includes a light reflecting device for
removably closing said upper end openings, said device comprising
at least one sleeve closed adjacent an upper end thereof and
dimensioned to be friction fitted downwardly over said hook end
portions about said upper end of said marker portion, said sleeve
being covered throughout substantially the whole of its outer
cylindrical surface with a light reflecting material.
23. A safety marker according to claim 21, wherein said leg members
when non-deformed extend from said bracket means in an essentially
parallel relationship, and are bent adjacent said hook end portions
thereof, whereby said leg members when non-deformed tend to
maintain said hook end portions spaced a distance apart in excess
of the spacing of said leg portions adjacent said bracket means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A recent type of road safety marker, which has enjoyed wide
acceptance, features a hollow, brightly colored plastic cone, which
is designed to break away from a supporting base when struck by a
vehicle. Since the cone itself is very light in weight, it is
necessary to fill the supporting base with a "flowable" material,
such as water and/or sand, in order to stabilize the marker. This
marker is a considerable advance over prior conically shaped safety
markers, which include a permanently affixed solid base or require
the utilization of sand bags to maintain the marker in place.
However, as will be readily appreciated, it is off-times a great
nuisance and/or expense to fill and/or empty for storage the
supporting bases of a large number of these markers, and their
supporting base may be split open when run over by heavy vehicles.
Moreover, experience with commercially available markers of this
type has shown that even when the supporting base is completely
filled, the marker will not return to its normal upright position
when tipped past about 31.degree.. The utilization of supporting
bases of greater width and/or height dimensions with a view to
achieving greater stability, would of course be undesirable from
the standpoint of road safety.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to road safety markers and more
particularly to a hollow cone type road safety marker having an
improved base and accessories for use with such marker.
The present invention features the utilization of a plastic cone
marker supporting base in the form of a steel supporting ring
having a plurality of coil spring legs affixed thereto; the legs
being utilized to resiliently retard tipping of the marker. The
supporting base may be readily applied to the cone marker, as by
dropping the supporting ring downwardly over the cone to position
the supporting ring in engagement with an annular bottom flange
formed integrally with the cone and the legs in engagement with a
marker supporting surface, such as the ground or a road
surface.
The present supporting base may be in either of two forms, namely,
a light weight spring base suitable for use on low speed highways
or secondary roads, and a heavy weight spring base for use on high
speed highways.
The light weight spring base is characterized as having its legs
formed of relatively flexible coil springs, which are fixed to the
supporting ring by means of threaded bolts passing through holes in
the ring and threaded into the inner end of each leg. A
particularly important feature of this construction is the
utilization of resiliently deformable sleeves of plastic or like
material, which are friction fitted over the inner end of each leg,
such as to extend from adjacent the supporting ring outwardly past
the end of the bolt. The sleeves serve to distribute stress in
order to prevent the bolt ends from cutting through the relatively
light weight spring coils. A commercial form of this type of base
having six legs of about twelve inches in length will weigh on the
order of about four and one-half pounds and be effective in
returning the marker to an upright condition after being tilted
through angles of upwards of about 57.degree..
The heavy weight spring base is characterized as employing
relatively inflexible coil spring legs, which are weakened or made
flexible at a point adjacent the inner ends thereof, as by
spreading or opening several of the spring coils. By this
arrangement, the legs may flex at this point sufficiently to permit
the outer ends of the legs to conform to the surface of the ground.
In this construction, the leg attaching devices, such as lag
screws, are free to turn within their respective receiving openings
in the supporting ring, thereby to permit the attaching devices and
their associated legs to freely rotate in the event a car wheel
runs over the legs. A commercial form of this type of base having
six legs of about twelve inches in length will weigh on the order
of about seven and one-half pounds and be effective in returning
the marker to an upright condition after being tilted downwardly
into engagement with the ground.
A desirable feature of both constructions is the utilization of
threaded fasteners whose threads per inch and diameter is
sufficient to produce slight axial spreading and radial expansion
of the spring coils with which they are engaged. This simple
operation results in positively locking the legs on the fasteners
and thus to the supporting ring; rotations of the legs, as a result
of being run over by the wheels of vehicles, being ineffective in
unscrewing the legs from the fasteners.
There are also disclosed several safety accessories having
particular utility in combination with the present marker
construction. One such accessory in the form of a pair of light
reflective sleeves axially spaced by a non-reflective member has
broader utility in that it may be used as an improved and low cost
replacement for conventional highway prism reflectors.
DRAWINGS
The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now
be more fully described in the following detailed description taken
with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a highway safety marker formed in
accordance with the present invention, additionally showing in
phantom line the manner in which the marker is tilted under high
wind loading conditions:
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the cone shaped marker portion
breaking away from the supporting base portion when the former is
struck by a vehicle;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along line 3--3 in FIG.
1;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 4--4 in
FIG. 1, but showing an alternative supporting base
construction;
FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing an accessory adapted
for use with the marker of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the area designated as
FIG. 6 in FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a partially sectionalized view illustrating another
accessory, which may be used with the marker of the present
invention; and
FIGS. 8A and 8B are views illustrating variations of another type
of accessory, which may be employed with the marker of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Reference is now made particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein a road
safety marker formed in accordance with the present invention is
generally designated as 10. Marker 10 generally includes a hollow,
frusto-conically shaped marker portion 12 open adjacent its top and
base ends, and a supporting base portion 14. Preferably, marker
portion 12 is of relatively light weight translucent plastic
construction and is formed adjacent its relatively large diameter
base end with a radially outwardly extending annular ledge or
flange 16. Base portion 14 is intended to normally retain marker
portion 12 upright with its base end in engagement with a
supporting surface, such as the ground or roadway surface, while
being adapted to return the marker portion to its normal upright
position when tilted by wind loading conditions, as shown generally
in FIG. 1.
Preferably, ledge 16 is sufficiently pliable to permit marker
portion 12 to break away from supporting base 14 whenever the
former is subject to a high impact loading condition, while
permitting base 14 to remain flatwise in engagement with the
supporting surface, such as is generally illustrated in FIG. 2.
However, it will be understood that ledge 16 possesses sufficient
rigidity to maintain the marker portion and supporting base
assembled when the marker is tilted as a result of high wind
loading conditions. Marker portions of the type having utility in
the present construction are sold by Borg-Warner Corporation under
the Trademark "Safety Guide" and identified by part numbers
SG-25033 and SG-25034. Such marker portions have a height of
thirty-six inches, a base diameter of twelve inches, a top diameter
of 2.1 inches, a wall thickness of 0.090 inches and a weight of
2.75 pounds. provided
In accordance with the present invention, supporting base portion
14 includes a supporting angular ring 20, which is formed of a
relatively heavy and rugged material, such as iron or steel; a
plurality of steel spring legs 22; and a plurality of attaching
devices 24, which serve to connect the inner ends of spring legs 22
to ring 20, such that the legs extend radially outwardly in
opposite directions therefrom. Preferably, ring 20 is dimensioned
to be freely fitted downwardly over marker portion 12, so as to
rest on ledge portion 16; and spring legs 22 made flexible relative
to ring 20 and to each other, so as to permit the spring legs to
flex downwardly into engagement with the ground when the marker is
upright. Preferably, a number of spring legs in excess of four are
provoded and such spring legs are arranged in a substantially
equally spaced relationship peripherally of ring 20, thereby to
permit several spring legs to be effective in retarding tipping of
the marker portion and returning same to upright condition
regardless of the direction of tipping.
A first embodiment of the present invention, which is illustrated
in FIGS. 1-3, is particularly adapted for use along relatively low
speed highways or city streets and features a relatively light
weight, inexpensive spring base construction.
Referring more particularly to FIG. 3, it will be seen that in the
relatively light weight spring base construction, spring legs 22
are formed of relatively light weight coil springs, which are
characterized as being relatively free to flex vertically under
their own weight and the weight of a lead or steel slug 26 fixed
within their flared outer ends 28, as generally indicated in
phantom line in FIG. 1. In this construction, the inner end of each
of spring legs 22 is attached to ring 20 by means of attaching
device 24 in the form of a threaded stud or bolt 30, which extends
radially outwardly through ring aperture 32 and is threadably
received within the coils 34 of the inner end of the spring leg. A
sleeve 36 of resiliently deformable material, such as nylon, is
friction fitted over the inner end of each spring leg, such as to
extend lengthwise thereof inwardly and outwardly relative to the
outer end of bolt 30. Sleeve 36 effectively serves to resiliently
constrain flectures of the spring leg adjacent to the outer end of
bolt 30, thereby to prevent the latter from cutting through and/or
deforming the relatively light weight spring coils adjacent
thereto. As will be apparent, this arrangement may be reversed, as
by replacing bolt 30 with an internally threaded sleeve suitably
fixed to ring 20 and as by replacing sleeve 36 with a deformable
cylindrical insert arranged concentrically inwardly of the spring
leg. The light weight construction of these spring legs permits
them to readily uncoil without damage when run over by the wheels
of a low speed vehicle, even though their inner ends are
non-rotatably fixed to ring 20.
In use, the light weight spring base construction would appear to
principally rely on the weight of slugs 26, which are carried by
spring legs arranged opposite relative to the direction of tipping,
to prevent tipping over of the marker. Preferably, the spring legs
are sufficiently flexible to permit slugs 26 to remain in
engagement with the ground until the critical tipping angle is
reached, as shown in FIG. 1. While the weight of ring 20 and
resilient deformation of the spring legs arranged in the direction
of tipping assist in retarding tipping, they are principally relied
upon to return the tipped marker to upright condition.
A preferred form of this embodiment features six twelve inch long
spring legs, weighs about four and one-half pounds, and is
effective in returning the commercially available cone marker
mentioned above to an upright position after its having been tipped
through upwards of about 57.degree. by wind loadings. It has been
found that greater stability may be achieved by adding more legs,
but that the marker is unsuitable for high speed road conditions,
since the spring legs are readily susceptible to damage by wheels
of vehicles traveling at high speeds.
While it will be readily apparent that legs 22 may be merely welded
to ring 20 or to non-threaded studs projecting therefrom, the
utilization of threaded fasteners is preferably in that it
facilitates assembly of the supporting base. It is a feature of the
present invention that expected unthreading of the legs attached to
ring 20 in this manner, as a result of rotations imparted thereto
when run over by the wheels of a vehicle, 15 effectively prevented
by the proper selection of stud diameter and number of threads per
inch. In this respect, I have found that if I employ a fastener
characterized as having fewer threads than there are coils 34 per
inch and a diameter slightly in excess of the I.D. of the coils 34,
the spring leg may be positively and essentially permanently locked
on the fastener. In closing a fastener, it is only necessary to
insure that it will produce very slight or just visually
perceivable axial separations and radial expansion of coils 34 with
which it engages.
Reference is now made particularly to FIG. 4, which illustrates a
relatively heavy weight spring supporting base construction, which
is particularly adapted for use on high speed highways, whereon
relatively high wind loading conditions are occasioned by the
passage of trucks traveling at a high speed and damage would likely
occur to light weight spring legs, as mentioned above. In this
construction, the spring legs will normally have larger and fewer
coils per inch when compared to the spring legs discussed in
connection with FIG. 3, and will normally not deflect vertically
under their own weight. However, in order to permit these spring
legs to flex relative to each other and the ring for engagement
with the ground, one or more coils are opened up or spaced apart at
a point slightly beyond the end of stud 30, as indicated by coils
34'.
This construction also differs from that discussed with reference
to FIG. 3, in that ring 20 is heavier and has its aperture 32
formed of a diameter sufficient to permit free rotation of stud 30
therewithin; this permitting free rotation of the spring legs when
run over at high speeds in order to prevent damage thereto. In that
these spring legs do not readily flex immediately adjacent the
outer end of stud 30, the resilient outer sleeve described in
connection with FIG. 3 may be omitted. However, it is preferable to
employ a fastener in the form of the illustrated "lag" screw, which
tapers towards its end and thus permits gradual flexing of the
spring leg at this point, if required. As in the construction
previously described, it is preferable to close a lag screw or
other fastener, which will result in positive locking the spring
leg to the supporting ring.
In use, when a marker employing the heavy weight spring base is
tipped, opened coils 34' permit the outer ends of the spring legs
arranged opposite relative to the direction of tipping to flex and
remain in engagement with the ground through a limited portion of
the tipping arc. Thereafter such ends leave the ground and the
whole of the marker pivots about the ends of the legs arranged in
the direction of tipping movement. Thus, in this form, reliance is
placed upon the greater weight of the legs and ring, together with
the greater spring rate of the legs to both retard tipping and to
return the marker to upright position. Of course, for any given
wind loading condition, a marker employing the heavy weight spring
base will be tipped to a lesser extent than one employing the light
weight base.
A preferred form of this latter embodiment features six 12 inch
long spring legs, weighs 71/2 pounds, and is effective in returning
marker portion 12 to an upright condition even when tipped over
into engagement with the ground.
Reference is now made to FIG. 5, wherein marker 10 is shown as
being provided with accessories in the form of a fixture 40 for
supporting a blinking or flashing light source 42 within marker
portion 12; and a cap 44 for weather sealing the open upper end of
marker portion 12 and removably locking fixture 40 in position.
Light source 42 may be of any suitable construction, such as one of
many battery operated types conventionally employed as a motorist
or pedestrian warning. Fixture 40 includes a bracket portion 46,
which is suitably constructed to receive the light source; and at
least a pair of spring legs 48, which are fixed to extend
co-directionally from bracket portion 46. Each of legs 48 is formed
adjacent its free end with a hook 50, which is adapted to overlie
the upper bounding edge of the marker portion for the purpose of
suspending fixture 40 therewithin. Preferably, as indicated in FIG.
6, legs 48 are essentially parallel when non-deformed, except for
having the outer ends bend, as at 48a, through about 20.degree. in
order to initially space hooks 50 a distance apart greater than the
distance between the legs adjacent bracket portion 46 and the
diameter of the upper end opening of marker portion 12. Fixture 40
is assembled by first passing hooks 50 upwardly through the open
base end of marker portion 12; legs 48 being progressively and
resiliently deformed towards one another by engagement of the hooks
with the inner conically shaped wall of the marker portion. When
hooks 50 are passed through the upper end opening of marker portion
12, legs 48 are permitted to immediately flex and position the
hooks in overlying relationship to the bounding edge of the upper
end opening. Of course, the overall length of legs 48 and bracket
portion 46 is less than the height of marker portion 12 in order to
position the light source above the ground and permit a limited
degree of swinging movement of the fixture.
Cap 44 is preferably in the form of a plastic sleeve 54 having its
upper end closed by suitable means, such as a rubber plug 56;
sleeve 54 having an internal diameter sufficient to permit it to be
friction fit downwardly over hooks 50 when in fixture suspending
position. By this means, unseating of hooks 50 is prevented even
during maximum tipping orientation of the marker. Preferably, the
outer cylindrical surface of sleeve 54 is formed or coated with a
material, which is highly reflective to light; the cap thereby
acting as a vehicle light reflector to warn a motorist of the
presence of the marker during the night even if the light source
should fail.
FIG. 7 illustrates a modified form of marker cap 44a, which
includes a pair of upper and lower sleeves 62 and 64 maintained in
an axially spaced relationship by means of a spacer member 66
having its ends fixed, as by adhesive, one within each of sleeves
62 and 64. The outer cylindrical surfaces of sleeves 62 and 64 are
formed or coated with a highly reflective material whereas the
outer cylindrical surface of spacer member 66 is formed of a
material which is relatively non-reflective to light. Cap 44a is
mounted on marker portion 12 by friction fitting lower sleeve 64
downwardly over the upper end. It will be understood that cap 44a
provides an improved and low cost replacement for conventional
circular glass prisms reflectors 68 of the type shown in FIG. 8a.
In this respect, more reflected light will be obtained from cap 44a
than from a pair of conventional circular prisms of the same
diameter and cap 44a is always functional regardless of its
orientation relative to oncoming traffic. Moreover, due to its
light weight plastic construction cap 44a, as well as cap 44, will
not constitute a dangerous projectile, if broken loose and
propelled through the air as a result of a vehicle accident.
As will be apparent, cap 44a has general utility as a traffic
warning or signal, that is, it may be used wherever pairs of glass
prisms have heretofore been used; the manner of supporting the cap
being dependent on its installation.
FIGS. 8a and 8b illustrate respectively, circular glass prism
reflectors and flag type warning device accessories, which may be
employed with the safety marker 10. Each of these accessories
comprises a tapered base 70, which is formed of a soft elastomeric
material, and a standard 72, which is formed of a resiliently
deformable plastic material, such as nylon, and imbedded in base
70. Glass prism reflectors 68 and flag 74 may be fixed to standards
72 in any desired manner, as by adhesive. The utilization of the
above mentioned materials in forming base 70 and standard 72 will
greatly reduce the likelihood of these warning devices causing
injury or damage, if propelled through the air as a result of a
vehicle accident.
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