Traffic Delineator

A requirement has long existed for traffic markers which can be quickly installed and removed in such a way as to visually delineate temporary path for vehicles. Along certain thoroughfares or at certain crossroads, during certain periods such as early morning and late afternoon rush hours, traffic must be temporarily channeled in a particular pattern to avoid bottlenecks. For instance, more lanes may be dedicated to the traffic going in one particular direction than the opposite traffic. Left turns cutting through cross traffic lanes may have to be temporarily blocked. These procedures are particularly necessary in the vicinity of sports arenas and other large congregating sites in order to regulate pre and post event traffic. Although these traffic patterns are created for short periods of time, often not exceeding a couple of hours, they tend to be repetitive and must be recreated every day or every time a stadium or other public site draws a large crowd.

There is thus created a need for a traffic delineating device which can rapidly be installed and removed on a periodic and repetitive basis. The device must be able to withstand very heavy vehicular traffic. Several types of modifiable traffic lane markers have been offered in the past. Typical of those are the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,212,415, Byrd, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,902,818, Boone. These designs require that permanent base unit be installed above ground where they are soon damaged by the repetitive impact of high speed vehicle wheels. These bases also creates traffic hazard, and can cause damage to tires and rims.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,279,133, De Korte, discloses a type of moveable marker which does not necessitate an above ground permanent structure. However, the depth of the dug hole makes it very difficult to clean as gravels and roadway litter may accumulate into it. Furthermore, the shape of the inserted part of the post supporting base makes it awkward to install.

A traffic delineator which comprises a bendable post removably fastened into a heavy metal base. The base has a low conical profile and a downward cylindrical extension which drops into a sleeved ground socket. The cylindrical extension has a rounded or tapered tip to facilitate insertion into the ground socket.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide temporary traffic lane delineators which can be quickly installed by dropping them from the back of a moving truck.

It is also an object of this invention to provide traffic lane delineators which can be quickly gathered when no longer needed by a person riding on the back of a moving truck.

A further object of this invention is to provide a traffic delineator which is immune to repeated impact by moving vehicles.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a traffic lane delineator which when struck by a vehicle will not result in any damage or danger to the vehicle nor discomfort to its occupants.

Yet another purpose of the invention is to provide a ground insertable traffic delineator which although it can be easily installed or pulled out by vertical motion, will not be upset when subject to horizontally directed impacts.

It is also the purpose of this invention to provide a permanent ground imbedded socket for a traffic delineator which is easy to keep clean from gravel and other roadway debris.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the traffic delineator according to the invention showing its three principal elements, the post, a first embodiment of the base, and the ground socket separately;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the delineator taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the first embodiment of the base;

FIG. 4 is a partially cut-away view of a second embodiment of the base; and

FIG. 5 is a bottom view thereof.

According to the invention and with reference to the drawing, a traffic delineator which comprises an elongated homogenous, tubular post 1 having a hollow main body 5 terminating in a cylindrical threaded narrow end 6 and threads 7.

The post is made of polymeric material suitably blended to provide a resilient post which can be bended on impact and is useable in all weather conditions such as is specified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,867, Ronden.

A metallic base 2 is provided having a generally conical main body 9 of low profile. A cylindrical well 8 extending vertically from the apex of the base 2 has threadings matching the threads 7 of the end 6 of the post 1. A stud 10 extends concentrically downward from the bottom of the base 2. The stud 10 is cylindrical and has rounded or tapered angles at the bottom 12. A vertical groove 11 runs along the side of the stud 10. Embedded in the pavement surface is a cylindrical sleeve 4, forming a dug hole 3 dimensioned to receive the cylindrical stud 10.

The height of the post can be adequately set at 125 centimeters (50 inches). The outside diameter of the base is approximately 50 centimeters (6 inches). The above-ground height of the base should not exceed four centimeters (11/2 inches). The stud length should have a minimum of ten centimeters (4 inches) and a diameter of at least five centimeters (2 inches). The sleeved dug hole or socket 3 extends at least five centimeters (2 inches) beyond the length of the stud in order to provide room for accumulating gravels and debris. However, the length of the socket should not be such that it cannot be easily flushed from gravels and debris by means of a compressed air gun or by means of a vacuum cleaner. The stud 10 should closely fit into the ground socket 3 but not so tightly that it cannot be easily removed by upward pulling action. During insertion of the stud 10, the groove 11 provides an exitway for air and for any water that may have accumulated into the socket 3.

As more specifically illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3, the first preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a base 2 made out of a solid piece of metal. A second preferred embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. The base comprises a disk-shaped metallic sole 16 permanently fastened to a high-impact plastic body 9 by four rivets 15. The stud 10 is fastened to the base by means of a threaded stem 13 passing through holes into the middle of the base body 9 and sole 16, and engaging in nut 14 at the bottom of the well 8.

The post 1 is usually kept screwed into the base well 8, and is replaced only when damaged. For installation, a set of delineators is loaded on the bed of a truck. The delineators are dropped into place from the back of the moving vehicle. Once installed into the ground socket, they cannot be extracted by lateral blows from vehicles against the body 5 of the post 1 or by the impact of tires against the conical base 2. The low angle slant of the base 2 combines with its broad overlapping of the brim of ground socket 3 and with the position and close fitting of the stud 10 into the socket 3, to provide a solid anchor against lateral impacts from car tires. Yet, the device can be easily removed by vertical pulling action.

While only the preferred embodiments have been disclosed in great detail herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications thereof can be made without departing from the spirit of this invention.