Counterbalanced inground traffic control device

A traffic control device for use with a roadway receiving vehicles travelling longitudinally along the roadway in a travel direction, the device comprising:

• a housing which is elongate in a longitudinal direction and which is adapted to be mounted to extend across the roadway transversely to the travel direction;
• the housing having an upper supporting surface adapted to support the vehicles rolling over the housing;
• the upper supporting surface having a plurality of upper openings formed therein;
• a plurality of tire puncturing members having respective pointed ends adapted to puncture tires of the vehicles;
• the tire puncturing members being pivotal relative to the housing about a common pivot axis between a stored position in which the tire puncturing members are retracted below the upper supporting surface of the housing and a working position in which the pointed ends of the tire puncturing members protrude upwardly beyond the upper supporting surface of the housing through the upper openings formed therein;
• the tire puncturing members being joined in fixed relation to one another on a shaft to define a tire puncturing frame which is collectively pivoted between the working position and the stored position;
• the tire puncturing frame including at least one crossbar mounted in connection between an adjacent pair of the tire puncturing members at a location spaced radially from the shaft;
• said at least one crossbar being directly connected to each tire puncturing member of said adjacent pair of the tire puncturing members such that the crossbar is fixed relative to the tire puncturing members and such that the crossbar pivots together with the tire puncturing members between the stored position and the working position;
• and
• said at least one crossbar being mounted on the tire puncturing members of said adjacent pair of the tire puncturing members at an intermediate location along the tire puncturing members in a radial direction of the shaft partway between the shaft and the pointed ends of the tire puncturing members.

A traffic control device for use with a roadway receiving vehicles travelling longitudinally along the roadway in a travel direction, the device comprising:

• a housing which is elongate in a longitudinal direction and which is adapted to be mounted to extend across the roadway transversely to the travel direction;
• the housing having a top plate defining an upper supporting surface adapted to support the vehicles rolling over the housing;
• the upper supporting surface having a plurality of upper openings formed therein;
• a plurality of tire puncturing members having respective pointed ends adapted to puncture tires of the vehicles;
• the tire puncturing members being pivotal relative to the housing about a common pivot axis between a stored position in which the tire puncturing members are retracted below the upper supporting surface of the housing and a working position in which the pointed ends of the tire puncturing members protrude upwardly beyond the upper supporting surface of the housing through the upper openings formed therein;
• the tire puncturing members being joined in fixed relation to one another to define a tire puncturing frame which is collectively pivoted between the working position and the stored position;
• an upper stop member supported on the housing and configured to be engaged by a portion of the tire puncturing frame in the working position whereby the upper stop member defines an upper limit of pivotal movement of the tire puncturing members relative to the housing;
• the upper stop member being mounted on the housing adjacent to the top plate and below the top plate;
• and
• the upper stop member being supported centrally in the longitudinal direction between two of the upper openings in the housing that receive the tire puncturing members therethrough in the working position.

A traffic control device for use with a roadway receiving vehicles travelling longitudinally along the roadway in a travel direction, the device comprising:

• a housing which is elongate in a longitudinal direction and which is adapted to be mounted to extend across the roadway transversely to the travel direction;
• the housing having a top plate defining an upper supporting surface adapted to support the vehicles rolling over the housing;
• the upper supporting surface having a plurality of upper openings formed therein;
• a plurality of tire puncturing members having respective pointed ends adapted to puncture tires of the vehicles;
• the tire puncturing members being pivotal relative to the housing about a common pivot axis between a stored position in which the tire puncturing members are retracted below the upper supporting surface of the housing and a working position in which the pointed ends of the tire puncturing members protrude upwardly beyond the upper supporting surface of the housing through the upper openings formed therein;
• the tire puncturing members being joined in fixed relation to one another to define a tire puncturing frame which is collectively pivoted between the working position and the stored position;
• and
• an upper stop member supported on the housing and configured to be engaged by a portion of the tire puncturing frame in the working position whereby the upper stop member defines an upper limit of pivotal movement of the tire puncturing members relative to the housing;
• the upper stop member being mounted on the housing adjacent to the top plate and below the top plate;
• and
• the upper stop member being mounted on the housing so as to be adjustable in height relative to the top plate.