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US 4,362,425 AGranted
Road marker
AssigneeNone recorded
InventorByron P. Dixon
Life of this patent
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AssigneeNone recorded
InventorByron P. Dixon
Estimating the term…
An economical retro-reflective roadway marker of high strength plastic materials having a reflective top assembly having a resilient portion that is curved to raise the reflective top assembly and a recessed base assembly or roadway depression. The reflective top assembly comprises a series of steps having reflective tape or other reflective material on the step risers. The steps interconnect spaced apart, parallel curved sidewalls that raise the steps above a road surface. The curved sidewalls serve to guide snowplow blades, or the like, over the steps as the resilient portion of the top surface is flexed downwardly. An end base plate forms a continuation of the steps. When it is only necessary to provide reflection for one-way traffic, the end base plate is secured to the road surface and a depression is made in the road surface to receive the top assembly. As a wheel, snowplow blade, or the like, passes over the marker, the resilient portion temporarily deflects down into the depression, thereafter returning to its prior position. For two-way traffic, however, a modified upper assembly and a special base assembly are provided. The modified upper assembly consists of steps arranged in a corbiestep configuration, and an end base plate at each end of the corbiestep configuration. The base assembly comprises a base plate curved to fit a depression in the road surface and slotted guides formed in the corners of the base sheet in which the crossbars of the crossbar projections reciprocate. When a load is applied causing the top assembly to deflect down into the curved base sheet, the ends of the top assembly and the projections are moved outwardly within the slotted guides. As the load passes, the top assembly resiliently restores itself to its former undepressed position with the projections moving inwardly.
A retro-reflective highway marker for delineating traffic control on a roadway, said highway marker comprising
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.
Having deflectable or displaceable parts: displaceable vertically under load, e.g. in combination with rotation
Additional work, such as equipping roads or the construction of platforms, helicopter
Term ended 16 Dec 2000 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to retro-reflective highway markers suitable for assisting drivers at night and during storms and is particularly concerned with such markers that are particularly adaptable for use in climates necessitating snow removal operations where the markers are continuously subjected to being disloged.
2. Prior Art
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the base assembly of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the base assembly of the preferred embodiment of the present assembly;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the combined top and base assemblies of FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively;
Referring now to the drawings:
The preferred embodiment of the retro-reflective highway marker 10 of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 and, as shown, has a top assembly 11 and a base assembly 12. The top assembly 11, as best shown in FIG. 1, comprises a set of steps 13 made of a high strength material such as a suitable plastic arranged in a corbiestep configuration and with reflectorized tape 14 or other reflective material on the vertical step surfaces. The steps 13 are positioned to extend normal to the flow of traffic and interconnect two curved sidewalls 15 also made of the high strength material used for the steps. The curved sidewalls 15 serve to guide tires, snowplow blades and the like up over the steps 13 and are rigidly attached to a high strength plastic and support plates or sheets 16 forming continuations at the end of the steps and terminating in projections 17 with crossbars 18 extending transversely across each end. As illustrated at least one end of a crossbar 18 may be formed as a sleeve 18a with a spring 18b therein to act against a rod 18c that telescopes inside and projects from the sleeve 18a.
The base assembly 12, as best seen in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 comprises a base sheet 19 curved to fit within a depression 20 formed in a roadway and cemented into or otherwise secured to the roadway. Guide slots 21 are formed on the ends of the base sheet 19 that are positioned transverse to traffic flow. As seen in FIGS. 3-5, when the top and base assemblies 11 and 12 are joined the crossbars 18 of T-shaped runners 17 are positioned within the guide slots 21. The spring loaded rod 18c of crossbar 18 facilitates positioning of the top assembly in the base assembly.