Collapsible road marker and method

In a collapsible road marker having a base, a collapsible body with a fixed end mounted adjacent to the base and a distal end mounted for movement between the base, whereat the distal end is located when the body is in a collapsed position, and an erect position spaced from the base when the body is in an erect position, the improvement being an automatic locking assembly for releasably holding the movably mounted distal end of the collapsible body adjacent to the base, comprising:

• a latch member mounted to the one of the collapsible body and the base for movement between a locked position and a nonlocked position;
• a latch engaging member mounted to the other of the collapsible body and the base to interlock with the latch member when in a locked position;
• and
• means for automatically moving the latch member at least partially to the locked position to interlock with the latch engaging member in response to relative movement of the latch member and the latch engaging member toward each other and into adjacent interrelationship, including means for spring biasing the latch member toward the unlocked position and a cam guide surface for guiding the latch member to a locked position.

In a collapsible road marker having a base, a collapsible body with a fixed end mounted adjacent to the base and a distal end mounted for movement between the base, whereat the distal end is located when the body is in a collapsed position, and an erect position spaced from the base when the body is in an erect position, the improvement being an automatic locking assembly for releasably holding the movably mounted distal end of the collapsible body adjacent to the base, comprising:

• a latch member mounted to the one of the collapsible body and the base for movement between a locked position and a nonlocked position;
• a latch engaging member mounted to the other of the collapsible body and the base to interlock with the latch member when in a locked position;
• and
• means for automatically moving the latch member at least partially to the locked position to interlock with the latch engaging member in response to relative movement of the latch member and the latch engaging member toward each other and into adjacent interrelationship, including means for spring biasing the latch member toward the unlocked position and means for automatically causing the latch member to rotate from the unlocked position to the locked position in response to movement of the distal end toward the base.

In a collapsible road marker having a base, a collapsible body with a fixed end mounted adjacent to the base and a distal end mounted for movement between the base, whereat the distal end is located when the body is in a collapsed position, and an erect position spaced from the base when the body is in an erect position, the improvement being an automatic locking assembly for releasably holding the movably mounted distal end of the collapsible body adjacent to the base, comprising:

• a latch member mounted to the one of the collapsible body and the base for movement between a locked position and a nonlocked position;
• a latch engaging member mounted to the other of the collapsible body and the base to interlock with the latch member when in a locked position;
• and
• means for automatically moving the latch member at least partially to the locked position to interlock with the latch engaging member in response to relative movement of the latch member and the latch engaging member toward each other and into adjacent interrelationship, including means for spring biasing the latch member toward the unlocked position, said spring biasing means being formed by a spiral arm of the collapsible body.

A collapsible road marker, comprising:

• a resilient spiral arm defining a collapsible body having a generally conical shape having an apex and with a central axis of symmetry passing through the apex;
• a latch member mounted to the collapsible body at the apex;
• a base member with
• a slot for receiving the latch member to block the latch member and the apex against movement about said central axis, said slot frictionally holding the latch member against removal from blocking engaging within the slot by opposing forces of the resilient spiral arm;
• and
• a pair of opposed cam guides for engagement with the opposite ends of the latch member to guide them in opposite directions.

In a collapsible road marker having a base, a collapsible body with a fixed end mounted adjacent to the base and a distal end mounted for movement between the base, whereat the distal end is located when the body is in a collapsed position, and an erect position spaced from the base when the body is in an erect position, the improvement being an automatic locking assembly for releasably holding the movably mounted distal end of the collapsible body adjacent to the base, comprising:

• a latch member carried by the collapsible body adjacent the distal end for movement between a locked position and a nonlocked position;
• a latch engaging member mounted to the base to interlock with the latch member when in a locked position, the latch engaging member having an elongate slot for mating receipt therein of the latch member;
• and
• means for automatically moving the latch member at least partially to the locked position to interlock with the latch engaging member in response to relative movement of the latch member and the latch engaging member toward each other and into adjacent interrelationship.

In a collapsible road marker having a base, a collapsible body with a fixed end mounted adjacent to the base and a distal end mounted for movement between the base, whereat the distal end is located when the body is in a collapsed position, and an erect position spaced from the base when the body is in an erect position, the improvement being an automatic locking assembly for releasably holding the movably mounted distal end of the collapsible body adjacent to the base, comprising:

• a latch member mounted to the one of the collapsible body and the base for movement between a locked position and a nonlocked position;
• a latch engaging member mounted to the other of the collapsible body and the base to interlock with the latch member when in a locked position;
• means for automatically moving the latch member at least partially to the locked position to interlock with the latch engaging member in response to relative movement of the latch member and the latch engaging member toward each other and into adjacent interrelationship;
• means for mounting the latch member for rotation between the locked and nonlocked positions;
• and in which
• said automatically moving means includes means for rotating the latch member into the locked position in response to relative rectilinear movement between the latch member and the latch engaging member.

In a collapsible road marker having a base, a collapsible body with a fixed end mounted adjacent to the base and a distal end mounted for movement between the base, whereat the distal end is located when the body is in a collapsed position, and an erect position spaced from the base when the body is in an erect position, the improvement being an automatic locking assembly for releasably holding the movably mounted distal end of the collapsible body adjacent to the base, comprising:

• a latch member mounted to the one of the collapsible body and the base for movement between a locked position and a nonlocked position;
• a latch engaging member mounted to the other of the collapsible body and the base to interlock with the latch member when in a locked position;
• and
• means for automatically moving the latch member at least partially to the locked position to interlock with the latch engaging member in response to relative movement of the latch member and the latch engaging member toward each other and into adjacent interrelationship, including a cam guide surface engageable by the latch member to guide the latch member to the locked position in interlocking relationship with the latch engaging member.

In a collapsible road marker having a base, a collapsible body with a fixed end mounted adjacent to the base and a distal end mounted for movement between the base, whereat the distal end is located when the body is in a collapsed position, and an erect position spaced from the base when the body is in an erect position, the improvement being an automatic locking assembly for releasably holding the movably mounted distal end of the collapsible body adjacent to the base, comprising:

• a latch member mounted to the one of the collapsible body and the base for movement between a locked position and a nonlocked position and having a pair of opposed ends;
• a latch engaging member mounted to the other of the collapsible body and the base to interlock with the latch member when in a locked position;
• and
• means for automatically moving the latch member at least partially to the locked position to interlock with the latch engaging member in response to relative movement of the latch member and the latch engaging member toward each other and into adjacent interrelationship, including
• means for mounting the latch member to rotate about an axis intermediate the opposed ends, and
• a pair of opposed cam guide surfaces for respectively guiding the pair of opposed ends in substantially opposite directions to rotate the latch member about said axis.

A collapsible road marker, comprising:

• a resilient spiral arm defining a collapsible body having a generally conical shape having an apex and with a central axis of symmetry passing through the apex;
• a latch member mounted to the collapsible body at the apex;
• and
• a base member with
• a slot for receiving the latch member to block the latch member and the apex against movement about said central axis, said slot frictionally holding the latch member against removal from blocking engagement within the slot by opposing forces of the resilient spiral arm, said latch member being mounted to the apex by means of a post extending along the central axis and has one end attached to the collapsible body at the apex and a distal end spaced from the apex to which the elongate latch member is rotatably attached.

In a collapsible road marker having a base, a collapsible body with a fixed end mounted adjacent to the base and a distal end mounted for movement between the base, whereat the distal end is located when the body is in a collapsed position, and an erect position spaced from the base when the body is in an erect, the improvement being an automatic locking assembly for releasably holding the movably mounted distal end of the collapsible body adjacent to the base, comprising:

• a latch member mounted to the one of the collapsible body and the base for movement between a locked position and a nonlocked position;
• a latch engaging member mounted to the other of the collapsible body and the base to interlock with the latch member when in a locked position;
• and
• means for automatically moving the latch member at least partially to the locked position to interlock with the latch engaging member in response to relative movement of the latch member and the latch engaging member toward each other and into adjacent interrelationship, including means for providing said latch member with means for reducing friction during relative movement between the latch member and a cam guide surface engageable by the latch member to guide it to the locked position in engagement with the latch engaging member.

In a collapsible road marker having a base, a collapsible body with a fixed end mounted adjacent to the base and a distal end mounted for movement between the base, whereat the distal end is located when the body is in a collapsed position, and an erect position spaced from the base when the body is in an erect position, the improvement being an automatic locking assembly for releasably holding the movably mounted distal end of the collapsible body adjacent to the base, comprising:

• a latch member mounted to the one of the collapsible body and the base for movement between a locked position and a nonlocked position including a cylindrical roller with a center axis and means for mounted the roller for rotation about said center axis;
• a latch engaging member mounted to the other of the collapsible body and the base to interlock with the latch member when in a locked position;
• and
• means for automatically moving the latch member at least partially to the locked position to interlock with the latch engaging member in response to relative movement of the latch member and the latch engaging member toward each other and into adjacent interrelationship, including means for providing said latch member with means for reducing friction during relative movement between the latch member and a cam guide surface engageable by the latch member to guide it to the locked position in engagement with the latch engaging member.

In a collapsible road marker having a base, a collapsible body with a fixed end mounted adjacent to the base and a distal end mounted for movement between the base, whereat the distal end is located when the body is in a collapsed position, and an erect position spaced from the base when the body is in an erect, the improvement being an automatic locking assembly for releasably holding the movably mounted distal end of the collapsible body adjacent to the base, comprising:

• a latch member mounted to the one of the collapsible body and the base for movement between a locked position and a nonlocked position;
• a latch engaging member including a slot within which is received the latch member mounted to the other of the collapsible body and the base to interlock with the latch member when in a locked position;
• and
• means for automatically moving the latch member at least partially to the locked position to interlock with the latch engaging member in response to relative movement of the latch member and the latch engaging member toward each other and into adjacent interrelationship.

In a collapsible road marker having a base, a collapsible body with a fixed end mounted adjacent to the base and a distal end mounted for movement between the base, whereat the distal end is located when the body is in a collapsed position, and an erect position spaced from the base when the body is in an erect position, the improvement being an automatic locking assembly for releasably holding the movably mounted distal end of the collapsible body adjacent to the base, comprising:

• a latch member mounted to the one of the collapsible body and the base for movement between a locked position and a nonlocked position, said latch member is an elongate member mounted for rotation relative to the collapsible body;
• a latch engaging member mounted to the other of the collapsible body and the base to interlock with the latch member when in a locked position, said latch engaging member including a portion of the base with a slot for receipt therethrough of the latch member;
• and
• means for automatically moving the latch member at least partially to the locked position to interlock with the latch engaging member in response to relative movement of the latch member and the latch engaging member toward each other and into adjacent interrelationship, including a cam guide surface to guide the latch member into alignment with the slot to facilitate its passage therethrough.

A collapsible road marker, comprising:

• a resilient spiral arm defining a collapsible body having a generally conical shape having an apex and with a central axis of symmetry passing through the apex;
• a latch member mounted to the collapsible body at the apex;
• and
• a base member with
• a slot for receiving the latch member to block the latch member and the apex against movement about said central axis, said slot frictionally holding the latch member against removal from blocking engagement within the slot by opposing forces of the resilient spiral arm.

A collapsible road marker, comprising:

• a resilient spiral arm defining a collapsible body having a generally conical shape with an apex and a central axis of symmetry passing through the apex;
• a latch member mounted to the collapsible body at the apex;
• and
• a base member with
• a slot for receiving the latch member to block the latch member and the apex against movement about said central axis, said slot frictionally holding the latch member against removal from blocking engagement within the slot by opposing forces of the resilient spiral arm, and
• a cam guide surface assembly to rotate the latch member into alignment with the slot when the collapsible body is collapsed.

A method of locking a collapsible road marker in a collapsed condition, comprising the steps of:

• moving a pair of misaligned mating locking members toward each other during collapsing of the road marker;
• and
• automatically guiding the mating locking members into alignment to enable a releasible interlocking relationship between the interlocking members including the steps of
• pressing one of the pair of locking members into a cam guide surface, and
• guiding the one locking member along a path established by the cam guide surface to the other one of the pair of interlocking members.

A method of locking a collapsible road marker in a collapsed condition, comprising the steps of:

• moving an elongate locking member through an elongate opening in a mating locking member;
• rotating the elongate locking member into a position misaligned with the longitudinally shaped opening;
• and
• releasably holding the elongate locking member and the mating locking member in interlocking relationship.