GB1573851A - Traffic hazard indicator posts - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO TRAFFIC HAZARD INDICATOR POSTS (71) We, SWINTEX LIMITED, a British Company, of Derby Works, Manchester Road, Bury, BL9 9NX, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a traffic hazard indicator post.

Traffic hazard indicator posts have already been proposed which comprise a deformable tube having holes at one end. By deformation of the tube it can be located in a receptacle for a reflective device popularly known as a "Cats-eye" (Registered Trade Mark) and the lugs in such receptacle received in the holes of the tube.

The present invention provides a traffic hazard indicator post adapted to be located and secured in a receptacle for a road reflector without deformation, said receptacle having opposed inwardly directed lugs, said post comprising an elongate body having at one end thereof two oppositely disposed outwardly directed projections, said projections defining with the body two grooves adapted to receive said lugs in said receptacle and having a flange spaced from said one end, said flange being adapted to engage the upper surface of said receptable so that the post, when secured in a road reflector receptable, is retained in a substantially upright disposition.

A specific embodiment of the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 is a vertical axial section through a traffic hazard indicator post mounted in a "cats-eye" receptacle; Fig. 2 is a section on the line Il-Il of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing the traffic hazard indicator post comprises a cylindrical body 10 preferably made of plastics and which may be solid or hollow. At the lower end of the body two outwardly projecting parts 12 are provided in opposite sides of the body and such as to define with the body two grooves 14. As can be seen in Fig. 2 the projecting parts extend around the body over an arc of about 90" and hence the grooves defined thereby extend over a similar arc.

A flange 16 is also provided on the body spaced frorn the lower end by a distance substantially equal to the depth of a receptacle 18 for a road reflector, commonly known as a "cats-eye" (Registered Trade Mark).

As is known, a "cats-eye" receptable comprises an open topped housing of substantially square intemal section in plan. From each of two opposite sides of the receptacle two lugs 20 extend inwardly, these being the lugs which normally retain the "cats-eye" in place. Those same lugs, however are used to secure the traffic hazard indicator post which is mounted in the receptacle in the following way: The body is first oriented so that the projections 12 are displaced through 90" from the position shown in Fig. 2. The body is then inserted axially into the receptacle until the underside of flange 16 engages the upper surface of the receptacle. The body is then rotated through 90" about its axis whereby the projections 12 move under the lugs 20 and the post is then held firmly in an upright disposition.It will be noted that it is extremely simple to mount the post as aforesaid or to remove it, no deformation of the body being required.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 the post is hollow and the wall thereof is enlarged radially outwardly as at 22 in the manner of a bellows just above flange 16.

This construction permits the post to flex about a vertical axis should the post be struck, for example by a vehicle.

In this embodiment also there are provided two wedge shaped projections below the flange 16 and on opposite sides of the post, one of which referenced 24 can be seen in the Fig. That feature helps to ensure that the post is tightly fitted into a "Cats-eye" receptacle.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A traffic hazard indicator post adapted to be located and secured in a receptacle for a road reflector without deformation, said receptacle having opposed inwardly directed lugs, said post comprising an elongate body having at one end thereof two oppositely disposed outwardly directed projections, said projections defining with the body two grooves adapted to receive said lugs in said receptacle and having a flange spaced from said one end, said flange being adapted to engage the upper surface of said receptacle, so that the post, when secured in said road reflector receptacle, is retained in a substantially upright disposition.

2. A traffic hazard indicator post as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the body is of cylindrical shape.

3. A traffic hazard indicator post as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the upper part of the body is adapted to flex relative to the lower part.

4. A traffic hazard indicator post as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each projecting part extends around the body over an arc of substantially 900.

5. A traffic hazard indicator post substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. flange 16 and on opposite sides of the post, one of which referenced 24 can be seen in the Fig. That feature helps to ensure that the post is tightly fitted into a "Cats-eye" receptacle. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A traffic hazard indicator post adapted to be located and secured in a receptacle for a road reflector without deformation, said receptacle having opposed inwardly directed lugs, said post comprising an elongate body having at one end thereof two oppositely disposed outwardly directed projections, said projections defining with the body two grooves adapted to receive said lugs in said receptacle and having a flange spaced from said one end, said flange being adapted to engage the upper surface of said receptacle, so that the post, when secured in said road reflector receptacle, is retained in a substantially upright disposition.

2. A traffic hazard indicator post as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the body is of cylindrical shape.

3. A traffic hazard indicator post as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the upper part of the body is adapted to flex relative to the lower part.

4. A traffic hazard indicator post as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each projecting part extends around the body over an arc of substantially 900.

5. A traffic hazard indicator post substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.