GB2263716A

GB2263716A - Improvements in or relating to traffic control apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2263716A
Application number: GB9300269A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Smith
Original assignee: EUROPALITE Ltd
Current assignee: EUROPALITE Ltd
Priority date: 1992-01-25
Filing date: 1993-01-08
Publication date: 1993-08-04
Anticipated expiration: 2013-01-08
Also published as: GB9300269D0; GB2263716B; GB9201653D0; IL104246A0

Abstract

A traffic control apparatus (10) which is connectible at each of its ends to similar apparatus to form a barrier, is hollow and has a main body (12) mounted on a base (14). The walls (16,18,22, 24) defining the body are inclined upwardly towards the top (21) of the body such that one apparatus can be nested within another similar apparatus to minimise storage space. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO TRAFFIC CONTROL APPARATUS This invention relates to traffic control apparatus.

More particularly, the invention relates to traffic separators.

It is frequently necessary to make repairs to major roads such as motorways, and in such cases there is the need to divert traffic from one lane to another. In such situations it is often necessary to have a separator to control the lanes along which the traffic travels. Such separators can often be large and their storage when not in use is often difficult.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate and/or mitigate this and other disadvantages.

According to this invention, there is provided traffic control apparatus having a hollow main body, and interconnection means provided at each opposed end of the apparatus, whereby the apparatus can be connected to another similar apparatus, the main body being adapted to receive the main body of the other apparatus such that a plurality of the apparatus can be nested together one upon the other.

Preferably, the main body is elongate and may have opposed upstanding side walls, sections of which are inclined towards each other. The inclination of the side wall sections may be between 5 and 300 to the vertical, preferably, between 5 and 200, and, more preferably, between 7 and 150.

The main body may also include opposed upstanding end walls, each of which has an outer face with a groove therein. The groove preferably houses a reflective strip or the like.

The apparatus may also include a base extending outwardly of, and around the main body, and the base referably has upper, lower, outer and inner walls which together define a three dimensional space in the base.

The space may be filled with weighting means, for example, sand or water.

The interconnection means may comprise a projection extending from one end of the apparatus and a recess provided in the other end thereof. Preferably, the projection and recess on the apparatus device are adapted to cooperate with corresponding recesses and projections on other similar apparatus arranged adjacent each of said ends.

Preferably, the interconnection means comprises both a recess and a projection arranged at each end of the apparatus, and the interconnection means may be provided on each end of the base. Each projection may be substantially cylindrical and connected to the base by a neck portion. Preferably, each recess has a profile complimentary to that of the projection.

Each side wall may be provided with strengthening formations. Preferably the strengthening formations comprise a plurality of ribs extending from an upper region of the main body to the bottom thereof.

The upper wall of the base on at least one side or end of the main body may be provided with an aperture to allow the base to be filled with weighting means, for example sand or water, to weigh down the apparatus and keep it in place. The lower wall of the base may be provided with indentations at respective sides of the main body to allow the apparatus to be lifted by lifting means, for example a forklift truck.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a separator; Fig. 2 is a view along the line II-II in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a view along the line III-III in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, a traffic control device is shown in the form of a traffic separator 10 having a main body 12 upstanding from a base 14. The separator 10 is preferably formed by rotational moulding from a suitable plastics material.

The main body 12 is hollow and comprises opposed side walls 16, 18 which have lower sections inclined upwardly towards each other at an angle of between 7 and 150 to the vertical, and upper vertical sections 20, the latter being interconnected by a top wall 21. The side walls 16, 18 are provided with strengthening ribs 19 which extend from a region on the wall sections 20 to the bottom of the side walls 16, 18 at a similar angle to the lower sections thereof. The top wall 21 is provided with an aperture 23 into which a suitable sign can be inserted.

The main body portion 12 also has upwardly inclined end walls 22, 24, each of which has a vertically extending groove 26 which can receive a reflective strip (not shown).

The base 14 extends outwardly of and around the main body 12 and, as shown in Fig. 3, comprises a top wall 36, an outer wall 38 extending downwardly from an edge of the wall 36 remote from the main body 12, a lower wall 40 extending inwardly from an edge of the wall 38 remote from the wall 36, and an inner wall 40 extending upwardly from an edge of the wall 40 remote from the wall 38. A lip 43 is provided at the top of the inner wall 42 to extend inwardly thereof.

The walls 36-42 define a three dimensional space 44 into which water or sand can be introduced in order to weigh down the separator 10. As can be seen from Fig. 1, the top wall 36 of the base 14 at respective sides of the main body 12 is provided with apertures 46, 48 through which sand or water can be poured.

Projections 50, 52 extend from the outer wall 38 of the base 14 at respective ends thereof. As can be seen from Fig. 1, the projections 50, 52 extend from one pair of diagonally opposite corners of the separator 10.

Recesses 54, 56 of complimentary profile to the projections 50,52 are provided in the outer wall 38 at respective ends of the base 14, and are provided at the other pair of diagonally opposite corners of the separator 10. Each of the projections 50,52 has a cylindrical portion 58 connected by a neck portion 60 to the base 14.

The recesses 54, 56 each comprise a cylindrical passage 62 and a rectangular passage 64 and can receive a respective cylidrical portion 58 and the neck portion 60 in jig-saw manner. As will be appreciated, when one separator 10 is disposed adjacent another separator 10, the corresponding projections and recesses in each of the separators 10 will cooperate with each other to interconnect the two separators together. In this way, a plurality of separators can be arranged in line to separate one traffic flow from another.

Referring now to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the side portions 32, 34 of the base 14 are provided with channels 66, 68 on the lower wall 40 to allow the forks of a forklift truck to be received therein for lifting purposes.

The base 14 is open at the bottom inwardly of the wall 42 to enable a plurality of separators 10 to be stacked one upon the other in a nesting relationship. It will be appreciated that when the separators 10 are in the nesting relationship, the lower wall 40 of the base 14 of each separator will rest on the upper wall 36 of the base 14 of the separator below.

Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the number of strengthening ribs can be varied. Similarly, the cross-sectional shape of the separator could be altered.

The interconnecting means could take a different form.

Claims

1. Traffic control apparatus having a hollow main body, and interconnection means provided at each opposed end of the apparatus whereby the apparatus can be connected to another similar apparatus the main body being adapted to receive the main body of the other apparatus such that a plurality of the apparatus can be nested together one upon the other.

2. Traffic control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the main body is elongate and has opposed outstanding side walls, sections of which are inclined towards each other.

3. Traffic control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the inclination of the side wall sections is between 5 and 300 to the vertical.

4. Traffic control apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the inclination of the side wall sections is between 5 and 200.

5. Traffic control apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which the inclination of the side wall sections is between 7 and 150.

6. Traffic control apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, in which the main body includes opposed upstanding end walls, each of which has an outer face with a groove therein.

7. Traffic control apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the groove houses a reflective strip or the like.

8. Traffic control apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, including a base extending outwardly of, and around the main body, and having upper, lower, outer and inner walls which together define a three dimensional space in the base.

9. Traffic control apparatus as claimed in claim 8, in which the space is filled with weighting means, for example sand or water.

10. Traffic control apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the interconnection means comprise a projection extending from one end of the apparatus and a recess provided in the other end thereof.

11. Traffic control apparatus as claimed in claim 10, in which the projection and recess are adapted to cooperate with corresponding recesses and projections on other similar apparatus arranged adjacent each of said ends.

12. Traffic control apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the interconnection means comprises both a recess and a projection arranged at each end of the apparatus and are provided on each end of the base.

13. Traffic control apparatus as claimed in claim 12, in which each projection is substantially cylindrical being connected to the base by a neck portion.

14. Traffic control apparatus as claimed in claim 12 or 13, in which each recess has a profile complimentary to that of the projection.

15. Traffic control apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 15, in which each side wall is provided with strengthening formations.

16. Traffic control apparatus as claimed in claim 15, in which the strengthening formations comprise a plurality of ribs extending from an upper region of the main body to the bottom thereof.

17. Traffic control apparatus as claimed in any of claims 8 to 16, in which the upper wall of the base on at least one side or. end of the main body is provided with an aperture to allow the base to be filled with weighting means.

18. Traffic control apparatus as claimed in any of claims 8 to 17, in which the lower wall of the base is provided with indentations at respective sides of the main body to allow the apparatus to be lifted by lifting means.

19. Traffic control apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

20. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter herein disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.