GB2399125A

GB2399125A - Post arrangement for street furniture

Info

Publication number: GB2399125A
Application number: GB0305113A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Mason
Original assignee: TWM TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS LT
Current assignee: TWM TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS LT
Priority date: 2003-03-06
Filing date: 2003-03-06
Publication date: 2004-09-08
Anticipated expiration: 2023-03-06
Also published as: GB0305113D0; GB2399125B

Abstract

The post arrangement, primarily for use with street furniture such as traffic signs, street lights, pedestrian crossing markers etc., comprises an elongate inner tubular element 12, first non-light transmitting 13 and second light-transmitting 14 outer tubular elements adapted to fit around the inner tubular element and at least one lamp arrangement 15 disposed between the inner and outer elements. There are preferably a number of each of the first and second outer elements that each have the same outer diameter, have cooperating connecting formations at their ends and which are arranged alternately along the inner element. The cooperating formations preferably comprise reduced diameter portions at each end of the first outer elements adapted to fit within end portions of the second outer elements. The first outer elements are preferably opaque and the second outer elements translucent with a number of lamp arrangements being spaced along the inner element so that at least one lamp arrangement is associated with each second outer element. The arrangement may include a number of collars disposed to locate first outer elements on the inner element and the lamp arrangements may be secured to the collars. Preferably a collar is disposed at each end of each first outer element. A housing 11 may be disposed at the lower end, in use, of the arrangement and a retaining gallery 17 may be located at the upper end, both designed to engage an outer element.

Description

POST ARRANGEMENT

This invention relates to post arrangements, and in particular to arrangements of posts for roadside fumiture.

Roadside fumiture, such as traffic signs, lamps, pedestrian crossing markers or the like, is generally supported on a post or posts. Such posts may be coloured with alternate black and white panels to make them more distinctive and visible. To increase the visibility of such posts after dark, it is known to form the post with windows" and to provide a lamp within a translucent tube within the steel tubular post, through which windows" the light shines This construction provides that the illuminated windows" resemble the aforementioned white panels and the remainder of the post resembles the aforementioned black panels.

Conventionally the lamp is a fluorescent tube extending along the post. This tends to be over bright and can dazzle motorists. Furthermore, with such an arrangement, the Windows cannot extend fully around the post so that from some viewpoints there is no black and white panel effect. If, to minimise this effect, the windows" extend around a major portion of the post, the structural integrity of the post is compromised. Also, if the fluorescent tube fails the desired effect at night is lost, and maintenance of the lamp and its fittings within the post is difficult It is an object of the present invention to provide a post arrangement that avoids, at least to a substantial extent, the abovementioned disadvantages of the known post arrangements.

The invention provides a post arrangement comprising an elongate inner tubular member, first light non-transmitting and second light transmitting outer tubular members adapted to fit around the inner tubular member and at least one lamp arrangement disposed between the outer tubular members and the inner tubular member The post arrangement may comprise a plurality of first and second outer tubular members, which may be arranged alternately along the inner tubular member. The first and second outer tubular members may be of substantially the same outer diameter. The first and second outer tubular members may have a co- operating connecting formation at the ends thereof, and the co-operating connecting fommation may comprise a reduced diameter at each end of a first outer tubular member adapted to fit within a second outer tubular member. The second outer tubular members may be of a translucent material, and the first outer tubular members may be of an opaque material. The post arrangement may comprise a plurality of lamp arrangements mutually spaced along the inner tubular member, and may comprise at least one lamp arrangement associated with each second outer tubular member.

The post arrangement may comprise a plurality of collars, each disposed between and adapted to locate a first outer tubular member on the inner tubular member. Each lamp arrangement may be attached to a collar. The post arrangement may comprise two collars disposed at opposed ends of a first outer tubular member.

The post arrangement may comprise a housing disposed at the lower end thereof, to which an outer tubular member may be secured. The post arrangement may also comprise a retaining gallery disposed at the upper end thereof, into which an outer tubular member may engagingly fit. The post arrangement may be secured in the assembled configuration by securing the gallery to the inner tubular member.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-section through a post arrangement, and Fig. 2 is an exploded sectional view of parts of the arrangement of Fig. 1 to an enlarged scale.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a post arrangement 10, in this case such as is provided at a pedestrian crossing, having a housing 11 serving as a base for the post 10.

Upstanding from the housing 11 is an elongate inner tubular member 12. This inner tubular member 12 gives the post 10 the required structural integrity. Mounted on the inner tubular member 12 are several first outer tubular members 13 and several second outer tubular members 14. In this case, three first tubular members 13 and two second tubular members 14 are shown, but any number of these outer tubular members 13, 14 may be provided as desired. The first and second outer tubular members 13, 14 are disposed alternately along the inner tubular member 12.

Collars 15 are fitted around the inner tubular member 12 adjacent the ends of the first outer tubular members 13. This locates the outer tubular members 13, 14 concentrically with the inner tubular member 12. The collars 15 are inserted into the first outer tubular members 13 as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. At each end of the first outer tubular members 13 is a reduced diameter co-operating formation 16, which is inserted into a second outer tubular member 14, as shown by the block arrow, after the fitting of the respective collar 15.

Altematively, the collars 15 may be secured at predetemmined spacings along the inner tubular member 12, and the outer tubular members 13, 14 assembled in their alternate sequence on the collars 15. The lowermost first outer tubular member 13 is fitted into a collar 21 that is welded to the housing 11, and the uppemmost first outer tubular member 13 is fitted into a retaining gallery 17 to which an amber coloured globe 18 is secured. Altematively, the globe 18 may be coloured white and the first outer tubular members 13 coloured grey and the post serve as a centre island column, or the globe 18 may be omitted and the post 10 serve as a marker post at the roadside. Screw 19 at the upper end of the inner tubular member 12 retains the gallery 17, the inner tubular member 12 and the housing 11 as a rigid structure and the outer tubular members 13, 14 in mutual engagement on the inner tubular member 12.

Attached to each collar 15 is a lamp arrangement 20, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. Each lamp arrangement 20 consists of several light emitting diodes, (LEDs).

The first and second outer tubular members 13, 14 are of substantially the same outer diameter. The first outer tubular members 13 are of a black opaque, i.e. light non-transmitting, material and the second outer tubular members 14 are of a white translucent, i.e. light transmitting, material. In consequence, the light from the LEDs 20, which are in practice lit continuously, shines through the second outer tubular members 14, but not through the first outer tubular members 13. When viewed in normal daylight or when viewed at night, the post appears as a conventional black and white post. Easing the screw 19 allows the outer tubular members 13, 14 to be raised to give access to the LEDs 20 for maintenance purposes. In addition, if one LED or set of LEDs fails, the post 10 still appears as a conventional black and white post, and replacement of the failed item or items may be left until the next scheduled maintenance.

Claims

1. A post arrangement comprising an elongate inner tubular member, first light non- transmitting and second light transmitting outer tubular members adapted to fit around the inner tubular member and at least one lamp arrangement disposed between the outer tubular members and the inner tubular member.

2. A post arrangement according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of first and second outer tubular members

3. A post arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the first and second outer tubular members are arranged alternately along the inner tubular member.

4. A post arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first and second outer tubular members are of substantially the same outer diameter.

5. A post arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first and second outer tubular members have a co-operating connecting formation at the ends thereof.

6. A post arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the co-operating connecting formation comprises a reduced diameter at each end of a first outer tubular member adapted to fit within a second outer tubular member.

7. A post arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the second outer tubular members are of a translucent material,

8. A post arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the first outer tubular members are of an opaque material.

9. A post arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising a plurality of lamp arrangements mutually spaced along the inner tubular member.

10. A post arrangement according to claim 9, comprising a plurality of first and second outer tubular members and at least one lamp arrangement associated with each second outer tubular member

11. A post arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising a plurality of collars, each disposed between and adapted to locate a first outer tubular member on the inner tubular member.

1 2. A post arrangement according to claim 11, comprising a plurality of lamp arrangements, each lamp arrangement being attached to a collar.

13. A post arrangement according to claim 12, comprising two collars disposed at opposed ends of a first outer tubular member.

14. A post arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 13, comprising a housing disposed at the lower end thereof, into which an outer tubular member may be secured.

15. A post arrangement according to claim 14, comprising a retaining gallery disposed at the upper end thereof, into which an outer tubular member may engagingly fit.

16. A post arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the post arrangement is secured in the assembled configuration by securing the gallery to the inner tubular member.

17. A post arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as Illustrated in the accompanying drawing.