Road structure – process – or apparatus – Traffic steering device or barrier
Patent
1994-05-04
1996-12-31
Schoeppel, Roger J.
Road structure, process, or apparatus
Traffic steering device or barrier
E01F 1300
Patent
active
055887740
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to an apparatus for arresting progress of vehicles. In particular, it relates to an apparatus which may be placed on a road surface, at a position in which vehicles must pass over the apparatus, the apparatus having a means for selectively arresting the progress of selected vehicles so as to prevent such vehicles from passing. Such an apparatus is useful when it is required to check the identity of certain vehicles and/or vehicle occupants and to not allow certain ones of these to pass.
Conventional methods of checking the identity of vehicles or vehicle occupants require the checker to manually flag down and stop each vehicle he wishes to investigate. This can of course be dangerous and ineffective if a particular vehicle/occupant does not want to be identified since he can merely drive past the checker, perhaps knocking him over and injuring him in the process. Barrier methods are known in which barriers are installed and each vehicle is temporarily stopped by the barrier until allowed to pass or not. This can, however, significantly impede the flow of traffic when the great majority of the traffic is not required to be stopped. Significant delays to innocent vehicle occupants can be incurred.
The present invention arose in an attempt to provide an improved apparatus for selectively arresting the progress of certain vehicles but which allows substantially unimpeded progress for other vehicles.
According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for selectively arresting the progress of vehicles; comprising a plurality of releasably connected modules, each module being shaped to lie on a road surface to allow the passage of a vehicle thereover, and having vehicle arresting means moveable between a retracted position inside the module and an operative position in which the means protrudes from the module to prevent progress of a vehicle, the modules being interconnected by a means which enables simultaneous actuation of all the arresting means; the means comprising male and female connectors; each male connector comprising a member-adapted to locate in a cavity or channel in a female connector and including cooperating means such that rotation of the male member causes rotation of the female connector, wherein the male and female connectors are configured to allow at least one degree of free play therebetween.
Preferably, the apparatus is adapted such that the modules can only be interconnected when the arresting means are in the retracted position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 consisting of FIGS. 1a and 1b shows an apparatus for spanning a road surface indicating at (a) a state in which vehicles may travel over the device and (b) a state in which the vehicle's movement would be arrested by the device;
FIG. 2 shows two separate modules of the device;
FIG. 3 shows the manner in which vehicle arresting blades may be assembled in a module;
FIG. 4 shows the female mating end of a module;
FIG. 5 shows the male mating end;
FIG. 6 shows a cross section through a male-female joint at the time of mating;
FIG. 7 shows the joint when rotated into a vehicle arresting position;
FIG. 8 consisting of 8a and 8b, shows modules connected in misalignment;
FIG. 9 consisting of FIGS. 9a and 9b, shows front and side views of an alternative male mating end;
FIG. 10 shows part of an alternative female mating end;
FIGS. 11 and 12 show the ends of FIGS. 9 and 10 when coupled;
FIG. 13 consisting of FIGS. 13a, 13b and 13c, shows respective front, side and end views of a further alternative male end; and FIG. 14 shows the male end of FIG. 13 coupled to a female end.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to FIG. 1 a device for allowing the passage of certain vehicles thereover but preventing or arresting the passage of certain selected other vehicles comprises a plurality of separate modules 1 connected end to end across a road surface such as 2. Each module has f
REFERENCES:
patent: 3844667 (1974-10-01), Fitton-Kearns
patent: 4097170 (1978-06-01), Dickinson
patent: 4318079 (1982-03-01), Dickinson
patent: 4998843 (1991-03-01), Mothe
CatsClaw Limited
Schoeppel Roger J.
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