Signals and indicators – Street traffic – Portable
Patent
1993-06-18
1995-01-10
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
Signals and indicators
Street traffic
Portable
40600, 40602, 40612, E01F 901
Patent
active
053797167
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to an articulated, spring-back post foot for a post for road signs or the like, comprising a lower or exterior section designed for stationary attachment in the ground or to a structural component for a bridge or the like, and an upper or internal section having an attachment means for the post and being connected for articulated, spring-back movement to the lower or exterior section.
Posts for road signs, information signs and traffic lights must, due to their function, necessarily be mounted in the immediate proximity of a busy road, street, square, etc., and are for that reason highly exposed to collision. In order to withstand forceful wind and vandalism, the posts must be solidly attached to the ground. Post attachments or the foot of the posts that have been utilized previously have been designed such that the post is sunk in concrete or is permanently secured by other means to a concrete base that is sunk in the ground. In all cases, a collision with the post of a road sign or the like results in bending or breaking of the post, which must then be replaced. In the worst case, and quite frequently, the base below the ground is damaged at the same time. Since such collisions take place quite often, this understandably entails considerable expense to society for repair of the damages inflicted on the post and the foot of the post by a collision. Very often, collisions with such posts also cause considerable damage to the motor vehicle, which is expensive to repair. In addition, personal injury may be incurred. Collisions with a motorcycle or moped may sometimes involve loss of life.
Therefore, it has long been an objective to procure an articulated, spring-back post foot a type which, in the case of collision, will bend away with sufficient ease and which springs back when the horizontal load ceases, thus returning to its original position, and which at the same time is secured to the ground in such a stable manner that it will not oscillate even in very strong wind; nor would it be possible for the post to be brought out of position due to vandalism, even with optimal hand power. A design for one type of post attachment means is known from U.S. Pat No. 4,979,464. The post is attached to a foot consisting of a lower or exterior section secured in the ground and an upper section consisting of a sleeve of elastic rubber material that is attached to the first section and receives the root of the post. To brace the elastic rubber sleeve, a helical spring is disposed around the outside thereof. The upper part of the sleeve is connected to a hemi-spherical housing of elastic rubber material which is connected by the free edge thereof to a base. In order to resist horizontal forces due to heavy wind and also to be capable of withstanding vandalism, said spring must be unusually strong, and would expensive. Even with a very strong spring of this type, it would not be possible to avoid oscillation in heavy wind. This is due to the very steep progression of the spring characteristic, resulting in spring forces that are quite modest at commencement of the bending. On the other hand, the return spring (rebound) of a post which has been bent over clear to the ground will be very forceful, which could be dangerous for both material and persons. The apparatus is also totally unprotected against physical damage from vehicles, street sweepers, road graders, snow ploughs, etc.
The purpose of the present invention is therefore to provide instruction for an articulated, spring-back post foot which avoids the above mentioned disadvantages, enabling one to procure a post foot which is inexpensive to produce, which remains in stable position without danger of oscillation even in the most forceful winds, and which is impossible to bring out of position by normal vandalism, and which in addition minimizes the necessity of emergency calls for repair, replacement and maintenance.
This is achieved according to the invention by means of an apparatus of the nature described in the introduction, having
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Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Worth Willie Morris
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