Signals and indicators – Street traffic – Portable
Reexamination Certificate
1996-05-21
2001-03-13
Williams, Hezron (Department: 2856)
Signals and indicators
Street traffic
Portable
C116S06300T, C040S610000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199504
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
This invention relates to traffic control devices, and in particular to A-Stand sign systems often referred to as sandwich boards.
Sandwich boards are commonly employed for vehicular traffic control, being used as barricades and warning signs. Typically these boards are made of wood, plastic, or metal, having a front and back, and taking the form of the letter “A” when standing in place. While these sandwich boards can be manufactured in light weight plastics, they still present a potentially dangerous object when accidentally struck by a moving vehicle, or by being blown about in heavy wind conditions. The instant invention addresses these problems by converting standard traffic cones into soft sandwich boards having enhanced resistance to violent weather conditions.
It is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide a sandwich board with reduced hazardous potential to vehicles or individuals when struck by a moving vehicle.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a sandwich board with reduced hazardous potential to vehicles or individuals due to high wind conditions.
A further object of the invention is to convert standard traffic cones into sandwich boards rapidly and conveniently during routine traffic control accessory placement procedures.
Still another object of the invention is to make a variety of different warning messages economically and conveniently available by converting standard traffic cones into sandwich boards as required by individual traffic control procedures.
SUMMARY
These and other objects are obtained with the soft sandwich board system and method of the invention.
It has been found that standard traffic cones can be quickly and easily converted into soft sandwich boards, with significantly increased safety if accidentally moved by high winds or collision with a moving vehicle.
Traffic cones are available in a variety of sizes, those being approximately 28″ to 36″ in height have been found generally well suited for routine traffic control problems. Most traffic cones are hollow, with an opening at the top of the narrow portion of the cone. They are usually fabricated in rubber or an elastomeric plastic material so as to limit damage to vehicles or persons during accidental contact. In the instant invention these standard traffic cones are economically employed for conversion into whatever sandwich board and/or warning sign is required in particular traffic control areas.
To convert a traffic cone into the soft sandwich board of the invention essentially three items are required: (1) a shroud for covering the traffic cone; (2) a tee shaped, cone adapter with either a removable or permanent crossbar affixed to it; and (3) a cone base form. The shroud has a small opening at its top section, and a large opening at its bottom section, as visualized when connected to the traffic cone. Two sleeves for accommodating a crossbar are sewn or adhesively secured into opposite sides of the top opening in the shroud. The cone base form is preferably one or more cone weights. The cone base form has the shape of a large “nut” in that it has a circular opening so as to fit over the traffic cone, with the four sides of the form comprising a substantially square shape. The tee shaped, cone adapter has a hollow base portion so as to fit over the top of a traffic cone, with a similarly hollow top portion configured for accepting a crossbar (or with the crossbar permanently affixed to it) and, if required, traffic control accessories such as a warning light, flag, or sign. The crossbar can be a wood or plastic dowel, as, for example, polyvinylchloride.
The three items described above are connected to a standard traffic cone in the following manner. The crossbar on the tee shaped, cone adapter is fitted into the two sleeves in the shroud, with the information attachment portion of the adapter extending through the top center small opening in the shroud. With the top of the shroud now securing the tee shaped, cone adapter being grasped with one hand, the operator then places one or more cone base forms directly over the large bottom opening inside the shroud. The complete assembly of adapter, shroud, and cone base form are now placed over the traffic cone, the large opening in the shroud going over the narrow neck of the traffic cone first, and the assembly is then moved downward over the cone with the base of the shroud now being secured against the base of the traffic cone by the weight of the cone base form. While the shroud and cone base form is being lowered over the traffic cone, the hollow bottom opening in the tee shaped, cone adapter is fitted over the narrow neck of the traffic cone. The shroud, secured to the cross bar at the top of the cone, and with its large base opening secured over the square shaped cone base form adjacent the bottom of the cone, now assumes the typical two rectangularly sided shapes of a typical sandwich board.
The shroud can be made out of a variety of low wind resistance mesh materials, such as, for example, ultra violet stabilized nylon. A typical maximum size of a shroud would be 96″ by 14″. The shroud is sufficiently close weaved in order to permit printing of warnings or other information directly on the surface of the mesh. If required, reflecting materials can be applied to the shroud, or reflective strips can be adhesively secured. This combination of the shroud and standard traffic cone now provides an economical and easy to set up equivalent of the A-Stand sign systems with significant increase in safety. In case of accidents or high wind conditions the rubber traffic cone and soft shroud reduce the possibility of damage to nearby objects or injuring persons in the immediate area. In addition, the cone base forms employed for securing the shrouds are preferably high density rubber cone weights, which will further tend to limit the accidental motion of a soft sandwich board converted traffic cone. Other traffic control accessories, including warning lights, signs, and flags, can be attached to the tee shaped, cone adapter if this adapter is suitably configured to accept these accessories with, for example, an upstanding tube at the top of the adapter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2881662 (1959-04-01), Harris
patent: 2914874 (1959-12-01), Stein
patent: 4019271 (1977-04-01), Latimer
patent: 4875302 (1989-10-01), Noffsinger
patent: 4925334 (1990-05-01), Beard
patent: 4928415 (1990-05-01), Walters
patent: 5269251 (1993-12-01), Freeman
patent: 6095716 (2000-08-01), Kulp et al.
patent: 2387320 (1978-12-01), None
patent: 2077332 (1981-12-01), None
patent: 2182701 (1987-05-01), None
Continental Safety Supply Co., Inc.
Cygan Michael
Quast, Esq. W. Patrick
Williams Hezron
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