Road structure – process – or apparatus – Traffic steering device or barrier
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-14
2001-03-27
Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3673)
Road structure, process, or apparatus
Traffic steering device or barrier
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206608
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a device to disable vehicles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Police are often encountered with a situation where they need to stop a vehicle. During high speed pursuits, the driver attempts to escape capture and flees the police. The driver, concerned only with escape, often drives recklessly and endangers himself and other drivers on the road. Police are faced with the problem of trying to stop the driver without damage and loss of life.
Police have many techniques to stop run-away drivers. The police utilize road blocks and pursuit by car and helicopter to pursue reckless drivers in the hope that they will eventually abandon the vehicle and attempt to escape on foot. Police often use spikes to deflate tires. Spikes are usually effective in causing the tire to deflate, but often desperate drivers continue to drive on the flattened tires. This results in loss of control of the vehicle and the creation of sparks as the rim contacts the pavement. This only serves to increase the danger presented by the person trying to flee.
The prior art discloses many different types of tire deflators that are designed to disable motor vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,445, to Jones, discloses a base 12 that holds spikes 24 at an angle of 45 to 85° relative to the top surface of the base. The spike is held within an aperture 22 of the base and is designed to be released from the base and transferred to the tire after becoming embedded in the tire. The spikes are hollow and provide a conduit for the escape of air.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,756 (Killgrow et al) discloses a vehicle tire deflator having an extensible frame having rocker arms 12 provided with hollow spikes. The rocker arms are pivotally connected to one another by supports 11. A series of rocker arms are connected to one another to provide a series of rows of spikes. A tire rolls over the deflator and the spike is withdrawn from the rocker arm. A similar device is discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,950, also to Killgrow et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,292, to Williams, discloses a traffic barrier chain having a pair of spikes connected in an X-shape and connected to one another by a chain to form a row. A similar device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,714 to Hutchison that has a spike 20 connected to a base 11. The base 11 is provided with a chain 18. The chain is used to connected adjacent deflators, but is provided with a break-away cord or strand.
It is an object of the invention to provide a vehicle disabling device that deflates the tires.
It is another object of the invention to provide a vehicle disabling device that provides obstruction to the free movement of the wheels.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a disabling device that is easily stored and deployed.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a vehicle disabling device that is easily manufactured.
These and other objects of the invention will be apparent after reading the ensuing disclosure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a solid bar having a series of chains that extend perpendicular to the length of the bar. The chains are provided in pairs and connected to one another. At the distal end of the chains, bases are connected between the two chains of a pair. The bases are provided with upstanding spikes. A series of bases having the spikes extend between the pairs of chains for a predetermined distance. Between the bar and the closest spike, cross chains are used to maintain the spacing between the chains.
The device is placed on the road so that the vehicle to be stopped first engages the front end having the spikes. The spikes embed into the tire and are maintained there. As the car continues moving across the device, the subsequent spikes also are embedded into the tire and result in the chains being wrapped around the tire. The connection between the pairs of spikes is broken and each pair of chains acts independently. If the car continues across the device, the chains continue to wrap around the tire. At the end of the device, the solid bar is pulled upward and locks itself against the frame of the car. This prevents the wheels from rotating and interferes with the steering of the car. In this manner, the car is safely and quickly brought to a halt.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4382714 (1983-05-01), Hutchison
patent: 4995756 (1991-02-01), Kilgrow et al.
patent: 5123774 (1992-06-01), Dubiel
patent: 5253950 (1993-10-01), Kilgrow et al.
patent: 5328292 (1994-07-01), Williams
patent: 5507588 (1996-04-01), Marts et al.
patent: 5611408 (1997-03-01), Abukhader
patent: 5704445 (1998-01-01), Jones
Hartmann Gary S.
Hoffman Wasson & Gitler PC
Will Thomas B.
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