Process and apparatus for highway marking

• US 20050196236A1
• Filed: 03/18/2005
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GJL Patents, LLC
• Original Assignee: George Jay Lichtblau
• Inventors: Lichtblau, George Jay
• Granted Patent: US 7,073,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 404/17
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/206 by applying fusible particulate material to the surface, e.g. by means of a gaseous stream

Abstract

A process and apparatus for forming a coherent refractory mass on the surface of a road wherein one or more non-combustible materials are mixed with one or more metallic combustible powders and an oxidizer, igniting the mixture so that the combustible metallic particles react in an exothermic manner with the oxidizer and release sufficient heat to form a coherent mass under the action of the heat of combustion and projecting this mass against the surface of the road so that the mass adheres durably to the surface of the road.

Claims

1. Apparatus for forming a coherent refractory mass on the surface of a road, the apparatus comprising:

a combustion chamber adapted to be disposed on a surface of a road;

a first supply line for transporting one or more metallic combustible powders and one or more non-combustible materials to the combustion chamber;

a second supply line for transporting an oxidizer to the combustion chamber; and

an igniter associated with the combustion chamber and operative to ignite the combustible powder, non-combustible material and oxidizer in the combustion chamber to cause the metallic combustible powder to react in an exothermic manner with the oxidizer and release sufficient heat to form a refractory mass which is projected against the surface of the road so that the mass adheres durably to the road surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first supply line includes a carrier for transporting the combustible powder from the first container to the combustion chamber;

and

wherein the second supply line includes a carrier for transporting the oxidizer from the second container to the combustion chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 including a third supply line for supplying air to the combustion chamber to supply additional oxygen and to assist in projecting the refractory mass against the surface of the road.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 including a third supply line for supplying additional oxygen to the combustion chamber to assist in the burning of the metallic combustible powder(s).

5. The apparatus of claim 2 including a third supply line for supplying air to the combustion chamber to supply additional oxygen to assist in projecting the refractory mass against the surface of the road.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 including an additional supply line for supplying a coloring material to the mixture, which when heated in the presence of the other materials causes the color of the refractory mass to be yellow.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the coloring material is tungsten, zirconium, or iron oxide (Fe₂O₃).

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the coloring material is crushed colored glass.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the carrier in the first supply line and second supply line is air.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the igniter is an electric arc or a plasma arc.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the igniter is a gas pilot light.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rate of delivery of the metallic combustible powder(s) is controlled by a screw conveyor driven by a variable speed motor.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the oxidizer is a powdered oxidizer and the rate of delivery of the powdered oxidizer is controlled by a screw conveyor driven by a variable speed motor.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rate of delivery of the metallic combustible powder(s) is controlled by means of a variable valve which controls a gas carrier.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the oxidizer is a powdered oxidizer and the rate of delivery of the powdered oxidizer is controlled by a variable valve that controls a gas carrier.

16. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the delivery rate of oxygen is controlled by a variable valve.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 including a line painting assembly associated with the apparatus and wherein the rate of deposition of the coherent mass onto the road surface is controlled by the speed of the line painting assembly along the road surface.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 including a separate supply line to transport retro-reflective beads to the combustion chamber so that the heat of reaction softens the surface of the retro-reflective beads and causes the beads to adhere durably to the surface of the road.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the retro-reflective beads are injected into the hottest part of the combustion chamber so that the heat of reaction softens the surface of the retro-reflective beads and causes the beads to adhere durably to the surface of the road.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the retro-reflective beads are injected into a cooler portion of the combustion chamber wherein the temperature is sufficient to soften the surface of the retro-reflective beads and causes the beads to adhere durably to the surface of the road but the temperature is insufficient to cause a major distortion or destruction of the retro-reflective beads.

21. The apparatus in claim 1 wherein one supply line contains a carrier to transport the oxidizer and part of the non-combustible materials.

22. The apparatus in claim 1 wherein one supply line contains a carrier to transport the metallic combustible powder(s) and part of the non-combustible materials.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the combustion chamber is made of a ceramic material.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the combustion chamber contains openings which act as venturi to draw in air and cool the inside surface of the combustion chamber.

25. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the combustion chamber is made of metal that is coated on the inside with a ceramic coating.

26. Apparatus for forming a coherent refractory mass on the surface of a road, the apparatus comprising:

a combustion chamber adapted to be disposed on a surface of a road;

a single supply line for transporting one or more metallic combustible powders, one or more non-combustible materials and an oxidizer to the combustion chamber; and

an igniter associated with the combustion chamber and operative to ignite the combustible powder, non-combustible material, and oxidizer in the combustion chamber to cause the metallic combustible powder to react in an exothermic manner with the oxidizer and release sufficient heat to form a refractory mass that is projected against the surface of the road so that the mass adheres durably to the road surface.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the igniter is an electric arc.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the igniter is a gas pilot light.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the igniter is a plasma arc.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the rate of delivery of the combustible and non-combustible powders is controlled by a screw conveyor driven by a variable speed motor and a variable valve that controls the rate of delivery of air, oxygen, or a mixture of air and oxygen.

31. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the rate of deposition of the coherent mass onto the surface of the road is controlled by the rate of movement between the surface of the road and the exit of the combustion chamber or vice-versa.

32. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the combustion chamber is made of a ceramic material.

33. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the combustion chamber contains openings that act as venturi to draw in air and cool the inside surface of the combustion chamber.

34. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the combustion chamber is made of metal that is coated on the inside with a high temperature metal or ceramic coating.

35. The apparatus of claim 26 including a separate supply line to transport retro-reflective beads to the combustion chamber so that the heat of reaction softens the surface of the retro-reflective beads and causes the beads to adhere durably to the surface of the road.

36. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the retro-reflective beads are injected into the hottest part of the combustion chamber so that the heat of reaction softens the surface of the retro-reflective beads and causes the beads to adhere durably to the surface of the road.

37. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the retro-reflective beads are injected into a cooler portion of the combustion chamber wherein the temperature is sufficient to soften the surface of the retro-reflective beads and causes the beads to adhere durably to the surface of the road but the temperature is insufficient to cause a major distortion or destruction of the retro-reflective beads.