VEHICULAR TRAFFIC CONTROL APPARATUS

• US 3,805,448 A
• Filed: 03/16/1973
• Issued: 04/23/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Richard T. Carr, Robert L. Collins Jr
• Original Assignee: Richard T. Carr, Robert L. Collins Jr
• Inventors: Carr, Richard T., Collins, Robert L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Taylor, Dennis L.
• Application Number:
  US05/342,069
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: 49/49,35,131,132,133,134
• US Class Current: 49/49
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 13/105 depressible by right-way traffic, e.g. pivotally; actuated by wrong-way traffic type-disabling elements E01F13/123

Abstract

Vehicular traffic control apparatus comprising pivotal plates or tongue members mounted at the surface of a roadway and arranged to pivot to an upwardly inclined position and protrude from the surface of the roadway to impede the travel of vehicles in the wrong direction along the roadway and to pivot down to a position level with the roadway to permit vehicles to travel in the correct direction along the roadway.

Claims

1. Traffic control means for impeding movement of automobiles and the like in one direction along a roadway without impeding the movement of automobiles in the opposite direction along the roadway comprising elongated housing means for placement in a roadway with the length of said housing means extending across the length of the roadway, said housing means defining an opening extending along its upper portion normally at the level of the surface of the roadway, a plurality of platform members mounted on said housing means over the opening defined in said housing means, at least some of said platform members each defining an opening therein and including tongue support means extending downwardly on opposite sides of its opening, a tongue member including a base portions pivotally supported by said tongue support means about a horizontal axis below the opening of its platform member whereby the distal end of said tongue member is pivotal between a position below the upper surface of said platform member and the surface of the roadway, through the opening in said platform member and a position above said platform member and the surface of the roadway, and biasing means for biasing the distal end of said tongue member toward its position above said platform member.

2. The traffic control means of claim 1 and wherein some of said platform members are generally imperforate and sized and shaped so as to be replacements for the platform members which define openings therein.

3. The traffic control means of claim 1 and wherein said biasing means biases said tongue member toward engagement with an edge of the opening of said platform member.

4. The traffic control member of claim 1 and wherein said biasing means comprises a coil tension spring connected between said tongue member and said platform member.

5. Traffic control means for impeding the movement of automobiles and the like along a roadway in one direction without impeding the movement of automobiles in the opposite direction comprising housing means for placement in a roadway, said housing means defining an opening therein normally located at the level of the surface of the roadway, a series of abutting platform members mounted on said housing means over the opening of said housing means at the level of the surface of the roadway, each of said platform members defining an opening therein, said platform members each including support means extending downwardly on opposite sides of its opening into said housing means, a tongue member including a base portion supported by said support means and pivotal about a horizontal axis within said housing normally extending across the length of the roadway, the distal end of said tongue member being pivotal between a position within said housing means below said platform memmber and the surface of the roadway, through the opening in its platform member, and a position above its platform member and the surface of the roadway, and biasing means for biasing the distal end of said tongue member toward its position above its platform member.

6. The traffic control means of claim 5 and wherein said biasing means comprises a coil tension spring connected between its tongue member and its platform member.