Traffic control element and method of erecting and stabilizing same

• US 5,026,204 A
• Filed: 11/29/1989
• Issued: 06/25/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TrafFix Devices Inc.
• Original Assignee: TrafFix Devices Inc.
• Inventors: Kulp, Jack H., McKenney, John D., Sullivan, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kisliuk, Bruce M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schoeppel, Roger J.
• Application Number:
  US07/443,517
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 404/6, 404/9, 404/10, 404/13, 116/63 P, 116/63 R, 340/908.1
• US Class Current: 404/10
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/692 Portable base members therefor

Abstract

A two-piece, detachable traffic channelization element having an improved base element. The base element has a low profile, dome-like configuration with a ballast storage chamber. The storage chamber may be completely filled with a sand ballast and sealed in its storage condition by a cover secured to the chamber. The base element is molded of a resilient crush resistant plastic so that when it is fully ballasted, need not be ballasted again, and which low profile base can be traveled over by motor vehicles without engaging the base. The detached base, filled with ballast, can be continuously traveled on by motor vehicles, including loaded trucks, without damaging the base element and rendering it useless and the need to be replaced.

Claims

1. A base element for a two-piece traffic control element comprising a molded plastic base element having a dome-like external shape and pre-selected hollow configuration for storing a pre-selected quantity of ballast means within the hollow, and having an opening for introducing ballast means within the hollow, ballast means comprising loose, particulate material packed for filling the hollow portion of the base element and means for securing the base opening to prevent any loss of the ballast means from the base element and to maintain the ballast means in place within the base element, the thus defined and ballasted base element permitting reusability of the base element, including after being subjected to the weight of a motor vehicle thereon traveling thereover.

2. A base element as defined in claim 1, including handle means integrally molded with the base element for facilitating carrying of the base element and to function as a step pad for releasing the base element from the other piece of the traffic control element.

3. A base element as defined in claim 1 or 2 wherein the bottom surface of the base element is constructed and defined with a corrugated configuration for stiffening the base element.

4. A base element as defined in claim 3 wherein the base element is provided with a flat side and the corrugations extend in a parallel relationship with said flat side on the bottom surface of the base element.

5. A base element as defined in claim 4 wherein the bottom surface includes anti-skid means spaced thereon.

6. A base element as defined in claim 4 wherein the corrugations on the bottom surface comprise a multiplicity of parallel grooves and ridges with the ridges engaging the ground and having anti-skid means spaced on at least a plurality of the ground engaging sides of the ridges of the corrugations.

7. A base element for a two-piece traffic control element as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for securing the base opening is constructed and defined to coact with the base openings to seal the ballast means within the base element and to be readily assembled and disassembled therefrom.

8. A base element for a two-piece traffic control element having a hollow element and a base element adapted to be releasably interlocked for functioning as a traffic control element, the improved base element comprising a molded, resilient plastic base element having a pre-selected hollow configuration for storing ballast means within the hollow and having an opening for receiving and storing of ballast means within the hollow, and a lockable cover adapted for closing the opening of the base element, the periphery of the opening for the base element and the periphery of the cover being constructed and defined in a complementary configuration to be locked together for securing the ballast means therein.

9. A base element for a two-piece traffic control element as defined in claim 8 wherein said base element has a generally circular configuration with a substantially flat bottom surface for engaging a mounting surface and solid side walls inclined at a pre-selected angle upwardly from the adjacent outer peripheral edge of the base element towards the peripheral edge of the opening of the base element.

10. A base element for a two-piece traffic control element as defined in claim 8 or 9 wherein the base element and the cover are molded from a crush resistant, resilient plastic material permitting a motor vehicle to repeatedly travel over the base element without crushing the base element and the cover locked thereto when the ballast means stored therein completely fills said hollow for the base element.

11. A base element for a two-piece, attachable and detachable traffic control element comprising a base element molded from a crush resistant plastic having a low profile, pre-selected dome-like configuration with a hollow ballast storing chamber accessible through a filling aperture on one side thereof and cover means sized to be interfitted with said filling aperture for completing the enclosure of the ballast storing chamber, the peripheries of the filling aperture and the cover means being constructed and defined for releasably interlocking the cover means to the base element to enclose the ballast storing chamber, including when storing ballast therein, the ballast material selected to be stored within said chamber being characterized as a flowable mass of loose particles that are relatively incompressible and adapted to fully occupy the volume of said chamber so that when the base is completely filled with said selected ballast material, it is enclosed in an essentially leak proof fashion by the interlocked cover means, whereby the completely ballasted base element may be repeatedly traveled over, including by motor vehicles, without the destruction, tearing or bursting of the base element due to being traveled over and the low profile, dome-like shape is selected to allow a motor vehicle to travel over the top of the base element without engagement with the underside of motor vehicles.

12. A base element for a two-piece, attachable and detachable traffic control element as defined in claim 11 wherein the selected ballast material is damp sand packed and stored within the base elements preferably without any voids within the sand mass.

13. A base element for a two-piece traffic control element comprising a base element having a dome-like shape with a pre-selected hollow configuration for storing ballast means within the hollow and an opening for receiving ballast means therethrough to be stored therein, and cover means adapted to be interfitted with the base element at the opening thereof to close the opening and to be locked thereto, and thereby securing any ballast means stored therein, including after the traffic control element is impacted by a motor vehicle, the periphery of the base element having a configuration adapted to be releasably interlocked with a hollow element for the two-piece traffic control element.

14. A base element for a two-piece traffic control element as defined in claim 13 wherein the bottom of the base element is constructed and defined with stiffening corrugations.

15. A base element for a two-piece traffic control element as defined in claim 13 or 14 wherein the base element includes at least a single handle extending outwardly of the base element for transporting the base element, including when it is storing ballast means.

16. A base element for a two-piece traffic control element as defined in claim 13 or 14 including at least a single handle extending outwardly therefrom constructed and defined for carrying the base element and for clamping the base element to a supporting surface by means of a foot or the like for releasing a hollow element interlocked with the base element.

17. A base element for a two-piece traffic control element as defined in claim 13 or 14 including a pair of carrying elements constructed integrally with the base element and each of said elements extending outwardly from the base element therefrom from opposite sides of the base element.

18. A base element for a two-piece traffic control element as defined in claim 14 wherein the bottom of the base element includes a multiplicity of dependent, spaced elements for engaging a mounting surface in an anti-skid relationship by means of said dependent elements.

19. A base element for a two-piece traffic control element as defined in claim 18 wherein the stiffening corrugations comprise a multiplicity of parallel grooves and ridges, each ridge including at least a pair of said dependent elements spaced thereon.

20. A base element for a two-piece traffic control element as defined in claim 13 including at least a single attache type carrying handle defined to extend outwardly of the base element for transporting the base element including any ballast means stored therein, said handle being defined to extend through the centerline of the base element and any ballast means stored therein upon holding the base element in a substantially vertical orientation by means of said handle.

21. A base element for a two-piece traffic control element as defined in claim 19 wherein the base element has at least a single flat side defined thereon and the corrugations extend in a parallel relationship with said flat side.

22. A base element for a two-piece traffic control element as defined in claim 21 wherein the corrugations are integrally defined with anti-skid means thereon.

23. A traffic channelization element comprising a hollow element having a barrel-like configuration adapted for traffic channelization signaling purposes, and a base member, the hollow element and the base member being adapted to be assembled and disassembled to one another and when assembled function for traffic channelization purposes whereby upon impact, the hollow element will be separated from the base member to thereby minimize damage thereto and allowing ready re-assembly of the hollow element and base member for reusability, the base member being further characterized as having an arcuate configuration corresponding to the barrel-like configuration of the hollow element with a bottom surface defined for engaging a mounting surface, the configuration of the base member defining a ballast storing chamber having an opening for receiving ballast means to be loaded within the chamber, the base member including cover means for releasably securing said storing chamber opening and thereby the ballast means within said chamber for preventing loss of the ballast means from the chamber, including when the hollow element is impacted and separated from the base element.

24. A traffic channelization element as defined in claim 23 wherein the hollow element is constructed and defined with a pre-selected outer configuration to be roll resistant.

25. A traffic channelization element as defined in claim 23 or 24 wherein the base element bottom surface is constructed and defined with a stiffened bottom surface.

26. A traffic channelization element as defined in claim 23 wherein the base element ballast storing chamber is filled with a relatively incompressible ballast material and is secured within the ballast storing chamber.

27. A traffic channelization element as defined in claim 26 wherein the ballast material is sand that is packed within the ballast storing chamber in a dampened condition so that the sand can be packed essentially without any voids and completely fills up the chamber.

28. A traffic channelization element as defined in claim 23 wherein the base element is sized in height to permit motor vehicles to travel over the base element when separated from the hollow element without engaging the bottom side of the motor vehicle or any components secured thereto.

29. A traffic channelization element as defined in claim 28 wherein the base element is constructed and defined of a resilient, crush resistant plastic material that permits the ballasted base element to be repeatedly run over by the tires of motor vehicles without tearing or bursting of the plastic material and without significant displacement of the base element.

30. A traffic channelization element as defined in claim 26 wherein the ballast material is a continuous mass of loose, particulate material packed in a dampened condition for filling up the entire volume of the ballast storing chamber without any significant voids and enclosed therein by said securing means in an essentially leak-free relationship.

31. A traffic channelization element as defined in claim 24 wherein the hollow element is constructed with a flat, anti-roll surface at least at the end to be assembled to and disassembled from the base element, the base element having a flat surface arranged to be interfitted with the flat surface of the hollow element, the base element having stiffening corrugations constructed and defined on the bottom surface of the base element and arranged thereon to extend in a parallel relationship with the flat side of the base element.

32. A traffic channelization element as defined in claim 31 including anti-skid means defined on the bottom surface of the base element.

33. A traffic channelization element as defined in claim 32 wherein the anti-skid means comprises a plurality of anti-skid elements arranged in a spaced apart relationship on the corrugated, surface engaging portions of the corrugations.

34. A traffic channelization element comprising a hollow element having a barrel-like configuration adapted for traffic channelization signaling purposes, and a base member, the hollow element and the base member being adapted to be assembled and disassembled to one another and when assembled and disassembled to one another and when assembled function for traffic channelization purposes whereby upon impact, the hollow element will be separated from the base member to thereby minimize damage thereto and allowing ready reassembly of the hollow element and base member for reusability, the base member being further characterized as having an arcuate configuration corresponding to the barrel-like configuration of the hollow element with a bottom surface defined for engaging a mounting surface, the configuration of the base member defining a ballast storing chamber for receiving a continuous mass of loose, gritty particles to be loaded within the chamber including completely filling the storage chamber, the base member including cover means for securing the ballast means within said chamber for preventing loss of the stored ballast means from the chamber including when impacted and traveled over.

35. A stackable base element for a two-piece traffic channelizing element when the stackable base elements have been disassembled from the other piece of the traffic channelizer, the base element comprising a molded plastic element having a pre-selected hollow configuration for storing ballast means therein and an aperture for introducing ballast means therein, cover means for releasably closing said aperture for introducing the ballast means therein, the bottom surface of the base element including a plurality of dependent elements arranged in a pre-selected pattern for use in stacking over another base element having the same configuration, the base element surface and said dependent elements being complimentarily defined and constructed to interfit with one another in a stacked relationship.

36. A stackable base element for a two-piece traffic channelizing element as defined in claim 35 wherein the top surfaces of each of the stackable base elements has a stacking ring arranged around said base aperture at an elevation below the level of the aperture and for receiving said dependent elements of another base element therein in a stacked relationship.