Truck mounted pavement marking applicator
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for applying pavement-making tape to a roadway surface comprising:
- a self-propelled steerable vehicle having a rear wheel mounted to one side of the vehicle for supporting the vehicle;
a first device carried by the vehicle, the first device including;
a plurality of feed mandrels mounted on the device for rotatably supporting and dispensing rolls of tape;
means for accumulating a variable length of tape from one of the mandrels of the plurality; and
a tape deposition mechanism situated adjacent the roadway surface preceding the rear wheel of the vehicle and aligned with said rear wheel so that the pavement marking tape is driven against the roadway by the rear wheel during forward motion of the vehicle.
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Abstract
Method and apparatus are disclosed for automatically applying pavement marking tape to roadway surfaces using a self-propelled vehicle. Tapes can be applied in continuous stripes or intermittent stripes of variable spacing or length while the vehicle is in motion. Methods are also disclosed for changing rolls of tapes while the vehicle is in motion, and thereby reducing stopping times for splicing. The tape application mechanism can be enclosed within the vehicle so that the operator is protected from traffic hazards.
38 Citations
12 Claims
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1. An apparatus for applying pavement-making tape to a roadway surface comprising:
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a self-propelled steerable vehicle having a rear wheel mounted to one side of the vehicle for supporting the vehicle; a first device carried by the vehicle, the first device including; a plurality of feed mandrels mounted on the device for rotatably supporting and dispensing rolls of tape; means for accumulating a variable length of tape from one of the mandrels of the plurality; and a tape deposition mechanism situated adjacent the roadway surface preceding the rear wheel of the vehicle and aligned with said rear wheel so that the pavement marking tape is driven against the roadway by the rear wheel during forward motion of the vehicle.
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2. An apparatus for applying pavement-marking tape to a roadway surface comprising:
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a self-propelled steerable vehicle having a rear wheel; a first device carried by the vehicle, the first device including; a plurality of feed mandrels mounted on the device for rotatably supporting and dispensing rolls of tape; means for accumulating a variable length of tape from one of the mandrels of the plurality, said means comprising a set of guides defining a variable length pathway for tape; a first accumulator roller mounted on a first guide of the set; a second accumulator roller mounted on a second guide of the set in spacial relationship with and movable relative to the first accumulator roller to define at least a portion of the variable length pathway; and mean for moving the second guide to alter the length of the pathway defined by the guides; and a tape deposition mechanism situated adjacent the roadway surface preceding the rear wheel of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for applying pavement-marking tape to a roadway surface comprising:
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a self-propelled steerable vehicle having a rear wheel supporting the vehicle; a first device carried by the vehicle, the first device including; a plurality of feed mandrels mounted on the device for rotatably supporting and dispensing rolls of tape each of said mandrels having pneumatically operated disc brakes, for controlling rotation of tape rolls; means for accumulating a variable length of tape from one of the mandrels of the plurality; controls for the disc brakes comprising a cam driven variable pressure regulator the output of which depends upon the length of tape in the means for accumulating; and a tape deposition mechanism situated adjacent the roadway surface preceding the rear wheel of the vehicle and aligned with said rear wheel so that the pavement marking tape is driven against the roadway by the rear wheel during forward motion of the vehicle.
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12. An improved method for applying pavement-marking tape to a roadway surface comprising the steps:
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providing a self-propelled vehicle having a wheel supporting the vehicle on the roadway surface and carrying a first device comprising a tape deposition mechanism situated adjacent a portion of the roadway surface preceding the wheel; and depositing tape upon the roadway surface;
wherein the improvement comprises tamping the deposited tape with the wheel of the vehicle mounted to one side thereof.
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Specification