Tread ballast or weight for temporary traffic control devices and posts

• US 5,421,668 A
• Filed: 06/27/1994
• Issued: 06/06/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Plastic Safety Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Plastic Safety Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Cowan, David E., Cowan, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Neuder, William P.
• Application Number:
  US08/266,486
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 404/6, 404/9, 404/10, 256/1, 256/13.1
• US Class Current: 404/6
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/654 in the form of three-dimensional bodies, e.g. cones; capable of assuming three-dimensional form, e.g. by inflation or erection to form a geometric body
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/688 Free-standing bodies

Abstract

A weight or ballast for a temporary traffic control device or post is made of one or more tire tread sections. An opening extending through or formed by the tread sections is sized to receive an upstanding portion of the device or post.

Claims

1. A weight or ballast for a temporary traffic control device or post comprising a plurality of tire tread sections fastened together to provide a generally planar structure, said structure having an opening the axis of which is substantially perpendicular to the general plane of said structure, said opening being of a size to permit said structure to be inserted over an upstanding portion of a traffic control device or post.

2. The weight of claim 1 wherein said tire tread sections have outer treads, and at least two of said tire tread sections are fastened together with the respective outer treads facing outwardly away from each other.

3. The weight of claim 1 wherein said opening is formed by a hole extending substantially perpendicular through at least one of said tire tread sections.

4. The weight of claim 1 wherein said tire tread sections are fastened together to define said opening extending substantially perpendicular between said tire tread sections.

5. The weight of claim 4 wherein there are at least three of said tire tread sections fastened together in a generally triangular configuration to provide a generally triangular shape opening.

6. The weight of claim 4 wherein there are at least four of said tire tread sections fastened together in a generally rectangular shape to provide a generally rectangular shape opening.

7. The weight of claim 1 wherein said tire tread sections are interlaced to provide overlapping portions fastened together, said opening being formed by a hole extending substantially perpendicular through said overlapping portions.

8. The weight of claim 7 which includes a pair of legs oriented generally 90°

to each other, each of said legs including two of said tire tread sections, one of said tire tread sections of each leg extending between the tire tread sections of the other leg.

9. The weight of claim 8 wherein the tire tread sections of each leg include outer treads facing outwardly away from each other.

10. The weight of claim 1 which includes upper and lower portions each including two of said tire tread sections, said tire tread sections of said upper portion being fastened to said tire tread sections of said lower portion.

11. The weight of claim 10 wherein said tire tread sections of said upper portion are oriented 90°

relative to said tire tread sections of said lower portion.

12. The weight of claim 11 wherein said opening extends through an axial center of said upper and lower portions.

13. The weight of claim 12 wherein said opening is formed by cutting out half circles in abutting edges of said tire tread sections in each of said upper and lower portions.

14. A temporary traffic control device or post comprising an upstanding portion having an upper end and a lower end, a shoulder at said lower end, and a weight for said device or post, said weight comprising a plurality of tire tread sections fastened together to provide a generally planar structure, said weight having an opening the axis of which is substantially perpendicular to the general plane of said structure, said opening being of a size to permit said structure to be inserted over said upstanding portion.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said weight comprises at least two of said tire tread sections fastened together in alignment with each other, said opening extending through at least one of said tire tread sections.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein said upright portion extends through said opening in said one tire tread section with said one tire tread section engaging one side of said shoulder, and the other tire tread section engages the opposite side of said shoulder.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein said opening only extends through said one tire tread section.

18. The device of claim 16 wherein said opening extends through both of said tire tread sections.

19. The device of claim 14 wherein said upright portion is a pole, said opening in said weight being insertable over said pole to cause said weight to engage said shoulder and provide a base for supporting said pole in a generally upright position.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein said tire tread sections are interlaced together in overlapping relation, said opening extending substantially perpendicular through overlapping portions of said tire tread sections.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein selected ones of said tire tread sections are oriented generally orthogonally with respect to other ones of said tire tread sections.

22. A traffic delineator comprising a pole, and a base for supporting said pole in a generally upright position, said base including a plurality of overlapping tire tread sections fastened together, and a hole extending generally perpendicular through overlapping portions of said tire tread sections for receiving said pole.

23. The delineator of claim 22 wherein said tire tread sections are interlaced together in overlapping relation, said opening extending through interlaced portions of said tire tread sections.

24. The delineator of claim 22 wherein selected ones of said tire tread sections are oriented generally orthogonally with respect to other tire tread sections.

25. A temporary traffic control device comprising an A frame traffic barricade having a plurality of legs, a length of tread section having a pair of spaced apart openings therein, each opening sized to receive a leg of said barricade therethrough, the openings being spaced to permit two legs of the barricade to be inserted therethrough when in a partially closed position and to maintain the tire tread section at a distance up the legs of the barricade when the barricade is in a more open position.

26. The device of claim 25 wherein the openings in said tire tread section are in the shape of a slot.