Traffic barricade

• US 5,544,614 A
• Filed: 03/09/1994
• Issued: 08/13/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vbco Co.
• Original Assignee: Vbco Co.
• Inventors: Cushman, Veronica B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HIRSHFELD, ANDREW HOWARD
• Application Number:
  US08/208,968
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 116/63 P, 116/28 R, 116/30, 116/63 R, 116/209, 116/DIG. 16, 116/63 T, 40/610, 40/606, 40/612, 182/165-176, 182/180-186, 404/6, 404/8-10, 256/24, 256/65, 403/348, 403/83, 403/85
• US Class Current: 116/63.00P
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 13/02 free-standing; portable, e.g. for guarding open manholes E01F9/688 takes precedence; Portable signs or signals specially adapted for fitting to portable barriers

Abstract

A barricade assembly is made up from a plurality of panel units which can be secured together to provide a barricade of adjustable height. Each panel unit has spaced parallel side legs and a planar cross member extending transversely between the legs. A hinge mechanism allows two panel units to be releasably hinged together at their upper ends so that they can be angled relative to one another in a free-standing, open position. Two or more panel units can also be releasably secured together in vertical alignment to adjust the height of the assembly.

Claims

1. A barricade assembly, comprising:

a plurality of panel units each having an outer face and an inner face, each panel unit comprising spaced, parallel first and second legs and a planar cross member extending transversely between the legs and oriented co-planar with both legs, the legs of each panel unit having upper and lower end portions, and the panel units being selectively securable together in a plurality of different configurations, each configuration including at least a first panel unit and a second panel unit;

a releasable hinge means for releasably hinging the upper end portions of the first panel unit directly to the upper end portions of the legs of the second panel unit, the inner faces of the first and second panel units facing one another in every possible configuration of the panel units, the first and second hinged panel units being pivotable about the hinge means between a collapsed position and an open, freestanding position in which the first and second panel units are at an angle to one another, the configurations including a first configuration comprising said first and second panel units, but not additional of said panel units, said first configuration forming a first hinged stand of a first height;

each panel unit having a first interlocking formation at the upper end portion of each leg and a second interlocking formation at the lower end portion of each leg, each second interlocking formation dimensioned and configured for releasable securing engagement with the first interlocking formation at the upper end of the legs of another of said panel units; and

the configurations further including a second configuration in which said first and second panel units are hinged together and form an upper part of a second hinged, V-shaped stand, one side of the second stand comprising said first panel unit and a third panel unit, the second interlocking formations at the lower end portions of each leg of the first panel unit being releasably secured to the respective first interlocking formations at the upper end portions of each leg of the third panel unit with the first legs of the first and third panel units extending coaxially and the second legs of the first and third panel units extending coaxially, and the other side of said second stand comprising said second panel unit and a fourth panel unit, the second interlocking formations at the lower end portions of each leg of the second panel unit being releasably secured to the respective first interlocking formations at the upper end portions of each leg of the fourth panel unit with the first legs of the second and fourth panel units extending coaxially and the second legs of the second and fourth panel units extending coaxially, the second stand having a height greater than the first height, said configurations further including additional configurations wherein additional of said panel units are securable to the third and fourth panel units to selectively adjust the height of the assembly.

2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each leg of each panel unit is of open channel cross-section having a base wall and upstanding side walls, with the open side of the channel being located on the inner face of the panel unit.

3. The assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the side walls of each leg of each panel unit have aligned openings in said upper end portions, and said hinge mechanism comprises a pivot pin for releasable insertion through the aligned openings in the upper end portions of the legs of said first and second hinged panel units in said open, free-standing position.

4. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, including stop means for limiting the maximum pivot angle between said first and second hinged panel units.

5. The assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the legs of each panel unit comprise channel members having open inner faces, the channel members at the upper end portion of the legs of said first and second panel units being in mating engagement in said open, freestanding position, and said channel members of said first and second panel units having angled upper end edges comprising said stop means.

6. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, including locking means for releasably locking said first and second panel units against collapse in said open, free-standing position.

7. The assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein said locking means comprises first and second lever arms pivotally secured to said first leg of each of said first and second panel units, respectively, for movement between an inoperative position in which said lever arms are secured against said first legs and an operative position in which a free end of each lever arm bears against the opposing second leg of the other of said first and second panel units to resist collapse of said panel units from said open, free-standing position.

8. The assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein said locking means comprises first and second notches within said second leg of each of said first and second panel units, respectively, for receiving the free end of the opposing lever arm in said operative position.

9. The assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein each said lever arm has roller means at its free end for rolling engagement in the respective, opposing notch.

10. The assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first lever arm has a first transversely projecting latch finger, and said second lever arm has a second transversely projecting latch finger, said first leg of said first panel unit having a first opening in alignment with said first latch finger of said first lever arm for releasably retaining said first lever arm in said inoperative position, said first leg of said second panel unit having a second opening in alignment with said second latch finger of said second lever arm for releasably retaining said second lever arm in said inoperative position.

11. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cross member of each panel unit has a compartment for receiving ballast material, said compartment having an open upper end for freely pouring material into and out of the compartment.

12. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each leg of each panel unit is of open channel cross-section and the lower end portion of each leg of said first and second panel units is enlarged for telescopically receiving the upper end portion of the corresponding leg of said third and fourth panel units in said vertically aligned arrangement.

13. The assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the channel cross-section has a base wall and spaced side walls, and the side walls have opposing, inwardly directed bosses in said lower end portion, the side walls at the upper end portion of each leg of said third and fourth panel units having openings for receiving the bosses when the upper end portion of said legs of said third and fourth panel units is inserted in the lower end portion of the corresponding legs of said first and second panel units.

14. The assembly as claimed in claim 12, further including releasable locking means for releasably locking the upper ends of the legs of said third and fourth panel units to the lower ends of the legs of said first and second panel units respectively, in the vertically aligned, co-planar arrangement.

15. The assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the upper end portion of each leg of said third and fourth panel units has a first lock opening and the lower end portion of each leg of said first and second panel units has a corresponding lock opening for alignment with said first lock opening of the corresponding leg of said third and fourth panel units, respectively, said lock means comprises a twist lock pin having an enlarged head and shaft means for insertion through said aligned lock openings, and retaining means at the end of said shaft for releasably locking said end portions together.

16. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first leg of each panel unit has an outer side face with a first latch mechanism, and the second leg of each panel unit has an outer side face with a second latch mechanism, the first latch mechanism of each panel unit comprising means for releasable latching engagement with the second latching mechanism of another on said panel units to secure the respective panel units together laterally, whereby two or more pairs of said panel units can be secured together side-by-side to selectively adjust the length of a barricade.

17. The assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first latch mechanism of each leg of said panel units comprises a hook and the second latch mechanism of each leg of said panel units comprises an eye member for selectively receiving one of said hooks on another of said panel units.

18. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first leg of each panel unit has an outer side face with a first latch mechanism, and the second leg of each panel unit has an outer side face with a second latch mechanism, the first latch mechanism of each panel unit comprising means for releasable latching engagement with the second latching mechanism of another of said panel units to secure the respective panel units together in a side-by-side, co-planar arrangement, whereby two or more pairs of pivoted first and second panel units can be secured together side-by-side to selectively adjust the length of a barricade.

19. The assembly as claimed in claims 18, wherein the first latch mechanism comprises at least one hook and the second latch mechanism comprises at least one eye member for selectively receiving a at least one of said hooks on another of said panel units.

20. The assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first latch mechanism comprises a pair of vertically spaced, oppositely directed hook members oriented to face horizontally outwardly from said panel unit, and the second latch mechanism comprises a pair of vertically spaced, horizontally oriented eye members for selectively receiving said hook members.

21. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first leg of each panel unit has a first interfitting formation projecting outwardly from its outer face and the second leg of each panel unit has a second interfitting formation projecting outwardly from its outer face, the first interfitting formation comprising means for interfitting engagement with a second interfitting formation on the second leg of another of said panel units when the panel units are stacked one on top of the other with their outer faces in face-to-face engagement.

22. The assembly as claimed in claim 21, wherein the first interfitting formation comprises an I-shaped member, having a central straight portion and a pair of transverse end members, and the second interfitting formation comprises at least two spaced, parallel straight bars with a space between the bars for receiving the straight portion of the I-shaped member with the transverse members fitting projecting across the opposite ends of the bars.

23. The assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein the second interfitting formation comprises three parallel straight bars forming first and second spaces offset on opposite sides of the center line of the leg for selectively receiving the straight portion of the I-shaped member of an opposing leg.