Vehicle control arm device

• US 5,671,563 A
• Filed: 10/15/1993
• Issued: 09/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alfred Marcum
• Original Assignee: Alfred Marcum
• Inventors: Marcum, Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): REDMAN, JERRY E
• Application Number:
  US08/136,155
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 49/34, 49/35, 49/140, 49/141, 49/9, 49/49, 404/6, 404/9, 404/10, 246/125, 246/130
• US Class Current: 49/49
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/04 Gates for level crossings
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 13/06 by swinging into open position about a vertical or horizontal axis parallel to the road direction, i.e. swinging gates

Abstract

A vehicle control gate arrangement pivotable to a position for restricting flow of vehicular traffic where the gate is generally elongate and can include a tubular shell and a core member where the shell is more flexible than the core and contacts the core substantially continuously around the periphery of the core. The core can be terminated toward the distal end of the gate so that the shell extends outwardly from the termination of the core so that vehicles attempting to bypass the end of the gate but failing to do so, strike the flexible end of the gate so the gate is not damaged or knocked down. An arrangement is also provided to include a gate composed of one or more sections connected to an adjacent section or to a pivot by a joint assembly which releases the outermost section in the event the section is struck by a vehicle attempting to or accidently going through the gate.

Claims

1. A generally elongate vehicle control gate arm arrangement pivotable to a position for restricting flow of vehicular traffic, including:

a gate arm segment, comprising a tubular shell having a first end and a second end and defining a chamber therein defining an inner periphery having a selected cross-sectional shape;

a core defining an outer periphery having a cross-sectional shape substantially similar to the cross-sectional shape of the inner periphery of said chamber and a length less than the length of said tubular shell and received within said tubular shell so that a portion of the outer periphery of said core is in contact with the inner periphery of said tubular shell and wherein said core is terminated inwardly of said second end so that said tubular shell extends outwardly from said core a selected distance to provide a flexible end of said tubular shell so that vehicles attempting to bypass the second end of said gate arm segment strike said flexible end of said tubular shell.

2. A generally elongate vehicle control gate arm arrangement pivotable to a position for restricting flow of vehicular traffic, including:

a gate arm segment;

a connector including a clamp to releasably retain said gate arm segment and release said gate arm segment when said gate arm segment is impacted;

said clamp including a channel shaped frame and a clamping plate which is movable with respect to said frame and which, in a clamping position, presses against at least one surface of said gate arm segment to clamp said gate arm segment on said channel shaped frame.

3. A generally elongate vehicle control gate arm arrangement pivotable to a position for restricting flow of vehicular traffic, including:

first and second gate arm segments;

a connector connecting together said first and second gate arm segments in end to end relation, said connector being fastened to said first gate arm segment and being clamped to said second gate arm segment so that, if said second gate arm segment is hit by a vehicle, said second gate arm segment is released from said connector, preventing damage to any portion of the gate arm arrangement.

4. A generally elongate vehicle control gate arm arrangement as recited in claim 3, wherein said connector includes a pivotable plate for clamping said second gate arm segment.

5. A breakaway connector and breakaway gate arm segment combination, comprising:

a frame for receiving a breakaway gate arm segment and another gate arm segment in end-to-end arrangement;

said breakaway gate arm segment having first and second ends and an outer surface;

a clamp on said frame for releasably clamping said connector to said breakaway gate arm segment;

wherein said clamp includes a movable portion that presses against the outer surface of the first end of said breakaway gate arm segment, thereby clamping the first end of said breakaway gate arm segment on said frame, such that, if said breakaway gate arm segment is hit by a vehicle, the clamp will release said breakaway gate arm segment, preventing damage to the connector; and

at least one fastener on said frame for fixing said connector to said another gate arm segment.

6. A breakaway connector and breakaway gate arm segment combination, as recited in claim 5, wherein said breakaway gate arm segment comprises:

an elongated shell; and

an elongated core inside said shell, wherein the material of the shell is more flexible than the material of the core.

7. A breakaway connector and breakaway gate arm segment combination as recited in claim 6, and further comprising a substantially rigid plate on said first end which is gripped by said clamp so as to releasably secure said breakaway gate arm segment to said connector.

8. A breakaway connector and breakaway gate arm segment combination as recited in claim 6, wherein said core terminates short of said second end, so that the second end portion having no core is more flexible than the first end of said breakaway gate arm segment, which has the core.

9. A breakaway connector and breakaway gate arm segment as recited in claim 5, in combination with said another gate arm segment, wherein said breakaway connector is fastened to said another gate arm segment, holding said gate arm segments together in end-to-end relation such that, if said breakaway gate arm segment is hit, it is released from said connector, preventing damage to the connector and the arm segments.

10. An elongated vehicle control gate arm pivotable to a position for restricting the flow of vehicular traffic, including:

first and second gate arm segments;

a connector which holds said first and second gate arm segments together and is clamped to said second gate arm segment to releasably retain said second gate arm segment;

wherein said connector includes a movable plate which presses against said second gate arm segment to clamp said second gate arm segment to said connector;

said second gate arm segment including a tubular shell and a core, wherein said tubular shell is more flexible than said core.

11. An elongated vehicle control gate arm as recited in claim 10, wherein said connector holds said first and second gate arm segments together in end-to-end relation.

12. An elongated vehicle control gate arm as recited in claim 10, wherein said second gate arm segment is clamped to said connector at one end, and the other end is free, and wherein said core terminates short of said free end, leaving said free end which does not have the core more flexible than the one end of said second gate arm segment, which has the core.

13. An elongated vehicle control gate arm having first and second ends, comprising:

a flexible shell having first and second ends;

a core inside said flexible shell, wherein said flexible shell extends beyond said core at said second end, so that said second end of said gate arm which does not have the core is more flexible than said first end of the gate arm which has the core.