Traffic control device

• US 6,951,434 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2003
• Issued: 10/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trinity Highway Products LLC (Trinity Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Trinity Highway Products LLC (Trinity Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yodock, Leo J. Jr., Yodock, Guy C., Yodock, Leo J. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartmann, Gary S
• Application Number:
  US10/349,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20040141807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 404/6, 404/9, 256/1, 256/13.1, 248/466, 406/12, 405/84, D20/29, D20/10
• US Class Current: 404/6
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 15/083 using concrete
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 15/086 using plastic, rubber or synthetic materials
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 15/088 Details of element connection

Abstract

A traffic control device is provided including at least one barrier unit comprising a top wall formed with at least two openings, a bottom wall having post boots which align with the openings in the top wall, opposed end walls, and, opposed side walls interconnected to form a hollow interior. A post is releasably inserted into the hollow interior of the barrier unit through each opening in its top wall so that an inner portion of each post is received within an aligning post boot on the bottom wall. An outer portion of the posts protrude from the top wall of the barrier unit and support horizontally oriented pannel, the uppermost one of which mounts a sign.

Claims

1. A traffic control device, comprising:

a barrier unit including a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed side walls and opposed end walls interconnected to form a hollow interior, said top wall being formed with at least two spaced openings;

a first post and a second post each having an inner portion and an outer portion, said inner portion of each of said first and second posts being inserted into said hollow interior of said barrier unit through one of said openings in said top wall;

a flexible bushing mounted at each of said openings in said top wall and a lower mounting device mounted to said bottom wall in alignment with one of said flexible bushings, said inner portion of one of said first and second posts slidably engaging one of said flexible bushings upon insertion into said hollow interior and seating on said aligning lower mounting device, said aligning flexible bushings and lower mounting devices releasably holding said first and second posts within said hollow interior of said barrier unit with said outer portion protruding from said top wall;

a sign mounted to said outer portion of said first and second posts of said barrier unit, said aligning pairs of upper and lower mounting devices permitting disengagement of said first and second posts and said sign from said barrier unit upon impact with a vehicle so that said sign substantially avoids contact with the vehicle.

2. The traffic control device of claim 1 in which each of said lower mounting devices formed in said bottom wall of said barrier unit is a post boot, said post boot having a wall forming an open interior defining a seat which receives one end of said inner position of said first or second post.

3. The traffic control device of claim 1 in which a first locator device is mounted to said first post and a second locator device is mounted to said second post generally horizontally relative to said first locator device, a panel being located atop said first and second locator devices and being mounted to said first and second posts said sign being mounted to said panel.

4. The traffic control device of claim 3 in which said first and second locator devices are set screws.

5. A traffic control device, comprising:

a barrier unit including a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed side walls and opposed end walls interconnected to form a hollow interior, said top wall being formed with at least two spaced openings;

a first post and a second post each having an inner portion and an outer portion, said inner portion of each of said first and second posts being inserted into said hollow interior of said barrier unit through one of said openings in said top wall, said first and second posts each being releasably held in a generally vertical orientation within said hollow interior of said barrier unit with said outer portion protruding from said top wall;

a first pair, a second pair and a third pair of locator devices, said first, second and third pairs each having one locator device mounted to said outer portion of said first post and a second locator device mounted to said outer portion of said second post in general horizontal alignment with said one locator device, said first, second and third pairs of locator devices being vertically spaced from one another along said outer portion of each of said first and second posts;

a first panel positioned atop said first pair of locator devices and mounted to said first and second posts, a second panel positioned atop said second pair of locator devices, beneath said first locator devices, and being mounted to said first and second posts, a third panel positioned atop said third pair of locator devices, beneath said second pair of locator devices, and being mounted to said first and second posts;

a sign mounted to said first panel, whereby upon impact of said barrier unit with a vehicle said sign and said first panel disengage from said first and second posts and substantially avoid contact with the vehicle while said second and third panels are prevented from disengaging said posts by said first and second locator devices, respectively.

6. The traffic control device of claim 5 in which each of said first, second and third pairs of locator devices extend outwardly from said first and second posts, said first and second sets of locator devices contacting said second and third panels, respectively, upon impact of said barrier unit with a vehicle to prevent disengagement of said second and third panels from said posts.

7. The traffic control device of claim 5 in which each of said upper mounting devices is a flexible bushing mounted within one of said openings in said top wall of said barrier unit, each of said flexible bushings slidably engaging one of said first and second posts upon insertion of said inner portion thereof through said flexible bushings to said bottom wall of said hollow interior.

8. The traffic control device of claim 5 in which each of said lower mounting devices formed in said bottom wall of said barrier unit is a post boot, said post boot having a wall forming an open interior defining a seat which receives one end of said inner portion of said first or second post.

9. The traffic control device of claim 7 in which said locator devices are set screws.

10. A traffic control device, comprising:

a first barrier unit and a second barrier unit, each of said first and second barrier units including a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed side walls and opposed end walls interconnected to form a hollow interior, said top wall of at least one of said first and second barrier units being formed with at least two spaced openings, said first and second barrier units being releasably coupled together end-to-end;

a first post and a second post each having an inner portion and an outer portion, said inner portion of each of said first and second posts being inserted into said hollow interior of one of said first and second barrier units through one of said openings in said top wall thereof;

a flexible bushing mounted at each of said openings in said top wall of at least one of said first and second barrier units and a lower mounting device mounted to said bottom wall of at least one of said first and second barrier units in alignment with one of said flexible bushings, said inner portion of one of said first and second posts slidably engaging one of said flexible bushings upon insertion into said hollow interior and seating on said aligning lower mounting device, said aligning flexible bushings and lower mounting device releasably holding said first and second posts within said hollow interior of at least one of said first and second barrier units with said outer portion protruding from said top wall;

a sign mounted to said outer portion of said first and second posts, said first and second posts and said aligning pairs of upper and lower mounting devices permitting disengagement of said sign from said one barrier unit upon impact with a vehicle so that said sign substantially avoids impact with the vehicle.

11. The traffic control device of claim 10 in which each of said lower mounting devices is formed in said bottom wall of at least said one barrier unit is a post boot, said post boot having a wall forming an open interior defining a seat which receives one end of said inner portion of said first or second post.

12. The traffic control device of claim 10 in which a first locator device is mounted to said first post and a second locator device is mounted to said second post generally horizontally relative to said first locator device, a panel being located atop said first and second locator devices and being mounted to said first and second post, said sign being mounted to said panel.

13. The traffic control device of claim 12 in which said first and second locator devices are set screws.