Highway marker transfer vehicle

• US 7,306,398 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2005
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John Terrence Jr. Doran
• Original Assignee: John Terrence Jr. Doran
• Inventors: Doran, John Terrence Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Addie; Raymond W
• Application Number:
  US11/029,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20060147264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 404/73, 404/9, 404/84.05, 414/551, 221/185, 221/186
• US Class Current: 404/84.05
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/70 Storing, transporting, placing or retrieving portable devices

Abstract

A wheeled vehicle, preferably a trailer, carries highway markers in a storage frame that is horizontally rotated to selectively align each of a plurality of parallel, circularly spaced, slide bearings, each configured to confine a linear array of highway markers against circumferential and radial movement, while allowing sliding along the length of the array. A powered abutment feeds the highway markers to a transfer station. A transfer mechanism picks up a highway marker by attraction and moves it between the transfer station and a highway station. A video camera records the highway station environment and wirelessly sends a video stream to a monitor plugged in the driver'"'"'s cab. A releasable electrical connector between a tow vehicle and a trailer wheeled vehicle transmits a lights-on signal to control the operations. Power for the attraction, the transfer mechanism, the powered abutment, the camera, the retrieval attachment and a powered index mechanism for the storage frame are provided from a power supply on the trailer.

Claims

1. A wheeled vehicle for transporting highway markers and for exchanging the highway markers between the wheeled vehicle and a highway, the highway markers having a width in each of two dimensions that is horizontal and a height third dimension as seen when the highway markers are in a normal position on the highway, said wheeled vehicle comprising:

a main frame;

at least one wheel mounted for rotation on said main frame to engage the highway and thereby supporting said mainframe;

a storage frame mounted on said main frame for rotation about a generally horizontal axis of rotation;

a plurality of slide bearings mounted on said storage frame for rotation therewith at spaced apart intervals around the horizontal axis of rotation; and

each of said slide bearings being configured to confine a linear array of the highway markers against movement in one of the two dimensions and the third dimension, and allow sliding movement along the other of the two dimensions within at least a range of linear length of the array.

2. A wheeled vehicle for transporting highway markers and for exchanging the highway markers between the wheeled vehicle and a highway, the highway markers having a width in each of two dimensions that is horizontal and a height third dimension as seen when the highway markers are in a normal position on the highway said wheeled vehicle comprising:

a main frame;

at least one wheel mounted for rotation on said main frame to engage the highway and thereby supporting said mainframe;

a storage frame mounted on said main frame for rotation about a generally horizontal axis of rotation;

a plurality of slide bearings mounted on said storage frame for rotation therewith at spaced apart intervals around the horizontal axis of rotation;

each of said slide bearings being configured to confine a linear array of the highway markers against movement in one of the two dimensions and the third dimensions, and allow sliding movement along the other of the two dimensions within at least a range of linear length of the array; and

wherein each of said slide bearings has both the linear length and the other of the two dimensions parallel to the axis of rotation.

3. The wheeled vehicle of claim 2, wherein each of said slide bearings is equidistant from immediately adjacent slide bearings and equidistant from the axis of rotation;

and each of said intervals being at least equal to a width of said highway markers.

4. The wheeled vehicle of claim 3, wherein each of said slide bearings is mounted and configured so that the third dimension of each highway marker of its array is radial with respect to the axis of rotation.

9. The wheeled vehicle of claim 2 in the form of a trailer further comprising:

a tow hitch for towing attachment to a tow vehicle;

a releasable connector for electrical connection with the tow vehicle to receive at least lights-on and brake signals from the tow vehicle; and

an electrical connection between said releasable connector and said pickup to control activation of said pickup with an electrical control signal.

10. The trailer of claim 9, wherein the control signal is the lights-on signal.

11. The trailer of claim 9, further including an electrical power supply for said pickup, said transfer mechanism, powered abutment and said powered index mechanism.

5. A wheeled vehicle for transporting highway markers and for exchanging the highway markers between the wheeled vehicle and a highway, the highway markers having a width in each of two dimensions that is horizontal and a height third dimension as seen when the highway markers are in g normal position cm the highway, said wheeled vehicle comprising:

a main frame;

at least one wheel mounted for rotation on said main frame to engage the highway and thereby supporting said mainframe;

a storage frame mounted on said main frame for rotation about a generally horizontal axis of rotation;

a plurality of slide bearings mounted on said storage frame for rotation therewith at spaced apart intervals around the horizontal axis of rotation;

each of said slide bearings being configured to confine a linear array of the highway markers against movement in one of the two dimensions and the third dimension, and allow sliding movement along the other of the two dimensions within at least a range of linear length of the array;

a transfer station on said main frame and having a support for a single highway marker;

a powered index mechanism connected to rotate said storage frame to one rotated position about the axis of rotation where said support is adjacent to and aligned with one of said slide bearings; and

a powered abutment for sliding an immediately adjacent highway marker of said aligned one of said slide bearings from said aligned one of said slide bearings onto said support of said transfer station along the other of the two dimensions.

6. The wheeled vehicle of claim 5, wherein said aligned one of said slide bearings has the third dimension vertical.

7. The wheeled vehicle of claim 6, further comprising:

a transfer mechanism pivotally mounted at one end on said main frame to rotate about an axis, spaced from and generally parallel to the axis of rotation of said storage frame, for powered movement of another end between a first position at a distance at least equal to the height of the highway markers above and vertically aligned with said support, and a second position transversely outward of said wheeled vehicle above the highway a distance greater than or equal to the height of the highway markers.

8. The wheeled vehicle of claim 7, further comprising:

a pickup mounted on said another end of said transfer mechanism capable of exerting an upward attraction force on an uppermost portion of a highway marker substantially greater than a weight of the highway marker, when activated, and sufficient to hold the highway marker on said another end while said transfer mechanism moves between said first and second positions.

12. A trailer for transporting highway markers and for exchanging the highway markers between the wheeled vehicle and a highway, the highway markers having a width in each of two dimensions that is horizontal and a height third dimension as seen when the highway markers are in a normal position on the highway said wheeled vehicle comprising:

a main frame;

at least one wheel mounted for rotation on said main frame to engage the highway and thereby supporting said mainframe;

a storage frame mounted on said main frame for rotation about a generally horizontal axis of rotation;

a plurality of slide bearings mounted on said storage frame for rotation therewith at spaced apart intervals around the horizontal axis of rotation;

each of said slide bearings being configured to confine a liner array of the highway markers against movement in one of the two dimensions and the third dimension, and allow sliding movement along the other of the two dimensions within at least a range of linear length of the array;

a tow hitch for towing attachment to a tow vehicle;

a releasable connector for electrical connection with the tow vehicle to receive at least lights-on and brake signals from the tow vehicle;

a transfer station on said main frame and having a support for a highway marker;

a transfer mechanism mounted at one end on said main frame for powered movement of another end between a first position at a distance greater than or equal to the height of the highway markers above and vertically aligned with said transfer station, and a second position outward of said wheeled vehicle above the highway a distance greater than or equal to the height of the highway markers;

a pickup mounted on said another end of said transfer mechanism capable of exerting an upward attraction force on an uppermost portion of a highway marker substantially greater than a weight of the highway marker, when activated, and sufficient to hold the highway marker on said another end while said transfer mechanism moves between said first and second positions; and

an electrical connection between said releasable connector and said pickup to control activation of said pickup with an electrical control signal.

13. The trailer of claim 12, wherein the control signal is the lights-on signal.

14. A wheeled vehicle for transporting highway markers and for exchanging the highway markers between the vehicle and a highway, the highway markers having a width in each of two dimensions that are horizontal and a height third dimension as seen when the highway markers are in a normal position on the highway, said wheeled vehicle comprising:

a transfer station having a support for a single highway marker;

a transfer mechanism mounted at one end for movement of another end between a first position aligned with said transfer station, and a second position outward of said vehicle above the highway;

a pickup mounted an said another end of said transfer mechanism capable of exerting an upward attraction force on an uppermost portion of a highway marker substantially greater than a weight of the highway marker, when activated, and sufficient to hold the highway marker on said another end while said transfer mechanism moves between said first and second positions;

a tow hitch for towing attachment to a tow vehicle;

a releasable connector for electrical connection with the tow vehicle to receive at least lights-on and brake signals from the tow vehicle; and

an electrical connection between said releasable connector and said pickup to activate said pickup with an electrical control signal.

15. The trailer of claim 14, wherein the control signal is the lights-on signal.

16. The trailer of claim 14, further including an electrical power supply for said pickup.

17. A method for carrying highway markers on a wheeled vehicle, the highway markers having a width in each of two dimensions that are horizontal and a height third dimension as seen when the highway markers are in a normal position on the highway, said method being performed by machine and comprising the steps of:

confining the highway markers in a plurality of substantially parallel and substantially linear arrays against movement in one of the two dimensions and the third dimension, while allowing sliding movement along the other of the two dimensions within at least a range of linear length of each array; and

rotating all of the arrays as a unit about a generally horizontal axis that is substantially parallel to the other of the two dimensions and generally perpendicular to the third dimension.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said confining maintains each of the arrays equidistant from immediately adjacent arrays and all of the arrays equidistant from the generally horizontal axis.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

providing a transfer station on the wheeled vehicle adjacent to and aligned with one of the arrays; and

sliding an immediately adjacent highway marker between the aligned one of the arrays and the transfer station.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said providing aligns the transfer station with the one of the arrays so tat the third dimension of the highway markers of the one of the arrays is vertical.

21. A method of exchanging highway markers between storage on a trailer and support on a highway, the trader being under control of a driver of a towing vehicle, said method being performed by machine and comprising the steps of:

transferring a highway marker between a position inboard of the trailer and a position outward of the trailer on a side of the trailer opposite a side where the driver is normally located;

recording the environment of the highway adjacent to the position outward of the trailer as a video stream by a camera carried by the trailer;

wirelessly transmitting the video stream in real time to a receiver carried by the tow vehicle; and

displaying the video stream on a monitor where the driver is normally located.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

powering the monitor from an outlet located where the driver is normally located.

23. A method of retrieving highway markers from a knocked down horizontal position on a highway and moving it to storage on a vehicle, said method being performed by machine and comprising the steps of:

in response to a control signal generated by the driver, after the driver has maneuvered the vehicle so that a generally horizontal cantilevered member is inserted within a highway marker that is freely supported horizontally on the highway as the vehicle is moved, performing the step of moving the cantilevered member and highway marker thereon to a generally upward orientation;

thereafter generating an upward attraction force on a highway marker substantially greater than a weight of the highway marker, in response to activation;

transferring the highway marker, while the highway marker is held solely by the attraction force, from a position outboard of the vehicle above the highway to a position inboard of the vehicle; and

performing said step of transferring so as to move the highway marker from the cantilevered member to the position inboard.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

supporting the terminal end of the cantilevered member at a height above the highway that is independent of the height of the vehicle prior to said step of moving the cantilevered member, to thereby facilitate the insertion of the cantilevered member within the highway marker by the driver'"'"'s maneuvering.

25. A wheeled trailer for transporting highway markers and for exchanging the highway markers between storage on the trailer and support on a highway, said wheeled trailer comprising:

a main frame;

at least one wheel mounted for rotation on said main frame for engaging the highway and thereby supporting said main frame;

a storage mounted on the main frame and being configured for confining a plurality of the highway markers;

a tow hitch for towing attachment to a tow vehicle;

a transfer mechanism for movement of a pickup end between a first position inboard of said trailer and a second position outward of said trailer above the highway;

a pickup mounted on said pickup end of said transfer mechanism and being capable of holding the highway marker while said transfer mechanism moves said pickup end between said first and second positions;

a video camera positioned to record the environment of the highway adjacent to said pickup end at the second position outward of said trailer as a video; and

a wireless transmitter connected to receive and transmit the video stream in real time.

26. A wheeled vehicle for transporting highway markers and for exchanging the highway markers between storage on the vehicle and support on a highway, said wheeled vehicle comprising:

a main frame;

at least one wheel mounted for rotation on said main frame for engaging the highway and thereby supporting said main frame;

an attachment;

a coupling between said attachment and said main frame for temporarily attaching said attachment transversely outboard of said wheeled vehicle;

said attachment having a cantilevered member of a shape to be inserted within a highway marker and a highway engaging member engaging the highway at a location that is generally transversely aligned wit the terminal end of said cantilevered member;

a connection mounting the cantilevered member for movement between a generally forward facing and horizontal position to be inserted within a knocked down highway marker that is freely supported on the highway as the wheeled vehicle is moved forward and a generally vertical position holding an inserted highway marker in a normally upright position; and

a connection between said attachment highway engaging member and said cantilevered member fixing elevation of the terminal end of said cantilevered member above the adjacent highway, whereby the terminal end of the cantilevered member is at a height above the highway that is independent of the height of said frame, to thereby facilitate reliable insertion of the, cantilevered member within the highway marker by the driver'"'"'s maneuvering.

27. The wheeled vehicle of claim 26, further comprising:

a storage mounted on the main frame and being configured for confining a plurality of the highway markers;

a transfer mechanism for movement of a pickup end between a first position inboard of said trailer and a second position outward of said trailer above the highway to pickup the highway marker, when said transfer mechanism is in its second position and said cantilevered member is in the generally vertical position holding an inserted highway marker in a normally upright position; and

a pickup mounted on said pickup end of said transfer mechanism and being capable of holding the highway marker while said transfer mechanism moves said pickup end between said first and second positions.

28. The wheeled vehicle of claim 27, wherein:

said attachment highway engaging member is a wheel having a horizontal axis of rotation that is transversely aligned with the terminal end of said cantilevered member when said cantilevered member is in the generally forward facing and horizontal position;

said connection between said attachment highway engaging member and said cantilevered member is a fixed connection; and

said connection mounting said cantilevered member for movement is a horizontal axis pivotal connection.

29. The wheeled vehicle of claim 26, wherein:

said attachment highway engaging member is a wheel having a horizontal axis of rotation that is transversely aligned with the terminal end of said cantilevered member when said cantilevered member is in the generally forward facing and horizontal position;

said connection between said attachment highway engaging member and said cantilevered member is a fixed connection; and

said connection mounting said cantilevered member for movement is a horizontal axis pivotal connection.

30. The wheeled vehicle of claim 26, wherein:

said attachment further includes two forwardly extending arms that are spaced on respective sides of said cantilevered member;

said connection mounting the cantilevered member including a bearing providing pivotal connection of said cantilevered member relative to said arms at least between said horizontal position and said vertical position;

said arms having at least one support engaging the highway at a location forward of the terminal end of said cantilevered member to support the terminal ends of said arms at a highway elevation that is about one-half the corresponding width of a highway marker and that is independent of both the elevation of said main frame and the elevation of said cantilevered member; and

the terminal ends of said arms are spaced apart a distance substantially greater than a corresponding width of the highway markers.

31. The wheeled vehicle of claim 30, further including:

a storage mounted on the main frame and being configured for confining a plurality of the highway markers;

a transfer mechanism for movement of a pickup end between a first position inboard of said trailer and a second position outward of said trailer above the highway to pickup the highway marker, when said transfer mechanism is in its second position and cantilevered member is in the generally vertical position holding an inserted highway marker in a normally upright position;

a pickup mounted on said pickup end of said transfer mechanism and being capable of holding the highway marker while said transfer mechanism moves said pickup end between said first and second positions;

said attachment highway engaging member being a wheel having a horizontal axis of rotation that is transversely aligned with the terminal end of said cantilevered member when said cantilevered member is in the generally forward facing, horizontal position;

said connection between said attachment highway engaging member and said cantilevered member being a fixed connection; and

said support for said arms being at least one wheel.