US2898825A - Marking stripe and method of applying same - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 11, 1959 J. H. WALKER ET AL 2,898,825

MARKING STRIPE AND METHOD OF APPLYING SAME Filed June 20, 1955 [Him HUEBNER,BEEHLER! WORRE L d HERZIG,

ATTORNEYS- United States Patent Q MARKING STRIPE AND METHOD OF APPLYING SAME James H. Walker, 'Los Angeles, Scott W. Carr, Whittier, and Charles H. Horn, Riverside, Califl, assignors to Limark Corporation, a corporation of California Application June 20, 1955, Serial No. 516,728

'5 Claims. (Cl. 94-15) The present invention relates to marking stripes and method for the application of stripes of tape to relatively flat surfaces, and particularly to paved surfaces for the purpose of marking off lanes and areas.

The conventional painted stripes on streets and highways are disadvantageous in that it takes an appreciable amount of time for them to dry after they are painted on and they frequently become smeared before they have a chance to dry. To avoid this, the freshly painted streets and highways must be roped off to detour traffic. Freshly laid blacktop streets or roads cannot be striped with paint because the fresh paint is discolored by oils from the asphalt of the black top composition. Also, painted stripes have relatively poor wearing qualities. They are worn off in a relatively short time by trafiic and quickly become faint and indistinguishable. Furthermore, the components of paint are affected by weather conditions such as sunlight, rain, ice and snow, and in a relatively short time the painted stripes check, crack and peel from the paved surfaces. Painted stripes also are susceptible to the deteriorating action of oils, especially modern detergent oils, salt, and abrasive materials that are applied to pavements to reduce the dangers of snow and ice on winter pavements.

Stripes of tape, on the other hand, can belaid on fresh black top, are durable to wear and action by weather conditions, and oils or chemicals, but pose a problem of tape application. The tape application method and apparatus must be efficient, and the tape should be securely attached to the smooth surface for immediate service.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a method for the efficient application to surfaces of stripes of tape which are not readily deteriorated by chemical action, weather, or abrasive effects.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method for the application of stripes of tape to pavements such as those of highways, streets, tennis courts, parking lots, factory interiors, and the like.

A further object is to provide a method for efficiently applying an opaque tape stripe to a paved surface by the use of adhesive material and a roller which is protected from adhesive material squeezed out from beneath the opaque tape by transparent tape applied between the opaque tape and the roller surface to cover the squeezed out adhesive material.

A still further object of this invention is to provide-a new and improved marking stripe which is readily and quickly applicable on a paved surface, is durable to wear, resistant to action by weather conditions, oils or chemicals, and is securely attached to the surface for immediate service.

,7 Additional objects will become apparent from the following description.

ice

Broadly stated, apparatus for carrying out the method of the invention may comprise a moveable frame :carrying adhesive material application means, roller means for applying tape stripe material to the surface, andtape feeding means or such means may optionally comprise separate hand tools, if desired. The adhesive material application means is adapted for continuously applying a stripe of adhesive material to a surface. The roller means is adapted for rolling the tape onto a stripe of adhesive material previously applied to the surface and the tape feeding means is adapted for continuously feeding tape around the roller means for application to the adhesive stripe. The method of invention comprises continuously applying a stripe of adhesive material to a surface, continuously applying opaque tape onto the adhesive stripe thus applied, and continuously applying transparent tape of somewhat greater width than the opaque tape over the freshly applied opaque tape and adhesive material squeezed out from beneath the opaque tape and beyond the edges thereof.

A more detailed description of a specific embodiment of :the invention is given with reference to the drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view showing the relationship between applied adhesive material, opaque tape and transparent tape;

Figure 2 is a schematic view illustrating the method of applying a stripe to a surface in accordance with this invention; 1

Figure 3 is an end view, in elevation, of adhesive material application means illustrated in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an end view of roller means of Figure 2, with parts broken away for greater clarity;

Figure 5 is an end view showing the relationship between applied adhesive material, opaque tape and transparent tape; and

Figure 6 is an end View, similar to Figure 5, showing the relationship thereof in its finished condition.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a specific method of applying a marking stripe to a relatively fiat surface or pavement 35 is illustrated. Thepresent method does not depend on any particular machine, being capable of being performed with separate hand tools. Means for performing discrete steps of the process which may be conveniently arranged to form a continuously operating machine, are therefore schematically represented for illustration purposes only and do not form a part of the invention, per se.

To prepare a surface 35 for application of the marking stripe of the instant invention, heated air and/or exhaust gas, from a gasoline engine (not shown) is discharged into a flue gas pipe 37. The hot exhaust gases and optionally additional ihot flue gases are mixed in flue: gas .pipe 37 and are directed against the surface 35 on'which a stripe is to be applied.

A control valve 43 may be conveniently used ftoicontrol a supply of gas as through a line 46 leading to an additional source of heat such as a torch 47 directed downward againstthesurface area 35 in front of a rotary brush 29. The heat of torch 47 and hotgasesfrompipe 67 are preferably shielded to direct and concentrate the heat against the surfacearea 35. g I r 4 A continuous length of opaque tape .52 is wound in-the form of 3.1011 48, which is unrolled .as the .tape 52 is pulled from .the roll 48. .A length .of transparent tapef55 is conveniently wound Iin'the form of aroll 54. The tape 55 is of somewhat greater width than the opaque tape '52, as shown in Figures 1 and 3-6. Transparent tape'SS is unwound from roll 54 Whilelthe spool turns inaclook- AaA/ n g 3 wise direction, as described in connection with spool 48.

A roller 56 is rotatably mounted as on a shaft 58 of a machine or hand tool. The roller 56 is preferably surfaced with a cylinder 59 of resilient material, such as rubber or similar material.

A suitable cement composition 30 is applied to the surface 35 prior toapplication of the tapes 52 and 55. One that has been used in practice is made up of one part polyisobutylene and four parts steam blown asphalt. Other adhesive materials can, however, be used satisfactorily.

In accordance with this invention, the adhesive mixture 30 is pre-heated to a desired temperature and fluidity by means (not shown) prior to application on the surface 35. After the adhesive mixture is properly liquified, a valve as illustrated at 79 is opened, so that the adhesive mixture 30 discharges through line 82 and nozzle 83 onto a surface indicated at 35. At the same time, hot gases as from an engine (not shown) and other hot fiue gases as from a burner (not shown) are discharged to the surface 35 through the exhaust pipe 37. Additional heat is preferably supplied to the surface 35 by means of the torch 47, fired by liquified gas, as previously described.

As the adhesive mixture 30 strikes the paved surface 35, a rotating brush 2) is preferably used to evenly distribute the adhesive mixture over the paved surface as between a pair of splash plates 84, illustrated in broken lines, to form a continuous stripe of adhesive material in front of roller 56. The width of the applied stripe of adhesive material is determined by the distance between adjustably mounted splash plates 84 in the event such plates are used. The roller 56 is brought above the resulting adhesive stripe. Opaque tape 52 and transparent tape 55 are partially unrolled and strips thereof are brought into superimposed relationship with respect to each other so that the opaque tape 52 is on top of the transparent tape 55 and equally spaced from both sides of the transparent tape. The resulting strip of double tape is fed over the surface of roller cylinder 59. The strip of double tape is forced by the roller 56 onto the continuously produced adhesive stripe 30 with the opaque tape 52 in contact with the adhesive material 30 and the transparent tape 55 overlying the opaque tape 52. The opaque tape 52 adheres to the adhesive cement stripe 30.

Some of the adhesive material 30 is forced out from beneath the opaque tape 52 and beyond the edges thereof by pressure applied to the roller 56. The transparent tape 55 is made of greater width than opaque tape 52, and covers the adhesive material 30 forced to the sides of the applied opaque tape stripe as it is forced from beneath the opaque tape. The greater width of the transparent tape 55 thus protects roller 56 from the adhesive cement. In this manner the roller 56 does not pick up any of the cement 30 and does not, therefore, become covered with sticky material and adhering dirt and debris. At the same time, the transparent tape 55 is cemented at its sides to the adhesive material 30 squeezed out from beneath the applied opaque tape 52.

The net result of this operation is that a neat stripe of opaque tape 52 is continuously laid down over the adhesive stripe 30 and a protective transparent strip of tape 55 is continuously attached or cemented at its overlapping edges to the pavement surface 35 above the opaque tape 52 by cement forced to the sides of the opaque tape. The transparent tape 55 gives effective temporary protection to the opaque tape 52 from traflic wear and tear during the period of time in which the adhesive material 30 is cooling and setting. The transparent tape 55 also prevents the adhesive material that has been squeezed beyond the edges of the opaque tape from being smeared over the exposed surface of the applied opaque tape 52 stripe by the action of passing traflic, causing defacement of the stripe similar to that which often occurs in the case of freshly applied painted stripes.

to one skilled in the art.

.4 cause the transparent tape to shrink and rupture. During this process, the transparent tape 55 becomes detached from above the opaque tape 52. In a relatively short time, usually after several days, weathering and wear of the tape will cause complete detachment of the transparent tape 55, and the opaque tape 52 will remain as a permanent marking strip securely attached to the pavement or smooth surface 35. The effectiveness of the opaque tape as a permanent trafiic marker, or other marker, is not in the least impaired by the temporary use of the transparent tape as a shield.

Opaque tapes of a wide variety of materials and of different colors can be used. Thus the opaque tape can be made of a wide variety of synthetic plastic materials, fabrics of natural or man-made fibers or threads such as synthetic fibers, glass, asbestos, metals, and the like. An opaque tape that has given satisfactory results in practice is made up of two parts polyvinyl chloride resin, one part plasticiser consisting of diisooctyl phthalate, and one part of a suitable pulverized filler, such as clay. The plasticiser serves the purpose of resisting weathering due to sunlight, and extremes of temperature and moisture. The plasticiser used in the mixture has been found not to migrate under extreme variations in weather conditions. The transparent tape can be made of any relatively inexpensive transparent material such as regenerated cellulose or cellophane, polyethylene, and similar materials.

After a strip of tape of desired length has been applied, the superimposed tape is conveniently cut by means not shown.

The foregoing description is primarily for explanatory purposes, and is given to illustrate a specific embodiment of the invention. It is understood that many variations in the structure, design and arrangement of the various elements of the stripe application apparatus will occur Accordingly, it is understood that such changes and modifications of the invention illustrated and described above may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for applying a marking stripe to a surface, comprising: continuously applying to said surface a stripe of settable plastic adhesive material, said material being flowable under pressure at the time of its application; continuously superimposing an opaque tape of uniform width and a transparent tape Wider than said opaque tape with both edges of said transparent tape extending substantially beyond the edges of said opaque tape; and pressing the superimposed tapes upon said stripe of adhesive material with the opaque tape lowermost, said stripe of adhesive material being of sufficient width and thickness that the entire surface of said opaque tape is secured to said first surface and said transparent tape is temporarily secured over said opaque tape by adhesive material squeezed from beneath said opaque tape.

2. A method for applying a marking stripe to a paved surface, comprising: continuously applying to said surface a stripe of settable plastic adhesive material of uniform width, said material being flowable under pressure at the time of its application; continuously superimposing an opaque tape of approximately the same width as said adhesive stripe and a transparent tape wider than said opaque tape with both edges of said transparent tape extending substantially beyond the edges of said opaque tape; and pressing the superimposed tapes upon said stripe of adhesive material with said opaque tape lowermost, said stripe of adhesive material being of sufiicient width and thickness that the entire lower surface of said opaque tape is secured to said paved surface and said transparent tape is temporarily secured over said opaque tape by adhesive material squeezed from beneath said opaque tape.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein said adhesive ma- Moistureand condensation, such as rain, snow and dew terial is a molten thermoplastic adhesive.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein said paved surface is heated prior to application of said molten thermoplastic adhesive material thereto.

5. A marking stripe applied to a paved surface, comprising: an elongated, traflic-resistant opaque tape of uniform width; a settable adhesive stripe Wider than said opaque tape securing the entire lower surface of said opaque tape to said paved surface; and a transparent tape wider than said opaque tape superimposed thereover and having its opposed edges secured by said adhesive to said paved surface outwardly of said opaque tape on both sides thereof, said transparent tape being destructible by traflic but adapted to temporarily protect said opaque tape from loosening and defacement until said adhesive is completely set.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bryan Aug. 11, 1931 Radzinsky Jan. 10, 1933 Moore Jan. 24, 1933 Hoyos Mar. 21, 1933 Stephens July 10, 1934 ONeal Mar. 5, 1940 Tuve Feb. 15, 1944 Farrell et al. Aug. 3, 1948 Ptasnik Nov. 8, 1949 Moyer Apr. 11, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 10, 1954

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