US3086431A

US3086431A - Machine for forming highway markers in situ

Info

Publication number: US3086431A
Application number: US862154A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Charles I Perry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-12-28
Filing date: 1959-12-28
Publication date: 1963-04-23
Anticipated expiration: 1980-04-23
Also published as: CH426962A

Description

April 23, 1963 c. 1. PERRY, JR

MACHINE FOR FORMING HIGHWAY MARKERS IN SITU Filed Dec. 28, 1959 INVENTOR. 61 /4194 5 f. PBPPK/Q United States Patent 3,086,431 MACHINE FOR FORMING HIGHWAY MARKERS IN SITU Charles I. Perry, Jr., 115 New Montgomery St., San Francisco, Calif. Filed Dec. 28, 1959, Ser. No. 862,154 2 Claims. (CI. 94-39) My invention is especially concerned with a device for furnishing highway markers such as lane bottons or delineators on the surface of a highway to show margins or boundaries or other specific localities.

At present it is customary to afford a large number of indicating marks on highway surfaces usually by providing a paint stripe or the like. In some instances, particularly in towns, it is customary to mark the boundaries of pedestrain lanes or vehicular traflic lanes by means of prefabricated discs or plates which are put on or in the material of the pavement and are held in place either by fastenings such as lag bolts or by adhesives or the like. There are some advantages but a number of difficulties attendant upon each of the various presently known ways of marking highways and roadways.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a machine for affixing and providing highway markers by forming such markers in place or in situ on the highway, thus dispensing with the need for any special adhesive or fastening means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for forming highway marking buttons in situ so that it is not necessary to preform the markers, to maintain stocks thereof, to haul them from place to place, to deal with or account for surplus markers or to provide prealignment and locating maneuvers.

Another object the invention is in general to provide a machine which will mark a highway in a permanent fashion, i.e. with a raised marker readily visible and which can be accomplished for virtually any linear dimension and in any location within a relatively short time.

Another object of the invention is in general to provide an improved machine for forming highway markers in situ.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine which is virtually automatic in its operation and can maneuver continuously to provide appropriate highway markers in situ.

While the machine of the invention can be embodied in a widely variant number of forms, depending on surrounding circumstances, it can easily be incorporated in the form described in the accompanying description and shown in the accompanying drawings. In this showing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of one form of machine pursuant to the invention, certain portions being broken away to disclose the interior construction and most of the showing being diagrammatic;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged detail on a longitudinal section through a marker form incorporated in the marker form wheel disclosed in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation with a portion of the machine frame broken away of a modified form of marker mold arrangement.

In its preferred form the machine is designed for use on a highway, the upper surface of which is indicated as a straight line 6 and which is the customary highway surface either of macadarn, concrete, asphalt or comparable pavement. The machine includes a frame 7 mounted on pneumatically tired wheels 8 and 9 and having any sort of towing device 11 so that the wheeled frame can be advanced over the surface of the highway 6, preferably in a course stradding the desired position for the markers.

The frame 7 preferably includes a pair of parellel side rails 12 and 13, the near one of which is broken away to disclose the mounting of same of the machine elements. The frame is intended to be advanced in the direction of the arrow 14 in FIGURE 1 so that the wheels 8 are the front wheels.

Mounted on the frame 7 in the forward portion thereof is a mechanism for preparing the surface of the highway or roadway 6. This mechanism incorporates primarily a brush 16, conveniently a rotatable brush having an axle 17 from which a number of radial bristles project. The axle 17 is mounted in swing arms 18 connected by a pivot means 19 to the frame 7. A chain 21 interconnects the axle 17 of the bristle brush with a driving motor 22 mounted on the frame.

When the arms are swung downwardly, as shown in FIGURE 1, the bristles of the brush 16 contact the surface of the pavement and when the motor 22 is energized, the bristles revolve, thereby cleaning the surface and even abrading some superficial portions thereof, if necessary, to afford a clean, receptive area for a marker. When the arms 18 are swung upwardly from the position shown in the figure, the brush 16 is lifted from the surface and is no longer effective thereon. Preferably, the arms 18 are raised and lowered periodically during the advance of the frame 7 so the successive set locations or sites are prepared in series for the subsequent reception of markers.

Because the brush 116 does not always dispose of all of the material dislodged by it and in order to insure that the receiving surface is quite clean, there is mounted on the frame 7 behind the brush 16 an air blast mechanism including an air blower 26 suitably driven by a rotating means (not shown) and discharging atmospheric air through a duct 27 toward the surface of the highway 6 in order to blow away any loose material from the sites or positions being prepared.

On the frame 7 behind the blower mechanism 26 there is mounted a hopper 28 of a size and shape to contain a relatively large mass of material suitable for forming markers in situ on the surface of the highway. While there is a wide variation in acceptable material, those preferred at the present time include plastics, that is to say, materials which are freely flowable so that they can be easily charged into the hopper 28 and can readily be discharged therefrom. Suitable materials are those which will harden or set within a relatively short time after being released from the hopper 28. Some of the currently available epoxy resins are considered especially suitable for this purpose, particularly those which are either very light in color or have light-colored pigments or reflecting materials incorporated therewith.

The hopper 28 is in communication with a pump 29 mounted at the lower portion of the hopper on the frame 7. Material passing through the pump discharges through a duct .31 depending from the pump to a location im mediately above the surface of the pavement 6. Preferably, the pump 29 is a metering device and can be operated so as to dispense from the hopper 28 a measured or metered or predetermined amount of plastic material, discharging such material through the duct 31 in a discrete mass 32 onto the previously prepared site or set position on the surface of the pavementfi.

While the mass 32 is discrete in that it touches nothing other than the subjacent pavement and is deposited in a predetermined amount or volume, it has no particular, fixed outline or configuration. It may, however, have an approximately circular shape in plan when deposited and have a slump approximately as shown in the figure. Conveniently, the metering pump 29 is operated intermittently so that as the frame 7 advances, the pump is effective to discharge discrete masses 32 in spaced loca- :-form of the finished marker.

7 there is located a molding structure 36. While this can take any one of several forms, in FIGURE 1 it is disclosed as a wheel 37 mounted on an axle 38 journalled 'in the side beams 12 and 13'of the frame. The wheel 37 is of a diameter so that it contacts the surface of the highway- 6. 'In fact, the wheel can be somewhat yieldable or resilient on its periphery and in its mounting so that it is pressed rather firmly into-contact with and is slightly flattened in contact with the highway.

Arranged around the periphery of the wheel 37 is a plurality of individual molds 39. These can be of any one of a number of different shapes but conveniently take the form substantially as shown in FIGURE 2 of relatively flat discs. Each of the molds 39, for example, hasa circular wall 40 which is tapered inwardly and upwardly to afford draft. The mold is provided, if desired, with a central protuberance to establish a central depression in the resulting marker. The mold also, in most cases, is not completely closed but preferably has a central'upwardly extending duct 42 communicating with the .interior of the. mold andleading to a discharge opening 43 in the: center of the wheel 37.

The arrangem'entof the molds 39 around the periphery of the wheel-37' is such that their spacing is appropriate to the distance apart of the previously prepared roadway FIGURE 2, the somewhat plastic mass, although partially set when deposited, is shaped by the engagement of the rolling mold in contact with it to take on the substantial Any excess material is extruded orsqueezed upwardly through the duct 42 from ,which it eventually discharges as waste or for reuse. The

duct 42 also permits the easy exhaust or any air which might otherwise be entrapped inthe mold.

The speed of advance of the frame .7 is such that the molding wheel 37 'co'mes'into contact with the previously deposited plastic masses and holds and molds and shapes them for a 'sufiicient time so that as the wheel continues to advance and rolls'off of the mold, a clean separation is made. Any-v extrusion 'into the duct '42 is brokenoif ad- 'jacent the surface of the projection 41. 'The marker 44, sosdeposited, has approximately the solid shape illustrated inFIGURE'2 and is "firmly adhered to the surface of 'the 'subjac'ent highway, having been formed in the de- "sired location and, since -itis an adhesive plastic, bonding immediately tothe supporting, subjacent surface.

If necessary, various of the surfaces of the molding wheel 37'areapproximately coated'with parting material so that there is no substantial adherence between the deposited marker and the wheel or mold itself. As the frame advances, it leaves behind the molding wheel 37 a shaped marker, such as 44, from which any protruding or improperly extending excess material can be quickly removed by hand.

After themolds leave the surface of the highway and as they ascend toward the upper portion of the wheel, they are'washed out and cleaned by water contained in a tank 46 supported on the frame 7 and discharging through a nozzle 47 into the molds passing therebeneath. The

.water spray not only washes the molds but the drainage therefrom travels downwardly through the duct 42 into the discharge opening 43 to a convenient site for disposal.

If desired, a drive chain 48 can be connected between setting so that time is conserved. For that reason, a

heater 5 1 is mounted on the frame 7 behind the mold wheel. The heater is usually an oil fired burner supplied with air under forced draft from a blower 52 and includes a housing 53 to direct the products of combustion and the radiant heat downwardly onto the previously deposited markers 44. In the usual case, by the time the frame 7 has advanced far enough so that the heater 51 has passed over the previously deposited markers, the markers are sulficiently firm and set so that they can very shortly withstand traffic on the highway 6.

With this machine as described, the operator need only keep the machine supplied and maneuver it in the general direction desired and in the proper location desired. Trailing the machine is a succession of markers 44 which have been initially formed exactly in place with a good adhesion to the supporting surface, and have been properly formed and are hardened or cured or set so that they can withstand the normally expected trafiic. The markers stick up from the surface of the highway for additional visibility and for impact purposes, are accurately spaced apart, are disposed in a continuous line or curve and are formed inexpensively and economically of labor.

, In some instances, it is desired to replace the form wheel 37 with a form chain as shown in FIGURE 3. In this instance, the structure is the same as shown in FIG- URE 1 except that the wheel 37 is omitted and there is produced a pair of

drums

56 and 57 mounted on two axles 58 and 59 on the frame 7. Around the drums between the side rails 'of the frame is trained a chain or belt 61 having thereon a plurality of molds 62. These are preferably of substantially the same configuration and shape as the molds shown in FIGURE 2 and can also have one or more of the vent ducts 42, included therein. As the frame advances, the belt or chain 61 is similarly advanced. A number of the molds 62 thereon are simultaneously in immediate contact with the pavement. These chainor belt molds are in contact with the plastic material for a relatively long time and easily'aiford a more thorough setting of the plastic before the mold is dis- Qtherwise, the operation of the FIGURE 3 device is substantially the same as that of FIGURE 2. In both instances there is provided an improved machine for forming highway markers in 'situ.

What is claimed is: I I l. A machine for forming a'marker on a highway com- "prising a wheeled frame adapted to be advanced on the surface of said highway, means on said frame for first depositing on said highway surface as'said frame adva n'c'es' thereover a succession of spaced deposits of measured quantities of plastic material, a mold, means on said frame for then lowering said mold into and raising said mold out of momentarily stationary molding engagement with said deposits on said highway during and in synchronisrn with the advance of said frame on said highway.

2. A machine for forming a marker on'a highway comprising a frame adapted to be advanced over the high- 'way in a predetermined direction, means on said frame for holding plastic material, means for depositing discrete :meas ured' quantities of said plastic material from said holding means onto said highway beneath the forward portion of said frame, means for actuating said depositing means intimedsequence during the advance of said frame to deposit said discrete measured quantities of plastic on said highway in spaced apart discrete bodies, a plurality of molds, means for mounting said molds on said frame behind said depositing means, and means for moving said molds intimed relationship with said actuating means first in a lowering direction into a position momentarily stationary relative to said highway and in molding engagement with respective ones of said spaced apart discrete References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Smales July 2, 1907 Kloepping June 13, 1922 6 Thomson Mar. 18, 1930 Kremmling et al July 23, 1940 Teichmann June 12, 1951 Peebles Sept. 18, 1956 Massey Nov. 19, 1957 Mazzocco June 10, 1958 Woellwarth June 14, 1960

Claims

1. A MACHINE FOR FORMING A MARKER ON A HIGHWAY COMPRISING A WHEELED FRAME ADAPTED TO BE ADVANCED ON THE SURFACE OF SAID HIGHWAY, MEANS ON SAID FRAME FOR FIRST DEPOSITING ON SAID HIGHWAY SURFACE AS SAID FRAME ADVANCES THEREOVER A SUCCESSION OF SPACED DEPOSITS OF MEASURED QUANTITIES OF PLASTIC MATERIAL, A MOLD, MEANS ON SAID FRAME FOR THEN LOWERING SAID MOLD INTO AND RAISING SAID MOLD OUT OF MOMENTARILY STATIONARY MOLDING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID DEPOSITS ON SAID HIGHWAY DURING AND IN SYNCHRONISM WITH THE ADVANCE OF SAID FRAME ON SAID HIGHWAY.