GB2183276A

GB2183276A - Road marking

Info

Publication number: GB2183276A
Application number: GB08623979A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Frank Myers
Original assignee: APH Road Safety Ltd
Current assignee: APH Road Safety Ltd
Priority date: 1985-10-04
Filing date: 1986-10-06
Publication date: 1987-06-03
Also published as: GB2183276B; GB8623979D0

Abstract

A device for delineating a road surface comprises a marker member (6) which in use is placed on a road surface, the marker member being provided on one side or on opposite sides thereof with a light reflective coating in a form of a strip or line provided on a side edge portion (12, 13) of the marker member (6). The marker member (6) may be a base member on which a display portion (10) of a bollard may be mounted by a mounting aperture (8), or alternatively may be devoid of such a mounting facility. A number of such marker members (6) may be positioned in close proximity in an array whereby the lines on the marker members will afford a generally continuous reflective line. One such array may comprise marker members without mountings (8) for display portions, with base members (6), on which display portions (10) may be mounted, interposed in the array. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Road Marking This invention is concerned with improvements rel'ating.to transportabrfe road markers, particularly of the kind ('hereinafter referred to as being ofthe kind specified) as are used ford'elineafin"g lanes of a carriagewaywhen for example it is flecessaryto restrict and/or control traffisflow along the lanes, such as when nearby repairworkand/ora diversion is in progress.

Conventionally when it is desired to close a lane of a motorway or dual carriageway, traffic cones are used in conjunction with a white line applied to the road surface, usually as a continuation to the permanent marking, the line providing the primary demarcation and the line of road cones providing the secondary line of demarcation.

Difficulty is encountered in painting particularly temporarywhitelineson road surfaces, in as much as in general it involves the use ofcubersome and slow moving machinery, requires extensive preparation of the road surface (such as ensuring thatthe surface is dry, clean and o il-free) and requires to be removed before the road is reopened for normal use. Additionally it is not possible to apply such coating to a wet road surface, and the material is expensive to use.

According to this invention, there is provided a device for delineating a road surface, comprising a marker memberwhich, in use, is placed on the road surface, the marker member being provided on one side thereof with a light-reflective coating.

For a convenient delineation, the coating will be white, and desirably be in the form of a strip or line provided along one side edge portion ofthe marker member. Advantageously the marker member is constructed and arranged such that a number of such marker members may be positioned in close proximity in an array (e.g. a linear abutting array) wherebythe lines on the marker members will afford a generally continuous reflective line. Thus advantageouslythe marker members are generally rectangular in plan, for example generally square, being provided with the light reflective coating on one vertical edgeandloran adjacent horizontal or substantially horizontally-extending surface.

If convenient, such marker members may be elongate, having lengths in the direction of extension ofthe white lines greater than their widths.

In addition, since the line is above the road surface, it is visually more obvious and is less likelyto be obscured such as by surface rain.

Preferably the reflective marking isprovided on a chamfered surface ofthe marker'member.

Advantageously the marker member is provided with a line of light reflective coating on-two opposite side edge portions, whereby'an array of marker mem hers may be utilised as a central delineation between two lnes oftraffic, providing white lines adj'acent to each lane oftraffic.

The marker member may comprise a base member of a road marker e.g. of a road bollard, the base member having means to enable a display memberto be mounted thereon, in which case the invention is particularly useful where the display memberis in the form of a generally flat member, which may be triangular, rectangular, circular or any desired shape, and/or providing a flashing light unit, adapted to be fitted into the base member. Preferably the means by which the display portion may be mounted on the base member is constructed and arranged such that the display portion lies in a plane extending diagonally oftherectangularbase. lnthismanner,whenthe device is used for central delineation,the display part will be directed face on to both lanes oftraffic.

Alternativelythe marker member may be devoid of means to enable a display memberto be mounted thereon.

The invention also provides an array (e.g. a linearly abutting array) of such marker members devoid of such mounting means,the array having interposed therein one or more marker members having such mounting means, enabling display members to be positioned at intervals along the array.

According to th is invention there is also provided a method of delineating a road working, involving the use ofmarkermembers provided on at least one side thereof with a reflective white line whereby when the marker members are placed on the road surface in generally abutting relationship, a substantially continuous white line is provided on the traffic side of the marker members.

According to this invention there is also provided a method of providing a white lineforthetemporary delineation of a road working, in which the line is provided on or by the base members of the traffic bollardswhich are also used to delineate the road working.

There will now be given a detailed description, to be read witch reference to the accompanying drawings, of preferred embodiments of this invention which have been selected forthe purpose of illustrating the invention bywayofexample.

In the accompanying drawings: FIGURE lisa schematic perspective view showing the present invention in use; and FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of a base member which is also a embodiment ofthis invention.

The present invention is specificallyforuse in the delineation of a road working, involving the use of bollards and/or other road markers.

In Figure 1, road bollards are shown comprising base members 6 and display members having display portions 10 extending upwardly from the base members. In the illustrated embodiment, the base mem bersaregenerallyrectangularin plan, being in particular mou Ided from reconstituted rubber.

Each base member6 is provided with a central aperture 8 providing mounting means by which a generallyflattriangulardisplayportion 10 may be secured thereto.

In the illustrated embodiment each base member 6 is capable of serving as a marker by virtue of being provided adjacent to opposite side edge portions thereof, with a marking in the form of a coating of a white reflective material, the coating being provided on a shallow vertical face 12 and an adjacent chamfered face 13. Thus when an array of such base/marker members are placed in abutting rela tionship, e.g. in a linear array as is shown in Figure 1, a visually continuous white line is presented to the oncoming traffic to provide the line of primary demarcation. If as is shown in the illustrated embodimentthis is used in conjunction with display portions which are arranged to lie generally diagonally of the base member, a row oftriangles 10, conventionally of red and white reflective material, is simultaneouslly provided as the line of secondary demarcation.

By the provision of coatings on the surfaces 12 and 13 onthetwo opposite sides ofthe base member(but specifically,not on the two other sides) a convenient means is provided of providing primary and secondary demarcation when the illustrated embodiment is erected centrally between lines of traffic flowing in opposite directions.

The use ofthe base members to provide a temporarty white line on a road does not necessitate simultaneous usage of display members mounted on the base members, and the base members alone may be utilised to provide such a white line. Where use of display members is not required, alternative marker members similarto the aforesaid base members but devoid of means to enable a display memberto be mounted thereon, may be utilised.

Such alternative marker members may be utilised in a linear abutting array to provide a continuous white line, such an array of alternative marker members if desired having interposed therein base members such as the base members 6, enabling display membersto be positioned at intervals along the army.

In addition, whilstthe base members 6 are generally square in plan, if convenient such base members or such alternative marker members may be elongate, having lengths in the direction of extension ofthe white line, greater than their widths.

It is to be appreciated that the term "white" is used herein ina a generalised sense, so as to include not only the colour white itseif, but also any other suitably conspicuous colour or hue.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, orthefollowing claims, orthe accompanying drawings, expressed in their specificforms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, or a class orgroup of substances or compositions, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realisingthe invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A device for delineating a road surface, comprising a marker memberwhich, in use, is placed on the road surface, the marker member being provided on one sidethereofwith a light reflective coating.

2. A device according to Claim 1 wherein the coating is white.

3. A device according to Claim 1 Claim 2 wherein the coating is in theform of a strip or line provided along one side edge portion ofthe marker member.

4. Adeviceaccordingto Claim 3whereinthe marker member is constructed and arranged such that a number of such marker members may be positioned in close proximity in an array (e.g. a linear abutting array) wherebythe lines on the marker members will afford a generally continuous reflective line.

5. Adevice according to Claim 4 wherein the marker members are generally rectangular in plan, being provided with the light reflective coating on one virtical edge and/or on an adjacent horizontal or substantially horizontally-extending surface.

6. A device according to Claim 5 which is generally square in plan.

7. A device according to Claim 5 wherein the marker member is elongate, having a length in the direction of extension ofthe white line, greaterthan its width.

8. A device according to anyone of Claims 3 to 7 wherein the marker member is provided with a line of light reflective coating on two opposite side edge portions.

9. A device according to any one ofthe preceding claimswherein the reflective marking is provided on a chamfered surface of the marker member.

10. Adeviceaccordingto anyoneofthe preceding claims wherein the marker member comprises a base member of a road marker, the base member having means to enable a display memberto be mounted thereon.

11. Adevice according to any one of Claims 1 to 9 wherein the marker member is devoid of means to enable a display memberto be mounted thereon.

12. A device according to Claim 10 wherein the display member is in the form of a generally flat member, which may be triangular, rectangular, circu laroranydesired shaped, and/or providing a flashing light unit, adapted to befitted into the base member.

13. Adevice according to Claim 10 orClaim 12 wherein the means by which a display portion may be mounted on the base member is constructed and arranged such that the display portion lies in a plane extending diagonally ofthe rectangular base.

14. An array comprising a plurality of devices in accordance with Claim 11, having interposed therein one or more devices in accordance with Claim 10.

15. A method of delineating a road working, involving the use of marker members provided on at least one side thereof with a reflective white line whereby when the marker members are placed on the road surface in generally abutting relation, a substantially continuous white line is provided on the traffic side ofthe marker members.

16. A method of providing a white line for the temporary lineation of a road working, in which the line is provided on or by the base members ofthe traffic bollards which are also used to deliniate the road working.

17. A device for delineating a road surface substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

18. An array substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

19. A method of delineating a road working, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

20. A method of providing a white line for the temporary delineation of a road working, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

21. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or illustrated in the accompanyingdravwngs.