| 1. | Improvements in limit marking units of the kind comprising at least two holes (lh or 2f) for connecting and/or anchoring elements (5) serving for interconnecting units (1 and/or 2) or for anchoring a unit (1 or 2) to a base (6), and c h a r a c t e r i s e d by at least one reinforcement member (7) which extends from one hole (lh or 2f) for connecting and/or anchoring element to another and surrounds these holes (lh and 2f). |
| 2. | The improvements of claim 1 and c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the reinforcement member (7) is endless in shape. |
| 3. | The improvements of claim 1 or 2, where the limit marking unit has holes (lg or 2e) for receiving marking and/or limit indicating poles (3 and/or 4) and further c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the reinforcement member (7) surrounds the area containing these holes (lg or 2e). |
| 4. | The improvements of claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the reinforcement member (7) follows4 portions of the periphery of each hole (lh, 2f) for the connecting and/or anchoring members (5), extending in the peripheral portion or immediately adjacent the latter and extends past the hole or holes (lg, 2e) for the mark¬ ing and/or limit marking pole or poles (3, 4) in tangential relation to this hole or these holes (lg, 2e) or passing immediately adja¬ cent thereto. |
| 5. | The improvements of any preceding claim, where the limit marking unit (1, 2) is elongated in shape with a substantially uniformly high central portion (la, 2a) as seen in side view, and at least one end portion (lc, 2c) having a height which slopes downward away from the central portion (la, 2a) and has holes (lh, 2f) for said connecting and/or anchoring member (5), and further c h a r a c t e r i s e d n that, as seen in side view, the reinforcement member (7) extends substantially parallel with the top surface (lb, 2b) of the central portion (la, 2a) and deflects downward at the end portion (lc, 2c) with decreasing height, extending substantially parallel with the top surface (Id, 2d) of the end portion (lc, 2c) to the hole (lh, 2f) for the connecting and/or anchoring member (5).. |
| 6. | The improvements of claim 5, further c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that a part of the reinforcementmember portion extending in parallel with the top surface (lb) of the central portion (la) extends OMPI into α projecting end portion (le) of the traffic limit marking uni (1) which end portion (le) is provided with a hole (lh) for the connecting and/or anchoring member (5). |
| 7. | The improvements of claims 3 or 4 in which the holes (lh, 2f) for the connecting and/or anchoring members (5) extend completely through the traffic limit marking unit (1, 2) and the hole or holes (lg, 2e) for the marking and/or limitation poles (3, 4) extend com¬ pletely or substantially completely through the traffic limit marki unit (1, 2) further c h a r a*c t e r i s e d i n that, as seen in side view, the reinforcement member (7) passes by the holes ( h, 2f) for the connecting and/or anchoring members (5) at a point abou halfway between the end portions of the holes (lh, 2f) .and the hole (lg, 2e) for the marking and/or limitation poles (3, 4) in the vici nity of the upper end portions of these holes (lg, 2f). |
| 8. | The improvements of any preceding claim, where the traffic limi marking unit (l, 2) is elongated, further c h a r a c t e r i s e i n that said reinforcement member (7), as seen in a topplan view has two substantially parallel, longitudinally extending sides (7a( 7b). |
| 9. | The improvements of any preceding claim, in which at least one of the holes ( h or 2f) for the connection and/or anchoring member (5) and/or holes (lg or 2e) for marking and/or limit marking poles (3 and/or 4) are each provided with an eyelet, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that said eyelet is rigidly connected to the reinforce ment member (7). |
The present invention relates to improvements in limit marking units of the kind having holes for connecting and/or anchoring elements serving for interconnecting units or for anchoring a unit or units to a base.
For limit marking units of the kind referred to in the opening paragraph a simple construction together with a very good mechanical stregth is aimed at, both for the single unit and for a number of interconnected units. This has not in the past been attained to the required extent.
The object of the present invention was to eliminate this draw¬ back and to provide by simple means a simple and low-cost limit marking unit having a very good mechanical strength. This object, according to the invention, is mainly fulfilled by the improvement that each unit comprises at least one reinforcement member which ex¬ tends from one hole for a connecting and/or anchoring element to another and surrounds these holes.
Owing to its disposition, the reinforcement member constitutes a very forceful reinforcement for the separate unit, even if the latter in itself should consist of a comparatively fragile material. The reinforcement member, in addition, forms a link in a chain of interconnected links which can be anchored and which chain will form automatically upon interconnecting a plurality of units. After inter¬ connection, the units cannot get separated when subjected to normally occurring actions, and the units cannot either get tilted if subjec¬ ted to normally occurring strains, since they support each other in an advantageous way and, in addition, may be anchored to the base.
The invention and its advantages will be more closely described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 in a side-view illustrates a traffic limit marking unit according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the traffic limit marking unit; Fig. 3 is a front view of the traffic limit marking unit; Fig. 4 in a side view illustrates two different interconnected traffic limit marking units according to the invention; and
Fig. 5 illustrates a number of inventive traffic limit marking units interconnected into a limit marking barrier which is provided with marking and separation poles.
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The traffic limit marking units 1, 2 illustrated preferably con sist of a casting compound for instance of concrete material. The units 1, 2 are elongated in shape, for instance, and comprise, as seen in side view, a central portion la, 2a of uniform height and the top surface lb, 2b of which is substantially plane. The unit 1 has an end portion lc which is tapering in height in the direction away from the central portion, i.e. its top surface Id is sloping towards its outer end. The unit 1 has a second end portion le which at its top projects from the central portion la and forms a bottom face If to which another unit 1 can be connected with its top surfa Id. The unit 2-, on the contrary, has two uniform end portions 2c decreasing in height from the central portion 2a, i.e. their top surfaces 2d are sloping downward towards the end.
Each unit 1, 2 is provided with a plurality of holes for instan three through-hoLes or partially through-going holes lg, 2e for receiving marking poles 3, separating poles 4, a combination of such poles or poles (not shown) of any other type. The end portions lc, le and 2c are provided with through-holes lh, 2f for connecting and/or anchoring elements 5 for interconnecting units 1 and/or 2 and/or for anchoring units 1 and/or 2 to a base 6.
In order to provide an extremely simple reinforcement of each unit 1 and 2, which reinforcement enables protection of associated connecting and/or anchoring elements 5 and poles 3 and/or 4, and which reinforcement, in addition, enables the formation of a force- ful chain, the links of which are rigidly interconnected when units 1 and/or 2 are interconnected, at least one reinforcement member 7 is so shaped and arranged as to, as seen from above, surround an area containing all holes lh and lg and 2f and 2e, respectively.
In order to attain the best reinforcement-chain-link effect wit a thin reinforcement member 7, the latter could suitably be endless in shape. The effect of strains acting through member 5 or poles 3, 4 in the unit 1, 2 or through unit 1 , 2 on member 5 are effectively reduced by the fact that the reinforcement member 7 follows portion of the periphery of each hole lh, 2f for the extension of the conne tion and/or anchoring members 5 in the peripheral portion or imme¬ diately adjacent the latter, and extends past the hole or holes lg, 2e for the marking and/or delimitation pole or poles 3, 4 so as to pass tangentiolly to this or these holes lg, 2e or immediately adja cent thereto. As a consequence of this arrangement, the reinforce^
ment member 7 will carry said strains very effectively, thus redu¬ cing the danger of breaking the cast material.
In order to give the reinforcement member 7 a good stability by eliminating unnecessary bows, and without any need of increasing its dimensions, it may, as seen in side view, extend substantially parallel with the top surface lb, 2b of the central portion la, 2a and deviate downward at its end portions lc, 2c with decreasing height, extending substantially in parallel to the top surface Id, 2d of the end portion lc, 2c to the hole lh, 2f for the connecting and/or anchoring element 5. In constructing the unit 1, a portion of the reinforcement-element-portion extending in parallel with the top surface lb of the central portion la may extend into a projecting end portion le of the traffic separation unit 1, said end portion le being provided with a hole lh for the connection and/or anchoring element 5.
To the end of enabling the reinforcement member 7 to carry exter¬ nal loads in the best way possible, it may - as seen from aside - pass through the holes lh, 2f for the connecting and anchoring ele¬ ments 5 about halfway between the end portions of the holes lh, 2f and the holes lg, 2e for the marking and/or limit poles 3, 4 adjacent to the upper end portions of these holes lg, 2f.
The reinforcement member 7 will be particularly strong if it has its two longer sides 7a, 7b extending in parallel relation, and if one or more or all the holes comprise eyelets (not shown), these eyelets are suitably rigidly anchored to the reinforcement member 7 in order to increase the strength of the unit.
The invention should not be considered as restricted to the embodiments here described and illustrated in the drawings. Thus, the reinforcement member 7 may be penetrated at a point without such penetration, in certain cases, constituting any serious disadvantages, the reinforcement member 7 may be disposed completely or in part out¬ side the body of the unit, more than one reinforcement member 7 may be present, and the reinforcement member 7 may follow the peripheries of one or more holes to a larger extent than as shown in the drawings. The holes 3, 4 may carry road or traffic signs, function as fence paling, marking poles or they can carry other kinds of elements for traffic guiding purposes.
The connecting and anchoring member 5 may carry a sleeve (not shown) of elastic material next to its head. This may be compressib
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and should serve, inter alia, as a gripping member for a pair of tongs for extracting the member 5. The latter can be made short in order solely to serve as a connection member, or long in order to serve as a connecting and anchoring element. The holes lg, 2e for the poles 3, 4 may be wider at their uppe than at their lower ends in order to allow a certain amount of mov ment of the poles 3, 4 which can be passed through the units and b secured in place by a locking device (for instance a padlock) dis¬ posed beneath the unit. Poles locked in this way may carry parking meters. It may be advantageous in certain cases to provide the hol lg, 2e with a -bottom element which closes the bottom end of the hole completely or in part. This bottom element should be thin eno to enable the same to be broken by means of a pole 3, 4 when neces sary. It may be advantageous in certain cases to dispose sleeves o elastic material within one, several or all the holes so as to giv a resilient support for the poles 3, 4 and/or members 5. The last- -mentioned arrangement, however, has not been shown since it has no direct relation to the inventive principles.