GB2177147A - Inflatable road traffic sign - Google Patents

Abstract

A road traffic sign comprises a base (2), and an indicating panel (1) bearing an appropriate traffic sign. The panel is an inflatable container of flexible substantially fluid-proof material, and connection means to the interior are provided to enable fluid to be supplied thereto for inflating the panel. By such means it can be extended from a folded disposition to display the traffic sign. The sign is intended particularly for giving warning of motorway lane closures but may also be adapted for use by motorists whose cars have broken down. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Road traffic sign The present invention relates to road traffic signs, and more particularly to inflatable signs.

Such signs are particularly but not exclusively utilisable as temporary warning signs, for example giving notice of motorway or other road closures or partial closures, or giving warning of accidents or other emergencies.

It is commonplace for motorways to require repair at intervals or for motorway furniture, such as lighting or crash barriers to require periodic attention. Such repair zones are generally protected by warning "cones". It is necessary to give on-coming taffic some advance warning of the fact that the lane ahead is blocked by the cones. It is in fact usual to place advance warning signs 800 yards (740 metres), 600 yards (555 metres), 400 yards (370 metres), and 200 yards (185 metres) in advance of the start of the lane closure. It is also usual to place a warning sign actually at the start of the lane closure. Such signs generally give an indication of which lane it is that is closed or on which side the road narrows. The sign at the beginning of the closure may be a large angled arrow indicating which side of the cones the vehicles are to pass.

Clearly, there is little difficulty in erecting these signs when they are to stand on the hard-shoulder of a motorway or adjacent to its side. However, considerably more difficulty is experienced when the signs are to stand in a central reservation or the motorway or adjacent thereto. The signs used in this country conform to British Standards and are required to be large enough to be seen easily by oncoming traffic and heavy enough not to be knocked over by the slip stream of passing vehicles.

There are presently two ways of erecting these large heavy signs. One is for a vehicle from which the signs can be dropped to be driven along the fast lane at such a slow speed that the signs fall with a degree of certainty onto the central reservation and hopefully in such a disposition that they can give warning to oncoming traffic. The other method is for a workman or workmen to carry the sign from the roadside to the central reservation across 2,3 or even more lanes of fast moving traffic. This latter course of action entails considerable risk, not only to the lives of the workmen but also to oncoming traffic.

As stated above, for each closure, there are generally erected five signs, placement of each of which requires generally two men to cross the traffic lane or lanes bearing the cumbersome sign.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a road traffic sign which may be erected accurately and without or at least with considerable lessening of such dangers as are inherent in the currently used methods of location.

According to the present invention there is provided a road traffic sign which comprises a base, an indicating panel bearing an appropriate traffic sign and being an inflatable container of flexible substantially fluid-proof material, and connection means to the interior of said panel to enable fluid to be supplied thereto for inflating the panel whereby it is extended from a folded disposition to display the traffic sign.

Preferably the connection means are coupled to a bottle or other container of pressurised fluid, for example carbon-dioxide or compressed air.

Alternatively the connection means may comprise a socket or the like to enable an external portable source of pressurised fluid to be connected.

The external source may be air compressor, preferably electrically powered, or possibly an operators breath.

The base may be so weighted as to anchor securely the road traffic sign to the ground or other surface.

Alternatively the base may comprise means attachable to a roadside structure, such as a motorway crash barrier or support therefor.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 shows diagrammatically a road traffic sign embodying the invention and in inflated condition; and FIGURE 2 shows an alternative embodiment of sign in uninflated condition.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, the traffic sign comprises an inflatable envelope 1, which in the embodiment illustrated has the triangular shape of a wa,ning sign and bears an indication that the fast lane ahead is closed. The indication, of course, can vary to suit any particular circumstances, as can the shape of the sign. It may, in fact, be preferable to print the triangular warning shape onto a standard shaped envelope. The envelope 1 is attached to a base 2, which may be of metal or concrete or such other heavy material as to ensure that the sign, once positioned, remains in place as long as desired. The means of inflating the envelope is, in the embodiment shown, a pressurised gas bottle 3 with a manually actuable valve 4.As an alternative to the manually actuable valve 4, there may be provided an automatically actuated valve means to cause the inflation immediately upon the base contacting the ground.

The envelope 1 is of a flexible, substantially gas-proof, plastics material and is shown in inflated condition. Once it has fulfilled its purpose, the gas can be released by a gas release valve (not shown) whereupon the envelope can be folded or otherwise stowed away into a small space. Fastening means, for example Velcro, may be provided to maintain the folded state while the sign is transported to a new location. Once in its new position, the sign can easily be re-inflated to become effective once more. The pressurised gas bottle 3 may be of such a size that it will suffice for either a single one or a number of inflations.

It is envisaged that the embodiment with a self-weighted base should be positioned by being dropped from a moving vehicle to be inflated either automatically on hitting the ground or subsequently by manual actuation.

Signs such as the one illustrated, find use where the space between the edge of the carriageway and the crash barrier or opposite carriageway is sufficient to allow the base to be deployed. In other situations, for example on urban motorways, such space is not available and for use here an alternative embodiment is provided with a base which is adapted to be fixed to a crash barrier, crash barrier support, railing or street light.

The embodiment which is intended for fixing to street furniture must be attached by a workman. However, the sign is considerably lighter and smaller than the conventional signs, and can be carried across the carriageways with more alacrity than was hitherto the case.

In fact, it may be possible for a workman to carry a number of the signs across in one movement, each to be fixed from the comparative safety of the centre reservation. In fact, in the preferred embodiment of this type of sign, the sign is intended to be inflated, not from a gas bottle substantially permanently fixed to the sign, but from a portable air compressor powered electrically from one or more batteries. It is envisaged that the compressor will be mounted to a carrying frame or backpack which is also adapted to carry a required number of signs in uninflated condition.

The operator should cross the motorway and, from the safety of the central reservation, place each sign and inflate it by means of the portable air compressor. When all five signs (or whatever number is required) are in effective position, he can recross the motorway.

Thus in the case of five signs, only two mancrossings are required, rather than the hitherto necessary twenty man-crossings.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a Z-shaped crash-barrier support 5. The base of the sign comprises a tube 6 having a longitudinal slot 7 dimensioned to allow insertion of the support 5.

The base also comprises a trough 8 fixed to the top of the tube 6. The trough 8 forms the lowermost part of the sign proper and acts to store the uninflated envelope 1. A socket 9 allows compressed air to be fed to the envelope for inflating it.

The trough 8 may have a lid hinged along one long edge and adapted to be lifted by the inflating envelope. Either the lid or the side of the trough 8 itself may be provided with printed information relating to the sign, for example the distance warning (200 yds etc.).

In the former of these cases, means must be provided to ensure the lid remains upright in front of the lower part of the envelope.

The trough 8, tube 6, and lid where provided are ideally of lightweight material, e.g.

plastics or aluminium.

The material of the envelope 1 is such that, even when inflated, it can deform or sway in response to the slip stream of passing vehicles. Alternatively, it may be so constructed, optionally with lightweight stiffening members, that it is substantially rigid.

The present invention has been described with particular reference to signs for use indicating motorway repairs. However, they may also be used to give warning of accidents or in other situations where temporary signs need to be erected. Since the sign is lightweight and of small size when un-inflated, it is possible that one could be carried by every car to give warning of breakdown instead of the currently recommended fixed warning triangle. Such a warning sign may take the form of a simple triangle, a more informative sign or even a warning cone, in which latter case, several may be carried to ensure greater safety.

The envelope 1 may be of such material or may be coated or painted with such material that at least a part of its surface is rendered reflective.

Claims (9)

1. A road traffic sign comprising a base, an indicating panel bearing an appropriate traffic sign and being an inflatable container of flexible substantially fluid-proof material, and connection means to the interior of said panel to enable fluid to be supplied thereto for inflating the panel whereby it is extended from a folded disposition to display the traffic sign.

2. A road traffic sign as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection means are coupled to a bottle or other container of pressurised fluid.

3. A road traffic sign as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fluid is carbon-dioxide or air.

4. A road traffic sign as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection means comprises a socket means to enable an external portable source of pressurised fluid to be connected.

5. A road traffic sign as claimed in claim 4, wherein the external source is an air compressor.

6. A road traffic sign as claimed in claim 4, wherein the external source is an operators breath.

7. A road traffic sign as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base is so weighted as to anchor securely the road traffic sign to the ground or other surface.

8. A road traffic sign as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the base comprises means attachable to a roadside structure, a motorway crash barrier or support therefor.

9. A road traffic sign substantially as described herein with reference to the Figures of the accompanying drawings.