Road marker post.

p0001The present invention relates to the realization of a traffic cone, the type designed to warn drivers of vehicles the presence of a relief, a pedestrian island, a pavement separator etc ..

p0002It happens frequently of accidents, especially at night, in which a vehicle struck a tag by causing serious damage to the vehicle as much as people.

p0003The damage is due to the fact that existing tags, which are generally metallic, do not give in shock.

p0004The object of the invention to provide a traffic cone that is relatively harmless, thanks to the fact that it can give way and tear under the effect of a shock, which can be replaced at little cost but can not be easily detached from the ground, for example under the thrust exercised by the persons, and which can hardly be removed by vandalism.

p0005According to the invention, this object is achieved by a traffic cone characterized essentially in that it comprises a tag itself, constituted by a hollow element in the form of column, plastic material, provided with retroreflecting surfaces and / or reflecting devices, and a separate base of the column-shaped member and provided with anchoring means to the ground, in that the column-shaped member and the base are provided with respective connecting portions, which are held together by means of assembly, and in that the connecting part belonging to the column-shaped member and / or the connecting means can break under the effect of a shock of predetermined magnitude applied by a vehicle encounters the tag.

p0006The features and advantages of the invention appear in the detailed reading which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings that represented tent a preferred embodiment given by way of example.

p0007In these drawings,<ul><li>Figure 1 is a perspective view of an installed tag;</li><li>Figure 2 is a view of the side elevation tag, partially in section;</li><li>Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the column-like member, devoid of its base;</li><li>Figure 4 is a horizontal section of the single base, performed according to line IV-IV of Figure 2;</li><li>5 is a diametrical section along the line VV in Figure 4; and</li><li>Figure 6 is a partial perspective view of the basic implementation and the column-shaped member torn from its base.</li></ul>

p0008As seen with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, traffic cone includes a tag itself, designated as a whole by 10. The tag 10 is constituted by a hollow element, prismatic, columnar form, in plastic. In the embodiment shown, the prismatic element in the form of column 10 is an equilateral triangular base. The prismatic form whatsoever, of the element 10 is advantageous to prevent this element to roll on itself and create another danger, having been torn from the way that we will see below.

p0009The plastic material of the column-shaped member 10 is a shock-resistant material, preferably colored in the mass, for example in yellow, which may also have a contrasting color bands (not shown) and which is preferably provided itself reflective characteristics. In this case, it is no longer necessary to provide interior lighting of the tag, which is also of obvious advantages for the safety of road users.

p0010The element 10 columnar closed at the top by 1 December came bottom material, eg pyramidal, especially to prevent the ingress of rain, and also prevent the column from being used as trash.

p0011The side faces 14 of the member 12 are provided with rectangular recesses 16 which house catadioptric pads 18. In the areas between the recesses 16, the element 10 could also be surrounded by reflective self-adhesive strips or catadioptric (not shown ).

p0012The lower end of the element 10 shaped column has bumps shaped sectors 20 which define a cylindrical skirt downwardly opening.

p0013The tag comprises a separate base member 10 columnar shape. This basis, designated as a whole by 22, is shown clearly in Figures 4, 5 and 6.

p0014The base 22 is preferably comprised of a plate member having the shape of an inverted bucket, and which comprises a cylindrical skirt 24, an upper base 26 and a peripheral flange 28. The bottom 26 has a depressed central portion wherein is practiced a hole 30. as can be seen in Figure 2, the hole 30 serves for the passage of the stem of a sleeper screw 32 anchored in the ground and whose head abuts against the upper face of the depressed portion of the bottom 26 around the hole 30. in this way, the base 22 can be fixed to the ground permanently.

p0015On the inner face of the skirt 24, are welded or fixed in some other way nuts 34 accessible through corresponding holes in the skirt.

p0016As can be seen in Figure 2, in the assembled state, the skirt 20 of the element 10 in column shape is fitted around the skirt 24 of the base 22. The two skirts 20 and 24 and nested in one another are held together by assembly means constituted by screws 86. washers 37 coated with a reflective material are preferably associated with the screw heads 36.

p0017The lower skirt 20 of the element 10 in column shape is dimensioned to be able to tear at the level of the screw 36, under the effect of a shock of predetermined magnitude applied by a vehicle striking the tag. This situation is illustrated in Figure 6, in which identical elements are designated by the same reference numerals. However, the skirt 20 is strong enough to not tear when the tag is subjected to a lateral force such as that one or more people may or may exert.

p0018As can be seen in Figure 6, the skirt 20 has been torn at the holes for screws 36.

p0019After the member 10 columnar form has been torn, the base 22 is remained on the ground. Under these conditions, it could in turn be dangerous. To mitigate or avoid this danger, the skirt 24 is provided externally with one or more retro-reflecting and / or reflective surfaces. In the case shown, these surfaces are formed by a self-adhesive tape 38.

p0020In the state found in Figure 6, top end 26 of the base 22 prevents the base becomes in turn a waste receptacle or to fill with rainwater.

p0021The embodiment shown is not the only possible within the scope of the invention. Thus, the joint portions between the element 10 in the form of column and the base 22 may be different from two skirts fitted one into the other, as those indicated at 20 and 24, provided that these parts of tion ring are held together by assembly means fragile. Similarly, fragile assembly means could be constituted by the screws themselves, such as screws 36, or similar bodies, which have a partial break. In this case, the column-shaped member 10, if it is not damaged in another way, may be recovered.

p0022On the other hand, the element 10 shown in the form of column can be recovered in some cases, at least temporarily, if the breaks are limited, as in the case of Figure 6. In this case, the element 10 could be replaced after drilling new holes for screw 36 in undamaged areas of the skirt 20.