Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to guide or marker posts,
and more particularly to guide or marker posts that are
arranged to be replaceable by means of securing base
structures.
Description of the Prior A _
As is well known in the art, various problems and
difficulties are encountered in providing suitable means
for installing guide or marker post units so that the post
members can be readily replaced when damaged.
The known devices at the present time have
features that restrict their use because they cannot be
readily replaced, when necessary. These units are charac-
terized by certain shortcomings in their preparation and
application, these shortcomings being familiar to those
manufacturing and employing such devices.
However, there are some markers that have been
designed to overcome these difficulties, bùt these are
still found to have inherent problems--such as, when they
are struck by vehicles, the posts will separate from
their bases, or the bases and the posts will separate
from their bases, or the bases and the posts are both
torn away from the ground structure.
SU~ARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The present invention com~rises an elongated
tubular body member of pliable plastic material defining
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a post member having an outwardly bent peripheral flange
member. A mounting base-support structure is provided
having a support-base-plate member which includes an
upstanding annular wall adapted to be inserted into the
lower-end opening of the post member, whereby the flange
of the post is abutting the outer rim of the base plate--
the outer rim being provided with a plurality of protru-
berances to engage the flange of the post from the under-
side. Protruberances are also provided on the underside
of the mounting-collar member which engages the post
flange. The oppositely disposed protruberances define a
locking means that prevents the post from being pulled out
from the base when struck by a vehicle.
Various arrangements of the mounting-base struc-
ture are herein described in detail, each base structure
presenting an important object of the invention, whereby
the post member can be readily replaced in a very simple
manner.
It is another object of the invention to provide
a guide post of this type that can be installed so that
the base plate is permanently affixed to the ground
surface by various securing means, and whereby only a
mounting cap is required to be removed to allow the post
to be replaced thereon.
It is still another object of the invention to
provide a guide post of this character that is easily
installed without special tools, and wherein the replacing
of a post can be accomplished by unskilled workmen--thus
solving an additional problem.
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It is a further object of the invention to pro-
vide a device of -this character that will reduce highway
maintenance and the resulting cost.
It is still a further object of the invention to
provide a device of this character that is easy to service
and maintain, and that is relatively inexpensive to manu-
facture--yet simple and rugged in construction.
The characteristics and advantages of the inven-
tion are further sufficiently referred to in connection
with the accompanying drawings, which represent one
embodiment. ~fter considering this example, skilled
persons will understand that variations may be made with-
out departing from the principles disclosed; and I con-
template the employment of any structures, arrangements
or modes of operation that are properly within the scope
of the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DR~WINGS
Referring more particularly to the accompanying
drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a replaceable
guide post, showing the post as a road marker or the
like having one type of a reflector means attached thereto;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view thereof
taken substantially along line 2-2 of Fig. l;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substan-
tially along line 3-3 of Fig. 2;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substan-
tially along line 4-4 of Fig. 2;
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FIG. 5 is a bottom-plan view of the base
structure;
FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the base struc-
ture and the lower flanged portion of the post member;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of
the base structure taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 2;
FIG. 8 is a top-plan view of an alternative
arrangement of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a bottom-plan view thereof;
FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view
thereof taken substantially along line 10-10 of FIG. 8;
FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view,
showing the base plate secured to the ground surface by
a bolt arrangement; and
FIG. 12 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional
view, showing an alternative arrangement of the base
structure having a fitting collar adapted to receive
various configurations of post members through a central
opening, as seen in the top-plan views of Figs. 13, 14
and 15.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODI~NT
Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, there is
shown a road-marker guide post, generally indicated at
10, secured to a ground or road surface 12. The guide
post has a reflector means, designated at 14, which is
shown as one example since any suitable type of marker
or reflector can be employed with the basic guide post
arrangement.
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In the present application, the guide post
includes an elongated tubular-body structure 15,
generally formed from a resilient or pliable plastic
material. The tubular cross-sectional configuration,
as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, is only one form of
the device. Other cross--sectional configurations can be
employed, and will be hereinafter described.
It is well understood that such a guide post is
subjected to extreme wear and tear. For example, this
type of post may be struck numerous times by vehicles,
and thus it should be constructed to withstand such abuse
over long periods of time.
However, there is a replacement factor asso-
ciated with guide markers; and, generally, it is the
elongated-body structure 14 that is damaged--leaving the
mounting base structure 16 unharmed and capable of
re-use.
The base portion of the elongated body-post
member 15 includes a peripheral flange member 18, as
seen in Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 7, wherein flange 18 is received
and positioned within base structure 16. The base
structure comprises a base-support plate 20 having a
substantially circular disc-shaped configuration and
a mounting or retainer collar 29. The upper surface of
the support plate 20 includes an integrally formed,
upright, annular wall member 22, the wall member being
formed with the identical peripheral configuration as
that of the associated tubular post body 15. Thus, a
very close fit is established therebetween. The upper
surface of plate 20 further includes a plurality of
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upwardly projecting protruberances defined by nipple
members 24. These nipple members can be formed having
a domed spherical shape or a conical pointed configuration,
so as to be forced into the abutting pliable flange member
18 of post 15, as seen in Figs. 4 and 7.
Retainer collar 21 is also generally formed as
a circular member having a central opening 25, opening
25 being provided with a configuration to receive the
elongated post member 15 therethrough, and flange 18
thereof being received in a recess 26 formed in the
bottom of retainer collar 21. Recess 28 is adapted to
have a diameter that will accept base plate 20 therein,
whereby flange 18 of post 15 is interposed between collar
21 and plate 20. The inner surface of recess 26 also
includes a plurality of downwardly projecting nipple
members 28 which engage the opposite or upper surface of
flange 18. Thus, projecting nipples 24 and 28 lock post
15 in base structure 16, thereby defining a locking means
to prevent post 15 from being pulled from base structure
16 when the guide post is struck with heavy force or
blow by a vehicle.
The above-described embodiment further includes
a means for securing retainer collar 21 and base plate 18
together, one such means being illustrated in Fig. 3 as
removable pins or screws 30.
Accordingly, the guide post 10 must be secured
to the ground surface 12; and this can be accomplished
in two ways. One is by bolting the base structure 16
to the surface 12 by means of a plurality of bolts 32
which are mounted within aligned holes 34 and 35 of base
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plate 18 and collar 21, respectively, the holes 35 being
provided with enlarged counter-sunk openings 36. The
other method of securing the base structure is to bond
the surface of the bottom of plate 20 to the ground
surface 12, plate 20 being provided with a plurality of
annular rib members 38. The rib members can be formed
as continuous ribs or intermittent rib members, to allow
for an even distribution of the bonding agent.
Referring now to the embodiment as illustrated
in Figs. 8 through 12--and more particularly to Figs. 8
and 10--there is shown a mounting-base structure 16a in
which is mounted and secured a cylindrical guide-post
member 40. The base structure 16a comprises a base-plate
member 42 integrally formed with an inner annular wall
44 extending upwardly from the base plate. As seen in
Fig. 10, annular wall 44 is inserted within the cylin-
drical wall structure of post member 40, thus positioning
post 40 centrally with respect to the base structure.
Guide post 40 is provided with an annular flange member
46 which rests against base plate 42 and is received
in annular channel 48, defined by inner wall 44 and an
outer annular wall 50, wall 50 being provided with a
threaded outer surface 51.
After guide post 40 is positioned in channel 48,
retainer collar 52 is passed over post 40, collar 52
having a central circular opening 54, whereby collar 52
is threaded to base plate 42 by means of a threaded
annular groove 56 formed therein.
Accordingly, retainer collar 52 includes a
clamping ring 58 defined between opening 54 and ~roove
56. When retainer collar 52 is threaded to base plate
42, the clamping-ring portion 58 engages the upper
surface of flange 46 and clamps the post against base
plate 42. In addition, the opposing surfaces of ring
58 and channel 48 are provided with locking means defined
by a plurality of rib members or individual nipples 50.
The locking means is employed to prevent the flexible post
from being pulled out from the base when great force is
applied thereto, as when a vehicle runs into or over the
post member.
Base plate 42 further comprises means for
attaching the base plate to the ground surface 12. This
can be accomplished either by bolting or by bonding of
plate 42, as previously described. Thus, plate 42
includes a plurality of holes 62 and a plurality of
annular rib members 64. In Fig. lO, the base member is
shown secured to surface 12 by a bonding agent 65 com-
prised of any suitable known bonding material, such as
epoxy. Thus, it can be seen that the bonding agent is
evenly distributed between ribs 64 and is allowed to
enter through holes 62, as at 66. However, it should
be noted that a peripheral lip member 68 is formed along
base 42, so as to prevent excess epoxy from contacting
collar 52, whereby collar 52 can be removed when necessary
by a suitable wrench that would be adapted to be received
in lateral slots 70.
Fig. 11 illustrates the use of bolts 72 as an
attaching means for plate 42, the bolt being secured to
ground surface 12 through hole 62.
Fig. 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view
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showing another embodiment of the present invention which
comprises a base plate 42 having inner wall 44 and outer
threaded wall 50, to which retainer collar 52a is
removably attached. However, in this arrangement, collar
52a and clamping ring 58a are formed as two separate
elements, wherein clamping ring 58a is provided with a
central opening 54a, the central opening being formed to
the configuration of the guide post 40.
Accordingly, if post 40 has the cross-sectional
configuration of a triangle, a square, or other peripheral
arrangements (as indicated in Fig. 6 herein), the central
opening 54a should be provided with a corresponding
peripheral wall 59, as illustrated in the examples of
FigsO 13, 14 and 15.
Clamping ring 58a further includes an annular
shoulder member 65 which is adapted to be received in an
annular recess 66 of collar 52a, the recess being defined
by inwardly extending flange 68 which engages shoulder 65.
Hence, when collar 52a is tightened to a clamping posi-
tion on base 42, flange 68 forces clamping ring 58a into
a locking engagement with flange 46 of post 40. Fig. 12
clearly illustrates the locking arrangement wherein flange
46 is interposed and locked between the protruberances
60a of ring 58a, and protruberances 60 of base plate 42.
Thus, it can be understood that, by having a
separate clamping ring as at 58a, various post configura-
tions are permitted to be employed with a base that can
be readily separated therefrom.
Because of the various designs relating to the
post 40, the upper end thereof being provided with
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different types of reflectors 14 (shown in Fig. 1~, clamp-
ing ring 58a must be formed as two separate half members.
This arrangement allows the clamping ring to be readily
removed from a damaged post and used on the replacement
post.
The invention and its attendant advantages will
be understood from the foregoing description; and it will
be apparent that various changes may be made in the form,
construction and arrangement of the parts of the invention
without departing from the spirit and scope thereof or
sacrificing its material advantages, the arrangement
hereinbefore described being merely by way of example;
and I do not wish to be restricted to the specific form
shown or uses mentioned, except as defined in the
accompanying claims.
