Method and apparatus for deterring wrong way drivers

Claim 1

An apparatus for deterring motor vehicles from traveling the wrong-way on one-way thoroughfares which comprises a. traffic deflection means having open and closed positions, said open position permitting traffic to pass without interruption, and said closed position preventing the passage of wrong-way traffic by deflecting the same from said thoroughfare, said traffic deflection means remaining normally in said open position until energized into said closed position by reception of a predetermined signal, the traffic deflection means having a longitudinal barrier member which, in said closed position, extends across said thoroughfare at an angle oblique to a line normal to the direction of traffic flow on said thoroughfare, and at a height sufficiently high to cause contact thereof with motor vehicle tires so as to force the same to turn and thus deflect said vehicle from said thoroughfare, but at a height sufficiently small to substantially avoid contact with the leading body structure of motor vehicles; b. a traffic reception means in a location to receive wrong-way traffic so deflected by said traffic deflection means and capable of permitting said traffic to turn around and re-enter said thoroughfare in the correct direction; and c. control means for controlling the position of said traffic deflection means, said control means being capable of sensing the presence of wrong-way traffic, of generating a predetermined signal in response thereto, and of sending said signal to said traffic deflection means to cause the latter to assume said closed position.

Claim 2

An apparatus for deterring motor vehicles from traveling the wrong-way on one-way thoroughfares which comprises a. traffic deflection means having open and closed positions, said open position permitting traffic to pass without interruption, and said closed position preventing the passage of wrong-way traffic by deflecting the same from said thoroughfare, said traffic deflection means remaining normally in said open position until energized into said closed position by reception of a predetermined signal, the traffic deflection means having a longitudinal barrier member which, in said closed position, extends across said thoroughfare at an angle oblique to a line normal to the direction of traffic flow on said thoroughfare, and at a height sufficiently high to cause contact thereof with motor vehicle tires so as to force the same to turn and thus deflect said vehicle from said thoroughfare, but at a height sufficiently small to substantially avoid contact with the leading body structure of motor vehicles; b. a traffic reception means in a location to receive wrong-way traffic so deflected by said traffic deflection means and capable of permitting said traffic to turn around and re-enter said thoroughfare in the correct direction; and c. control means for controlling the position of said traffic deflection means, said control means being capable of sensing the presence of wrong-way traffic, of generating a predetermined signal in response thereto, and of sending said signal to said traffic deflection means to cause the latter to assume said closed position.

Claim 15

A method of deterring motor vehicles from traveling the wrong way on one-way thoroughfares, comprising providing a longitudinal barrier member capable of assuming open and closed positions in response to predetermined signals derived from a traffic sensor, generating a signal in the traffic sensor in response to wrong-way traffic, transmitting the signal to the barrier, moving the barrier from an open position to a closed position at an oblique angle to a line normal to the direction of traffic flow along said thoroughfare and positioning the barrier at a heighth sufficient to cause the barrier member to engage automobile tires to physically turn the same and deflect said motor vehicle from said thoroughfare into a traffic reception area in response to these signals.

Claim 16

A method of deterring motor vehicles from traveling the wrong way on one-way thoroughfares, comprising providing a longitudinal barrier member capable of assuming open and closed positions in response to predetermined signals derived from a traffic sensor, generating a signal in the traffic sensor in response to wrong-way traffic, transmitting the signal to the barrier, moving the barrier from an open position to a closed position at an oblique angle to a line normal to the direction of traffic flow along said thoroughfare and positioning the barrier at a heighth sufficient to cause the barrier member to engage automobile tires to physically turn the same and deflect said motor vehicle from said thoroughfare into a traffic reception area in response to these signals.