US3950873A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Support post for use with a plurality of traffic warning devices
Assignee: BEST BARRICADE COMPANY Inc
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Filing: 1975-04-22
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Granted: 1976-04-20
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Expires: 1995-04-22
Abstract
Abstract Hollow molded plastic support member for use in forming a variety of traffic warning devices has an inverted Y-shape which forms a pair of spaced angled legs and a vertical post portion. The post portion includes a pair of vertically elongated, spaced apertures defined by integral plastic connecting walls which space the opposed planar side portions of the support member from each other. An opening in the post portion permits ballast to be loaded into the hollow interior of the legs. A single support member can be used in combination with a vertical member having portions which snap fit with the apertures to form a three-legged sign or light support. Pairs of support members can be used with a variety of disclosed cross bar arrangements to form barricades and warning signs. The snapfit design of several of the disclosed warning devices permits the devices to come apart when hit by a vehicle without causing damage to either the vehicle or the warning device.
Inventors
- 👤 John J. Stehle
- 👤 Robert E. Davis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 12:12
CPC Classifications
E; E01; E01F; E01F13/00; E01F13/02; E01F9/00; E01F9/60; E01F9/688
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
271 words
A support post member for selective use with a plurality of traffic warning devices, said support post member being formed of hollow molded plastic and including a pair of parallel, spaced apart planar side portions; said support post member being of a generally inverted Y-shape and having a pair of integral angled legs at its lower end and a post portion at its upper end containing at least two vertically elongated, vertically spaced apart apertures which are formed through said post member on its vertical axis in a direction generally normal to the plane of said planar side portions, each of said apertures being peripherally defined by a plurality of plastic walls which are integrally joined to each other and to said planar side portions so as to connect and space apart the planar side portions; said post member including at least one opening for permitting ballast material to be placed internally of said post member; a pair of said plurality of plastic walls which define the opposed vertical sides of at least one of said apertures having retaining portions for retaining a portion of a warning indicia carrying member which are closer to said vertical axis than are other portions of said pair of walls, at least one of said apertures having a pair of vertical opposed wall portions which define a wider opening through said retaining portions being adapted to be frictionally engaged and resiliently moved away from said vertical axis when a portion of said warning indicia carrying member having a greater thickness than the distance between said retaining portions is moved through said at least one aperture.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
271 words
A support post member for selective use with a plurality of traffic warning devices, said support post member being formed of hollow molded plastic and including a pair of parallel, spaced apart planar side portions; said support post member being of a generally inverted Y-shape and having a pair of integral angled legs at its lower end and a post portion at its upper end containing at least two vertically elongated, vertically spaced apart apertures which are formed through said post member on its vertical axis in a direction generally normal to the plane of said planar side portions, each of said apertures being peripherally defined by a plurality of plastic walls which are integrally joined to each other and to said planar side portions so as to connect and space apart the planar side portions; said post member including at least one opening for permitting ballast material to be placed internally of said post member; a pair of said plurality of plastic walls which define the opposed vertical sides of at least one of said apertures having retaining portions for retaining a portion of a warning indicia carrying member which are closer to said vertical axis than are other portions of said pair of walls, at least one of said apertures having a pair of vertical opposed wall portions which define a wider opening through said retaining portions being adapted to be frictionally engaged and resiliently moved away from said vertical axis when a portion of said warning indicia carrying member having a greater thickness than the distance between said retaining portions is moved through said at least one aperture.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
209 words
A traffic warning device comprising at least one hollow molded plastic support post member including a pair of parallel, spaced apart, planar side portions; said support post member being of a generally inverted Y-shape and having a pair of integral angled legs at its lower end and a post portion at its upper end containing at least two vertically elongated, vertically spaced apart apertures which are formed through said post member on its vertical axis in a direction generally normal to the plane of said planar side portions, each of said apertures being peripherally defined by a plurality of plastic walls which are integrally joined to each other and to said planar side portions so as to connect and space apart the planar side postions, one of said planar side portions than through the other of said planar side portions, said post member including at least one opening for permitting ballast material to be placed internally of said post member; and a warning indicia carrying member having a portion thereof passing through and cooperating with portions of at least a pair of opposed walls which help define the upper of said at least two apertures so as to retain said warning indicia carrying member and stabilize said warning device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
209 words
A traffic warning device comprising at least one hollow molded plastic support post member including a pair of parallel, spaced apart, planar side portions; said support post member being of a generally inverted Y-shape and having a pair of integral angled legs at its lower end and a post portion at its upper end containing at least two vertically elongated, vertically spaced apart apertures which are formed through said post member on its vertical axis in a direction generally normal to the plane of said planar side portions, each of said apertures being peripherally defined by a plurality of plastic walls which are integrally joined to each other and to said planar side portions so as to connect and space apart the planar side postions, one of said planar side portions than through the other of said planar side portions, said post member including at least one opening for permitting ballast material to be placed internally of said post member; and a warning indicia carrying member having a portion thereof passing through and cooperating with portions of at least a pair of opposed walls which help define the upper of said at least two apertures so as to retain said warning indicia carrying member and stabilize said warning device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
126 words
The traffic warning device of claim 2 wherein said warning indicia carrying member comprises a generally horizontal plank-like member having warning indicia on at least one of its vertically positioned flat sides and a vertical height less than the height of the upper aperture in said post member whereby the post member can be pivoted relative to the plank-like member so that its vertical axis is at an angle of at least about 15° relative to a line normal to the axis of the plank-like member, the upper edge of said upper aperture on one side of said post member and the lower edge of said upper aperture on the other side of said post member cooperating with said plank-like member to lock said members together.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The traffic warning device of claim 2 wherein said warning device includes a pair of plastic support post members spaced from each other by said indicia carrying member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The traffic warning device of claim 4 wherein said warning indicia carrying member comprises a pair of vertically spaced horizontal bar portions integrally connected by vertical portions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The traffic warning device of claim 5 wherein said bar portions each include a central vertical aperture adapted to receive a post carrying warning indicia at a level higher than said support post members.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
93 words
The traffic warning device of claim 4 wherein said warning indicia carrying member comprises a lower horizontal bar portion mounted in the lower of said at least two apertures in each support post and a generally V-shaped saddle portion, said saddle portion being integrally attached at its bottom to said horizontal bar portion and having side arm portions at its top which engage in the upper of said at least two apertures in each support post, and means on said saddle portion adapted to cooperate with a flat sign member for retaining it.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The traffic warning device of claim 7 wherein said last named means comprises a recessed channel defining the bottom of said V-shaped saddle portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
68 words
The traffic warning device of claim 2 wherein the portion of said warning indicia carrying member which is adapted to pass through and cooperate with at least the upper of said at least two apertures has an enlarged portion proximate its outer end which is adapted to be compressed relative to said upper aperture as it is passed through said aperture so as to provide a snap fit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The traffic warning device of claim 9 wherein said enlarged portion is positioned at a short distance from said outer end and joined thereto by a tapered lead-in portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
The traffic warning device of claim 2 wherein said plastic walls which define the vertical sides of said vertically elongated apertures are slightly tapered from one of said planar side portions to the other to facilitate entry of a portion of a warning indicia carrying member therein.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
67 words
The traffic warning device of claim 11 wherein said tapered plastic walls which define the vertical sides of said apertures are formed so as to be closer together where they join one of said planar side portions than the thickness of the portion of a warning indicia carrying member which is adapted to engage them, said plastic walls being resiliently deformed by said warning indicia carrying member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
60 words
The traffic warning device of claim 2 wherein said warning indicia carrying member comprises a panel member having a vertical warning panel portion, a single leg portion, and a pair of arm portions extending rearwardly from the plane of said panel portion, said arm portions extending through said at least two apertures and interlocking therewith to stabilize and warning device.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The traffic warning device of claim 2 wherein said warning indicia carrying member is hollow and has an aperture therein so that ballast may be placed therein.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-04-20 | 1979-10-20 | 1980-04-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-04-20 | 1983-10-20 | 1984-04-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-04-20 | 1987-10-20 | 1988-04-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |