| United States Patent Application | 20020051681 |
| Kind Code | A1 |
| Westmoreland, Daniel Rollin | May 2, 2002 |
Safe-T-hanger
Abstract
Tensile strength material (a), variable lengths to suspend ballast weight (FIG. 8), to the barricade (FIG. 9). Take one end of the said material (a), place said clip (c), in the position of (FIG. 1), place said hook (b), in the position of (FIG. 2), place the end of said material into the clip in the position of (FIG. 3), secure with the proper tool for materials used. The opposite end of material (a), as shown in FIG. (6), place said clip (c), in the position of (FIG. 4), place the end of said material into the clip in the position of (FIG. 5), secure with the proper tool for materials used. Put the hook end of (FIG. 3), through the loop of (FIG. 5), making the choke collar loop (FIG. 7), pull the hook end (FIG. 3), of the choke collar loop securing the ballast weight (FIG. 8). Put the hook (b), on the top board of the barricade (FIG. 9).
| Inventors: | Westmoreland, Daniel Rollin; (La Quinta, CA) |
| Correspondence Address: |
Daniel Rollin Westmoreland
53770 Avenida Velasco
La Quinta
CA
92253
US
|
| Serial No.: | 972813 |
| Series Code: | 09 |
| Filed: | October 9, 2001 |
| Current U.S. Class: | 404/9 |
| Class at Publication: | 404/9 |
| International Class: | E01F 009/00 |
1. A device to add ballast to a traffic control barricade used in a traffic zone, comprising: a) various lengths of tensile strength material used to suspend sufficient weight to stabilize said barricade b) a plurality of connectors and appropriate hooks or fastening devices c) a length of said material being looped at each end with said hook at either end secured with said connectors d) a choke collar loop used to secure ballast whereby the invention mechanically connects ballast material to said barricade for the purposes of safely adding ballasting to add stability to a barricade in windy conditions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention is utilized for suspending ballast from metal, wooden or plastic traffic barricades that are typically used to define and warn the public of various hazard areas of construction projects. The barricades must remain stable in an upright position in order to maintain the prescribed safety warnings.
[0002] Traffic barricades are susceptible to overturning in windy conditions, such as those created by traveling vehicles. If the barricade is blown over it renders the warning of a hazardous area ineffective. Ballasting is recognized as an appropriate method to keep traffic barricades upright in their designed position for maximum effectiveness.
[0003] The traffic barricade ballast hanger invention is a device that assists in keeping a barricade in an upright position and in functioning through the use of ballasting material and equipment.
[0004] The invention hangs from one or more of the traffic barricade boards, suspending ballast weight just above ground level, and distributing the ballasting weight equally down through the barricade legs and to the ground.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] This invention relates generally to suspending ballast from a traffic control barricade. The invention is a device that attaches to a barricade and chokes down on ballasting to suspend the ballasting off the ground, thereby distributing the ballast weight through the barricade and down to the ground.
[0006] The hanger utilizes the tensile strength of the materials and the unique invention design to effectively suspend ballast material. The material for the body of the hanger utilizes tensile strength, by way of example: coated or non-coated material such as cable, wire, rope or chain and can be made of variable lengths. The hanger has two ends; both of which are used to connect to the barricade and ballasting. The hanger ends are provided with a closed loop back upon itself, fastened by proper mechanical connection.
[0007] The top end of the hanger is used as a connection loop for the fastener device that attaches to the traffic barricade. The bottom end of the hanger forms a sliding choker collar loop back upon the main body of the hanger to choke down upon the required ballasting and suspend the ballast off the ground.
[0008] The invention is utilized for suspending ballast material from metal, wooden or plastic traffic barricades. The invention mechanically connects ballast material to traffic barricades.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The hanger invention is constructed from the following items:
[0010] a. Tensile strength material, by way of example: a coated or non-coated cable, wire, rope or chain, in variable lengths depending on the height of the barricade and ballast weight size to be suspended.
[0011] b. One appropriate hook or fastening device attached to said material, by way of example: an s-hook, an eye-slip hook, an eye-bolt, a U-clamp or a T-bar.
[0012] c. Two clips, fasteners or braided or woven connections determined by the type of said material used, by way of example: ferrules, U-bolts, crimps, wire rope clips, oval sleeves, stake eyes or a rope-end braided or woven back upon the body of said material.
[0013] d. Appropriate tool to clamp the clips or fasteners to said material.
[0014] To construct the invention, follow the directions below:
[0015] Take one end of the said material and set the clip, fastener or braided or woven connection. Slide the closed end of the hook or fastening device over the end and bend that end to clip, fasten, braid or weave, and secure back on the said material.
[0016] Take the other end of the said material and set the clip, fastener or braided or woven connection. Make a loop end and clip, fasten, braid or weave, and secure back on the said material.
[0017] To secure the invention to the appropriate weight, put the end with the hook through the loop at the other end of the said material to form a slip noose or choke collar loop. Put the top of the weight through the slip noose and pull the hook until the slip noose tightens around the weight.
[0018] To secure the invention to the barricade, put the appropriate hook or fastening device on or over one or more of the boards of the barricade, suspending the ballast weight just above ground level.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] To secure the invention to ballast weight, put the appropriate hook or fastening device through the choke collar loop at the other end of the material body to form a slip noose or choke collar. Put the top of the ballast weight through the slip noose and pull the appropriate hook or fastening device until the slip noose tightens around the ballast material.
[0020] To secure the invention and ballast material to the barricade, put the appropriate hook or fastening device over one or more of the barricade boards. The invention will connect the ballast material to the barricade and suspend the ballast material above ground level.
BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] In reference to the Detailed Description of the Invention, these drawings represent the materials used in constructing the invention.
[0022] b.) Appropriate hook or fastening device.
[0023] c.) Clip, fastener or braided or woven connection.
[0024] a.) Tensile strength material.
[0025] FIGS. 1, 2 & 3 Represent construction steps for placing the hook or fastening device (b.) to the loop end--as depicted in the Detailed Description of the invention.
[0026] FIGS. 4 & 5 Represent construction steps for establishing a loop end to be used in the choke collar loop.
[0027] FIG. 6 Represents invention prior to creating choke collar loop.
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