Abstract:
An assembly and method for spraying material on a traffic barrier. At least one vehicle is provided that travels along the length of the traffic barrier while contacting the traffic barrier and being guided by the traffic barrier. With each vehicle is one or more spray head arrays that spray the surfaces of the traffic barrier as the vehicle rolls along the traffic barrier. The spray heads can spray either cleaning material or coating materials. Both cleaning and coating can be preformed by spray head arrays in the same vehicle or in different vehicles. The spray heads can be automatically adjusted to match variations encountered in the traffic barrier as the spray head arrays are moved along the traffic barrier. In this manner, the quality of the application of sprayed material remains constant despite changes in the shape and/or condition of the traffic barrier being sprayed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     In general, the present invention relates to machines that automatically clean, paint or treat concrete surfaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to mobile machines that clean, paint or treat concrete surfaces as the machine moves along such surfaces.  
         [0003]     2. Background of the Invention  
         [0004]     When roadways are created, it is not uncommon for traffic barriers to be erected between opposing lanes of traffic. There are many different types of traffic barriers. However, the function of most all traffic barriers remains the same. Traffic barriers are used to help keep vehicles in their own lane of traffic and prevent vehicles from inadvertently crossing lanes, leaving the roadway or otherwise traveling onto an area where vehicles should not travel.  
         [0005]     Although traffic barriers come in many different styles and are fabricated from metal, stone, wood and cable, one of the most common types of traffic barrier is the cement traffic barrier. Cement traffic barriers are typically prefabricated in lengths of between four feet and twenty feet. The preformed cement traffic barriers are then transported to a roadway and placed into position with a crane. As such, they can be placed along a roadway quickly and inexpensively.  
         [0006]     There are many different manufacturers of cement traffic barriers. As a result, there are many different shapes and styles of cement traffic barriers. Many of these different styles of cement traffic barriers have different methods of interconnecting and different processes for installation. However, most all cement traffic barriers, regardless of the manufacturer, have wide bases that taper upwardly to a narrower top. This tends to provide the cement traffic barrier with a frustum shaped profile.  
         [0007]     Cement traffic barriers are commonly used as temporary traffic barriers during roadway construction and maintenance projects. However, due to their low cost and ease of installation, more and more state and local transportation departments are installing cement traffic barriers as permanent structures on the sides of finished roadways. When cement traffic barriers are installed as permanent roadside fixtures, transportation departments typically devise maintenance schedules for maintaining the cement traffic barriers over long periods of time. Such maintenance is to prevent the cement traffic barriers from deteriorating as a result of weathering, contact with vehicles and other forms of damage.  
         [0008]     A typical maintenance program for cement traffic barriers is to have the traffic barriers periodically inspected and repaired. After repairs, the cement traffic barriers are often cleaned and painted with either paint or a cement sealant to prevent water from seeping into the interior of the cement traffic barriers.  
         [0009]     In the prior art, there are many machines used to clean cement structures. Such prior art machines are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,156 to Montanier, entitled Washing Device Mounted On A Motor Vehicle And Comprising A Rotary Washing Arm Which Delivers Jets Of Pressurized Hot Water For Cleaning Various Surfaces. Such machines typically include sand blasting heads and power washing heads that are disposed on the end of an articulating arm. The arm can be placed against a wall, traffic barrier, bridge support or any other surface that needs cleaning. Once the surface is cleaned, the cleaned surface is then painted manually.  
         [0010]     Cement traffic barriers can extend for many miles along the length of a roadway. Using cleaning machines on articulating arms that clean only small sections at a time are not well suited for cleaning the full length of many cement traffic barriers. Furthermore, relying upon manual labor to hold painting equipment and carry it along the length of the roadway is also highly labor intensive and inefficient. In fact, it has been the experience of many municipalities that it is more cost effective to replace worn and broken cement traffic barriers after a long period of use than it is to maintain those traffic barriers indefinitely.  
         [0011]     A need therefore exists for an apparatus and method that can be used to both clean and paint cement traffic barriers in a cost effective, time efficient and non-labor intensive manner. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     The present invention is an assembly and method for spraying material on a traffic barrier. The assembly includes at least one vehicle that travels along the length of the traffic barrier while contacting the traffic barrier and being guided by the traffic barrier. With each vehicle is one or more spray head arrays that spray the surfaces of the traffic barrier as the vehicle rolls along the traffic barrier. The spray heads can spray either cleaning material, such as air, water, cleaning solution, solvents and abrasives, or coating materials, such as paint or waterproofing solutions. Both cleaning and coating can be preformed by spray head arrays in the same vehicle or in different vehicles. The spray heads can be automatically adjusted to match variations encountered in the traffic barrier as the spray head arrays are moved along the traffic barrier. In this manner, the quality of the application of sprayed material remains constant despite changes in the shape, position, orientation and/or condition of the traffic barrier being sprayed. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of exemplary embodiments thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention barrier maintenance assembly;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a schematic illustrating the components of the embodiment of the barrier maintenance assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration showing how guide wheels are initially positioned around a cement traffic barrier;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration showing how guide wheels contact a cement traffic barrier;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a schematic showing how spray head arrays are positioned around a segment of a cement traffic barrier;  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a side view of an alternate embodiment of a barrier maintenance assembly. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]     Although the present invention can be used to clean and/or paint many types of roadside structures, such as metal traffic barriers, stone traffic barriers and the like, the present invention is particularly well suited for cleaning and/or painting cement traffic barriers. As such, the present invention will be described and illustrated in an application where it is being used to clean and paint a cement traffic barrier in order to set forth the best mode contemplated for the invention.  
         [0021]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown an exemplary embodiment of the present invention barrier maintenance assembly  10 . In the shown embodiment the present invention barrier maintenance assembly  10  is configured as a self-propelled vehicle  12 . The vehicle  12  is configured so that it can straddle a cement traffic barrier  11  and move along the length of the cement traffic barrier  11  under its own power. As will later be explained in more detail, the barrier maintenance assembly  10  is placed over a cement traffic barrier  11  so that its wheels  14  rest upon the ground on opposite sides of the cement barrier  11 . As the barrier maintenance assembly  10  moves along the cement traffic barrier  11 , it cleans, paints and/or treats the surfaces of the cement traffic barrier  11 .  
         [0022]     From  FIG. 1 , it can be seen that the exemplary vehicle  12  has a frame  16 . The frame  16  is configured with a large open center channel  20  that enables the vehicle  12  to be placed over the cement traffic barrier  11  so that the wheels  14  of the vehicle  12  can straddle the concrete traffic barrier  11 . The frame  16  has crane hooks  22  that are used to couple the frame  16  of the vehicle  12  to a crane or other overhead lift. As such, through the use of a crane, the vehicle  12  can be placed onto or removed from a length of cement traffic barrier  11  at any point.  
         [0023]     At the front of the open channel  20  in the frame  16  is a plurality of guide wheels  24 . The guide wheels  24  serve two functions. First, they prevent the frame  16  of the vehicle  12  from contacting the cement traffic barrier  11  as the vehicle  12  rides along the cement traffic barrier  11 . Secondly, the guide wheels  24  act as gauges for setting the internal mechanisms of the barrier maintenance assembly  10 , as it cleans, paints and/or treats the cement traffic barrier  11 .  
         [0024]     Refillable storage containers  28  are disposed on the vehicle  12 . The storage containers  28  are used to store, paint, waterproofing compounds, cleaning solution or any other product that used to clean, paint and/or treat the cement traffic barrier  11 . The storage containers  28  are preferably disposed on the exterior of the vehicle frame  16  so that they can be easily replenished and can be made large to hold a large volume of material.  
         [0025]     In the shown embodiment of the barrier maintenance assembly  10 , the vehicle  12  is self-propelled. Accordingly, a driver must drive the vehicle  12 . A driver cab  32  is therefore provided containing the movement controls of the vehicle  12 . Additionally, the operational controls  30  for the mechanisms that clean, paint and/or treat the cement traffic barrier are also disposed in the driver cab  32  so that they can be manually operated.  
         [0026]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , it will be understood that present invention barrier maintenance assembly  10 , embodied in the vehicle  12  of  FIG. 1  includes at least one of a variety of mechanisms for cleaning, painting and or treating the concrete traffic barrier as the vehicle passes over the concrete traffic barrier. From  FIG. 2  it can be seen that at least one spray head array  40  is present within the assembly  10 . Each spray head array  40  has spray heads that are pointed toward the channel  20  ( FIG. 1 ) that passes down the center of the vehicle  12  ( FIG. 1 ). As such, when the vehicle straddles a cement traffic barrier and the cement traffic barrier passes through the channel in the center of the vehicle, the spray head arrays  40  are positioned to spray the passing surfaces of the cement traffic barrier.  
         [0027]     Each spray head array  40  is coupled to a positional and operational control  42 . As indicated by the name, the positional and operational control  42  controls the position of the various spray heads in each spray head array  40  and the operation of those spray heads.  
         [0028]     Each spray head array  40  is coupled to a supply tank  44  and a compressor  46 . The compressor  46  supplies compressed air for the spray heads in the spray head array  40 . The material in the storage tanks  44  can be sprayed with the compressed air by the spray head arrays  40 . The material in the storage tanks  44  depends upon the decided purpose of a particular spray head array  40 . For example, if a spray head array  40  is to spray paint onto the surfaces of a passing cement traffic barrier then paint is supplied in the storage tank  44 . Similarly, if a waterproofing treatment is to be sprayed on the surfaces of a passing cement traffic barrier then the waterproofing solution is supplied in the storage tank  44 . Other materials that can commonly be sprayed may include water, cleaning solution, paint solvent and the like.  
         [0029]     Solid material can also be sprayed by one or all of the spray head arrays  40 . A spray head array  40  can be configured so that it sprays sand against the surfaces of a passing cement traffic barrier. In such a sandblasting process, naturally sand or a similar abrasive would be supplied in the supply tank  44  of the spray head array  40 .  
         [0030]     The supply tank  44  of a particular spray head array  40  can also be isolated from that spray head array  40 . In such a configuration, just compressed air is sprayed by the spray heads in the spray head array  40 . Such a spray configuration can be used to air blast clean the surfaces of the passing cement traffic barrier.  
         [0031]     In the shown embodiment, there is a plurality of different spray head arrays  40 . Each spray head array  40  can have the same or different function. For instance, a first spray head array can be used to air blast the surfaces of a cement traffic barrier while a second and third spray head array spray coating of paint onto the cement traffic barrier.  
         [0032]     In  FIG. 2 , it can be seen that an optional mechanical cleaning mechanism  48  can be placed in front of the first spray head array  40 . The mechanical cleaning mechanism  48  can be a series of spinning brushes, spinning chains or any other cleaning mechanism that physically contacts the surfaces of the cement traffic barrier to dislodge dirt, grime, old paint or other accumulated debris. If a mechanical cleaning mechanism  48  is present, it too is provided with a positional and operational control  49  that is used to control the position and operation of the mechanism.  
         [0033]     The positional and operational controls  42 ,  49  of the various spray head arrays  40  and the mechanical cleaning mechanism  48  are coupled to the manual control panel  30  of the barrier maintenance assembly  10  so that they can be manually controlled by an operator. Furthermore, the guide wheels  24  are used to either mechanically or electronically provide information that is used to set the various positional and operational controls  42 ,  49 . The guide wheels  24  roll along the surfaces of the passing cement barrier structure. The guide wheels  24  contact the surfaces of the cement traffic barrier. As such, the guide wheels  24  physically detect the dimensions of the cement traffic barrier and can detect when the shape, size or position of the cement traffic barrier changes as it passes into the barrier maintenance assembly  10 .  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , it can be seen that when the barrier maintenance assembly  10  is first placed over a cement traffic barrier  11 , the guide wheels  24  are retracted and do not contact the cement traffic barrier  11 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , it can be seen that once the barrier maintenance assembly  10  is in place, the guide wheels  24  are brought into contact with at least some of the various surfaces of the cement traffic barrier  11 . In  FIG. 4 , a plurality of guide wheels  24  are used. By bringing the guide wheels  24  into contact with the surfaces of the cement traffic barrier  11 , it can be seen that the cross-sectional shape of the cement traffic barrier  11  can be determined including its height, width and angle of taper.  
         [0035]     Once the guide wheels  24  are brought into contact with the surfaces of the cement traffic barrier  11 , the dimensions obtained from the position of the guide wheels  24  can be transferred either manually, physically or electronically to the positional and operational controls  42  ( FIG. 2 ) of the spray head arrays  40  ( FIG. 2 ) and the positional and operational controls  49  ( FIG. 2 ) of the mechanical cleaning mechanism  48  ( FIG. 2 ).  
         [0036]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , it can be seen that the various spray heads  41  in a spray head array  40  can be positioned with information received from the guide wheels  24  ( FIG. 4 ) to properly spray the passing cement traffic barrier  11 . Since the guide wheels constantly detect changes in the shape of the passing concrete traffic barrier  11  the spray heads  41  can also be constantly adjusted to ensure that the application quality of the material being sprayed remains relatively constant.  
         [0037]     Returning to  FIG. 2 , it can be seen that since the barrier maintenance assembly  10  is embodied as a vehicle  12 , the assembly  10  includes an engine  50  for propelling the vehicle  12 . The engine  50  is also used to drive the compressor  46  that supplies compressed air to the various spray head arrays  40 . The engine  50  drives at least two of the wheels  14  of the vehicle  12  to propel the vehicle  12 . The vehicle  12  is manually driven and has a transmission designed to propel the vehicle  12  along a length of cement traffic barrier  11  at a speed of between two miles per hour and ten miles per hour.  
         [0038]     A suspension adjustment mechanism  52  may also be provided. The suspension adjustment mechanism  52  is manually controlled and controls the height of the vehicle frame above the ground. Different types of cement traffic barriers vary greatly in height. Some stand slightly larger than curbs. Some can stand five feet tall. The use of the suspension adjustment mechanism allows an operator to set the general height of the barrier maintenance assembly  10  so that it is properly positioned for the height of the cement traffic barrier being maintained. Small variation in the size and height of the cement traffic barrier are not compensated for with the suspension adjustment mechanism, but are rather adjusted by using the positional and operational controls of the various spray head arrays  40 .  
         [0039]     In the embodiment of the present invention barrier maintenance assembly  10  shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the barrier maintenance assembly  10  has multiple spray head arrays in a single machine. Such an embodiment is merely exemplary and it should be understood that barrier maintenance assemblies can be made containing only one or two spray head arrays. Such an embodiment is set forth in  FIG. 6 . In  FIG. 6  it can be seen that the barrier maintenance assembly  60  is divided into different dedicated vehicles. In the shown embodiment, there is a cleaning vehicle  62 . The cleaning vehicle  62  may contain spray heads that air blast the cement traffic barrier or spray heads that spray water and cleaner against the cement traffic barriers. A separate vehicle can be constructed as a painting vehicle  64 . The painting vehicle  64  contains spray head arrays that spray paint or waterproofing treatment onto the concrete traffic barrier  11 .  
         [0040]     Each vehicle  62 ,  64  contains the guide wheels and adjustment mechanisms previously described. Each of the vehicles  62 ,  64  can contain an engine and can be self-propelling. However, each vehicle  62 ,  64  can be made simply to be free rolling. A single self-powered vehicle  66  can then be provided to pull the various free rolling vehicles  62 ,  64 . Units can be pulled one at a time or can be coupled together like freight cars of a train. In the shown embodiment, the self-powered vehicle  66  is shown as a dedicated machine that straddles the cement traffic barrier  11 . However, the self-powered vehicle  66  can be an ordinary truck that pulls the free-rolling vehicles  62 ,  64  by driving along the side of the cement traffic barrier.  
         [0041]     It will be understood that the embodiments of the present invention barrier maintenance system that are described and illustrated herein are merely exemplary and a person skilled in the art can make many variations to the embodiment shown without departing from the scope of the present invention. All such variations, modifications and alternate embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.