Abstract:
The invention relates to road markers for pedestrian crossings and roadways. A plurality of frame structures consisting of rods are connected by cross members, said frame structures being close to each other lengthwise and crosswise in order to obtain manufactured-items made up of a plurality of solid color porcelainized stoneware blocks, said blocks being further slidable inside the above mentioned frame structures employing said rods as guide members.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention pertains to a manufactured road marker for pedestrian crossings and all kinds of roadways. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    As for pedestrian crossings, on the surfaces of the roads involved, sections parallel to each other, generally, but not exclusively white striped, alternating with road bed areas, are created. 
         [0003]    This solution is adopted worldwide. 
         [0004]    It is to be noted that these pedestrian crossings can be simply made by coloring the road bed or by using, for example, porphyry or marble blocks, of different colors. 
         [0005]    The solutions adopted so far have many drawbacks. 
         [0006]    A first drawback is represented by the poor visibility soon reached by paints, particularly the white paint, due to oily solutions, and above all, to rubber tire deposits. The first drawback becomes even more pronounced in bad weather when, on the road bed, slippery with rain, pedestrian crossings become hardly visible. 
         [0007]    A second drawback is specifically related to pedestrian crossings made of porphyry or marble blocks. With heavy traffic and particularly with heavy loads, marble blocks break up and, in any case, either marble and porphyry blocks are likely to be removed from their respective seats, thus creating craters in the pavement. The foregoing drawbacks give birth to a further problem represented by law suits and damage claims for accidents due both to poor visibility of the pedestrian crossing and to the presence of potholes. 
         [0008]    Another problem, once again related to pedestrian crossings whose strips are made up of porphyry and marble blocks, is represented by the long time required for the laying of the blocks, which results in high total costs. 
         [0009]    Some of the above mentioned drawbacks, particularly the removal of the blocks and their high laying or installation cost, apply to manufactured items suitable for creating special roadways, such as squares and cycle paths. Though free from problems connected to heavy loads, they have to conform to aesthetic requirements together with safety standards. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The aim of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks. 
         [0011]    In particular, the device for making manufactured-items, such as road markers for pedestrian crossing areas and roadways of the type consisting of a plurality of blocks close to each other, which is the object of the present invention, is characterized in that the road marker combines:
       a plurality of frame structures, each consisting of two pairs of rods tightly secured to a plurality of cross members; said frame structures being adapted to be fixed onto a layer of cement cast on the ground;   a plurality of solid color porcelainized stoneware blocks, each of said blocks being securable to the frame structures following the guide provided by the two pairs of rods.       
 
         [0014]    This and other features will be better understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, which is to be intended in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  shows a block fitting the frame structure; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  shows a cross section of the frame structure coupled to a block; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  shows a block having a smooth upper surface; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  shows a block having a knurled upper surface; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a cross section of said second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  shows the block and the frame structure of the second embodiment; 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  shows a block of the above mentioned second embodiment having a smooth upper surface; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  shows a block of the above mentioned second embodiment having a knurled upper surface. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , number  1  refers to a frame structure made of metal consisting of two pairs of rods  2  parallel to each other and tightly secured to each other by a plurality of cross members  3 ; number  4  refers to a stop member tightly secured to the last cross member  3  of the frame structure  1 ; number  5  refers to a plurality of reinforcing rods; number  10  refers to a block being slidable inside the frame structure  1  following the guide given by the two pairs of rods  2 . 
         [0024]    The term “a pair of rods”  2  means two rods placed on the same short vertical slide  3   a  of each cross member  3 . Each of said cross members is U-shaped, with its opening upwards, that is towards the aforementioned rods  2 ; the securing points between rods  2  and the cross members  3  are located in coincidence with both the short vertical sides  3   a  of each of the aforementioned cross members. The stop member  4  is tightly secured to the last cross member  3  in coincidence with the short vertical side portions  3   a  between the two pairs of rods  2 . 
         [0025]    Said stop member  4  performs the function of stopping the sliding of the first block  10  inserted into the frame structure  1 . 
         [0026]    A plurality of reinforcing rods  5  is tightly secured onto the long horizontal side  3   b  of each cross member  3 ; these rods make the frame structure  1  more stable and prevent the mutual displacement of the cross members  3 . The above mentioned plurality of reinforcing rods  5  may be omitted without affecting the performance of the present invention. 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the solid color porcelainized stoneware block  10  has a lower portion  7 , an upper portion  8 , and a central portion  9 . 
         [0028]    In a plan view, portions  7 ,  8  and  9  have a square configuration. 
         [0029]    At the bottom of the lower portion  7  is a plurality of grooves  6 , parallel, angled or perpendicular to each other, in order to provide a better grip between the above mentioned block  10  and the cement layer cast during the laying operation. 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , each block  10  is shaped in such a way that:
       the height of the central portion  9  is smaller than the gap between the two rods  2  making up each of the two pairs;   the width of the central portion  9  is greater than the distance between the two pairs of rods  2  and lower than the gap between the two short vertical sides  3   a  of each cross member  3 ;   both lower portion  7  and upper portion  8  width is smaller than the gap between the two pairs of rods  2  of the frame structure  1 .       
 
         [0034]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the surface of the upper portion  8  of each block  10  has a smooth finishing but, as shown in  FIG. 4 , it might also be irregularly knurled or it might show a slantwise raised pattern. The blocks  10  could be of any color, even making use of fluorescent pigments. 
         [0035]      FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  7  and  8  show a second embodiment of the present invention and specifically:
         FIG. 5  is a cross section of said second embodiment of the present invention;     FIG. 6  shows the block and the frame structure of the second embodiment;     FIG. 7  shows a block of the above mentioned second embodiment having a smooth upper surface; and     FIG. 8  shows a block of the above mentioned second embodiment having a knurled upper surface.         
         [0040]    Said second embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 5-8 , is different from the preferred one, as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3  and  4 , being characterized as follows:
       in the second embodiment the frame structure is made up of two rods  2  parallel to each other and tightly secured to a plurality of cross members  3  in coincidence with the short vertical sides  3   a  of each said cross member, as shown in  FIG. 5 ;   in the second embodiment of the present invention each block  10  is shaped as illustrated in  FIGS. 5 ,  7  and  8  where the height of the central portion  9  is greater than the thickness of the rods  2  and its width is smaller than the gap between the two rods  2 ; moreover the width of both the upper portion  8  and the lower portion  7  is greater than the distance between the two rods  2 .       
 
         [0043]    As for the preferred embodiment of  FIGS. 1-4  described above, the second embodiment provides the upper portion surface  8  to be smooth finished, as shown in  FIG. 7 , or irregularly knurled, as shown in  FIG. 8  or having an irregular slantwise raised pattern. Now with reference to the figures the operation of the present invention will be described. 
         [0044]    The setting up of an area to be covered with blocks  10  requires the following steps:
       first, each frame structure  1 , necessary to create the manufactured item, will be filled with the blocks  10  making said blocks slide along the rods until the first block so fitted in hits the stop element  4 ; each frame structure will thus be filled in with the blocks inserted one after the other, each hitting the previous one.   once the road surface to be covered with blocks  10  has been prepared at a depth slightly greater than the thickness of the device object of the present invention, it will be covered with a cement casting, either a cement grout or in solid phase, and the frame structures provided with the blocks, when ready, will be supported thereby.       
 
         [0047]    During the laying or installation operation, the frame structure  1 , including the blocks  10 , can be located in place either one by one or side by side lengthwise, or sideways, so as to leave a hollow space at least one centimeter thick among the above mentioned frame structures. Obviously the number of the frame structures, filed in with blocks used in the laying step will vary depending on the extent of the manufactured item to create. 
         [0048]    While assembling the plurality of the aforementioned structures and blocks  10 , great attention is to be paid to correctly alternate colors, for example in the case of pedestrian crossings. 
         [0049]    After laying the frame structures  1  complete with blocks  10 , if the gaps between one block and the other and the hollow spaces between the single frame structures show portions left uncovered by the upwards flux of the casting, a further casting will have to be provided in order to clog up said portions. 
         [0050]    For pedestrian crossings, a plurality of groups of structures  11 , filled in with blocks  10 , suitably arranged on the road bed, is needed to create the pedestrian crossing. 
         [0051]    As shown in  FIG. 9 , each group of structures  11  is made up of four frame structures  1  lined up sideways and tightly secured to each other by welded seams on the short vertical sides  3   a  mutually touching. 
         [0052]    A first advantage of the present invention is that pedestrian crossings and street furniture areas can be quickly set up. 
         [0053]    A second advantage is that the colors used for the blocks prove to be fast, even in severe situations of wear, as porcelainized stoneware is solid color which results in good long lasting visibility. In this connection, it is worth noticing that porcelainized stoneware reconditions through smoothing. 
         [0054]    A further advantage is offered by the device strength due to several factors; the frame structures provided inside the device, the material each block is made of, and the fact that the device, as a whole, is blocked by the upwardly flowing cement casting which will cover all the joints between the blocks and the hollow spaces existing between the frame structures. 
         [0055]    A further relevant advantage is that the frame structures, making up the road marker which is the object of the present invention, employs easy and inexpensive manufacturing methods. Also the laying or installing step of the present invention can be easily and quickly performed. 
         [0056]    Although the description clearly refers to porcelainized stoneware blocks, the road marker of the present invention proves quite effective even when the blocks are made of not stonewared ceramics, glass paste, resins, cement and its by-products, powders from processings such as milling and smoothing processes, for example. 
         [0057]    The description simply mentions that the blocks are made of solid color porcelainized stoneware; obviously the blocks can be obtained by drawing or extruding, and either dry or plastic pressing. 
         [0058]    Once again the description specifically refers to the fact that the frame structures are made of metal, but it is clear that the device may be fully effective even using frame structures made of hard plastics. The description specifically mentions frame structures consisting of rods parallel to each other tightly secured to a plurality of U-shaped cross members. However it is clear that the road marker of the present invention works efficiently even if said plurality of cross elements is replaced with a simple U-shaped metal sheet, which it might be perforated, or with a U-shaped wire net. 
         [0059]    Other modifications and revisions may occur to the skilled artisan. Consequently, the appended claims should be literally construed in a manner consistent with applicant&#39;s inventive efforts, and should not be limited to their literal terms.