Nestable traffic barrier

Abstract

A traffic control barrier having an internal reservoir to receive water, sand or similar ballast material, such that the barrier is relatively lightweight until filled with ballast. The barrier is nestable such that multiple barriers can be disposed in a vertical stack of reduced height.

1 . A portable traffic barrier comprising a generally rectangular base member having an open bottom, a pair of sloping side walls defining an open interior, a collapsible reservoir disposed within said interior, fill means to introduce ballast into said reservoir to add weight to said traffic barrier, drain means to release said ballast from said reservoir, and reinforcing ribs, whereby multiple said traffic barriers may be disposed in a nested vertical stack of reduced height when said reservoirs are empty and collapsed.  
     
     
         2 . The traffic barrier of  claim 1 , further comprising end walls.  
     
     
         3 . The traffic barrier of  claim 1 , wherein said reservoir comprises a flexible bag.  
     
     
         4 . The traffic barrier of  claim 1 , wherein said fill means comprises a fill port.  
     
     
         5 . The traffic barrier of  claim 4 , said fill means further comprising closure means.  
     
     
         6 . The traffic barrier of  claim 1 , further comprising an upper ridge member.  
     
     
         7 . The traffic barrier of  claim 6 , further comprising a fill access disposed in said upper ridge member.  
     
     
         8 . The traffic barrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a reduced profile nose disposed on one end of said traffic barrier, said other end of said traffic barrier being an open end, whereby said reduced profile nose of a first said traffic barrier fits within said open end of a second said traffic barrier when said first and second traffic barriers are aligned longitudinally.  
     
     
         9 . The traffic barrier of  claim 8 , wherein said reduced profile nose comprises a base member and a pair of sloping side walls.  
     
     
         10 . (canceled)  
     
     
         11 . (canceled)  
     
     
         12 . (canceled)  
     
     
         13 . The traffic barrier of  claim 1 , further comprising forklift apertures disposed in said base member.  
     
     
         14 . (canceled)  
     
     
         15 . A set of portable traffic barriers, each said traffic barrier comprising a pair of sloping side walls, an open interior, an open bottom and a collapsible ballast reservoir disposed within said open interior, said ballast reservoir having fill means to introduce ballast into said reservoir and drain means to release said ballast from said reservoir; 
 each said traffic barrier further comprising a reduced profile nose disposed on one end of said traffic barrier, said other end of said traffic barrier being an open end, whereby said reduced profile nose of a first traffic barrier fits within said open end of a second traffic barrier when said first and second traffic barriers are aligned longitudinally;    whereby said traffic barriers can be stacked vertically such that said side walls of a first traffic barrier are received within the open interior of a second traffic barrier positioned atop said first traffic barrier when said ballast reservoir of said second traffic barrier is collapsed;    said set of traffic barriers further comprising a plug member having a pair of end walls and configured to mate with said open end of one of said traffic barriers to close off said open end in the place of another of said traffic barriers.    
     
     
         16 . (canceled)  
     
     
         17 . The traffic barriers of  claim 15 , wherein said reservoir comprises a flexible bag.  
     
     
         18 . The traffic barriers of  claim 15 , wherein said fill means comprises a fill port.  
     
     
         19 . The traffic barriers of  claim 18 , said fill means further comprising closure means.  
     
     
         20 . The traffic barriers of  claim 15 , each said traffic barrier further comprising an upper ridge member.  
     
     
         21 . The traffic barriers of  claim 20 , each said traffic barrier further comprising a fill access disposed in said upper ridge member.  
     
     
         22 . (canceled)  
     
     
         23 . The traffic barriers of  claim 15 , wherein said reduced profile nose comprises a pair of sloping side walls.  
     
     
         24 . (canceled)  
     
     
         25 . The traffic barriers of  claim 23 , wherein said plug member comprises a pair of sloping side walls defining a plug member open interior.  
     
     
         26 . The traffic barriers of  claim 25 , said plug member further comprising a reservoir disposed within said plug member open interior.  
     
     
         27 . The traffic barriers of  claim 15 , each said traffic barrier further comprising forklift apertures disposed in said base member.  
     
     
         28 . The traffic barriers of  claim 15 , each said traffic barrier further comprising reinforcing ribs disposed in said base member.  
     
     
         29 . The traffic barrier of  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcing ribs are disposed on said base member so as to support multiple traffic barriers nested above said traffic barrier in a vertical stack.  
     
     
         30 . The traffic barrier of  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcing ribs are disposed on said sloping side walls so as to support multiple traffic barriers nested above said traffic barrier in a vertical stack.  
     
     
         31 . The traffic barriers of  claim 15 , wherein said plug member has a similar configuration to said reduced profile nose.  
     
     
         32 . A set of portable traffic barriers, each said traffic barrier comprising a pair of sloping side walls, an open interior, an open bottom and a collapsible ballast reservoir disposed within said open interior, said ballast reservoir having fill means to introduce ballast into said reservoir and drain means to release said ballast from said reservoir; 
 each said traffic barrier further comprising a reduced profile nose disposed on one end of said traffic barrier, said other end of said traffic barrier being an open end, whereby said reduced profile nose of a first traffic barrier fits within said open end of a second traffic barrier when said first and second traffic barriers are aligned longitudinally;    said fill means comprising a first fill access disposed on top of said reduced profile nose and a second fill access disposed adjacent said open end, whereby with said reduced profile nose of one said traffic barrier inserted into said open end of another traffic barrier, said first and second fill accesses align to provide access to fill said ballast reservoir;    whereby said traffic barriers can be stacked vertically such that said side walls of a first traffic barrier are received within the open interior of a second traffic barrier positioned atop said first traffic barrier when said ballast reservoir of said second traffic barrier is collapsed;    
     
     
         33 . The traffic barriers of  claim 32 , wherein said reservoir comprises a flexible bag.  
     
     
         34 . The traffic barriers of  claim 32 , wherein said fill means further comprises a fill port disposed within said reduced profile nose.