Portable roadway warning device

Abstract

A portable roadway warning device comprises one or more rumble strips. Each rumble strip comprises at least two modular strip sections, each made of a polymeric material having top and bottom surfaces and end edges and side edges. At least one of the end edges of each of the strip sections has a plurality of aligned alternating notches and tabs, and connecting links hingedly connect the tabs at one of the end edges of one of the strip sections to respective aligned tabs at one of the end edges of another of the strip sections.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable roadway warning device comprising one or more rumble strips, each rumble strip comprising at least two modular strip sections, each of the strip sections being made of a polymeric material having top and bottom surfaces and end edges and side edges, at least one of the end edges of each of the strip sections has a plurality of aligned alternating notches and tabs, and connecting links hingedly connecting the tabs at one of the end edges of one of the strip sections to respective aligned tabs at one of the end edges of another of the strip sections. 
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the tabs at at least one of the end edges of each of the strip sections have aligned lateral through holes axially inwardly spaced from the respective end edges, and each of the connecting links comprises two laterally spaced rods extending through the respective through holes in the aligned tabs at the one end edges of the strip sections, the rods having opposite ends extending outwardly beyond respective ends of the through holes, and a pair of link plates attached to respective opposite ends of the two rods to maintain a desired lateral spacing between the two rods that is slightly greater than the spacing between the through holes in the respective aligned tabs when the one end edges of the strip sections are in substantial parallel alignment with one another. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein one of the link plates of each pair is fixedly attached to one of the ends of the two rods, and the other link plate of each pair has a slip fit over another of the ends of the two rods and is releasably secured to the another ends by a connecting pin for ease of attachment of the connecting links to the aligned tabs of the strip sections. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the connecting pin is transversely slidably received in aligned grooves in the another ends of the two rods outwardly of the other link plate. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 3  wherein each of the link plates has a width no greater than the thickness of the strip sections. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5  wherein each of the link plates has opposite end portions extending radially outwardly beyond the respective rods when connected thereto of a length no greater than one-half the thickness of the strip sections. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the end edges of each of the strip sections have at least two tabs that are hingedly connected by respective connecting links to respective aligned tabs of the strip sections, and the notches adjacent opposite side edges of the respective tabs have a depth greater than the length of the end portions of the link plates extending radially outwardly beyond the respective rods to allow for folding of the interconnected strip sections in overlying relation to one another. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the at least one of the end edges of each of the strip sections has at least two tabs that are hingedly connected by respective connecting links to respective aligned tabs of another of the strip sections. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the at least one of the end edges of each of the strip sections has four tabs that are hingedly connected by respective connecting links to respective aligned tabs of another of the strip sections. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 7  wherein at least one of the notches between at least two of the tabs of the one strip section that are interconnected with aligned tabs of the another strip section has a width greater than the length of the two rods of the respective connecting links to facilitate insertion of free ends of the rods of the respective connecting links through the through holes in the respective aligned tabs of the strip sections. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1  wherein each of the strip sections is made of rubber. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1  wherein a plurality of metal plates or bars are embedded in or otherwise secured to each of the strip sections to provide ballast to the strip sections, each of the plates or bars running transversely between the side edges of the strip sections in laterally spaced relation from one another. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1  wherein each of the strip sections has a length of between approximately five feet and approximately six feet. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13  wherein each of the strip sections has a length of approximately five and one-half feet. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13  wherein each of the strip sections has a width of approximately twelve inches and a thickness of approximately three-quarter inch. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the end edges of each of the strip sections have a plurality of aligned alternating notches and tabs, and connecting links hingedly connecting the tabs at one of the end edges of one of the strip sections to respective aligned tabs at another of the end edges of another of the strip sections. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16  wherein the tabs at the respective end edges of each of the strip sections have aligned lateral through holes axially inwardly spaced from the respective end edges, and each of the connecting links comprises two laterally spaced rods extending through the respective through holes in the aligned tabs at the one and the another end edges of the one and the another strip sections, the rods having opposite ends extending outwardly beyond respective ends of the through holes, and a pair of link plates attached to respective opposite ends of the two rods to maintain a desired lateral spacing between the two rods that is slightly greater than the spacing between the through holes in the respective aligned tabs when the one and the another end edges of the one and the another strip sections are in substantial parallel alignment with one another.