The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 20, 1987
Filed:
Dec. 10, 1986
James R Whitney, Woodbridge, VA (US);
Other;
Abstract
An apparatus and method for cutting rain drainage grooves in a road surface, such as at the edges of the road to form a road marker system. A cutting cylinder rotates about its longitudinal axis, the latter lying in a substantially horizontal plane and at some angle, generally a right angle, to the road direction. The cutting cylinder is mounted on a frame, the latter attached to and carried by an automotive vehicle such as a truck. As the truck travels along the road, the cutting cylinder is moved alternately up and down, into the road surface, and forms the grooves. The cutting cylinder can be slightly tilted, so as to produce grooves of variable width and depth. The truck moves along the road being grooved at a substantially uniform speed. Preferably, the slopping side walls of the grooves are coated with a retro reflective coating. The grooves continuously drain rain so that the retro reflective coating is visible during hours of darkness and rain, to maintain visibility of the road edge to drivers. The grooves also function as a rumble strip.