Abstract: A ruling of cube corner elements comprising intersecting ruled vee-grooves is characterized in that at least one of the vee-grooves is made such the substrate being ruled and the cutting tool are oscillated with respect to one another during the ruling of the vee-groove. Rulings made in accordance with the instant invention can be designed to produce a cube corner element having broader divergence.

Abstract: A ruling of cube corner elements comprising intersecting ruled vee-grooves is characterized in that at least one of the vee-grooves is made such the substrate being ruled and the cutting tool are oscillated with respect to one another during the ruling of the vee-groove. Rulings made in accordance with the instant invention can be designed to produce a cube corner element having broader divergence.

Abstract: A ruling of cube corner elements comprising intersecting ruled vee-grooves is characterized in that at least one of the vee-grooves is made such the substrate being ruled and the cutting tool are oscillated with respect to one another during the ruling of the vee-groove. Rulings made in accordance with the instant invention can be designed to produce a cube corner element having broader divergence.

Abstract: A method for tooling a pattern of retroreflective microcubes, which pattern can be subdivided into smaller increments within which there are straight line tooling paths, none of which pass through an otherwise solid part of the incremental pattern. The tooling paths within the various increments need not be parallel to a common plane. Various adaptions of the method enable the tooling of a number of specific microcube shapes and for modifying such optical properties of the microcubes as entrance angularity, incidence angularity, orientation angularity, observation angularity, percent active aperture and retroreflectance. Specific techniques govern the pre-selection of cube parameters such as cube axis cant, cube apex decentration, and cube boundary proportions, which parameters can be adjusted independently of each other. Designs tooled by the method can have 100% active aperture at near zero degrees entrance angle.

Abstract: A ruling of cube corner elements comprising intersecting ruled vee-grooves is characterized in that at least one of the vee-grooves is made such the substrate being ruled and the cutting tool are oscillated with respect to one another during the ruling of the vee-groove. Rulings made in accordance with the instant invention can be designed to produce a cube corner element having broader divergence.

Abstract: A roadway marker comprises a solid body member having a lower generally planar surface configured to be adhered directly to a roadway surface. The marker is injection molded as a one-piece structure from a closed-cell foam thermoplastic material using a chemical blowing agent. The bottom surface of the body member may be formed with slight recesses or protrusions such that the entire bottom of the marker fills with adhesive when the marker is installed. Thus, maximum adhesive surface area is provided between the marker and the roadway surface. Further, the closed-cell foam construction creates a marker body which is strong, economical to mold and which does not shrink after molding.

Abstract: A pavement marker comprising a base member and a signal device for sending a light signal to a driver of an oncoming vehicle further includes a longitudinally extending tire directing hood member that directs tire contact away from the upper edge, upper portion, and upper generally corner portions of the signal device front face, while allowing tire contact with the lower portion of the signal device front face. The signal device front face is at a predetermined recess depth in said pavement marker, and is at a predetermined angle with respect to the roadway surface. The marker can be either a snowplowable marker or a sun country marker. The signal device optionally can be mounted on a base member by a mechanical interlock. Optional drainage channels can be provided in the base member to allow drainage of fluid from in front of the lower portion of the signal device.

Abstract: A method for tooling a pattern of retroreflective microcubes, which pattern can be subdivided into smaller increments within which there are straight line tooling paths, none of which pass through an otherwise solid part of the incremental pattern. The tooling paths within the various increments need not be parallel to a common plane. Various adaptions of the method enable the tooling of a number of specific microcube shapes and for modifying such optical properties of the microcubes as entrance angularity, incidence angularity, orientation angularity, observation angularity, percent active aperture and retroreflectance. Specific techniques govern the pre-selection of cube parameters such as cube axis cant, cube apex decentration, and cube boundary proportions, which parameters can be adjusted independently of each other. Designs tooled by the method can have 100% active aperture at near zero degrees entrance angle.

Abstract: A low-profile housing and lens assembly system for use in a pavement marker. The housing is generally shell like and has a recess for accommodating a retroreflective lens element. The housing is provided with means defining a flat base for providing improved adhesion of the marker to the pavement.

Abstract: A low-profile housing and lens assembly system for use in a pavement marker. The housing is generally shell like and has a recess for accommodating a retroreflective lens element. The housing is provided with means defining a flat base for providing improved adhesion of the marker to the pavement.

Abstract: A low-profile snowplowable pavement marker is disclosed including a base member and a retroreflector. The base member has two arcuate-bottom keel members interconnected by a support member. The upper surfaces of the keel members define inclined ramps. The spacing of inner surfaces of the ramps allows retroreflectance of oncoming light while accommodating larger plow blade angles encountered in higher speed plowing. The support member has a central planar support surface for carrying the retroreflector and upwardly facing curved top surfaces providing relief in the base member between the ramps and in front of the retroreflector to allow tires of approaching vehicles to wipe the lens assembly. The housing of the retroreflector is molded from long-glass-fiber-reinforced composite thermoplastic material with a recess for accommodating a retroreflective lens element of a different thermoplastic material.

Abstract: A depressible roadway marker has an outer metal housing within which an elastomeric core is held. The core holds a retroreflective lens element above the level of the roadway which depresses into the metal housing when run over by a vehicle tire. The core includes a wiping element to scrub the lens element each time the core is depressed. The core includes structure to absorb the forces encountered during depression to reduce fatigue damage to the core.

Abstract: A self-righting roadway marker support for a flexible boundary or roadway marker has a hollow anchor sleeve sunk into a supporting surface, a mounting collar secured to said anchor sleeve, a pivot strut extending through and upward from the collar, a compressible coil spring to resiliently urge the strut into contact with the collar, and a spring stop which selectively limits the extent to which the coil spring may be compressed. An oblong, radiused or chamfered aperture formed in the collar cooperates with a spring-mounting eyebolt to prevent the strut from rotating when deflected. A tool is also disclosed for installing the marker support. The force required to deflect the support assembly is set to be less than the force that would destroy or permanently set or deform the boundary marker.

Abstract: A thin transparent glass sheet is bonded to the substantially flat planar front face of a cube-corner-type retrodirective reflector formed of a light-transmitting synthetic organic resin for covering at least the reflex reflective area thereof. A liquid urethane resin radiation curable to a transparent solid state is applied to the front face of the reflector and one side of the glass sheet is coated with a silane solution which is allowed to dry, and which side is then placed against the urethane resin on the reflector front face and pressed thereagainst until all air bubbles have been forced from the urethane resin and it has spread to a layer of predetermined thickness.

Abstract: A mobile apparatus for detecting reflectivity of markers on a roadway surface is disclosed. The apparatus includes a vehicle and an elongated shroud assembly which has mounted therein a light source for directing light toward a marker and a light receptor for detecting light reflected from the marker, as the apparatus moves along the roadway surface. An aperture housing is mounted to the shroud and light directed to and reflected from the marker must pass through the aperture housing. In one embodiment the shroud is pivotally connected at one end to the vehicle and positioning means are provided for maintaining that portion of the shroud which will normally overlie the marker when light is reflected therefrom at a uniform and preselected height from the roadway surface. In another embodiment, the shroud is rigidly fixed to the vehicle, but the aperture is constructed to "float" at a uniform and preselected height from the roadway surface.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus for continuously embossing a repeating pattern of precise detail, in particular, cube-corner type reflector elements, on one surface of a sheet of transparent thermoplastic material to form retroreflective sheeting. A continuous embossing tool in the form of a flexible thin metal belt or cylinder has on its outer surface an embossing pattern which is the reverse of the pattern to be formed. The embossing tool is continuously moved at a predetermined speed along a closed course through a heating station where the temperature of a portion of the embossing tool is raised to be above the glass transition temperature of the sheeting and a cooling station where the heated portion of the embossing tool is cooled to be below that glass transition temperature.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a pavement marker for engagement with an underlying roadway for providing a marking visible from an oncoming vehicle on the roadway surface. The pavement marker comprises a lens member of light-transmitting synethetic resin including a front face having a light-receiving and refracting portion adapted to be inclined at an angle of at least 15.degree. and a rear face having reflex reflective means for reflecting light transmitted through the light-receiving and refracting portion back to the source. The pavement marker has an untempered glass sheet fixedly disposed on the light-receiving and refracting portion and the glass is in compression throughout the expected temperature range to which the pavement marker is exposed in use.

Abstract: A method for tooling a pattern of retroreflective microcubes, which pattern can be subdivided into smaller increments within which there are straight line tooling paths, none of which pass through an otherwise solid part of the incremental pattern. The tooling paths within the various increments need not be parallel to a common plane. Various adaptions of the method enable the tooling of a number of specific microcube shapes and for modifying such optical properties of the microcubes as entrance angularity, incidence angularity, orientation angularity, observation angularity, percent active aperture and retroreflectance. Specific techniques govern the pre-selection of cube parameters such as cube axis cant, cube apex decentration, and cube boundary proportions, which parameters can be adjusted independently of each other. Designs tooled by the method can have 100% active aperture at near zero degrees entrance angle.

Abstract: A method for tooling a pattern of retroreflective microcubes, which pattern can be subdivided into smaller increments within which there are straight line tooling paths, none of which pass through an otherwise solid part of the incremental pattern. The tooling paths within the various increments need not be parallel to a common plane. Various adaptions of the method enable the tooling of a number of specific microcube shapes and for modifying such optical properties of the microcubes as entrance angularity, incidence angularity, orientation angularity, observation angularity, percent active aperture and retroreflectance. Specific techniques govern the pre-selection of cube parameters such as cube axis cant, cube apex decentration, and cube boundary proportions, which parameters can be adjusted independently of each other. Designs tooled by the method can have 100% active aperture at near zero degrees entrance angle.