Abstract: A compound machine for mechanically forming traffic dividing and regulating lines on a roadway pavement, comprising a motor driven vehicle adapted to travel along a desired direction on said pavement, the machine being implemented by a first apparatus supplied and adapted for forming spaced line segment by applying on said pavement spaced lengths of a multilayer road marking prefabricated tape material, and by a second apparatus supplied and adapted for forming painted marking line lengths aligned with and in the intervals between the spaced road marking tape segments, whereby a discontinuous marking line including alternatively arranged tape segments and painted segments is formed on the roadway pavement.

Abstract: A light retroreflective system essentially of the kind described in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,557, comprising a primary focusing transparent body having elliptical sections in planes perpendicular to a rotary symmetry axis of such body, and an equatorial zone about such axis, the system being noted by having a multilayer of complemental reflective means comprising microspheres concentrated on said equatorial zone. There also described a method for producing said system and including rotarily mixing bodies of such geometrical configuration together with an amount of microspheres less than that necessary for forming monolayers all about the entire surfaces of said bodies.

Abstract: An improved multi-layer surface marking tape material for use on roadway pavements so as to provide a traffic regulating indicium thereon, and having an anti-skid and wear-resisting upper layer and a lower primer layer for connecting the material to said pavement, the new multi-layer tape material comprising further an intermediate relatively thin, pliable, essentially inextensible and tensionally resistant intermediate layer compatible with and intimately connected to both said layers for distributing and transferring over a large primer layer-roadway pavement interfacial area horizontally directed stresses tangentially applied to said anti-skid upper layer at localized upper layer-vehicle wheel treads interfacial areas.

Abstract: A prefabricated road surface marking tape material consisting of a factory prefabricated and assembled structure comprising a tape component and a plurality of retroreflective sheltered elements bulging above said tape, spacedly distributed lengthwise of the tape, and secured thereon in a such position that the light emitted by headlamps of a vehicle travelling on the road in the direction of the tape and impinging on said reflective means comprised in each element, will be retroreflected in form of a relatively narrow beam of light precisely directed towards the driver of the vehicle, for improved nighttime visibility of the sign.

Abstract: An improved roadway surface marking tape material of the kind provided with retroreflective elements or other visibility and/or anti-skid improving elements, upwardly protruding over the generally planar upper face of the tape, the new tape being improved by the provision of further protruding components secured to said upper layer, of height over said face, greater than that of such elements, and comprising sloping portions, for raising snowplowing implements passing over the marking, and causing such implement to slide above said elements, without interfering with the same and therefore protecting them against the destructive action of said snowplowing means.

Abstract: There is described a retroreflective road surface marking tape material of the type having retroreflective systems secured at its upper surface layer, and including new retroreflective systems of elongated and cross-sectionally uniform configuration. There is also described method for forming said material, including preforming the elongated transparent elements of said systems from cutting into pieces an extruded stock transparent material and preferably arranging the resulting elongated systems perpendicularly of the length of the tape of a wider strip adapted to be longitudinally severed in tapes of the desired width.

Abstract: There is described a new method for forming dividing lines and other directional data upon the surface or pavement, by means of a base or "primer" layer of generally thermoplastic composition compatible with that of usual road pavements and forming an intermediate layer between the marking tape and the said road pavement, the new method comprising preliminarily applying or forming a primer layer on the lower face of the tape material to provide a two-layer structure, and then applying the thus formed structure to the road pavement, means and steps being provided for ensuring a prompt, complete and firm bonding at the tape-primer layer and at the primer layer-road pavement interfaces.

Abstract: There is described a method for road surface marking with tape material, including the steps of forming an essentially bituminous primer layer on such surface and then pressingly laying a prefabricated tape material on said primer layer, such layer being formed with an essentially thermoplastic composition containing at least 60% by weight of solid thermoplastic substances fluidified for intimately contacting the road surface. The layer is capable of quickly solidifying to a viscosity of at least 10.sup.3 - 10.sup.4 cP for receiving the tape material and then up to at least 10.sup.5 cP within 30 seconds to provide a bond between the tape and said surface capable of resisting horizontal stresses of at least 1.5 Kg/cm.sup.2. Thereafter, the later further hardens at ambient temperature resist to a stress of at least 3 Kg/cm.sup.2. There are also described devices for applying such composition and tape and for melting the said solid thermoplastic substances.

Abstract: A new method for producing retro-reflecting assemblies of the type comprising a transparent globule having an essentially part-spherical upper portion uncoated for light impingement, and a lower portion associated to a monolayer of focusing and reflective microspheres, the method comprising forming said globule by subjecting a sheet thermoplastic material to heat and pressure in the bite of counter-rotating forming rollers to provide an essentially planar intermediate product having oppositely located bulges at either faces thereof, the globules being obtained by subdividing said product in parts each comprising a pair of opposite bulges. The invention comprises improved assemblies comprising each an asymmetrical globule having the monolayer of microspheres associated to its essentially bottom face and to its peripheral toroidal side face of radius of curvature smaller than that of its upper bulging portion exposed for light impingement.

Abstract: There is described a method for road surface marking with tape material, including the steps of applying a thin layer of an essentially liquid hydrophilous wetting agent on said surface, of forming an essentially bituminous primer layer thereon, and then pressingly laying a prefabricated tape material on said primer layer, such being formed with an essentially thermoplastic composition containing at least 60 % by weight of solid thermoplastic substances fluidified for intimately contacting the road surface, capable of fastly solidify at least to 10.sup.3 - 10.sup.4 cP for receiving the tape material, then up to at least 10.sup.5 cP to provide a bond of the tape to said surface capable to resist to horizontal stress of at least 1.5 kg/cm within 30 seconds, and further harden at ambient temperature to resist to a stress of at least 3 kg/cm. There are also described devices for applying such composition and tape and for melting the said solid thermoplastic substances.

Abstract: A method of producing a prefabricated roadway marking strip material adapted to be applied on and secured to selected areas of a prepared roadway pavement so as to form thereon a traffic regulating indicium comprised of defined signalling surfaces having nighttime visibility and non-skid properties consistent with that of the adjacent roadway pavement. The material comprises a base layer and a traffic-regulating, sign-forming and traffic wear-resisting upper layer having a generally smooth surface, spaced protuberances bulging from said surface and reflective elements concentrated on the top portions of the protuberances for providing said visibility and non-skid properties.

Abstract: The disclosure describes, in the upwardly facing surface of a layer of material forming a traffic-regulating indicium on a road pavement, a reflective system consisting of a plurality of reflex-reflective aggregates consisting each of a main element of polymeric transparent material, partially embedded in said layer and having a convex portion projecting upwardly of said surface and having an index of refraction such that rays impinging said exposed portion at large angles of incidence are at least partially refracted into said element, said each aggregate further comprising a transparent binder substance contacting other portions of said element, said each aggregate still further comprising a monolayer of transparent beads contacting the and partially embedded into said transparent binder, having part-spherical surfaces facing away from said other portions of said element and a reflective coating provided over said part-spherical surfaces, the index of refraction n.sub.1 of said main element being from 1.

Abstract: The disclosure describes a new material adapted to be laid down and adhesively secured on a road surface to provide a traffic regulating sign thereon, the material having an upper surface exposed to traffic and provided with a plurality of sharp tips projecting above said surface for imparting good non-skid properties thereto, the said new material comprising an upper layer adjacent to said upper surface, at least partially embedding hard particles to form said sharp tips and consisting of a polymeric resin having a high molecular cohesion such as a polyamide resin, a polyurethane resin or a polyterephthalic resin, thereby adding improved wear resistance properties to non-skid and high visibility properties.

Abstract: There is described an optical system suitable for use on highway pavements or marking indicia for ensuring nighttime visibility, and consisting of a transparent sphere, a transparent layer of a binding medium having a refractive index different from that of the sphere, and partially surrounding said sphere, and a plurality of reflective part-spherical surfaces about such medium. The system has an optical transition zone between said sphere and said binding medium, consisting of a transparent layer of finite thickness wherein the index of refraction progressively varies from a value equal to that of the sphere, at locations adjacent to the sphere, to a value equal to that of said medium, at locations adjacent to the layer of said medium, whereby the refractive deviation of the light rays from the media (sphere and binding medium) having different refractive indexes occurs through said intermediate layer in form of a progressively curved path.

Abstract: There is described a method for road surface marking with tape material, including the steps of forming an essentially bituminous primer layer on such surface and then pressingly laying a prefabricated tape material on said primer layer, such layer being formed with an essentially adhesive composition having a relatively low viscosity when contacted with the road surface and comprising a substantial percentage of cross-linkable components at least part of which is hydrophilous. The layer is capable of attaining within a few minutes a viscosity of about 10.sup.5 cp and then further hardening to provide a final resistance to horizontal stresses applied to the tape material of at least 3 kg/cm.sup.2. There also are described devices for promoting cross-linking by preforming pre-polymers of a two-component reactive composition.

Abstract: A traffic safety aid consists of a prefabricated essentially flexible marking tape material which is adapted to be laid on and adhesively secured to a roadway surface, at predetermined locations which are to be detected and identified at a distance by a driver of a vehicle. The tape material has an upper face, a plurality of protrusions spaced lengthwise of the upper face. Each protrusion has the capability of emitting visible light when energy is applied thereto. Each protruse may contain a luminescent substance adapted to emit visible energy when excited by invisible or not visible radiations, or electric sources adapted to emit visible light when electric energy is applied through insulated leads pre-arranged in the tape material.

Abstract: A light retroreflective system comprises a primary focusing transparent body having an exposed surface adapted to project externally of the surface of a sign forming material and operative for refracting and focusing light beams impinging on portions of said exposed surface, and a reflecting arrangement adjacent to areas below said sign surface and where said beams are focused. The exposed surface has, in its cross-sections in planes perpendicular to said sign surface, portions adjacent to the sign surface having radii or curvature smaller than half of the distance between the portions and the locations below the sign surface wherein the refracted beams focus, so that a proper focalization is ensured within said primary body, the primary body consisting of a transparent material the index of refraction of which is considerably lower than 1.9.

Abstract: The disclosure describes new and improved reflex reflecting systems of the type comprising a spherical transparent lens having reflex reflective means arranged about it and secured relative thereto and optically associated therewith by means of a transparent binder material, the system being designed to be embedded in part in the surface layer of a traffic regulating sign formed on a traffic carrying surface of a road with the protecting portion of the lens being uncovered and exposed to impinging light, the said lens and the said binder being made of a transparent material the index of refraction of which is from 1.3 to 1.7, preferably about 1.5, and the total transparency parameter of the system, for light impinging under an incidence angle of 80.degree., being greater than 0.2.

Abstract: There is described an apparatus for forming traffic regulating indicia on road surfaces by applying tape material on a predetermined marking line trace. The apparatus consists of the combination of a service motor-van provided with steering means and driven by a first operator, and of a tape material applicator subassembly connected to and serviced by said motor-van and provided with its own steering means designed to be acted upon by a second operator, and with sight and collimation means designed for being collimated with said trace by said second operator which compensates for differences between the actual path of said motor-van and the marking line to be exactly provided.

Abstract: There is described a device comprising, in combination with a wheel supported structure adapted to be moved on the road surface, an assembly having vertically elongated compartments for storage of long pot-life viscous components adapted to co-react when mixed together and to form promptly hardenable compounds adapted to form a layer on said road surface, to provide a sign thereon or to form a primer base for laying down and adhesively securing a tape thereto. The assembly also includes means for supporting and laying said tape on the freshly formed layer, as well as pneumatically operated motor and control means for controlling the movements and the sequence of operations of the device.