Abstract: A mobile vehicle mounted highway striping system is provided for single operator driving and controlling of the stripe painting operation. Tracking control systems are provided for striping about curved vehicle paths. Automated tracking systems correct tracking errors with the only interactivity of the operator being the steering function of aligning the vehicle path with a designated striping pattern path. A video monitor comparing the striping vehicle position relative to a designated striping path is worn as a headpiece by the driver. Thus, a semi-transparent video tracking pattern displays lateral positioning of a stripe being painted by the moving vehicle as the driver keeps eyes directed upon the roadway. Automatic tracking around curves is provided. The painting vehicle is steered to follow a designated path position on the video monitor.

Abstract: This invention provides for painting a second coat upon a set of parallel striped lines in exact registration in one pass of a motorized painting vehicle for such applications as painting aircraft taxi stripes at airports. Beads are also registered on one of the lines in the same pass. Provisions are made for maintaining registration about curved lines by steering around curves with a shortened wheelbase vehicle and by extending paint nozzles for striping a plurality of parallel lines, typically a center twelve inch wide yellow line between two six inch wide black lines, outboard from one side of the painting vehicle. The vehicle comprises two four wheeled units articulated together by a universal articulation joint permitting vertical articulation so that the leading and trailing wheels may be lifted off the ground to reduce the wheelbase for steering around curves.

Abstract: A rear-drive, ride-on tractor propulsion unit is provided for articulation with manually steerable utility vehicles wherein a hydrostatic trans-axle transmission couples a gasoline motor to individual ones of two drive wheels about which the propulsion unit framework is pivoted. The drive wheels rotate about fixed axially aligned non-rotatable axles, and are independently driven by belts from the two axles of the transmission. In this manner, equal torque drive to the respective wheels is applied in one drive mode to maintain a preferred straight line drive path for the propulsion unit. For manual steering over a curved path the tractor unit permits a steerable three or four wheel utility vehicle to be pivoted about its rear wheels. A hydrostatic trans-axle transmission drive provides forward and reverse gears and braking. A low center of gravity provided by small wheels is made feasible by faster rotation speeds than the transaxle speeds afford.

Abstract: A superior performance highway striping system is provided with various features including single person operation for different kinds of striping requirements and simplified automatic tracking around curved striping patterns provided by articulation at a ball joint between a towing truck and trailer paint striping unit. A common non-dedicated pick-up truck tows a trailer mounted modular paint striping system that may be broken down into a hand pushed parking lot type of striper sub-system or a ride behind motorized airport runway striper sub-system for a versatility of operational environments with one or two coat striping in multiple colors and widths. The towed trailer carries two 55 gallon paint drums of different colored paint, loaded and unloaded by a one person loading winch. Thus, the striping system controlled by a single person provides the versatility of on-highway and off-highway striping.

Abstract: Improved paint striper control, speed and quality is achieved by articulating a motor driven push tractor unit to a steerable walk behind paint striping unit. In a preferred embodiment, a two wheeled rear push tractor unit supporting a drive motor and driver's seat is coupled through a quick release ball-socket pivot joint behind a three wheeled handlebar steered push-to-paint manual striping unit. The articulation joint with help of a hydrostatic trans-axle transmission in the tractor unit produces a sharp turning eighty degree radius. Also the transmission unit functions to drive the assembly in straight lines. The user controls steering to deviate from a straight line at the handlebar grips in substantially the same manner as if walking behind the paint striper. Thus the user rides quickly along the striping path with a good view at the paint spray jets to monitor performance and achieve higher output volume and quality.