Cats Eye
Electronic Cats Eyes for the Roads – Invented by Percy Shaw in 1933
Britain’s history is made up of many famous Inventor’s all through our history. This has made me decide to write about one of the most famous British Inventors – Percy Shaw the Inventor of the road safety device called “Cat’s Eye’s”. This invention has saved many lives, worldwide and as a driver, late at night, It is always comforting to see the Cats Eyes guiding the way with its glowing light.
The cat’s eye is a retro-reflective safety device used in road markings and was the first of a range of raised pavement markers. It originated here in the UK in 1933 and is today used all over the world. It consists (in its original form) of two pairs of reflective glass spheres set into a white rubber dome, mounted in a cast iron housing. This is the kind that marks the centre of the road, with one pair of cat’s eye showing in each direction. A single-ended form has become widely used in other colours at road margins and as lane dividers. Cat’s eyes are particularly valuable in fog and are largely resistant to damage from snow ploughs.
A key feature of the cat’s eye is the flexible rubber dome which is occasionally deformed by the passage of traffic. A fixed rubber wiper cleans the surface of the reflectors as they sink below the surface of the road (the base tends to hold water after a shower of rain, making this process even more efficient). The rubber dome is protected from impact damage by metal ‘kerbs’ – which also give tactile and audible feedback for wandering drivers.
The inventor of cat’s eyes was Percy Shaw of Boothtown, Halifax,West Yorkshire. When the tram-lines were removed in the nearby suburb of Ambler Thorn when he realised that he’d been using the polished strips of steel to navigate. The name “cat’s eye” comes from Shaw’s inspiration for the device: the eye shine reflecting from the eyes of a cat. In 1934, he patented his invention (patent No.436.290 and 457.536), and on 15 March 1935, founded Reflecting Roadstuds Limited in Halifax to manufacture the items. The name Catseye was their trademark. The reflective lens had been invented six years earlier for use in advertising signs by Richard Hollins Murray, an accountant from Herefordshire and as Shaw acknowledged, they had contributed to his idea.
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The following Types of Cats Eyes are used on UK roads:
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White cat’s eyes are used for the centre of a road on many roads which lack street lighting but are subject to high speeds or high volumes of traffic. They are also used for lane markings, soft traffic islands and on “double-white lines” where no overtaking is permitted.
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Red cat’s eyes are placed along the hard shoulder of a motorway or sometimes dual carriageways
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Amber cat’s eyes are placed along the edge of the central reservation (median).
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Green cat’s eyes denote joining or leaving slip roads at junctions
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Blue cat’s eyes are used for police slip roads.
These units are not very visible in daylight and are generally used in conjunction with traditionally painted lines. Temporary cat’s eyes with just a reflective strip are often used during motorway repair work. These are typically day glow green/yellow so they are easily visible in daylight as well as in darkness, they can then be used on their own for lane division.
Also seen during motorway repair work are plastic traffic pillars that are inserted into the socket of a retractable cat’s eye rather than being free-standing. These are often used in conjunction with two rows of the temporary cat’s eyes to divide traffic moving in opposite directions during motorway road works.
Solar powered cat’s eyes known as solar road studs and showing a red or amber LED to traffic, have been introduced on roads regarded as particularly dangerous at locations throughout the world. However, shortly after one such installation in Essex in the Autumn of 2006 the BBC reported that the devices, which flash almost imperceptibly at 100 times a second, could possibly set off epileptic fits and the Highways Agency had suspended the programme.
Proposed enhancements, for an “intelligent cat’s eye” of the future, will see the standard white light change to amber for four seconds after the passing of a vehicle, or red if the following vehicle is too close or traffic ahead is stationary.
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The Chinese call Britain ‘The Island of Hero’s’ which I think sums up what we British are all about. We British are inquisitive and competitive and are always looking over the horizon to the next adventure and discovery.
Copyright © 2010 Paul Hussey. All Rights Reserved.
About the Author
My family tree has been traced back to the early Kings of England from the 7th Century AD. I am also a direct descendent of Sir Christopher Wren which has given me an interest in English History which is great fun to research.
I have recently decided to write articles on my favourite subjects: English Sports, English History, English Icons, English Discoveries and English Inventions. At present I have written over 100 articles which I call “An Englishman’s Favourite Bits Of England” in various Volumes. Please visit my fun Blogs page http://Bloggs.Resourcez.Com where I have listed all my fun articles to date.
Copyright © 2010 Paul Hussey. All Rights Reserved.
Cat’s Eye – The General (Part 1of 3)
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