Disclosed are various embodiments for a contrast road marking apparatus that can apply contrasting thermoplastic markings to a roadway in a single pass. The contrast road marking apparatus includes two or more ribbon guns configured to apply a first thermoplastic marking to a roadway location and a second thermoplastic marking, which comprises a color that contrasts with a color of the first thermoplastic marking, to another roadway location. The resulting contrast road marking has no visible or substantially negligible overlap or gap between the individual thermoplastic markings.

An installation system has a laser range finder set at a reference position to measure a distance to a target, an installation cart which performs operation for laying a magnetic marker in a road, and an arithmetic unit which identifies a position relation of a laying position where the magnetic marker is laid with respect to the reference position. When operation for laying the magnetic marker in a road is performed, by taking the installation cart during performing the operation of laying the magnetic marker in the road as a target, based on a distance to the installation cart measured by the laser range finder, the position relation of the laying position with respect to the reference position is identified by the arithmetic unit.

An installation system has a laser range finder set at a reference position to measure a distance to a target, an installation cart which performs operation for laying a magnetic marker in a road, and an arithmetic unit which identifies a position relation of a laying position where the magnetic marker is laid with respect to the reference position. When operation for laying the magnetic marker in a road is performed, by taking the installation cart during performing the operation of laying the magnetic marker in the road as a target, based on a distance to the installation cart measured by the laser range finder, the position relation of the laying position with respect to the reference position is identified by the arithmetic unit.

A quick disconnect handle assembly includes a handle and a handle mount. The handle includes a shaft, a spring, and a pin at or near an end of the shaft and configured to restrain movement of the spring in a first direction. The handle mount includes a body having a first end and second end opposite the first end, a passageway through the body, and a first recess configured to receive the pin and lock the handle in the handle mount. The passageway has an inlet at the first end and an outlet at the second end and has a cross-sectional shape substantially the same as a cross-sectional shape of the shaft at the location of the pin, such that the shaft including the pin can be received in the passageway. The first recess opens at the outlet and extends longitudinally toward the inlet of the handle mount body.

A quick disconnect handle assembly includes a handle and a handle mount. The handle includes a shaft, a spring, and a pin at or near an end of the shaft and configured to restrain movement of the spring in a first direction. The handle mount includes a body having a first end and second end opposite the first end, a passageway through the body, and a first recess configured to receive the pin and lock the handle in the handle mount. The passageway has an inlet at the first end and an outlet at the second end and has a cross-sectional shape substantially the same as a cross-sectional shape of the shaft at the location of the pin, such that the shaft including the pin can be received in the passageway. The first recess opens at the outlet and extends longitudinally toward the inlet of the handle mount body.

An auxiliary heating means for improving the melting efficiency of melter kettles used to melt thermoplastic pavement marking materials. The auxiliary heating means includes a tube assembly through which thermoplastic material received from the bottom of the melter kettle is transferred to the top of the melter kettle. The tube assembly comprises an odd number of tubes having augers therein. The tube assembly is coupled to a side portion of the melter kettle and located within a heat chamber through which hot combustion gases from a combustion chamber at the bottom of the melter kettle flow and transfer heat into the tube assembly. The heat chamber comprises an extended portion of a heat chamber that surrounds the melter kettle.

An auxiliary heating means for improving the melting efficiency of melter kettles used to melt thermoplastic pavement marking materials. The auxiliary heating means includes a tube assembly through which thermoplastic material received from the bottom of the melter kettle is transferred to the top of the melter kettle. The tube assembly comprises an odd number of tubes having augers therein. The tube assembly is coupled to a side portion of the melter kettle and located within a heat chamber through which hot combustion gases from a combustion chamber at the bottom of the melter kettle flow and transfer heat into the tube assembly. The heat chamber comprises an extended portion of a heat chamber that surrounds the melter kettle.

An auxiliary heating means for improving the melting efficiency of melter kettles used to melt thermoplastic pavement marking materials. The auxiliary heating means includes a tube assembly through which thermoplastic material received from the bottom of the melter kettle is transferred to the top of the melter kettle. The tube assembly comprises an odd number of tubes having augers therein. The tube assembly is coupled to a side portion of the melter kettle and located within a heat chamber through which hot combustion gases from a combustion chamber at the bottom of the melter kettle flow and transfer heat into the tube assembly. The heat chamber comprises an extended portion of a heat chamber that surrounds the melter kettle.

A screed box includes a screed bucket, a screed plate mount attached to the screed bucket, a screed plate slidably connected to the screed plate mount and a screed bar attached to a bottom of the screed bucket. The screed plate mount includes a sealing edge. The screed plate includes at least one screed flange. The screed bar includes a body and a sealing lip including at least one projection. The screed bar is slidable between an open position where the sealing lip engages the sealing edge and a closed position where the sealing lip is disengaged from the sealing edge, and the at least one projection engages the sealing edge when the screed bar is in the open position and when the screed bar is in a closed position.

A screed box includes a screed bucket, a screed plate mount attached to the screed bucket, a screed plate slidably connected to the screed plate mount and a screed bar attached to a bottom of the screed bucket. The screed plate mount includes a sealing edge. The screed plate includes at least one screed flange. The screed bar includes a body and a sealing lip including at least one projection. The screed bar is slidable between an open position where the sealing lip engages the sealing edge and a closed position where the sealing lip is disengaged from the sealing edge, and the at least one projection engages the sealing edge when the screed bar is in the open position and when the screed bar is in a closed position.