EP1529884B1 - Reinforced post and associated guardrail - Google Patents

Abstract

The rail has horizontal hand slides (21, 22) and a post (33), which includes two steel sections (331, 332) including C-shaped sections forming openings. The steel sections are embedded into ground by their lower end and the openings are arranged against each other. A fixing unit (4) of the horizontal hand slides is integrated with an upper end and a lower end of the steel sections. An independent claim is also included for an assembling process of a road guard rail.

Description

The present invention relates to road safety barriers arranged along the roads. Such slides are used to restrain vehicles that accidentally leave the road.

Document FR-A-2 555 622 discloses a road safety slide support comprising a C section section partially buried in the ground, and in which a Ω section reinforcement is inserted and partially buried in the ground.

Document FR-A-2 837 849 describes a road safety barrier comprising several posts driven into the ground and spaced from each other. A plurality of metal reinforcing wood rails, connected to the posts by metal spacers are provided

A known slide has a horizontal rail formed of identical wooden logs assembled end to end to simplify the manufacture and assembly and to avoid the risk of hanging a vehicle that would slide along such a rail. The rail is attached to posts embedded in the ground.

Each log has a groove in which is inserted a main splint. The main splints of two successive logs are connected by a joint splice. Bolts normally maintain the main splint compressed between the splice splice and the log. Plates of the splice junction insert into bores of the main splint and allow to transmit forces along the axis of the log.

The post consists of a section C section embedded in the ground and a log integral with the profile. The main splint is fixed by bolts on the post log.

Such a slide has drawbacks. Indeed, this slide is effective for a shock with a particular vehicle but its resistance is insufficient for an impact with a vehicle of mass or larger size. In addition, it happens that the pins of the joint splice come out of their bores, which reduces the resistance of the slide.

In addition, the profile of the post is in practice inserted into the ground by a threshing operation. This step includes inserting an end of the profile into a footprint of a threshing helmet. Modifications of the profile in order to increase the strength involve in particular the costly manufacture of new tools, including new threshing helmets.

• au moins une première lisse horizontale;
• au moins un poteau présentant :
• deux profilés présentant une même section en forme de C formant une ouverture, encastrés dans le sol par leur extrémité inférieure, les ouvertures des profilés étant disposées l'une contre l'autre;
• un élément de fixation de la lisse horizontale, solidaire de la lisse horizontale et solidaire de l'extrémité supérieure d'au moins un des deux profilés.

The invention aims to solve one or more of these disadvantages. The invention therefore relates to a road safety slide comprising:

• at least one first horizontal smooth;
• at least one post showing:
• two sections having the same C-shaped section forming an opening, embedded in the ground by their lower end, the openings of the profiles being arranged against each other;
• a fastening element of the horizontal arm, integral with the horizontal arm and secured to the upper end of at least one of the two sections.

According to a variant, the slideway comprises at least one fixing member that solidifies the lower ends of the profiles.

According to another variant, the fastener is a profile having an Ω-shaped section pinching the edges of the openings of the C-shaped profiles.

According to another variant, the profiles have an identical section.

It can also be provided that the fastening element is provided with first and second vertical and parallel flanks, each of these flanks being in contact with a face opposite to the opening of a respective section, at least one bolt solidarisant these flanks to sections, the fastening element further comprising at least a third vertical flank and perpendicular to the first and second flanks and offset transversely relative to the post.

According to a variant, the first rail comprises butt logs each having a groove in which is inserted a splice having a C-shaped section; the fixing element further comprises a flange fixed on the third side and housed in the splice so as to secure the splice transversely.

In this case it can be provided that the fastening element comprises a fourth flank on which the flange is fixed and which is coplanar with the third flank.

According to a variant, the slideway further comprises a fifth plane flank intended to transmit the forces exerted on the rail to the pole, in contact with the profiles and parallel to the third sidewall.

According to another variant, the slideway further comprises sixth and seventh reinforcing flanks spaced apart from one another, horizontal and perpendicular to the third and fifth flanks.

According to another variant, the slide further comprises a second horizontal arm secured to the fastening element and superimposed on the first smooth horizontal, the first and second horizontal smooth comprising logs of wood end to end, the axial ends of the logs of the first smooth being offset from the axial ends of the logs of the second smooth.

• l'élément de fixation comprend en outre une bride supplémentaire fixée sur les troisième et quatrième flancs et logée dans cette dernière éclisse de façon à la solidariser transversalement.

According to yet another variant, the second rail comprises butt logs each having a groove in which is inserted a splice having a C-shaped section;

• the fixing element further comprises an additional flange fixed on the third and fourth flanks and housed in the latter splint so as to fasten it transversely.

It can also be provided that the slide further comprises at least one connecting member inserted into the splices of two successive logs and provided with pins inserted in bores formed in said splices; a wedge inserted in one of said fishplates and having a threaded bore; a screw screwed into the threaded bore and compressing the connecting member and the wedge against the inner surface of the splice.

According to a variant, the profiles are arranged so that the plane including their points of contact is perpendicular to the orientation of the road.

The invention also relates to a road guardrail, comprising two safety guard post sections, having a same C-shaped section forming an opening, the openings of the profiles being arranged against each other; a fixing member solidarisant an end of the profiles arranged opening against opening.

According to a variant, the group of parts further comprises a fastening element of a horizontal rail, solidarisant the other end of the profiles.

• fournir deux profilés de poteau de glissière de sécurité présentant une même section en forme de C formant une ouverture;
• placer les profilés ouverture l'une contre l'autre;
• fixer l'une à l'autre une extrémité respective de chaque profilé;
• placer l'autre extrémité respective de chaque profilé dans un casque de battage;
• battre les profilés de façon à les encastrer dans le sol par leur extrémité fixée.

The invention further relates to a method of assembling a road safety barrier, comprising the steps of:

• providing two safety rail posts having the same C-shaped section forming an opening;
• place the profiles opening against each other;
• attaching to each other a respective end of each profile;
• placing the respective other end of each profile in a threshing helmet;
• beat the profiles so as to embed them in the ground by their fixed end.

• La Figure 1 est une représentation en perspective d'une glissière de sécurité selon l'invention;
• La figure 2 est une représentation en perspective éclatée d'un poteau et de sa fixation aux lisses;
• La figure 3 est une vue en perspective de deux profilés d'un poteau avec leur liaison inférieure et d'un casque de battage correspondant;
• La figure 4 est une vue en coupe des deux profilés insérés dans le casque de battage;
• La figure 5 est une vue en perspective d'un exemple d'organe de fixation des extrémités inférieures des profilés;
• Les figures 6 à 9 sont des vues en perspective d'exemples d'éléments de fixation entre un poteau et une lisse;
• La figure 10 est un exemple de pièce destinée au rattrapage du jeu entre les éclisses;
• Les figures 11 et 12 représentent cette pièce mise en oeuvre sur une lisse.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from reading the following description which is given by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the figures in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective representation of a guardrail according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is an exploded perspective representation of a pole and its attachment to the rails;
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of two sections of a pole with their lower link and a corresponding threshing helmet;
• Figure 4 is a sectional view of the two sections inserted into the threshing helmet;
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of an exemplary fastener of the lower ends of the profiles;
• Figures 6 to 9 are perspective views of examples of fasteners between a post and a rail;
• Figure 10 is an example of a piece for catching the game between the fishplates;
• Figures 11 and 12 show this piece implemented on a smooth.

The invention proposes to form an innovative road safety barrier post by opening two C-section sections against opening. This arrangement makes it possible to increase the rigidity of the post while using existing profiles and existing threshing helmets. .

C-section will subsequently be referred to as a section defined by a semi-closed curve and having an opening between two wings corresponding to the two ends of the curve, the opening being smaller than the width of the profile measured at the back of both wings. Thus, compared to the illustrated examples, one can also use profiles whose sections have higher radii of curvature or whose sides are not rectilinear. There is also standardization of C-section sections.

Apart from the logs, the other parts described later will advantageously be made of metal.

Figure 1 shows a road safety slide 1 according to the invention. The slide 1 comprises, in a manner known per se, horizontal rails 21 and 22 superimposed. The rails 21 and 22 present in this case respective wooden logs 211, 212 and 221, 222. The rails 21, 22 are secured to the posts 31, 32, 33 by means of a fastening element 4. As detailed in FIG. 2, the fastening element 4 is thus integral with the upper end of two sections 331 and 332 of the post 33. These sections have the same section C forming an opening, and the openings 3311 and 3321 of the sections are arranged one against the other. These profiles 331 and 332 are embedded in the ground by their lower end. These profiles have adequate dimensions for a road safety barrier post. Their upper end has for example a bore to allow their attachment to the fastening element 4 by a bolt.

It is found that such a post has increased rigidity. In addition, this increased rigidity is particularly suitable for the increase in rigidity obtained by the superposition of several smooth. The slide thus has a reduced deformation pocket. Such a slide can therefore be approved for an H2 safety level.

In addition, as illustrated by FIGS. 3 and 4, the profiles 331 and 332 can be beaten by a conventional threshing helmet 5, which is practically adapted to simultaneously receive an end of each section, so that the plane according to which they are in contact either perpendicular to the orientation of the road .. One can in particular choose for this purpose profiles C100 type.

In order to facilitate the threshing of the profiles, they will preferably be secured by their end intended to be embedded in the ground. As shown in Figure 3, the profiles 331 and 332 are secured by a fastener at their lower end. Thus, during threshing, the profiles are properly held together: their upper end is held by the threshing helmet 5 and their lower end is held by the fixing member 6.

Figure 5 illustrates a fastener 6 forming a clamp. This clamp has an opening 61 formed between two sides 62 and 63. The opening allows the insertion edges of the openings of the profiles 331 and 332. These edges are pinched by the flanks 62 and 63 at a narrowing 64 of the opening 61. The fixing member 6 is a section substantially having a section in the form of Ω. The section 65 widening toward the open end facilitates the insertion of the edges of the openings of the profiles 331 and 332.

The fixing element 4 has the following functions, if any: it serves to ensure the transmission of force between the rails and the post, to ensure the connection between superimposed rails, and to spread transversely the rails of the posts. It is illustrated in more detail in Figures 6 to 9.

The first and second flanks 41 and 42 are vertical and parallel. They are adapted to be in contact with a respective section of the pole, on a face opposite to the opening of this profile. The flanks 41 and 42 have bores 411 and 421 to allow the passage of a fixing bolt to the post.

The element 4 has third and fourth coplanar and vertical flanks, perpendicular to the flanks 41 and 42. These flanks 43 and 44 are intended for fixing the healds. The flanks 43 and 44 have, for example, bores for fixing by screwing flanges 48 described below. The flanks 43 and 44 are shifted transversely relative to the post 33, so that the rails 21 and 22 are fixed at a distance from the post. The posts can thus be embedded in the ground at a distance from the road, delimited by the rails.

The element 4 further has a fifth flank 45 coming into contact with the pole and for transmitting efforts of the beam on the pole. This flank 45 is vertical, parallel to the flanks 43 and 44 and offset. The flank 45 can also serve to position the element 4 against the pole 33 during assembly of the slide 1.

It is also possible to provide sixth and seventh flanks 46 and 47 for reinforcing the element 4. The flanks 46 and 47 are horizontal and spaced apart from one another. The flanks 45 to 47 may be formed of a U-shaped section section portion. In the example illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the flanks 41, 42, 45, 46 and 47 form a box increasing the rigidity of the element 4.

The fastening element 4 has, in a manner known per se, flanges 48, intended to cooperate with fishplates 2111 and 2121 inserted into grooves of the logs 211 and 212. These fishplates have a C-shaped section shaped to house a flange 48. so as to allow a transverse connection of the splice and the flange. The flanges 48 are elongated and have a bore at each end allowing it to be fastened to the flanks 43 and 44. Before clamping a flange 48 by bolts on the flanks 43 and 44, the flange has a sliding connection with the splice in order to adjust their relative positioning. The flanges 48 are deformable so that a shock against the slide beyond a given value separates them from the poles or rails.

Figures 11 and 12 illustrate the attachment between a splint and a log, and the attachment between two successive logs of a smooth. A connecting member 23, for example a joint splice, is inserted into the splints 2111 and 2121. This joint member has protruding pegs 231 inserted into bores of the splints 2111 and 2121 (eg 3 by splice). Through this connection, the connecting member 23 transmits the forces between the splints along their axis. In a manner known per se, the joining member 23 has bores 232, positioned opposite a bore of a splice and a bore of a log. A not shown bolt passes through these bores and must maintain the splint 2111 compressed between the member 23 and the log 211.

Having found that the hygrometry and temperature variations created a clearance in the latter assembly that may result in the exit of the pins 231 from their bore, the inventor proposes a solution to this problem illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 12. FIG. in perspective a shim 24 provided with a threaded bore 241, used to compress the junction member 23 against a respective splice. The wedge 24 can be made in the form of a plate provided with an insert and threaded bore. As illustrated in the sectional view of FIG. 12, the shim 24 is inserted for this purpose into a splice and a screw 25 is screwed into its thread. The screw 25 is screwed until compressing the connecting member 23 and the wedge 24 against opposite inner surfaces of the splint 2111.

The method of assembling such a road safety barrier may include the following steps:

Two column sections are provided as described, the opening of these sections is placed against each other, a respective end of each section is fastened together, the respective other end of each profile is placed in a helmet of each section. threshing, then beat the profiles to embed them in the ground by their fixed end.

As illustrated in Figure 1 and regardless of the structure of the pole, the invention proposes to superimpose rails 21 and 22 comprising wooden logs placed end to end. The axial ends of the logs of the rail 21 are offset from the axial ends of the logs of the other rail 22. The offset of the ends reduces the variation of resistance along the length of the rail: indeed, at the junction between two logs of one smooth, the log of the other smooth forms a reinforcement. Such a double smooth makes it easier to comply with the H2 safety level for buses.

Claims (16)

1. Road safety barrier (1), comprising:

   - at least one first horizontal rail (21);

   - at least one post (33) having two sections (331, 332) set in the ground at their lower end;

   characterised in that:

   the two sections (331, 332) have the same C-shaped cross-section forming an opening (3311, 3321), the openings of the sections being placed one against the other;

   and in that the post has a fixing element (4) for the horizontal rail, which is fixedly attached to the horizontal rail (21) and fixedly attached to the upper end of at least one of the two sections.
2. Barrier according to claim 1, characterised in that the barrier comprises at least one fixing member (6) which firmly attaches the lower ends of the sections.
3. Barrier according to claim 2, characterised in that the fixing member (6) is a section having a cross-section in the shape of an Ω which pinches together the edges of the openings of the C-shaped sections.
4. Barrier according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the sections (331, 332) are of identical cross-section.
5. Barrier according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the fixing element (4) comprises first and second vertical parallel flanks (41, 42), each of these flanks being in contact with a side opposite the opening of a respective section, at least one bolt (49) attaching these flanks to the sections, the fixing element further comprising at least one third vertical flank (43) perpendicular to the first and second flanks and offset transversely relative to the post.
6. Barrier according to claim 5, characterised in that:

   - the first rail (21) comprises wooden logs (211, 212) placed end to end, each having a groove in which is inserted a linking member (2111, 2121) with a C-shaped cross-section;

   - the fixing element (4) further comprises a flange (48) fixed to the third flank and accommodated in the linking member so as to secure the linking member transversely.
7. Barrier according to claim 6, characterised in that the fixing element comprises a fourth flank (44) to which the flange (48) is fixed and which is coplanar with the third flank.
8. Barrier according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterised in that the fixing element (4) further comprises a fifth flat flank (45) intended to transmit the forces exerted on the rail to the post, in contact with the sections and parallel to the third flank.
9. Barrier according to claim 8, characterised in that the fixing element (4) further comprises sixth and seventh reinforcing flanks (46, 47) spaced apart from one another, which are horizontal and perpendicular to the third and fifth flanks.
10. Barrier according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the barrier further comprises:

    - a second horizontal rail (22) firmly attached to the fixing element (4) and placed on top of the first horizontal rail (21), the first and second horizontal rails comprising wooden logs placed end to end, the axial ends of the logs of the first rail being offset from the axial ends of the logs of the second rail.
11. Barrier according to claims 7 and 10, characterised in that:

    - the second rail comprises wooden logs (221, 222) placed end to end, each having a groove in which is inserted a linking member having a C-shaped cross-section;

    - the fixing element (4) further comprises an additional flange (48) fixed to the third and fourth flanks (43, 44) and housed in this latter linking member so as to secure it transversely.
12. Barrier according to any one of claims 6, 7 or 11, characterised in that the barrier further comprises:

    - at least one junction member (23) inserted in the linking members (2111, 2121) of two successive logs (211, 212) and provided with studs (231) inserted in bores formed in said linking members;

    - a wedge (24) inserted in one of said linking members and having a threaded bore (241);

    - a screw (25) screwed into the threaded bore (241) and compressing the junction member and the wedge against the inner surface of the linking member.
13. Barrier according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the sections are arranged so that the plane which contains their points of contact is perpendicular to the orientation of the road.
14. Road safety barrier, comprising a safety barrier post having two sections, characterised in that:

    - the two sections (331, 332) having the same C-shaped cross-section forming an opening, the openings of the sections being arranged one against the other;

    - a fixing member which firmly attaches one end of the sections arranged opening to opening.
15. Road safety barrier according to claims 14, characterised in that it further comprises a fixing element for a horizontal rail, firmly attaching the other end of the sections.
16. Method of assembling a road safety barrier (1), comprising the steps of:

    providing two sections (331, 332) of a safety barrier post having the same C-shaped cross-section forming an opening;

    - placing the sections with one opening against the other;

    - fixing one respective end of each section to one another;

    - placing the other respective end of each section in a pile-driving shoe;

    - driving the sections so as to bury their fixed end in the ground.

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