FR2680190A3 - Barrier bollard device with variable height - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a barrier bollard with variable height, for the roadway, intended to prevent passage and intrusion by intentional ramming with a vehicle. The bollard comprises vertically movable equipment 1 interacting with a casing 6 buried in the ground. Under the effect of a violent horizontal impact, the movable equipment pivots slightly and is blocked against the casing, ribs 3 coming into contact at opposite points on the internal walls of the casing. The bollard is righted by a jack and the assembly comprises anti-disassembly devices and safety devices. The technical field is that of furniture devices fitted to the public highway or to private zones open to the public.

Description

VARIABLE HEIGHT BINDING-OBSTACLE DEVICE.

DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to devices, such as variable height terminals, retractable below ground level, which in the high position are intended to prevent passage and in particular constitute anti-intrusion obstacles to motor vehicles, for the protection of access areas to warehouses or sensitive sites, civil and military.

 There are already retractable bollards which disappear into the ground and reappear at the option of the user, and in particular those described in French patent N "87-17193 (Clapier, Alamelle, Arlandis, Belaval).

These bollards prohibit traffic, but do not constitute an absolute obstacle, for safety reasons: an accidental violent impact will cause the bollard to be fixed in order to limit possible bodily injury to the occupants of the bumper vehicle. On the other hand, access to warehouses or sensitive sites is in a particularly difficult environment: in severe climatic conditions, to traffic shocks, is added the deliberate attack by theft and assault specialists: stolen vehicles are thrown against obstacles or barriers protecting doors, shop windows, in order to open breaches; obstacle terminals are then necessary.

 The aim of the present invention is to produce barrier-terminals, having a very high impact resistance. Thus a striker motor vehicle, the mass and initial speed of which are defined in specifications, cannot destroy the bollard in the high position; it will eventually deform without breaking, preventing the passage of the striker vehicle which will itself be badly damaged.

 It is another object of the present invention to ensure the protection of motor vehicles against their accidental fall into hoppers such as those of elevators of automatic multi-storey car parks.

 It is also an object of the invention to provide a set which cannot be dismantled by a malicious third party. The terminal cover is either fitted with coded nuts, such as anti-theft nuts for vehicle wheels, or with several coded locks such as those defined in addition certificate NO 89-14762 from 08-11-89 to Patent NO 87-17193 dated 07-12-87.

In addition, electromagnetic detectors such as those used in alarm systems can be coupled to coded locks.

 It is another object of the present invention to couple the movement of the obstacle-terminals to a remote surveillance system; any attempted destruction will be detected by one or more sensors integrated in the terminal, thus alerting a surveillance post. The bollards can also be ordered to go up automatically in the event of daytime aggression.

 The intrinsic resistance of the device is adjustable according to the foreseeable impact, either the impact of a passenger vehicle traveling at a limited speed, or the impact of a heavy vehicle launched at the maximum possible speed taking into account the configuration of access, or finally the exceptional impact for an ultra-sensitive site.

 Of course, the protective device can include any number of terminals, arranged at the appropriate spacing, aligned or not, each terminal being sealed in a civil engineering work in concrete, for example, embedded in the ground, and calculated by overturning. We can associate with said terminals, fixed terminals of the same aspect.

 The height above ground of the device in the prohibition position is variable, 550 to 600 millimeters often constituting a sufficient height.

 The shape of the obstacle terminal is chosen in order to preserve aesthetic qualities and the safety of passers-by, for example a cylindrical shape with circular section, or a polygonal section and vertical generatals paral 1 èl es-.

 To ensure the vertical translational movement of the obstacle barrier, it is advantageous to use the principle of vertical guide rails, collaborating with plastic slides fixed on the mobile part, the energy being supplied by a jack to constitute terminals. semi-automatic or automatic.

 It is also an object of the invention to provide a prohibition device whose impact resistance is ensured by two series of members, one for normal accidental shocks due to traffic, the other for exceptional shocks due to aggression and vandalism.

For normal impacts, the overturning torque is taken up by the sliders and rails; for exceptional shocks, the carriage, integral with the terminal self-locks in a buried box, thus constituting a particularly rigid assembly, the cover also contributing to the resistance of the terminal.

 Advantageously, an obstacle terminal is composed of a vertically movable, monobloc equipment, for example made up of mechanically welded profiles, comprising the terminal itself of circular or polygonal section, extended by an interior zone provided with ribs and 4 slides, said moving element being placed in a steel box, embedded in a solid mass of reinforced concrete buried in the ground. The box comprises at least two vertical or square guide rails, each cooperating with two slides; it is closed in the upper part at ground level by a cover with tamper-proof fixing, pierced by a bore for passage of the terminal. In a semi-automatic version, the device comprises an axial gas spring and a lock, advantageously of the type described in the addition to patent N "89-14762.La terminal is operated after unlocking using a coded key special, by pushing in with the user's foot on the bollard, and automatic locking in the retracted position by snap-in. The bollard, unlocked with the key, will automatically go up by pushing the gas spring, and will automatically lock in the high position.

In an automatic version, the terminal comprises a telescopic cylinder, advantageously hydraulic or pneumatic, arranged vertically and actuated by an electro-hydraulic group or a compressor. In the event of an attack, or a power cut, the cylinder will remain in the extended position thanks to a non-return device.

 Generally, there is a series of terminals, regularly spaced, and constituting a rectilinear obstacle seen in plan. The terminal is designed to undergo a horizontal force Fv of known direction at more or less 30 for example, relative to the axis defined by the guide edges.

In the case where the force Fv can be of any direction, one will advantageously use a terminal having two series of orthogonal ribs.

The invention is set out below in more detail, using the drawings representing only a preferred embodiment, given by way of nonlimiting example, in which
Figure 1 shows in vertical section a terminal device according to the invention.

 Figure 2 shows the device fig I in top view without the cover.

 Figure 3 shows the cover in top view.

 FIG. 4 represents a variant of the mobile assembly with two series of orthogonal ribs.

 Figure 5 shows in elevation, the self-locking of the moving assembly under the effect of a violent shock on the left; a slight shock to the right.

 FIG. 6 represents the moving assembly in perspective.

An obstacle barrier (Figures 1,2,3,6) comprises a vertically movable element 1, which can move in the direction of the arrows M, D, inside a box frame 6, buried in the ground and sealed in a concrete block 12. Said moving element comprises the terminal body 2, of circular or polygonal section, with parallel and vertical generators, advantageously made of steel. Its total height corresponds to the height above ground increased by the installation height, materialized by the two ribs 3, fixed on said body 2. The ribs 3 are connected by the plates 4 for fixing the slides 5 which are advantageously made of plastic material. such as high density polyethylene, and generally four in number. Said slides 5 cooperate with at least two guide rails or square 8, vertical, integral with the box frame 6. The latter, of generally square section, is provided with ribs such as 6a for stiffening and sealing in the concrete block 12. The box 6 receives a thick removable cover 7, comprising in its center a hole 7a for passage of the terminal, and holes for the fixing screws or nuts 9. The cover 7 has on its lower face 7b latches 7c, in contact with the walls of the box 6, and able to withstand horizontal forces generated by the impact. The cover can be fixed either by screws 9, with a head with a hexagon socket for example, or coded, unscrewable with a pin key specific to each installation. Screws 9 can be associated with two locks 11 with coded key, identical to that of the semi-automatic terminal lock of addition certificate No. 89-14762. An inertia detector 15 can be fixed inside from terminal 2.

The vertically movable assembly is actuated by a vertical axial cylinder 13, disposed in the terminal 2, or by a gas spring 14. In a first embodiment called semi-automatic, the cylinder is a gas spring 14, fixed to the bottom of the box at 14a, and inside the terminal 2 at 14b. The energy required for the ascent is stored in the jack by the pressure of the operator's foot on the terminal when the lowering is carried out after unlocking the lock (not shown).

A lock with coded key, which is not part of the invention, ensures locking in the high and low position. In a second embodiment, called automatic, the jack 13 will advantageously be a telescopic hydraulic or pneumatic jack, the fluid being supplied by an electro-hydraulic group or an independent compressor. In the case of an electro-hydraulic group, it may be housed in the box 6, of suitable shape, and advantageously supplied with very low voltage 12 or 24 volts, or 220 volts, depending on use.

A non-return valve prevents inadvertent descent of the moving equipment, in the event of a breakdown or attempted destruction.

The operation is as follows (Figure 5
When a vehicle comes into contact with the bollard, during an accidental maneuver (fig. 5 on the right), the force Fa generates a bending moment which is taken up by the slides 5 and the rails 8: forces F1 at 5a and F2 in 5b, constituting a reaction torque.

During an attack, with violent percussion Fv, the plastic slides 5 are crushed, the moving element 1 pivots slightly (fig 5 on the left). The two ribs 3 come into contact at 3a and 3b with the walls of the box 5, the forces F3 and F4 creating a torque balancing the moment generated by the shock Fv. In addition, the ribs 3 can come into contact on the underside 7b of the cover 7 at 3c. The fasteners 9 of said cover 7 then work in traction, force F5. In addition, the terminal 2 will come into contact at 2a with the cover 7, and the squares 7s will abut on the box 6, force F6. The assembly is self-locking.

Depending on the severity of the impact, part of the impact energy will be partially absorbed by deformation of the tube 2.

After aggression, the replacement of any deteriorated parts is rapid, in particular the exchange of the moving equipment, the only vulnerable part, the mechanisms being protected; the box, embedded in concrete, remains rigorously non-deformable under impact.

 FIG. 4 represents a particularly effective variant when the force Fv is of variable direction, viewed in plan, for example more or less 90 "relative to the axis defined by the two guide squares. The plates 4 are extended by ribs such as 4a, playing the same role as the ribs 3, in orthogonal planes In the event of a violent impact, of any direction, seen in plan, certain ribs 3 and 4a come into contact with the walls of the box, creating a couple s opposing the moment generated by the shock Fv.

Claims (9)

 1. Height-adjustable barrier-barrier device, for roads, parking areas, intended to prevent the passage, access or intrusion by deliberate percussion of a vehicle, comprising a vertically movable assembly 1, composed of the body of terminal 2, ribs 3, plates 4 supporting the slides 5, cooperating with a box frame 6 buried in the ground, on which are fixed at least two guide squares 8 of the slides 5, including the ascent of the obstacle part 2 is ensured by a jack 13 or a gas spring 14, characterized in that under the effect of a violent horizontal impact, the mobile assembly pivots slightly by deforming the slides 5, then locks against the box 6, the ribs 3 coming into contact at opposite points 3a, 3b with the internal walls of the box 6, thus creating a torque balancing the moment generated by the shock.  2. A variable height obstacle-barrier device according to claim 1, characterized in that, under the effect of a horizontal shock due to a false maneuvering of a vehicle, the mobile equipment compresses the sliders 5 into 5a, 5b, without deforming them, creating a torque balancing the moment generated by the impact, without contact of the ribs 3 on the internal walls of the box 6.  3. A variable height obstacle-barrier device according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the terminal body 2, of circular or polygonal section, has a height corresponding to the visible part increased by the height of the ribs 3.  4. height-obstacle barrier device according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the movable assembly 1 comprises two series of ribs 3 and 4a, located in orthogonal planes and which come into contact with the internal walls of the box 6 under the effect of a violent horizontal shock of any direction seen in plan.  5. A variable height obstacle-barrier device according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cover 7 participates in the impact resistance of the device, by contact of its latches 7s in the box 6 and by contact of the ribs 3 in 3c on the lower face 7b of the cover, the fasteners 9 of said cover working in traction.  6. A variable height obstacle-barrier device according to claims 1, 2, 3 and 5, characterized in that the cover 7 is fixed by nuts 9 with head with hexagon socket, associated with at least two latches 11 to coded key.  7. Variable height barrier-obstacle device according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the mobile assembly 1 comprises an inertia detector 15, connected to a remote surveillance system, signaling any attempt at dismantling or deterioration .  8. A variable height obstacle-barrier device according to claims 1,2,3,5 and 6, characterized in that the nuts 9 for fixing the cover 7 are coded nuts, their disassembly being ensured by a special multispindle key .  9. A variable height obstacle-barrier device according to claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the device for raising the terminal, using a hydraulic or pneumatic jack, comprises a non-return valve, preventing the untimely descent of the mobile equipment 1 in the event of an attempted destruction or breakdown.