GB2229462A - Inflatable road traffic bollard - Google Patents

Abstract

A bollard comprises a post (11) rising from a base (12) and is characterised by the feature that the base incorporates or consists of a fluid-receiving chamber, the arrangement being such that, in use, the weight of the fluid in the chamber ballasts the bollard. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVED BOLLARD Field of the Invention The invention relates to bollards.

Review of Art known to the Applicant At present bollards are produced either as a heavy concrete post with a metal base or metal spike driven into the roadway or other surface from which the post is to rise; or as a relatively lightweight plastics or plastics-rubber bollard which can be moved from one site to another. The latter is more easily transportable than the permanent concrete or metal-post bollard.

But it needs ballasting into place, either by piling conventional ballast- (sand, aggregate, sand-filled sacks or the like) onto its base; or by providing it with a concrete base which then renders it less easily transportable; or by fitting a weighted disc over the post to bear against the base, again with the same drawback; or by providing a spike protruding from the underside of the base and which can then be driven into the surface, which has self-evident drawbacks of its own.

Summary of the Invention In its broadest aspect, the invention provides a bollard which comprises a post rising from a base and which is characterized by the feature that the base incorporates or consists of a fluidreceiving chamber, the arrangement being such that, in use, the weight of the fluid in the chamber ballasts the bollard.

Preferably, and certainly in all currently intended embodiments of the invention, the fluid is a liquid. Water is one readily available liquid which can be used, but other liquids - for example, liquids of higher specific gravity, or more viscose than water - may be used in certain circumstances.

The post of the bollard may also incorporate or consist of a fluid-receiving chamber. But the post need not necessarily be filled with a liquid in such embodiments. For example, the post chamber could be inflated with air whilst the base chamber is filled with liquid, so that essentially all the weight of the bollard resided in the base.

The post and/or the base may be partially or substantially wholly collapsible. For example, a bollard whose post and base each consisted substantially entirely of a fluid-receiving chamber, and which was made of collapsible plastic sheet material, could collapse into almost a two-dimensional flattened object when not in use.

The bollard may be so designed that the post can deflect, relative to the base, under impact. For example, the juncture between the post and the base could be necked, and/or the material of which the post and/or the base is made in the juncture region might be sufficiently flexible, such that the post can flex about its own axis to a limited extent.

Preferably, however, in a case such as that just outlined, the construction is such that the post tends to return to its undeflected position once the source of the impact has been removed.

In some embodiments the chamber may be permanently filled with fluid. Preferably, however, the bollard incorporates means to fill and empty the chamber.

Advantageously, where means to fill and empty the chamber are provided, the arrangement is such that a plurality of bollards can interconnect and have their respective chambers filled with fluid - simultaneously or successively - from a common filling source.

Although the invention has been outlined with reference to its advantages over conventional bollards which may incorporate spikes on the undersides of their bases, a bollard embodying the invention may nevertheless exhibit one or more such spikes or other surface-engaging means to locate the bollard in use.

Brief Description of the Drawings In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows diagrammatically and in perspective one bollard, embodying the invention in its in-use state and attitude; Figure 2 shows the bollard of Figure 1 emptied and collapsed; and, Figure 3 drawn to a smaller scale than either of the other two Figures, shows a plurality of bollards each embodying the invention and interconnected for filling from a common filling source.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment The bollard shown in the drawings comprises a post 11 rising from a base 12. The base is circular in plan, the bollard rises at right angles to it and about an axis intersecting the centre of the circular base, and in this particular embodiment the bollard is barrel-shaped.

The base and the post are both made from the same flexible sheet plastics material. The initially cut-out sheets are seamed and heat-welded in known manner to form the shaped base and post as an integral bollard whose base and post are each entirely hollow and therefore define respective fluid-receiving chambers.

A fluid-impermeable membrane 13, however, separates the interior of the post 11 from the interior of the base 12 so that fluid pumped into one of them will not pass into the other. Instead, the base 12 and the post 11 each incorporate their own respective fill/empty valve means referenced 14 and 15 in each case.

In use, the post 11 is inflated with air through valve 15, whilst the base 12 is filled with water through valve 14. Both valves are then closed. The weight of water inside the base 12 effectively ballasts the bollard. The inflated post 11 fulfills its primary function as a marker post which can yet be deflected on impact without damaging the source of the impact - for example, a motor vehicle inadvertently backing into the post.

Because of the nature of the materials from which the bollard is made, and the way the post is joined to the base, it will be appreciated that the post can deflect to a limited extent relative to the base under impact.

When not in use, the bollard can be emptied of water and of air by opening valves 14 and 15; and, again because of its materials and its construction, it can then be collapsed as shown in Figure 2 into a state in which it is almost a two-dimensional flat disc.

In Figure 3, a succession of bollards, each has a water inlet 16 and a water outlet 17 formed diametrically opposite one another in the wall of the base portion of the bollard. The construction of these inlets and outlets is such that, as shown, a succession of bollards can interconnect and be filled with water from a common filling source entering the first of the bollards in the direction of arrow A. When the line of bollards has been filled (and with the outlets 17 in the last bollard of course being sealed to prevent water escaping from it) then the bollards can be disconnected one from another. The respective water outlets 17 can then be plugged or they may incorporate selfsealing valves of known kind.

In practical embodiments, the post need not be a barrel-shaped as illustrated, and can be much higher than that illustrated.

A number of post sections could fit one to another (for example, by plugging-in to one another) to give a post of variable height.

A suitable material for the collapsible region might be the kind of fireman' s hose reinforced rubberised canvas material which is known in itself. The bollard could display information, for example via light-reflecting elements of the kind shown in UK patent number 2 165 873 and manufactured by MANBY.

Bollards embodying the invention could be manufactured in a multiple-joined "Siamesed" format; not dissimilar in appearance to the line of bollards shown in Figure 3, but with only a singie water inlet and water outlet in each opposite end of the thus-joined line of individual bollards.

Similarly the posts of two or more bollards embodying the invention could be linked, either integrally or releasably.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS:

1. A bollard comprising a post rising from a base and which is characterised by the feature that the base incorporates or consists of a fluid-receiving chamber, the arrangement being such that, in use, the weight of the fluid in the chamber ballasts the bollard.

2. A bollard according to Claim 1 in which the fluid is a liquid.

3. A bollard according to Claim 1 in which the construction is such that the post tends to return to its un-deflected position once the source of the impact has been removed.

4. A bollard according to Claim 3, when appended with Claim 2, in which means are incorporated to fill and empty the chamber.

5. A bollard according to Claim 4 in which means to fill and empty the chamber are provided, the arrangement being such that a plurality of bollards can inter-connect and have their respective chambers filled with fluid - simultaneously or successively - from a common filling source.

6. A bollard according to any of the preceding Claims in which are exhibited spikes or other surface-engaging means to locate the bollard in use.

7. A bollard substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 - 3 of the accompanying drawings.