GB2247667A

GB2247667A - Barrier units

Info

Publication number: GB2247667A
Application number: GB9017334A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Terence Ronald Green
Original assignee: Tensator Ltd
Current assignee: Tensator Ltd
Priority date: 1990-08-08
Filing date: 1990-08-08
Publication date: 1992-03-11
Anticipated expiration: 2010-08-08
Also published as: GB2247667B; GB9017334D0

Abstract

A personnel barrier 1 has a spring tensioned reel of flexible barrier material 4 which can be unwound and fixed to a separately located mounting member 2. An end clip 5 is provided at the free end of the barrier material and has a channel 8 which is open only at a lower end 11. The mounting member 2 comprises a complementary-shaped rail 13 which slidingly locates in the clip channel 8. To reduce the risk of accidental or undesirable release of the end clip 5 from member 2, a rotatable locking plate 9 is provided at the lower end of clip 5 to cover and uncover the end of clip channel 8. The rotatable plate 9 may have an aperture to allow passage of the rail 13. A member 2 may be connected to each of a number of the reel containers so that the barriers may be connected end-to-end. <IMAGE>

Description

2AR?IrRS AND BIE U':TTS The present invention relates to barriers and components thereof and has particular but not exclusive relevance to barrier forming devices used to provide personnel barriers in banks, building societies or an; public or private place where the direction and control of the movement of people is desired. In particular, the present invention concerns prevention or inhibition of tampering with such barriers. This prevention or inhibition may be achieved through a modification of the end members which are fixed to the free end of the barrier material permitting the reversible attachment of the free end of the barrier material to a mountain3 member or through a modification of said mounting member.

Personnel barriers of the spring tensioned type generally comprise a cassette body, a spring-biassed reel, aroll of barrier material, e.g. webbing, and an end member, usually termed an "end clip". The webbing is fixed at one end to the central spindle of a reel around which it is wound up in a coil or roll. The body of the cassette holds the reel for rotation and carries a spiral torsion spring. The spindle of the reel is attached to the centre of the torsion spring and the spring is arranged so that rotation of the reel to unwind the webbing causes further coiling of the spring so further biassing the reel towards rotation in the opposite direction.

The webbing passes through a guide slit on the body of the cassette so that the webbing is wound and unwound from the same position on the reel. An end clip is fixed to the free end of the webbing so that with the cassette in the fully wound condition the end clip lies against the guide slit of the cassette, held in place by the action of the spring which is still coiled to a degree to urge the reel in a winding direction.

Typically, a cassette is mounted on a stand or other supporting location, such as a wall fixing so that the webbing can be unwound about a vertical axis.

The end clip is grasped and pulled to an independently located fixing point some distance away depending on the length of the webbing available on the cassette.

The end clip then attaches to a mounting member at the fixing point in a reversible manner. Such cassettes may each bear a mounting member for an end clip so defining a fixing point so that such cassettes can be joined to one another in a chain.

Some known devices use an end clip in the form of a cylinder. The end of the webbing extends from the side of the clip, which is of at least the same length or longer than the width of the webbing. Diametrically opposite to the free end of the webbing is a longitudinally extending channel or groove in the body of the clip. The channel is of such a shape that it can slidably locate in a form-locking manner with a complementary-shaped mounting member in the form of a rail or ridge which is suitably of 'T'-shaped cross section. Mounting members for attachment to the end clip are usually provided on further individual barrier cassettes which are in turn mounted on posts. The mounting members can also be attached to independent supporting means such as posts, furniture, walls etc.

Such known end clips have a locating channel with jqst one open end at the base of the clIp. This means that to assemble a barrier sections the wedding is drawn from the cassette and the clip is placed over the mounting member located on the desired supporting means. The clip is placed in such a way that the channel end of the base of the clip lies over the mounting member. The clip is pushed downwards and in doing so the mounting member becomes slidably located in the channel. The clip is pushed down until the top closed end of the channel meets the upper end of the mounting member.

The disassembly of the barrier follows a reverse sequence of operations. The clip is held firmly and then pushed upwards so that the clip slides off the mounting member. The webbing is fed back into the cassette in response to the spring tension created by unwinding.

When the barrier is set up, any downward or lateral pressure on the webbing at any point will not result in the clip sliding off the ridge. The barrier is thus relatively stable and it is unlikely for the end clip to become detached from the supporting means whilst the barrier is in normal use.

In an alternative arrangement, the mounting member is provided with the channel and the end clip has a formation in the shape of a 'T' section rail for sliding into the channel of the mounting member.

We have now discerned that a disadvantage of known devices concerns the susceptibility of the end clip to tampering. Should the clip be pushed upwards without being held firmly then the webbing will be automatically wound back into the cassette in response to the spring tension of the reel. unwanted tampering in this manner e.g. by children, especially small boys, is likely to be a problem which may not only be a source of danger to the children concerned but may also cause annoyance and inconvenience to persons nearby.

As well as tampering, persons lifting the barrier webbing in order to pass beneath it may cause the clip to become detached from its supporting means causing the automatic winding up of the webbing.

The present invention thus provides barrier apparatus comprising a spring tensioned coil of flexible barrier material for positioning at a first location, an end member on the free end of said barrier material, and a mounting member for location at a fixing point at a second location, wherein said end member is engageable with said mounting member and locking means is provided on said end member and/or on said mounting member which in use is moveable to an operative position to prevent separation of said end member from said mounting member.

The present invention also includes a barrier unit comprising a spring tensioned coil of flexible barrier material, an end member on the free end of said barrier material, and a mounting member on said unit for connection to the end member of a similar unit, such that a plurality of said units may be connected to one another in a chain, wherein said end member is engageable with said mounting member and locking means is provided on said end member and/or on said mounting member which in use is moveable to an operative position to prevent separation of said end member from said mounting member of the next unit in a said chain.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the end member of the barrier unit has a channel therein with at least one open end for sliding, form-locking location with a said mounting member of complementary shape at said fixing point. Locking means may then be provided on said end member which is moveable to an operative position to prevent separation of said end member from said mounting member.

Alternatively, the mounting member of the barrier unit may have a channel therein, with at least one open end for sliding, form-locking location with a said end member of complementary shape on the end of said barrier material. Locking means may then be provided on said mounting member which is moveable to an operative position to prevent separation of said end member from said mounting member.

Preferably, the coil of barrier material is a roll of webbing.

Preferably, the channel in the end member of the mounting member is closed at one end and the locking means is provided adjacent to the remaining open end of said channel. The closure of the end of the channel at one end of the end member or mounting member may be achieved by the affixing of an obscuring end plate.

Alternatively, one open end of the channel may be eliminated in the design of the end member or mounting member itself.

Preferably the upper end of the channel is closed and the lower end is open.

The locking means is movable to an operative osition which preferably results in at least the partial covering of the adjacent open end of the channel by the locking means.

The locking means is preferably rotatable ani preferably in the form of a flat plate with a notch of sufficient size in the plate to allow passage therethrough of said complementary shaped mounting member or said complementary shaped end member.

The shape of the notch in the locking means preferably corresponds to the cross-sertional shape of the adjacent end portion of the channel.

The or each end of the end member or the mounting member with a channel therein preferably has a centrally located hole for the snap-fit location of a projection provided on the locking means to mount the locking means therein while allowing the turning of said projection in the hole.

Preferably the end member is cylindrical in shape and has a channel extending longitudinally down one side thereof diametrically opposite to the free end of the barrier webbing.

Alternatively, the mounting member is cylindrical in shape and has a channel extending longitudinally down one side.

Preferably the locking means is generally disc-shaped with a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the end member or the mounting member which it is mounted to. The diameter of the disc however may be smaller than the diameter of the clip.

Tne disc is preferably freely rotatable in position on the clip in a clockwise or an anti-clockwise direction.

Detent means may be provided on the locking means and the end member or mounting member to which the locking means is attached for operation when the locking member is in the operative position. For example the surface of the locking means bearing said projection may have a raised portion of a size permitting the location of said raised portion within the end of said channel.

Part of the projection on the locking means may be enlarged, the enlargement being in a radial direction so that the diameter of the projection is increased.

In a preferred embodiment the channel comprises a pair of opposed side walls, and a pair of opposed wall portions extending inwards from the sides of the channel at the channel mouth, said opposed wall portions defining a channel mouth of reduced width in relation to the width of the channel.

The pair of opposed wall portions may be reduced in size or eliminated at the end or ends of the channel so that the channel mouth is increased in width at the open end or ends thereof. This feature of "flaring" the end or ends of the channel aids the initial location of the end member and the mounting member for slidable form-locking location.

The invention includes an end member for use on the free end of a coil of flexible barrier material for attachment of said free end to a fixing point, wherein said end member has a channel therein with at least one open end for sliding form-locking location with a complementary shaped mounting member at said fixing point, and locking means on said end member moveable to an operative position to prevent separation of the end member from the mounting member in use.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 14 in which: Figure 1 shows a side view of a barrier cassette in the wound position comprising an end clip with locking means and a mounting member, and also a further mounting member shown fixed at a separate location.

Figure 2 is a side view of the cassette and separately located mounting member shown in Figure 1 with the barrier material unwound and the end clip attached to the separately located mounting member.

The remaining figures are on an enlarged scale relative to Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 3 is a tranverse section of the end clip and mounting member with the locking plate removed taken along the line II 1-111 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a front view of the end clip and locking plate looking into the channel and with the locking plate in the inoperative position.

Figure 5 is an underplan view of the end clip and locking plate shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a front view of the end clip and locking plate looking into the channel with the locking plate in an operative position.

Figure 7 is an underplan view of the end clip and locking plate of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a plan view of the locking plate detached from the end clip looking down onto the locking plate.

Figure 9 is a side view of the locking plate shown in Figure 8 looking towards the indicating notch.

Figure 10 is plan view of an alternative embodiment of a locking plate detached from the end clip and looking down onto the locking plate as in Figure 8.

Figure 11 is a side view of the locking plate of Figure 10 looking into the notch.

Figure 12 is a longitudinal section of the end clip and locking plate taken along line XII-XII of Figure 6.

Figure 13 is a side view of the mounting member.

Figure 14 is a front view of the mounting member.

A device in accordance with the present invention is shown in Figure 1. There is provided a conventional barrier cassette 1 and a separately located mounting member 2. The cassette is of the known type and comprises a cassette body 3 holding a reel of barrier material 4 e.g. webbing, a cylindrical end member or end clip 5 and optionally a mounting member in the form f T-shaped rail 6 attached to the cassette body 3.

Tne cylindrical sice wall of the casette has been omitted from the drawings to show tne internal arrangement. The end clip 5 is made of plastics material. The end clip 5 is attached to the free end Df the webbing 7 and has a longitudinally extending channel 8 and locking means in the form of a locking plate 9. The end of the channel at the top 10 of the clip 5 is closed whilst the end of the channel 11 at the base of the clip 5 is open. The locking plate 9 is attached to the base of the end clip 5 and can rotate in both a clockwise or an anticlockwise direction. The locking plate 9 has a notch 12 in it corresponding in shape generally to the shape of the end 11 of the channel 8. Notch 12 can be brought into and out of alignment with the open end 11 of the channel 8 by the appropriate rotational movement of the locking plate 9.

The mounting member 2 is also made from plastics material and is a single piece comprising a rail portion 13 and a mounting portion 14. Optionally rail 6 can be provided attached to the cassette body 3 by means of screws and is equivalent to the rail portion 13 of the mounting member 2.

A barrier formed from the device shown in Figure 1 is illustrated in Figure 2. A length of barrier material withdrawn from the reel 4 is held in place by the attachment of the end clip 5 to the mounting member 2. The barrier material is held taught by the tension of the torsion spring 16 of the cassette urging the reel 4 to rotate in the winding direction.

A more detailed illustration of the structure of the end clip 5 and the mode of attachment or the end clip 5 to the mounting member 2 is shown in transverse section in Figure 3. The end clip 5 is generally in the form of a hollow tube with a channel member 17 provided longitudinally down one side therein. Channel member 17 with part of the interior surface of the wall of the end clip forms the channel 8. The channel member 17 carries ridges 18, 19 (Fig 5) protruding into and running the length of the channel 8. Portions 20, 21 of the walls of the end clip form mouth 22 of the channel (Figures 4 to 7) are extended inwardly towards one another, reducing the width of the mouth of the channel relative to the width of the channel defined by side walls of the channel member.

A longitudinally extending slot 23 is provided in the wall of the end clip 5 diametrically opposite to the channel member 17, and this provides access to the inside of the end clip 24. The free end of the webbing is inserted through the slot and held firmly against the interior wall of the end clip 5 by means of a wedge (not shown) locating along one side inbetween two ridges 25 and 26 running longitudinally down the inside of the end clip 5.

The shape of the channel 8 defined by the channel member 17, ridges 18, 19 and the wall portions of the end clip 20 and 21 is complementary to the T-shaped rail portion 13 of the mounting member 2. The complementary shape of the channel 8 and the rail portion 13 means that part of the rail portion is held within the channel 8. The attachment and separation of the end clip 5 and the mounting member 2 can only take place by the sliding of the end clip 5 longitudinally down the rail portion 13. The ridges 18, 19 and the wall portions 20 and 21 co-operate to hold the rail portion 13 and thus no other movements apart from lrngitudinal sliding within the channel 8 are possible.

without the ridges 18, 19 the rail portion 13 is held less firmly within the channel 8 permitting a small degree of twisting and some lateral movement.

Figure 4 shows the end clip 5 and locking plate 9 in front view looking into the channel 8. The locking plate 9 is in the inoperative position so that the notch 12 is in alignment with the channel 8. The ridges 18, 19 are not shown but they lie obscured from view beneath the wall portions 20 and 21.

The underplan view of the end clip 5 with the locking plate 9 in the inoperative position is shown in Figure 5. The notch 12 is similar in shape to the shape of the end of the channel 11 and when the notch 12 is in alignment with the open end of the channel 11 then the whole length of the channel 8 is in view. The closed end of the channel 10, the extended wall portions 20, 21 and ridges 18 and 19 can all clearly be seen. The end clip 5 is in a condition for attachment to the mounting member 2.

With the locking plate 9 in an operative position (Figures 6 and 7) the notch 12 is out of alignment with the open end of the channel 11. Preferably the notch 12 is in a position diametrically opposite to the open end of the channel 11 as shown. A small indicating notch 27 is provided in the locking plate 9 diametrically opposite to the notch 12 so that when the end clip 5 is viewed obliquely from above, the observer can deduce the position of the notch 12 or else sense the position of the locking plate by touch.

The underplan view of the end clip of Figure 6 is shown in Figure 7. The open end of the channel 11 is almost completely obscured except for a small part which is revealed by the indicating notch 27.

The locking plate 9 takes the form of a disc (Figure 8). When separated from the end clip 5 and viewed from above an attachment projection 28 and an interference bulge 29 can be seen in addition to the notch 12 and indicating notch 27. The locking plate 9 is attached to the base of the end clip 5 by the snap fit location of the projection 28 in a hole 13 (Figure 3) in the base of the end clip 5. The projection has an annulus and this provides a so-called fir tree arrangement. This gives a secure snap fit location of the locking plate 9 in the hole 30 at the base of the end clip 5. The interference bulge 29 is of the correct size to locate within the open end of the channel 11. Once situated within the open end of the channel 11 when the locking plate 9 is in its operative position, the bulge 29 provides a detent resistance against rotation of the locking plate 9.The purpose of the bulge 29 is to provide the user with a tactile indication that an operative position for the locking plate 9 has been achieved.

Figure 9 of the side view of the locking plate 9 of Figure 8 looking towards the indicating notch 27.

Interference bulge 29 and the projection 28 can be seen.

An alternative form of locking plate shown separated from the end clip 5 is seen in Figure 10 viewed from above. The shape of notch 12 is substantially the same as the shape of the end of the channel 11 due to the presence of extended side portions 31 and 32 of the locking plate 9 at the mouth of the notch 12. A side view is shown in Figure 11 looking into the notch 12. A simple cylindrical projection 33 is provided but no indicating notch or interference bulge.

Figure 12 is a longitudinal section along XII-XII of Figure 6 of the end clip 5 and locking plate 9. The top of the end clip is provided with a cap 34. This cap 34 may be used to close off the upper end of the channel 8 if a closed channel end 10 is not provided for during the moulding of the end clip 5.

Figure 13 shows the mounting member 2 comprising the rail portion 13 and mounting portion 14. The mounting portion 14 has screw holes 35 and 36 at top and bottom for attachment to any suitable supporting structure.

The cassette shown in Figure 1 is usually mounted on top of a free standing post or to a bracket fixed to a wall, piece of furniture or interior fixture or to any suitable supporting means. Likewise, the mounting member 2 is also fixed to suitable supporting means at a location distant to the cassette.

The cassette in Figure 1 has a rail 6 attached to the cassette body diametrically opposite to the slot in the cassette body which the webbing runs through.

Provision of the rail 6 permits the attachment of the end clip of a second cassette. The second cassette can then be linked to a third and soforth to form a chain of barrier units to produce any desired length of barrier. The mounting member constituted by rail 6 need not be provided on the cassette body 3 if the linking of cassettes is not desired.

The operation of forming a barrier shown in Figure 2 from the apparatus shown in Figure 1 is as follows.

First, the locking plate 9 is checked to ensure that it is in the inoperative position, that is to say the notch 12 is in alignment with the channel 8. The clip is grasped and pulled towards the mounting member 2 and in doing so the webbing is drawn from the reel. When the cassette is not unwound, the torsion spring 16 acting on the reel 4 is kept coiled to a degree so that the reel 4 is always urged in a winding direction.

Unwinding of the webbing from the reel 4 coils the torsion spring 16 further. The notch 12 of the locking plate 9 is placed over the end of the rail portion 13 and the end clip 5 is pushed downwards. The rail portion 13 passes through the notch 12 and then slides into the channel 8 to give the form locking location of the rail portion 13 in the channel 8. The end clip 5 is pushed down until the closed end of the channel 10 meets the top end of the rail portion 13. The locking plate 9 is then rotated in either a clockwise or an anticlockwise direction to the operative position so that the notch 12 is moved out of alignment with the open end 11 of the channel 8, preferably to a position diametrically opposite to the open end 11 of the channel 8. This position is identified when the indicating notch 27 aligns itself with the rail portion 13.The correct position can also be felt by the user as the intereference bulge seats itself in the channel end 11. Both ends of the channel 8 are now closed and the end clip 5 cannot be pushed upwards to release the end clip 5 from the mounting member 2. The end clip 5 and the mounting member 2 are securely linked together and no lateral or twisting forces can separate them.

The disassembly of the barrier in Figure 2 requires the reverse sequence of operations.

Whilst the invention has been described with reference to the specific embodiment, many variations and modifications thereof are possible within the scope of the invention. For instance the free end of the barrier material could be attached to a T-shaped rail or ridge 6 and the mounting members would therefore be the cylindrical channelled member 5 and locking plate 9.

A cylindrical channelled member 5 whether functioning as an end clip or mounting member could be provided so that the locking plate 9 is located on the top of the channelled member 5. If one end of the channel 8 is not closed then locking plates could be provided at the top and bottom of the channelled member rather than fitting an obscuring end plate 34.

Locking plates need not be restricted in shape or size and locking plates could easily be devised for attachment and use with the end or ends of the T-shaped rail member rather than the cylindrical channel member.

The member incorporating the channel need not be cylindrical.

Claims

I. Barrier apparatus comprising a spring tensioned coil of flexible barrier material for positioning at a first location, an end member on the free end of said barrier material, and a mounting member for location at a fixing point at a second location, wherein said end member is engageable with said mounting member and locking means is provided on said end member and/or on said mounting member which in use is moveable to an operative position to prevent separation of said end member from said mounting member.
2. A barrier unit comprising a spring tensioned coil of flexible barrier material, an end member on the free end of said barrier material, and a mounting member on said unit for connection to the end member of a similar unit, such that a plurality of said units may be connected to one another in a chain, wherein said end member is engageable with said mounting member and locking means is provided on said end member and/or on said mounting member which in use is moveable to an operative position to prevent separation of said end member from said mounting member of the next unit in a said chain.
3. Barrier apparatus or a barrier unit in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said coil of barrier material is a roll of webbing.
4. Barrier apparatus or a barrier unit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said end member has a channel therein with at least one open end for sliding, form-locking location with a said mounting member of complementary shape.
5. Barrier apparatus or a barrier unit as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein said mounting member has a channel therein with at least one open end for sliding, form-locking location with a said end member of complementary shape.
6. Barrier apparatus or a barrier unit as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein said channel is closed at one end and said locking means is provided adjacent to the remaining open end of said channel.
7. Barrier apparatus or a barrier unit as claimed in Claim 6, wherein movement of said locking means to said operative position results in at least the partial covering of the adjacent open end of the channel by said locking means.
8. Barrier apparatus or a barrier unit as claimed in Claim 7, wherein said locking means is rotatable and comprises a generally flat plate with a notch of sufficient size in said plate to allow passage therethrough of said complementary-shaped end member or said complementary-shaped mounting member.
9. Barrier apparatus or a barrier unit as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the shape of the notch corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the adjacent end portion of the channel.
10. Barrier apparatus or a barrier unit as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the end of said end member or said mounting member with a channel therein has a centrally located hole for the snap-fit location of a projection provided on said locking means to mount the locking means therein while allowing the turning of said projection in the hole.
Barrier apparatus or a barrier unit as claimed in Claim 10, wherein said end member or said mounting member with a channel therein is substantially cylindrical in shape.
12. Barrier apparatus or a barrier unit as claimed in Claim 11, wherein said locking means is generally disc-shaped.
13. Barrier apparatus or a barrier unit as claimed in anyone of Claims 10 to 12, wherein said locking means is freely rotatable in either a clockwise or an anti-clockwise direction.
14. Barrier apparatus or a barrier unit as claimed in Claim 13 wherein the surface of the locking means bearing said projection also has a raised portion of a size permitting the location of said raised protion within the end of said channel.
15. Barrier apparatus or a barrier unit as claimed in Claim 14 wherein part of said projection on the locking means is enlarged.
16. Barrier apparatus or a barrier unit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said channel comprises a pair of opposed wall portions extending inwards from the sides of the channel at the channel mouth, said opposed wall portions defining a channel mouth of reduced width in relation to the width of the channel.
17. Barrier apparatus or a barrier unit as claimed in Claim 16, wherein said pair of opposed wall portions are reduced in size or eliminated at the open end of the channel so that the channel mouth is increased in width at the open end thereof.
18. A barrier unit substantially as hereinbefore describea and with reference to any one of Figures 1 to 14.
19. An end member for use on the free end of a coil of flexible barrier material for attachment of said free end to a fixing point, wherein said end member has a channel therein with at least one open end for sliding, form-locking location with a complementary-shaped mounting member at said fixing point, and locking means on said end member moveable to an operative position to prevent separation of the end member from the mounting member in use.
20. An end member as claimed in Claim 19, wherein said channel is closed at one end and said locking means is provided adjacent to the remaining open end of said channel.
21. An end member as claimed in Claim 20, wherein movement of said locking means to said operative position results in at least the partial covering of the adjacent open end of the channel by said locking means.
22. An end member as claimed in Claim 21, wherein said locking means is rotatable and comprises a generally flat plate with a notch of sufficient size in said plate to allow passage therethrough of said complementary-shaped mounting member.
23. An end member as claimed in Claim 22, wherein the shape of the notch corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the adjacent end position of the channel.
24. An end member as claimed in Claim 23, wherein the end of said member has a centrally located hole for the snap-fit location of a projection on said locking means to mount the locking means therein while allowing the turning of said projection in the hole.
25. An end member as claimed in Claim 24 substantially cylindrical in shape.
26. An end member as claimed in Claim 25, wherein said locking means is generally disc shaped.
27. An end member as claimed in any one of Claims 24 to 26 wherein said locking means is freely rotatable in either a clockwise or an anticlockwise direction.
28. An end member as claimed in Claim 27 wherein the surface of the locking means bearing said projection also has a raised portion of a size permitting the location of said raised portion within the end of said channel.
29. An end member as claimed in Claim 28 wherein part of said projection on the locking means is enlarged.
30. An end member as claimed in any one of Claims 19 to 29, wherein said channel comprises a pair of opposed wall portions extending inwards from the sides of the channel at the channel mouth, said opposed wall portions defining a channel mouth of reduced width in relation to the width of the channel.
31. An end member as claimed in Claim 30, wherein said pair of opposed wall portions are reduced in size or Eliminated at the open end of the channel so that the channel mouth is increased in width at the open end thereof.
32. An end member for the free end of a coil of flexible barrier material substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 3 to 9 of the accompanying drawings, or as modifed by Figures 10 and 11 thereof.