GB2265411A

GB2265411A - Quick release toggle; barrier system

Info

Publication number: GB2265411A
Application number: GB9206562A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Eric Swarbrick
Original assignee: SWINTEX
Current assignee: SWINTEX
Priority date: 1992-03-26
Filing date: 1992-03-26
Publication date: 1993-09-29
Also published as: GB9206562D0

Abstract

A quick release toggle for use in road barrier systems and the like comprises a body portion 10, a neck portion 12 and a head portion 14. Two shoulders 16, 18 are defined between the body and neck portions and between the neck and head portions respectively. The toggle includes means for allowing deformation under force of the head portion eg by means of slots 20. In use, the toggles are received in uprights 2 of a barrier system and connecting tapes 6 extend between the toggles. When a person or vehicle strikes a tape the force exerted on the toggle causes it to be released from the upright. <IMAGE>

Description

QUICK RELEASE TOGGLE The present invention relates to a quick release toggle, and in particular to a quick release toggle for use with a barrier system.

Barrier systems, such as for use in crowd or traffic control, are generally designed to deter people or vehicles from entering a marked off Zoe4S-- When a section of carriageway is coned off from traffic a secondary continuous workzone barrier has been found to be beneficial when placed inside the primary point of traffic separation, its purpose being to provide a physical warning which prevents personnel from straying into the line of traffic.

A secondary function and just as necessary is that this continuous line should break at points along its continuation so that any traffic accidentally impinging on the barrier displaces only the minimum continuous section.

One method of overcoming this problem is described in GB 2221236A which illustrates a post and rail assembly, each post having slots to receive a tape. When a vehicle strikes a post, it is inclined to the vertical and the tape slides out of the slot.

This method, however, requires that the posts be capable of inclining.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple and convenient quick release toggle and barrier system which does not disengage when an individual walks or runs into it but which does disengage if a vehicle or crowd accidentally engages into it, thereby overcoming the above-mentioned disadvantage.

According to the invention, there is provided a quick release toggle comprising a body portion, a neck portion and a head portion, said body portion having a cross-sectional dimension which is greater than the cross-sectional dimension of the neck portion so that a first shoulder is defined therebetween, said neck portion having a cross-sectional dimension which is less than the cross-sectional dimension of the head portion so that a second shoulder is defined therebetween and means for allowing deformation under force of the head portion.

Preferably, the first shoulder is defined by a sharp transition between two regions of different cross-sectional dimension. Preferably, the second shoulder is defined by a gradual transition between two regions of different cross-sectional dimension.

Preferably, the body portion and neck portion each have a substantially uniform cross-sectional dimension and the head portion has a continuously decreasing cross-sectional dimension as it extends from the neck portion. The cross-section dimensions of each portion may take any suitable form but preferably the head and neck portions have a circular cross-section and the body portion has a circular cross-section which becomes the body portion as it extends from the neck portion.

Preferably, the means for allowing deformation under force of the head portion comprises one or more slots. The or each slot may extend across the width of, and through the depth of, the head portion, and preferably also the neck portion, to define one or more channels. Preferably, two such slots are provided at right angles to each other so that the head portion and preferably the neck portion are divided into four fingers. Said means for allowing deformation may include additionally or alternatively the inherent deformable nature of the material.

The quick release toggle may be made of any suitable material but in one embodiment it is preferably made of a polyamide or a high density polyethylene.

The body portion may have means for permanently or temporarily securing one or more cords, tapes, rods or the like, thereon. The securing means may comprise one or more holes. Preferably, the securing means comprises three holes which may be arranged linearly along the length of the body portion, said holes being used for threading a rope or the like there through.

According to the invention there is further provided a barrier system comprising one or more quick release toggles of the invention, one or more uprights each adapted to receive one or more of said toggles and connecting means for connecting two or more toggles together.

Preferably, the connecting means comprises one or more cords, tapes rods or the like. The connecting means may be retro-reflective or retro-reflective flags may be secured to or suspended from said means at regular spaced intervals.

Preferably, the uprights are mounted on bases which may be mounted permanently or semi-permanently on the reference surface.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a barrier system of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a quick release toggle of the invention; Fig. 3 is a side view of the toggle taken in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a plan view of thee toggle taken in the direction of arrow B in Fig.2; Fig. 5 shows the method of attaching a toggle to an upright; Fig. 6 is a plan view of part of the barrier system of the invention; Fig. 7 is a plan view showing different positions of the toggle in the upright; and Fig. 8 shows the toggle head dimensions..

The following specific embodiment describes a workzone barrier system of the present invention. The invention may however be used in any suimble situation such as for controlling crowds at football games and the like.

Referring to Figures 1 and 5, a series of semi-rigid uprights 2 each having apertures 3 therein, are supported vertically from the reference surface by means of suitable base units 4. To form a continuous line between these uprights, tapes or cords 6 are fixed to quick release toggles 1 each of which is in turn inserted into an aperture 3. These cords may be retro-reflective or retro-reflective flags 8. may be suspended from them. The quick release toggles permit the required severance of this continuous line.

The quick release toggle is shown in Figs. 2 - 4 and comprises a body portion 10, a neck portion 12 and a head portion 14. First and second shoulders 16 and 18 are defined between the body 10 and neck 12 and the neck 12 and head 14, respectively. Two slots 20 at right angles. to each other define four fingers 22 and allow deformation under force of the head and neck.

Although, the aperture 3 is smaller than the maximum cross-sectional dimension of the head portion 14, the head portion may enter the aperture due to the inherent deformable nature of the material of which the toggle is made and due to the slots 20, which allow deformation under force of the head and neck.

Fig. 5 shows the method of attaching a toggle to an upright whereby, when the necessary force is applied, a temporary reduction in the maximum cross-sectional dimension of the head is achieved.

Removal of the toggle from the aperture is effected as outlined hereafter.

A force is applied to the continuous line of tape, for example, in the direction of one of the arrows F in Figure 6. The net effect of the force, irrespective of the point or direction of load, is to result in an axial component of the force Fx acting along the longitudinal axis of the toggle and. a transverse component of the force Fy acting perpendicular to that axis. The combined effect of this axial force and transverse force is to cause the longitudinal axis of the toggle to rotate about a point in the aperture 3 through which it is fixed, as shown in Fig. 7, and to cause the fingers 22 to move towards each other. Thus, the effective overall cross-sectional dimension of the head being presented to the aperture is decreased. However, this decrease is not great enough to permit the head to be released from the aperture.

Referring again to Fig. 7, the toggle position relative to the aperure 3 is shown before a force is applied 1 and when a force is applied 1', with corresponding longitudinal axes of the toggle being shown by L and L'. The transverse force causes the longitudinal axis of the toggle to rotate from-b--to L' so that the position of the first shoulder 16 relative to the aperture 3 is altered to position 16' and the position occupied by the first shoulder 16 before the force is applied is taken up after the force is applied by a point on the neck portion. This amounts to a further reduction of the effective overall cross-sectional dimension which causes it to match the aperture dimension so that the toggle head is released from the aperture.This occurs when the cross sectional dimension D2- , as seen in Fig. 8, is presented to the aperture. Although these forces and the actions effecting them are detailed as occurring separately, it has been found in practice that the outlined actions occur simultaneously that is however not to say that it could nor indeed in some instances does not function by means of separate actions.

Although the dimensions chosen meet the requirement for the purpose of the specific embodiment various ratios, proportions.and materials achieve the same operation, whilst, varying the various parameters serves to tailor the functioning of the toggle to be more suitable for other applications, where a different point of release is required, or where a different type of force, in either magnitude or direction, or both, is required to effect release of the toggle Various parameters alter the boundaries of operation. The number and general form of slots may vary. One continuous slot would release by the same angular action but only at considerably increased force and only in a single set plane. Three slots at 120C spacing would release just as efficiently as the described two slot configuration.The general form which the slots take would also affect the operation for example webs between any two faces of the channels formed by the slots would serve to raise the required release forces.

When all other factors are constant the higher the flexural modulus of the chosen material, the more force is required to insert the toggle and to effect its release and vice versa.

The smaller the ratio between the aperture dimension and the various toggle cross-sectional dimensions, the larger the force that is required to insert the toggle and to effect its release and vice versa.

Referring to Fig. 8, the angle c is defined as the angle between the gradient of the second shoulder 18 and the transverse cross-sectional plane T of the toggle and the angle ss is defined as the angle between the gradient of the head profile 13 and -that plane. The extent of angle ss affects the force necessary for insertion i.e. the "smaller" the angle the more difficult the toggle is to insert and vice versa. The extent of angle 9 affects the degree of rotation necessary to effect release i.e.

the "greater" the angle z the greater the degree of rotation necessary to effect release and vice versa.

As can be seen from Fig. 8, , by increasing ss the larger > becomes, therefore as the release is governed by the ratio of BC and the aperture dimension, this results in a larger force being required to effect release.

It will be appreciated that all ratios and proportions are chosen to suit the particular application and in general the magnitude and type of force necessary to effect release of the toggle will depend on and be determined by the chosen parameters.

Thus, although the force necessary to effect release of the toggle in this particular embodiment is determined by the magnitude and direction of force which traffic can apply, altering any of the above-mentioned parameters alters this required force.

It is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which is described by way of example only.

Claims

1. A quick release toggle comprising a body portion, a neck portion and a head portion, said body portion having a cross-section dimension which is greater than the cross-sectional dimension of the neck portion so that a first shoulder is defined therebetween, said neck portion having a cross-sectional dimension which is less than the cross-sectional dimension of the head portion so that a second shoulder is defined therebetween and means for allowing deformation under force of the head portion.

2. A quick release toggle according to claim 1 wherein the first shoulder is defined by a sharp transition between two regions of different corss-sectional dimension.

3. A quick release toggle according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the second shoulder is defined by a gradual transition between two regions of different cross-sectional dimension.

4. A quick release toggle according to any preceding claim wherein the body portion has a substantially uniform cross-sectional dimension.

5. A quick release toggle according to any preceding claim wherein the neck portion has a substantially uniform cross-sectional dimension.

6. A quick release toggle according to any preceding claim wherein the head portion has a continuously decreasing cross-sectional dimension as it extends from the neck portion.

7. A quick release toggle according to any preceding claim wherein the head and neck portions have a circular cross-section and the body portion has a circular cross-section which becomes the body portion as it extends from the neck portion.

8. A quick release toggle according to any preceding claim wherein the means for allowing deformation under force of the head portion comprises one or more slots.

9. A quick release toggle according to claim 8 wherein the or each slot extends across the width of and through the depth of the neck portion and/or the head portion to define one or more channels.

10. A quick release toggle according to claim 9 wherein two such slots are provided at right angles to each other so that the neck portion and/or the head portion are divided into four fingers.

11. A quick release toggle according to any preceding claim wherein the means for allowing deformation includes material of an inherently deformable nature.

12. A quick release toggle according to any preceding claim wherein the toggle is made of a polyamide or a high density polyethylene.

13. A quick release according to any preceding claim wherein the body portion has means for permanently or temporarily securing one or more cord, tape or rod type structures thereon.

14. A quick release toggle according to claim 13 wherein the securing means comprises one or more holes.

15. A quick release toggle according to claim 14 wherein the securing means comprises three holes arranged substantially linearly along the length of the body portion.

16. A barrier system comprising one or more quick release toggles according to claim 1, one or more uprights each adapted to receive one or more of said toggles and connecting means for connecting two or more toggles together.

17. A barrier system according to claim 16 wherein the connecting means comprises one or more cord, tape or rod type structures.

18. A barrier system according to claim 16 or claim 17 wherein the connecting means is retro-reflective.

19. A barrier system according to claim 16 or claim 17 wherein the connecting means has one or more retro-reflective flags secured to or suspended from said means.

20. A barrier system according to any preceding claim wherein the uprights are mounted on bases, said bases being mounted permanently or semi-permanently on a reference surface.

21. A quick release toggle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 2 to 5 and Figures 7 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

22. A barrier system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 and Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.