GB2271584A - A barrier for crowd control - Google Patents

Abstract

A barrier for crowd control includes a wall member (8) having spectator support (4) on one side and a platform (18) on the other side, the platform (18) being at a level higher than the level of the spectator support (4). A base for the barrier extends on both sides of the wall member (8) and is provided on one side by the spectator support (4) and on the other side by a chassis (20) which also provides positioning means for the platform (18). <IMAGE>

Description

A BARRIER The present invention relates to a barrier. In particular it relates to a barrier for use in crowd control.

Crowd control barriers are useful at events such as large venue music events or at organised rallies. Their general purpose is to separate general members of the public from staff whose job it is to control the crowd and to ensure the safety of members of the crowd.

In the past makeshift constructions have been used as crowd control barriers. For example, scaffolding covered in plywood has been used.

Previously, a barrier has been available in which an upstanding barrier wall is supported on one side by two struts which extend at each end of the wall from near the top of the wall to the ground. A spectator plate lies flat on the ground on the opposite side of the wall. A bench stands on the ground on the same side as the struts and can be secured by clips on the barrier wall so that security staff can stand on it. However, the security staff cannot easily move from one bench to the bench on the next barrier (especially in the dark) because the struts obstruct them. Furthermore the security bench can be dislodged from its clips, for example, by someone tripping over it in the dark. Another problem with this type of barrier is that all the parts are manufactured separately and need to be assembled by a relatively experienced person at the site of use.

The present invention seeks to alleviate these problems.

In accordance with the invention, a barrier for crowd control is provided which includes a wall member, a spectator support on one side and a platform on the other side of the wall member which platform is at a level higher than the level of the spectator support, wherein a base for the barrier extends on either side of the wall member and is provided on one side by the spectator support and on the other side by a chassis which provides positioning means for the platform.

The raised platform provides a step platform on which security staff can stand. The barrier is stable because the base extends on both sides of the wall member. The weight of people standing on the spectator support reduces the risk of the barrier being removed or tipped over. The security staff are able to see the crowd from their step platform and are at an advantageous height for removing members of the audience by pulling them over the wall member if necessary.

Preferably, the barrier is assembled on site from only two pieces. The barrier can be transported in two pieces, one being the wall member and platform and the other being the base, and assembled easily at the site of use.

Preferably said two pieces are firstly the base including a chassis integral with the spectator support, the chassis having at least one support frame for positioning the platform and secondly a wall member positionable on the chassis and having a platform attached to it. When the platform is positioned by said support frame in the assembled barrier, a step is provided from which the spectators can be observed.

Further preferably said support frame is located below the level of the platform and includes within it a strut to transmit pressure applied to the wall towards the ground.

The advantage of this is that while the strut is able to transmit a force applied to the wall member to the ground, it is also out of the way, so that it does not obstruct the movement of any security staff who wishes to move from one barrier to an adjacent barrier. The support frame also provides positioning support for the platform.

In a preferred embodiment the spectator support is a plate which is supported by at least one wedge shaped segment so that in use the spectator support is inclined with respect to the ground. In a further preferred embodiment a socket is provided in the base, the socket being of a configuration to receive the wall member during assembly of the barrier. Very preferably the socket is a recess between a plate which extends along the spectator support at its raised end, and the support frame.

In an especially preferred embodiment the support frame is hinged to said chassis so that it is foldable from a configuration in which it is able to position the platform plate, to a storage configuration. In the storage configuration the support frame lies in the same plane as the chassis making it very easy to store and transport the whole base.

In a further especially preferred embodiment the platform is hinged to said wall member so that it can either lie generally flat against the wall member or at an angle to it. Again this allows the wall member with its platform to be stored and transported conveniently.

In an embodiment having all these features, the barrier is quick and easy to assemble.

Preferably the chassis further comprises a stop which projects upwardly from the chassis such that it sits adjacent a hinged support frame when the support frame is in a configuration to position the platform. Thus the stop is able to take some of the load transmitted through the support frame.

In a preferred embodiment the chassis has a connection means which corresponds to connection means on the wall member when the wall member is correctly positioned, so that the two connection means can be fixed together, for example using a bolt.

Also preferred is an embodiment in which the support frame has connection means for fixing it to the wall member.

For example the connection means can be a bolt plate with apertures on the support frame and bolt apertures through a part of the wall member. These apertures can be aligned to receive a fixing bolt. Thus in a particular embodiment the barrier is held together effectively by two types of fixing locations. Fixing the barrier at these two types of location gives a very stable barrier, partly because the two fixing locations are at two levels.

Generally the barrier will be of metal though any suitable material may be used. Examples of suitable metals are mild steel and aluminium.

Preferably the spectator support and the platform are made of steel durbar.

Preferably the wall member comprises three upright supports, and a tubular bar across the top. Further preferably, a perforated cover is attached, for example by welding, to the side of the wall member which faces the spectator support. Preferably the perforated cover is further reinforced by horizontal bars. In a preferred embodiment the platform is welded via a hinge to one of these horizontal bars.

In a preferred embodiment there are two supporting frames each of which is welded via a hinge to the chassis at respective ends of the barrier so that they are inwardly foldable.

A specific embodiment will now be described, as an example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a view from the side of a barrier embodying the invention; Fig. 2a is a view from the front, of the framework of the wall member of a barrier embodying the invention; Fig. 2b is a view of the wall member from the side; Fig. 3a is a plan view of the base of a barrier embodying the invention; Fig. 3b is a section along line X to X in Fig. 3a; Fig. 3c is a view of the base along line Y; Fig. 4 illustrates a support or lock frame; Fig. 5 illustrates a platform plate; Fig. 6 shows the assembled barrier with the platform plate raised; and Fig. 7 is a plan view of the barrier.

Referring firstly to Fig. 1, the barrier comprises an upright wall member 8 which divides the barrier into a spectator side and a staff side. On the spectator side, a spectator support 4 is provided which can take the weight of spectators. In this embodiment it is a plate 11 supported by wedge shaped segments 9. On the staff side there is a platform 18 integral to the wall member which is positioned by two support frames 20. The platform is raised so that it provides a step from which the spectators can be observed. The support frames and the wall member are supported by a chassis 2 to which the spectator support is welded via a plate 6. Thus the chassis and the spectator platform supported by its wedge shaped segments 58 form the base of the barrier.

It can be seen in Fig. 1 that the wall member 8 with its platform 18 fits into a socket formed between the plate 6 extending along the spectator support, and the support frame 20.

As can be seen in Fig. 2 the wall member 8 has a tubular bar 10 across the top, and three upright supports 12. The tubular bar may typically be a mild steel 60mm tube while the upright supports are 60mm by 40mm steel bars.

Horizontal bars 14 are 25mm by 25mm angled steel bars of thickness 3mm. A perforated steel sheet 50, for example, of PerforexTM is welded to the wall member on the side that faces the spectator support. In Fig. 1, this sheet is indicated by reference numeral 7.

In Fig. 3 the chassis 2 is shown welded to plate 6 which extends along the spectator platform 4 and to which the spectator platform and its wedge shaped supports are also welded. The spectator platform can be seen in side view

in Fig. 3b. The spectator platform is a sheet of Urbar5 (typically 3.5mm over the plane) which is supported by several thin wedges of steel 58. The underside of the durbar sheet may be additionally reinforced to prevent it bowing when people stand on it. The spectator platform 4 is separated from the chassis by the plate 6 which forms a chassis plate. In addition this chassis plate aids in the positioning of the wall member during assembly. The chassis itself 2 is a rectangular frame with a horizontal bar 26 extending across it.

In Fig. 3b the horizontal bar 26 of the chassis can be seen to have an angle iron 16 at its end and nearest to the plate 6. The hole through this angle iron corresponds with a hole through the middle upright support 12' of the upright member 8 when the upright barrier member is in place. A high tensile bolt (l0mm) can be passed through these holes to fix the upright member in position on the chassis 2. This is also illustrated in Fig. 6 where the high tensile bolt is indicated by reference numeral 48.

Also forming part of the chassis base are the support frames 20 each of which is hinged to the chassis along a repsective chassis bar 25. In this way, each support frame can be folded inwards to lie flat with the chassis during storage (as represented by dotted lines in Fig. 6).

As can be seen in Fig. 4, the support frame has a contihinge 22. The free plate of this hinge is welded along the inside face of chassis bar 24.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, each support frame comprises a steel frame 27 with an obliquely extending strut 36. The strut extends from corner to corner of the frame and in use of the barrier any pressure that is placed on the wall member, for example, by a crowd, is transmitted along the strut to a stop which is a plate 13 on the chassis base. The stop plate is firmly welded to the chassis base at the end of each chassis bar 24 furthest from the plate 6.

The support frame is held in its upright position by being bolted to the wall member. This attachment of the support frame to the wall member stabilises the wall member additionally to its being bolted to the base at the chassis. A bolt lug 28 on the lock frame 20 has a hole which corresponds with a hole through the upright support 12 of the wall member when the wall member is in place.

Long bolts can be used to connect adjacent barriers which also have these corresponding holes. The bolt lug 28 can also be used to hold the support frames in their folded away position. For this purpose a bolt is provided on the chassis at 56 (in Figs. 1 and 6).

Fig. 5 shows the platform 18 which can be used for observation, in more detail. The platform is again a burbarLplate 40 which is 3.5mm over the plane and this plate can be reinforced by one or more lengths of steel 42 (and) on its underside. The DurbarLplate is bent to form a downwardly extending projection 44 at its edge furthest from the upright wall member. This projection hooks over the support frames and means that the edge of the platform is rounded rather than sharp. The platform itself is welded via a hinge to the upright member. Two contihinges 32 each have a plate 46 which is welded to the underside of the horizontal bar 14' of the wall member.

Thus the platform can be folded upwards to lie flat against the wall member. In this configuration, the wall member and platform can be easily stored and transported.

In Fig. 6, the platform 40 is shown in the raised position. The tubular bar 10 of the wall member is just visible at the top. The wall member can be seen to be fixed to the chassis with a high tensile (10mm) bolt 48 at the base of the middle upright support 12'. This bolt also passes through the hole through the angle iron 16 on the chassis. The support frames are indicated in their upright position 20 and in a folded away position 20'.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the barrier showing the platform 18 for observation, the tubular bar of the wall member 10 and the perforated steel cover 7 of the wall member, and the spectator support 4.

During assembly, each base portion, that is each spectator platform 4 welded via plate 6 to the chassis 2, with the support frames in their folded down configuration, is taken and positioned as required. The wall member with the platform 18 folded upwards is moved into position on the chassis base adjacent to the plate 6. The bolt hole in the angle iron 16 of the chassis is aligned with bolt holes through the base of the middle upright 12' of the wall member 8. A high tensile 10mm bolt is passed through the aligned holes and tightened.

The support frames 20 are then folded upwards which brings the bolt holes in the bolt lugs 28 into alignment with bolt holes 52 through the outer upright support 12. Again a high tensile (10mm) steel bolt is used to fix the lock plate to the upright support.

Thus the barrier can be manufactured in two parts which can be transported and stored separately, assembly taking place at the site of use, for example, at a music venue.

If several barriers are required to form a wall they can be joined at several points using high tensile bolts. A longer bolt may be used to fix the bolt lugs 28 to the upright support which can also fix the bolt lugs 28 and upright support of an adjacent barrier.

At other locations on the side of the barrier, bolt holes 54 may be provided in the chassis or wall member which can be aligned with similar holes on adjacent barriers.

Again, high tensile bolts are used to connect the barriers.

When several barriers are joined to form such a wall a platform is provided along which a security or safety officer can move easily to observe all parts of a gathered crowd. The barrier may typically be used to form a barricade at a stadium where an audience is gathered. It is therefore important that security and safety staff are able to monitor the crowd. A barrier according to the invention furthermore allows the security staff to pull members of the audience who might require attention over the barricade without the individual being injured.

Using specially adapted units it is also possible to construct a curved wall using barriers embodying the invention. It is also possible to connect barrier units of a corner, using an adapted connecting unit.

In this embodiment, all the components are of mild steel, although other materials may be used where appropriate.

For example aluminium can be used to give a barrier which is very light.

For a pleasing appearance, the whole barrier can be varnished, painted or finished off in Hammerite, (R.T.M.).

Claims (12)

CLAIMS:

1. A barrier for crowd control includes a wall member a spectator support on one side and a platform on the other side of the wall member which platform is at a level higher than the level of the spectator support, wherein a base for the barrier extends on either side of the wall member and is provided on one side by the spectator support and on the other side by a chassis which also provides positioning means for the platform.

2. A barrier accordiong to claim 1 wherein the barrier can be assembled on site from only two pieces.

3. A barrier according to claim 2 wherein said two pieces are firstly the base including a chassis integral with the spectator support, the chassis having at least one support frame for positioning the platform and secondly a wall member positionable on the chassis and having a platform attached to it.

4. A barrier according to claim 3 wherein said support frame is located below the level of the platform and includes within it a strut to transmit pressure applied to the barrier towards the ground.

5. A barrier according to any preceding claim wherein the spectator support is a plate which is supported by at least one wedge shaped segment so that in use the spectator support is inclined with respect to the ground.

6. A barrier according to any of claims 3 to 5 wherein said support frame is hinged to said chassis so that it is foldable from a configuration in which it is able to position the platform plate to a storage configuration.

7. A barrier according to any of claims 3 to 6 wherein said platform is hinged to said wall member so that it either can lie generally flat against the wall member or at an angle to it.

8. A barrier according to any of claims 4 to 7 wherein said chassis further comprises a stop which projects upwardly from the chassis base such that it sits adjacent the support frame when the support frame is in a position to position the platform.

9. A barrier according to any preceding claim wherein the chassis has connection means which correspond to connection means on the wall member when the wall member is correctly positioned so that the two connection means can be fixed together.

10. A barrier according to any preceding claim wherein the support frame has connection means for fixing it to the wall member.

11. A barrier according to either claim 9 or claim 10 wherein the connection means comprise bolt receiving apertures.

12. A barrier substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.