GB2278862A - Mobile fencing and roofing unit - Google Patents

Abstract

Mobile fencing comprises a series of mobile fencing units. Each unit comprises a mobile base having an upstanding support element or framework with a horizontal support rail (54) for the cover net. An enclosure for a waste disposal site cell comprises a series of fencing units arranged in two rows and adapted to be drawn by tractors and having two cover nets enclosing the site and each net supported on its own one of the rows of fencing units. <IMAGE>

Description

MOBILE FENCING This invention relates to mobile fencing for use in various situations including, for example, waste disposal sites where there is a need for the provision of mobile means for retaining wind blown waste, and providing other functions. One aspect of the invention provides for a pair of mobile fence units to be simultaneously provided on opposite sides of a site, and in this case, the two mobile fence units can be converted into a waste disposal cell by the provision of a roof net between the fence units. The roof net, for example, can be long enough to provide a degree of closure of the front and rear openings between the mobile fence units. Thus, the invention provides a method and apparatus for using mobile fencing and associated nets for enclosure purposes.

There is disclosed in GB 2 073 802 A mobile box shaped cover net supported by a grid of ropes attached to trolley mounted masts called "trolley units", which are connected by chains to enable the erected net to be moved without dismantling - the complete assembly being capable of resisting extreme wind loading.

Shortcomings of this prior proposal include the following. Firstly, the box shaped net represents a complication and attendant cost, which is to avoided if possible. While doubtless the use of a box shape net, suitably supported, may provide an effective means for enclosing a waste disposal site, the complications and attendant cost of the provision of such support and indeed in the construction of the net itself represent significant limitations. Likewise, on a related point, the use of a grid of ropes for supporting the box shaped net illustrates one aspect of this shortcoming. The provision of such a grid of ropes, and its use in a waste disposal site location produces significant difficulties.

As regards the trolley mounted masts called "trolley units", these are used to provide a series of upright supports for the grid of ropes, so that the box shaped net can be dangled over the relevant area.

The use of upright masts for this purpose together with the associated mast support ropes and related structures leads to complications and cost in use.

An object of the present invention is td provide a method and apparatus for enclosing waste disposal and other sites with netting or the like, offering improvements in relation to one or more of the matters discussed above, or generally.

According to the invention there is provided a method and apparatus for the provision of mobile fencing. According to one aspect of the invention, the mobile fencing comprises a mobile fencing element.

The fencing element comprises a fabricated or assembled framework. The framework supports netting or like structure for enclosure purposes. The netting may be provided on an upstanding area of the fencing unit so as to define a panel of the mobile element.

A like mobile fencing unit may be provided at a distance from the first fencing unit so as to define between them an area for enclosure. Roof net means may be provided between the fencing elements. For example, the roof net means may be carried on supports such as ropes extending between the fencing elements.

The roof net may be a linear structure of sufficient length to provide also complete or partial closure of the front and rear spaces between the fencing units.

Each of the spaced fencing units or elements may be linked to like units or elements in a row comprising two or more such units. Each row of units may be towed in its lengthwise direction when it is desired to move the enclosure. Mobility of each fencing unit may be provided by skid means, roller or wheel means, or the like.

Another aspect of the invention provides for the fencing units to be provided with reservoir means whereby weight can be added to the fencing units for stability purposes by filling the reservoir means with liquid eg water. For example, the reservoir means may be provided by constructing the fencing units with a hollow framework adapted to be filled (and emptied as desired) with water.

According to a third aspect of the invention, the mobile fencing units are provided with skid means so as to enable mobility to be provided for traversing rough terrain, at minimum cost. This construction lends itself to the provision of reservoir means within the hollow elements of a skid-type construction, to provide weight and stability, as discussed above.

Other aspects of the invention are disclosed elsewhere in the text of this application, and it is hereby stated that independent protection may be sought in this application, or in any application claiming priority here from in respect of any novel combination of features disclosed herein.

By providing mobile fencing units in accordance with the embodiments various advantages are obtained.

Firstly, the simple provision of self-stable mobile fencing units enables cover nets and the like to be effectively supported in a simple way. The fencing units themselves provide lengthwise support for the cover nets. There is no need for a cover net to be dangled on ropes from masts. The net can be simply tensioned by rope or the like means passing rover the fencing units so that support of the net is simpler and more direct.

In the embodiment described below, an enclosed mobile waste disposal cell is provided which enables waste to be deposited and land filled in windy conditions. Nevertheless, the cell serves to contain waste which may become wind borne. The enclosure or cell has a box-like net structure which is rectangular in shape and, in one embodiment, is 10 metres high, 20 metres wide, and 29 metres long. The net is supported on steel structures in the form of fencing units having skids, and these units together with the net form the somewhat integral enclosure structure. The nets are of a synthetics plastics material, for example polyester or a braided polythene.

In the embodiment, the skid units measure 9 metres in length and 4 metres in width and the skids are of square hollow section steel being box section and the sides of the box being 300 millimetres each.

The skids are shaped at their ends, for example by being profiled or chamfered so as to be easily towed without digging into the ground. The skids are joined by substantial cross members at three metre intervals as a welded fabrication. The skid members are constructed so as to be capable of being filled with water as ballast and suitable arrangements are provided for filling and draining.

Each fence unit comprises a manual winch of the ratchet type at about one metre above the base to enable a wire or rope to be tensioned for net support purposes.

In a typical enclosure assembly, 6 skid units are provided and arranged in 2 parallel lines of 3 units at 20 metres apart. The fence units have inwardly sloping outer profiles constituting the longitudinally-extending sides of the cell or enclosure. Each skid unit is coupled to the next one at an interval of abut one metre by suitable chains or rods or wires.

In the embodiment, a roof net is 49 metres long and 12 metres wide. It has a heavy rope woven and affixed to its perimeter and at 3 metre intervals across its width to form a grid-like support, except where it coincides with the connection of two skid units, and at that location a one metre space between the ropes is provided. At the end of the ropes that form the grid a suitable attachment is fixed to enable wires running from the winches on the opposing fence units to be attached.

To form an enclosure, two lines of fence units are positioned 20 metres apart, winch wires from one line of fence units are taken over the pulleys or sheaves of their associated fence units and affixed to loops or like attachment points on the opposed portion of the opposite roof net grid rope attachment. A 10 metre portion of the net is provided to enable the net to hang down from the upper edge of the fence units and thus form the side walls of the generally box shaped enclosure for the waste site.

During assembly, care is taken to ensure that all tension wires or ropes from one side of the cell are over or under the associated wires or ropes from the other side. To raise the net, the winches of the upper side of winch wires are progressively operated until the net is horizontal and taut, leaving each end hanging loose. The winches from the opposing side are then operated progressively until the wires or ropes are likewise taut and under lapping the net portion which was first raised, thus completing the closure.

Finally, the ends of the net are closed by lacing with rope to each end fence unit. At the centre, at one end of the closure the overlapping nets are laced together, and at the other end they are left simply overlapping to permit vehicles to enter and leave.

The enclosure can be moved by tractors as shown in the drawings. The roof nets and wires are slackened before moving.

Extra weight for stability of the fence units can be provided by not only filling the relevant portions of the skids with water and/or by adding weights of concrete or steel or the like to the skid unit, centrally thereof.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig 1 shows a side elevation view of a skid unit; Fig 2 shows a plan view of the skid unit of Fig 1; Fig 3 shows the skid unit of Figs 1 and 2 with an upstanding support element or frame mounted thereon and viewed in the lengthwise direction thereof; Fig 4 shows a side elevation view of the assembly of Fig 3, the direction of viewing being indicated by arrow IV in Fig 3; Fig 5 shows the mobile fencing unit of Fig 4 with a cover net mounted thereon; Fig 6 shows a plan view of a series of three fencing units with associated transverse net support ropes, this view showing one half of an entire enclosure assembly, the other half being a mirror image of the structure seen in Fig 6;; Fig 7 shows, somewhat diagrammatically, the manner in which two cover nets are used in association with two rows of fencing units arranged as in Fig 6, Fig 7 showing the tensioning arrangements for the nets and their region of overlap in the central portion between the diagrammatically-indicated fencing units; Fig 8 shows on a smaller scale, the overlapping arrangement of the cover nets in association with their respective fencing units and tensioning arrangements.

Fig 9 shows a plan view of an assembly of two rows of fencing units and associated cover nets drawn by two tractors, the fencing units and cover nets being of substantially identical construction and disposed symmetrically about a longitudinal centre line; Fig 10 shows a generally perspective view of two fencing units connected, as in Fig 9, end-to-end and with part of an associated cover net (the downwardlyextending side wall portion) shown on one side of the fencing units.

As shown in the drawings, a mobile fencing unit 10 comprises a mobile base unit 12, an upstanding support element 14 mounted on the base unit. The support element is adapted to define at least part of one longitudinal edge of the fencing unit for supporting a cover net 16 to extend between the fencing unit and a like unit spaced from it.

Base unit 12 comprises longitudinal skids 18 secured by transverse cross-braces 20. The entire fencing unit is made as a fabrication of mild steel or the like and may be galvanised or otherwise treated to resist rust.

Skids 18 are formed with chamfered leading and trailing edges 22 to reduce any tendency to dig in.

Support element 14 is in the form of a fabricated framework comprising uprights 24 and sloping net support members 26, these latter being provided with a horizontal support rail 28 which is the uppermost edge of the fencing unit structure. As shown in Fig 4, spaced below support rail 28 is provided a parallel bracing rail 30. The entire assembly is fabricated as a rigid self-stable structure capable of supporting the cover nets.

In the drawings, the direction of normal forward movement of the fencing units is indicated by arrow F.

Of course, the units can be towed in either direction, as shown.

Skids 18 are formed of box section members and thus are hollow and may be provided with means (not shown) for filling them with water for stability purposes. Alternatively, rocks or concrete weights may be located in the central region of the base unit 12 in the open part of the generally A-shaped portion of the lambda-shaped framework or support element 14 as seen in Fig 3.

Turning now to the arrangements for mounting the net on the fencing units, it will be seen from Fig 9 that, in use, two rows of fencing units 10 are arranged to be drawn by tractors 32. The fencing units are linked by chains 34 in two aligned rows 36, 38.

The cover net assembly for forming an enclosure with the two rows of fencing units is in two parts 40, 42. Net portion 40 is arranged to be tensioned by winches 44 of the fence units 10 of row 38. Net portion 42 is tensioned, likewise, by the winches 44 of row 36 of fencing units 10. The net portions overlap in a central region 46. Each winch has its own rope or wire 48 which extends upwardly from the winch and over the support rail 28, where a pulley 50 is provided, and is attached to the outer longitudinal edge of its respective net portion to tension same.

For example, the nets may be provided with loops 52 for easy attachment of the wires or ropes. Each net portion is attached to its respective fence unit 10 at a location indicated approximately by reference numeral 54 in Fig 7, and the net may be attached to the support element in any convenient manner in addition to the lacing 56 of the end walls 58 provided by the net. The end walls have a central portion 60 corresponding to portion 46 where the end walls overlap.

Amongst modifications which could be made in the above embodiment while remaining within the scope of the invention are changes to the form and structure of the fence units while retaining the general longitudinal fencing form of the structures.

Likewise, the base units of the fencing units could be provided with alternative means for permitting mobility, including the provision of wheel assemblies or roller means.

Claims (13)

1 A mobile fencing unit comprising : a) a mobile base unit; b) an upstanding support element mounted on the base unit; and c) said upstanding support element being adapted to define at least part of one longitudinal edge of said mobile fencing unit for supporting a cover net to extend between the fencing unit and a like unit spaced therefrom.

2 A mobile fencing unit.

3 A unit according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein a horizontal support rail is provided for said cover net, said support rail being part of a self-stable framework carried by said base unit.

4 A unit according to claim 3 characterised by said framework comprising a series of spaced generally A-shaped frame structures.

5 A unit according to claim 4 characterised by said frame structures being generally lambda-shaped.

6 A unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said base unit comprises skids.

7 A unit according to claim 6 wherein said skids extend lengthwise of said longitudinal edge for supporting the cover net.

8 A unit according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein said skids are adapted to receive ballast or weight means.

9 A unit according to claim 8 wherein said skids are adapted to form a water reservoir constituting said weight means.

10 A unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein tensioning means is provided for a rope or the like, for tensioning a net to be attached to a like unit to form part of said cover net.

11 A mobile fencing unit substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

12 A mobile cell comprising a fencing unit according to any one of the preceding claims in combination with a like fencing unit and net means therefor.

13 An enclosure comprising an assembly of mobile cells according to claim 12.