GB2373806A - Safety barrier with interchangeable upper portion - Google Patents

Abstract

The safety barrier, primarily for use delineating between a road or traffic lane and a second zone such as a work area, comprises elongate barrier elements 10 arranged to be connectable end-to-end to form a safety barrier and a plurality of sets of upper elements, the sets being interchangeably mountable on barrier elements to provide further delineation between regions to either side of the barrier elements, with the sets of upper elements having different formats so as to provide different delineation between the regions. At least one set of the upper elements may incorporate a pedestrian rail 44 to delineate between a pedestrian region and a vehicle region with the pedestrian rail elements comprising a mesh member to infill between the pedestrian rail and the barrier element. At least one set of the upper elements may incorporate sections of security fencing which, together with the adjacent elements of the same set, provide a substantially continuous security fence along the safety barrier. At least one set of the upper elements may incorporate leg members which are upright, in use, and support a plank member above and generally parallel with the line of the safety barrier. At least one set of upper elements may incorporate acoustic insulation material to provide acoustic delineation between the regions. Each barrier element may carry a spigot formation at one end and a complementary socket formation at the other for connection of barrier elements end-to-end by insertion of the spigot formations into the socket formations, with lock pins being provided to engage the spigot formations when they are in the socket formations so as to lock the formations together. The spigot and socket formations may include generally upwardly directed passages which come into alignment when the formations are inter-engaged so as allow the locking pins to be introduced from above. The upper elements may incorporate the locking pins whereby mounting of the upper elements serves to lock the barrier elements together.

Description

Safety Barriers The present invention relates to safety barriers and in particular, but not exclusively, to temporary safety barriers used as vehicle safety barrier systems.

Various proposals have been made for vehicle safety barrier systems for use in delineating a traffic lane from another region, such as a work zone.

These barrier systems may be required for temporary installation to segregate traffic from workers in the work zone. One proposal uses elongate barrier elements which can be connected end-to-end, each having a restraining wall upstanding from a base which is flared for stability. The application of this proposal is to providing delineation between a traffic zone and a work zone.

The present invention provides a safety barrier system comprising elongate barrier elements arranged to be connectable end-to-end to form a safety barrier of the type defined above, and a plurality of sets of upper elements, the sets being interchangeably mountable on barrier elements to provide further delineation between regions to either side of the barrier elements, the sets of upper elements having different formats whereby to provide different types of delineation between the regions.

Preferably at least one set of upper elements incorporates a pedestrian rail to delineate a pedestrian region and a vehicle region. The pedestrian rail elements may comprise a mesh member providing infill between the pedestrian rail and the barrier element.

At least one set of upper elements may incorporate a section of security fencing which, together with adjacent elements of the same set, provides a substantially continuous security fence along the safety barrier when mounted thereon.

At least one set of upper elements may incorporate leg members which are upright, in use, and support a plank member above and generally parallel with the line of the safety barrier.

At least one set of upper elements may incorporate acoustic insulation material to provide acoustic delineation between the regions.

The barrier elements preferably each carry a spigot formation at one end and a complementary socket formation at the other end for connection of barrier elements end-to-end by insertion of spigot formations into socket formations. Locking pin members may be provided to engage spigot formations when in socket formations, to lock the spigot formations therein.

The spigot formations and socket formations preferably each define passages which are generally upwardly directed in use and which come into alignment as spigot formations are inserted into socket formations, to allow locking pin members to be introduced from above. The upper elements preferably carry the locking pin members, whereby mounting of the upper elements on the barrier elements serves to lock the barrier elements together.

In another aspect, the invention provides an upper element for a safety barrier system as aforesaid, the element being removably mountable on a barrier element to provide further delineation between regions to either side of the barrier element.

The upper element may incorporate a pedestrian rail to delineate a pedestrian region and a vehicle region. The element may comprise a mesh member providing infill between the pedestrian rail and the barrier element.

Alternatively, the upper elements may incorporate a section of security fencing which, together with adjacent elements of the same set, provides a substantially continuous security fence along the safety barrier when mounted thereon.

Alternatively, the upper element may incorporate leg members which are upright, in use, and support a plank member above and generally parallel with the line of the safety barrier.

Alternatively, the upper element may incorporate acoustic insulation material to provide acoustic delineation between the regions.

The upper element may carry at least one locking pin member which serves to lock the barrier elements together when the upper element is on the upper elements on the barrier elements.

Examples of the present invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figs. 1 to 3 are, respectively, an end elevation, a side elevation and a plan view of an elongate barrier element for a safety barrier, and are partly schematic; Fig. 4 is an enlarged partial side elevation of the barrier element of Figs.

1 to 3, particularly illustrating the connection arrangements; Fig. 5 is a partly schematic side elevation of a row of barrier elements of the type shown in Figs. 1 to 4, connected end-to-end; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a connection pin for use in connecting barrier elements in the manner illustrated in Fig. 5 and shown on an enlarged scale; Fig. 7 is an upper element in the form of a crowd barrier mountable on the safety barrier of Fig. 5, and Fig. 8 illustrates the barrier of Fig. 7 mounted in this manner; Fig. 9 illustrates an upper element in the form of security fencing for mounting on a safety barrier of the type shown in Fig. 5, and Fig. 10 illustrates security fencing mounted in this manner; Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a leg used for mounting a high visibility plank arrangement as an upper element; and Fig. 12 illustrates planks installed in this manner on a safety barrier of the type shown in Fig. 5; and Figs. 13 and 14 are, respectively, a section viewed along, and a side elevation of, a safety barrier of the type shown in Fig. 5, to which an acoustic barrier element has been mounted.

Figs. 1 to 3 show an elongate barrier element 10 which is connectable end-to-end to form a safety barrier as shown in Fig. 5.

A safety barrier as shown in Fig. 5, formed from the elements to be described below, has been found to form a vehicle restraint barrier capable of meeting agreed performance standards such as British Standard EN 13172: 1998. The term"safety barriers"is used in this specification to refer to a vehicle restraint barrier which meets an agreed performance standard, such as British Standard EN 1317-2: 1998.

The barrier element 10 has side walls 12 formed of sheet material curved to provide an upwardly extending wall 14 and a flared base 16. The wall 14 is surmounted by a tube 18 running the whole length of the element 10. A second tube 20 is located between the walls 14, within the element 10, and attached to the walls 14. The tubes 18,20 provide stiffness to the element and also contribute to the connection arrangements, as will be described.

The walls 14 flare significantly, below the tube 20, providing a wide base 16, for stability. A base plate 22 is located under the walls 14, to close the interior of the element 10. Anti-skid strips 24 may be provided along the under edges of the base plate 22, to help resist movement of the element 10 across the ground, during use.

The connection arrangements are shown more clearly in Fig. 4. At one end of the tube 18, a spigot 26 is mounted in the tube 18, being a close fit therein, and projecting beyond the end of the element 10. A similar spigot 28 is mounted in the end of the tube 20 and also projects beyond the end of the barrier element 10. The other ends of the tubes 18,20 are left exposed at the other end of the element 10, as can be seen towards the left of Fig. 4. Consequently, an element 10 can be connected to a second element of the same construction, by bringing the elements 10 together to mate the spigots 26,28 with the tubes 18,20 of the other element.

The spigots 26,28 are pierced to provide aligned vertical passages 30.

Similar aligned vertical passages 32 are provided at the exposed ends of the tubes 18,20. The passages 32 are spaced inboard of the ends of the tubes 18, 20 by a distance substantially equal to the separation of the passages 30 from the edge of the walls 14, so that when the spigots 26,28 are mated with the tubes 18,20 of another element 10, the passages 30,32 of the mated spigots 26,28 and tubes 18,20 will all be vertically aligned as the ends of the elements 10 come into abutment.

The upper tube 18 also has a second vertical passage 34 formed through it, further inboard than the passages 32.

When a series of elements 10 of the type described above is connected end-to-end as has been described, a safety barrier of the type shown in Fig. 5 is formed. The walls 14 of the elements 10 form a continuous safety barrier which carries a continuous tube 18 along the top, serving to deflect vehicles from surmounting the barrier. Stability of the barrier is further enhanced by the flared base 16. The flare is sufficient to cause the wheels of an impacting vehicle to bear down on the base 16 before the vehicle collides with the wall 14.

Fig. 6 shows a connection pin arrangement used to secure elements together in the barrier shown in Fig. 5. The pin 36 has a long leg 38 and a short leg 40 both parallel and attached at their upper end to a plate 42. When two elements 10 have been connected together, as described above, they may be locked together by introducing a pin 36 from above, with the long leg 38 entering the passages 30,32, and the short leg 40 entering the second passage 34 in the upper tube 18. The long leg 38 is sufficiently long to pass down through both tubes 18,20 and both spigots 26,28. The short leg 40 passes through the upper tube 18, coming to rest above the lower tube 20 and serving to prevent the pin 36 from turning. In this condition, the spigots 26,28 are locked into the tubes 18,20 until the pin 36 is removed.

The safety barrier member of Fig. 5 has been found to provide adequate vehicle restraint when the barrier elements 10 each have a total height between about 400mm and 450mm, and a base width of almost 500mm. These dimensions provide adequate delineation of traffic lanes from work zones. The apparatus to be described below allows the safety barrier system to be more versatile in its range of applications, as will become apparent.

Fig. 7 illustrates a crowd barrier removably mountable as an upper element supported on a safety barrier system of the type described. The crowd barrier element 44 has a frame 46 formed from a single length of tube and carrying, at respective ends of the barrier 44, downward legs 48, having the length and width of the legs 38,40 of the pin 36. The space within the frame 46 is filled with a mesh sheet 50 attached at 52 to the frame 46. A series of crowd barriers 44 can be mounted on a safety barrier as shown in Fig. 8. Each crowd barrier 44 is lowered onto the safety barrier 54 to mate the longer leg 48 with the passages 30,32 (thus locking the elements together, as described above). The shorter leg is received in the second passage 34.

The overall length of the crowd barrier 44 is therefore slightly shorter than the length of the elements 10, leaving a gap 56 equivalent to the spacing between the passages 32,34. Additional stability can be given to the structure by bridging the gap 56 with a clamp arrangement to clamp together the frames 46 of adjacent crowd barriers 44.

The height of the crowd barriers 44 is chosen such that when mounted on a barrier element 10, the top of the frame 46 is at a height of approximately 1100mm. Thus, the composite structure illustrated in Fig. 8 can be used to delineate a traffic lane from a pedestrian zone, simultaneously providing a safety barrier for vehicle restraint, and a substantially continuous crowd barrier 44 for crowd restraint. This delineation can be effected over an arbitrary length, by fitting as many barrier elements 10 as are required, each carrying a crowd barrier 44.

The crowd barrier 44 of Figs. 7 and 8 can be modified somewhat, to form a security fence element, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The security fence 58 has a four-sided frame 60 with mesh infill 62 and carries legs 64, again equivalent to the legs of the pin 36. The mesh infill 62 is secured to the frame 60 at many locations, by continuing every bar of the mesh to meet the frame 60, and attaching by welding or the like.

The overall length of the security fence 58 is twice the length of the crowd barrier 44. In addition, the overall height of the security fence 58 is much greater than the height of the crowd barrier 44. Consequently, the security fence 58 can be mounted on a safety barrier in the manner illustrated in Fig. 10. Once the barrier elements 10 have been put in position, each security fence 58 is lowered to introduce the long leg 64 into aligned passages 30,32 and the short leg 64 into a second passage 34, but with fence 58 spanning two elements 10. Consequently, joints between elements 10 will alternately be secured by the fence 58, or left unsecured by the fence 58. It is therefore desirable to use pins 36 to secure the intermediate joints not secured by the fence 58.

Adjacent fences 58 are preferably secured together at 66, by a clamp plate arrangement. The overall height of the security fence 58, when installed on a barrier element 10 is preferably about 2 metres.

After installation, the arrangement shown in Fig. 10 provides delineation between a traffic zone to one side of the elements 10, and a work zone or other region to the other side. The barrier elements 10 provide a safety barrier, providing vehicle restraint as described above. In addition, the security fence elements 58 together form a substantially continuous security fence along the safety barrier, thus providing further delineation between the regions. Thus, a work zone, building site or the like can be protected by this arrangement from accidental or deliberate unauthorised vehicle access, and also from unauthorised pedestrian access.

Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate a third alternative set of upper elements for use with the safety barrier system. Fig. 11 shows a leg member 68 which carries legs 70 at its lower end, the legs 70 being equivalent in size and position to the legs 38,40 of the pin 36. Consequently, the leg member 68 can be used to secure barrier elements 10 together, as described above.

The leg member 68 extends up to an upper end at which a socket member 72 is carried. The socket member 72 is formed of resilient material, such as rubber, and is formed with circumferential slots 74, two of which lie in the planer defined by the legs 70.

Leg members 68 can be mounted on barrier elements 10 as shown in Fig.

12, each leg member 68 securing a respective joint between elements 10, in the manner described above. This mounts the socket members 72 at a distance above the elements 10. Planks 76, particularly high visibility planks, are mounted in the socket members 72 by pushing the ends of the planks 76 into appropriately directed slots 74. The leg members 68 have a length sufficient to support the planks 76 at a height of approximately 1100mm. The arrangement thus provides delineation equivalent to that commonly provided by high visibility planks, for instance around building sites, but additionally provides vehicle restraint by means of the safety barrier system.

A further alternative upper element is illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14. A panel 78 is generally rectangular and provided with legs 80 for mounting on a elements 10, as has been described above. The length of the panel 78 is the same as the length of the security fence 58, so that intermediate joints are secured by pins 36. The panel 78 consists of facing sheets 82 between which acoustic insulation material 84 is held. The facing sheets 82 may be metal, such as aluminium, and may be perforated or otherwise contoured. The acoustic material may be a mineral wool or other sound absorbing material.

Once installed, the panels 78, as shown in Fig. 14, provide delineation between regions to either side of the barrier elements 10 in two ways. First, the elements 10 provide vehicle restraint by forming a safety barrier. In addition, the panels 78 provide acoustic insulation between the regions.

Consequently, there has been described a safety barrier system which, in addition to providing barrier elements 10 connectable to form a safety barrier, also has sets of various types of upper elements which can be interchangeably mounted on the barrier elements 10. When mounted in this way, the upper elements provide further delineation between the regions to either side of the barrier elements and do so in different ways, by virtue of the different formats of the upper elements. Thus, the delineation may be primarily visual, such as the high visibility planks 76, or may be primarily acoustic (the panels 78), or may be for safety reasons (the crowd barrier 44) or for security reasons (the security fence 58).

It will be readily apparent to the skilled reader that many variations and modifications can be made to the apparatus described above, without departing from the scope of the present invention. In particular, many other forms and formats, shapes and sizes of upper element could be devised for particular applications in which a different type of delineation is required between the regions to either side of the barrier elements, in addition to the safety barrier delineation provided by the elements 10.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims (20)

1. A safety barrier system comprising elongate barrier elements arranged to be connectable end-to-end to form a safety barrier of the type defined above, and a plurality of sets of upper elements, the sets being interchangeably mountable on barrier elements to provide further delineation between regions to either side of the barrier elements, the sets of upper elements having different formats whereby to provide different types of delineation between the regions.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one set of upper elements incorporates a pedestrian rail to delineate a pedestrian region and a vehicle region.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the pedestrian rail elements each comprise a mesh member providing infill between the pedestrian rail and the barrier element.

4. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one set of upper elements incorporate a section of security fencing which, together with adjacent elements of the same set, provides a substantially continuous security fence along the safety barrier when mounted thereon.

5. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one set of upper elements may incorporate leg members which are upright, in use, and support a plank member above and generally parallel with the line of the safety barrier.

6. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one set of upper elements incorporate acoustic insulation material to provide acoustic delineation between the regions.

7. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the barrier elements each carry a spigot formation at one end and a complementary socket formation at the other end for connection of barrier elements end-to-end by insertion of spigot formations into socket formations.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein locking pin members are provided to engage spigot formations when in socket formations, to lock the spigot formations therein.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the spigot formations and socket formations each define passages which are generally upwardly directed m use and which come into alignment as spigot formations are inserted into socket formations, to allow locking pin members to be introduced from above.

10. A system according to claims 8 or 9, wherein the upper elements carry the locking pin members, whereby mounting of the upper elements on the barrier elements serves to lock the barrier elements together.

11. An upper element for a safety barrier system as defined in any preceding claim, the element being removably mountable on a barrier element to provide further delineation between regions to either side of the barrier element.

12. An upper element as defined in claim 11, incorporating a pedestrian rail to delineate a pedestrian region and a vehicle region.

13. An upper element as defined in Claim 12, comprising a mesh member providing infill between the pedestrian rail and the barrier element.

14. An upper element according to any of claims 11 to 13, incorporating a section of security fencing which, together with adjacent elements of the same set, provides a substantially continuous security fence along the safety barrier when mounted thereon.

15. An upper element according to any of claims 11 to 14, incorporating leg members which are upright, in use, and support a plank member above and generally parallel with the line of the safety barrier.

16. An upper element according to any of Claims 11 to 15, incorporating acoustic insulation material to provide acoustic delineation between the regions.

17. An upper element according to any of claims 11 to 16, wherein the upper element carries at least one locking pin member which serves to lock-the barrier elements together when the upper element is on the barrier elements.

18. A safety barrier system substantially as described above, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

19. An upper element for a safety barrier system, the upper element being substantially as described above, with reference to Figs 7 and 8, Figs 9 and 10, Figs 11 and 12 or Figs 13 and 14.

20. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.