GB2431957A

GB2431957A - Barrier for restricting the movement of pedestrians

Info

Publication number: GB2431957A
Application number: GB0522562A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart Scholley
Original assignee: ZND UK Ltd
Current assignee: ZND UK Ltd
Priority date: 2005-11-04
Filing date: 2005-11-04
Publication date: 2007-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 2025-11-04
Also published as: GB0522562D0; GB2431957B

Abstract

The barrier 101 comprises a frame 102 to which two pairs of legs 103,104,105,106 are rigidly attached so as to support the frame above ground level, with the legs being positioned so that a first leg in each pair is positioned closer to one end of the frame than the second leg in each pair. A tie bar 115,116 is associated with each pair of legs to enhance the strength of the barrier while being located so that stacking of the barrier with another similar barrier is not hindered. The tie bar is preferably attached to the side of each leg that faces towards the other leg of the respective pair and it may extend at an angle relative to the horizontal, preferably between 8 and 10 degrees, when the barrier is on horizontal ground. The legs and frame are preferably formed from steel tubes welded together. Also claimed is a method of manufacturing a barrier.

Description

I

A Barrier

Background of the Invention

The present invention relates to a barrier. In particular, the invention relates to a barrier of the type used to restrict the movement of pedestrians.

Barriers comprising a frame and legs fixed to the frame for supporting the frame above the ground are known. In recent years it has also been known for such barriers to be made with pairs of legs in which each leg in a pair is offset with respect to the other leg in the pair. This offsetting allows the barriers to be stacked together using a minimum of space when they are not being used. A problem with such barriers is that people often climb onto them and the additional weight of one or more people can cause the legs of a barrier to bend and become permanently damaged.

Brief Summary of the Invention

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a barrier comprising: a frame; and two pairs of legs rigidly attached to said frame and configured to support said frame above ground level, said legs being positioned such that a first leg in a pair of legs is positioned closer to one end of said frame than the second leg in said pair, wherein said barrier further comprises a tie bar associated with each pair of legs, each said tie bar connecting the associated pair of legs to enhance the strength of said barrier while being located such that stacking of said barrier with another similar barrier is not hindered.

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* Brief Description of the Several Views of the Drawings S.....

* 1 Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a barrier 101 according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows the barrier 101 in use; *** Figures 3 and 4 show a perspective view and a plan view the barrier 101 stacked with barriers 202, 203 and 301; Figures 5, 6 and 7 show a side view, a plan view and a perspective view of cut-away portions of the stacked barriers 101 and 202; and Figure 8 shows an illustration of a method for determining the angle of tiebarll5.

Written Description of the Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention Figure 1 A perspective view of a barrier 101 according to the present invention is shown in Figure 1. The barrier 101 comprises a frame 102 to which are attached four legs 103, 104, 105 and 106 arranged in two pairs of legs.

The frame 102 is a substantially planar shape comprising a C-shaped member 107 forming the top section 108 and end sections 109 and 110 of the barrier, a bottom member 111 extending across the ends of the C-shaped member 107, and a number of bars 112 extending perpendicularly from the top section 108 to the bottom member 111. The end sections 109 and 110 extend substantially perpendicularly from the top section 108 to the bottom member 111 and therefore the frame 102 has a substantially rectangular shape.

The end section 109 is provided with a pair of eyelets 113, while the end section 110 is provided with a pair of hooks 114 configured to be * connected to eyelets of another barrier similar to barrier 101.

:.: * Each pair of legs has a first leg extending to the front side of the frame s..

102 and a second leg extending to the rear side of said frame. Thus, the leg 103 extends to the front of the frame 102 while the other leg of the pair, leg * * *: 104, extends to the back of the frame.

Each of the front legs 103, 105 of the barrier 101 is positioned nearer to S.".. the end 110 than the other leg of the pair, i.e. leg 104 and 105 respectively. S...

Consequently, the distance between the rear legs 104 and 106 is equal to that between the front legs 103 and 105.

The barrier 101 also comprises a pair of tie bars 115 and 116. Each of said tie bars has one end attached to one leg of a pair of legs and its other end attached to the other leg of the pair. Thus, tie bar 115 is attached to legs 103 and 104, while tie bar 116 is attached to legs 105 and 106. As will be described below, the tie bars provide the barrier 101 with improved strength, without inhibiting the manner in which it may be stacked alongside other similar barriers.

The barrier 101 is fabricated from steel tubes and bars. Specifically, the C-shaped member 108 is formed from a single piece of steel tubing and welded to another piece of steel tubing which forms the bottom member 111.

The steel bars 112 are also welded to the member 108 and 111 to form the frame 102. The legs 103 to 106 are formed from steel tubing and welded at one end to the bottom member 111. The other ends of each leg is shaped to provide a flat surface (550 shown in Figure 5) for resting on the ground during use.

The tie bars are also made from steel and welded to the legs as will be described below with respect to Figures 4 and 5.

Figure 2 The barrier 101 is shown in use in Figure 2. The barrier 101 forms part of a line of barriers and consequently it is attached at one end 101 to another similar barrier 202 and at its other end 203 to a further similar barrier 204 by :.:. means of its hooks 114 and eyelets 113. The frame 102 of the barrier 101 is held substantially vertically above the ground 205 by its legs 103 to 106.

Barriers are typically used to restrict the movement of people, for example to keep people out of a specific area or off a road, etc. It is quite usual in use for people to climb onto the barrier and stand on the bottom horizontal member. This tends to force the legs apart and in some circumstance can lead to deformation of one of the barrier's legs and danger to people on, or near to, the barrier. However, the barrier 101 is provided with the tie bars 115 and 116 which holds the pairs of legs 103, 104 and 105, 106 together, thereby preventing said legs from splaying outwards.

Figures 3 and 4 When not in use, it is a requirement of the barrier 101 that it should be stackable with other similar barriers in a manner which uses a minimum of space. Such stacking may be done for storage or transporting of the barriers.

The barrier 101 is shown stacked with barriers 202, 203 and 301 in the perspective view of Figure 3 and the plan view of Figure 4. The barriers are positioned side by side with the legs of barriers extending beneath the frame of adjacent barriers. Thus the rear legs 104 and 106 of barrier 101 extend beneath the frames of barriers 202 and 204, while the front legs 103 and 105 extend beneath the frame of barrier 301. Furthermore, due to the rear legs being offset from the front legsof the barriers, the front legs of the barriers are able to be positioned directly in front of those of the neighbouring barrier.

Consequently, as best seen in Figure 4, the barriers may be stacked one directly behind the another with corresponding legs of the stacked barriers being aligned in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the planes of the frames of the barriers.

It may also be seen in Figure 4 that the legs of each barrier also extend in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the frame of the barrier. * .. * * . *** *

*: :: :* Figures 5, 6 and 7 Cut-away portions of the stacked barriers 101 and 202 are shown in the I....

* side view of Figure 5, the plan view of Figure 6 and the perspective view of S.'...

* Figure 7. The cut-away portion of each barrier comprises a short section of the bottom member 111, 511, a pair of legs 103, 104 and 503, 504 and the * S respective tie bar 115, 515 associated with the pair of legs. S...

In the present case, the barrier legs comprise of steel tubing which is welded at one end to the bottom members. The legs are positioned perpendicular to each other so that they extend at 45 degrees from the plane of the frame. The opposite end, i.e. the foot end, of the legs is shaped to provide a flat surface 550 for resting on the ground during use.

The tie bars comprise a length of 8 millimetre diameter steel rod welded at each end to a respective one of the legs in a pair. Thus, for example, tie bar is fixed to the legs 103 and 104 by welds 553 and 554 respectively.

As described above, the legs of the barrier are offset from the other leg in the pair, and therefore one leg is positioned nearer to one end of the barrier than the other leg. This offsetting allows the legs of barriers to be placed next to one another when the barriers are stacked. The tie bars are welded to the legs of the barrier such that this ability to stack the barrier with another similar barrier is not hindered. Specifically, for each pair of legs having a first leg positioned nearer to a particular end of the barrier frame than the second leg in the pair, a tie bar is attached to the first leg of a pair on the side of the first leg that is furthest from the particular end of the frame and attached to the second leg of the pair on the side of the second leg that is nearest to said particular end. Thus, for example, if the particular end is taken to be in direction of arrow 601 (shown in Figures 6 and 7) the tie bar 115 is welded to leg 104 on the side furthest from that particular end and welded on the leg 103 on the nearest side to that end.

It should also be noted that the tie bars are fixed to the legs such that when the foot ends 550 of the legs are located on a horizontal surface the tie bars are angled upward. I.e. the tie bar is fixed to one leg at first distance from its foot end 550 and attached to the other leg of the pair of legs at a different distance from its foot end. The difference in these distances, and therefore the S.....

* upward angle, is calculated to ensure that when the barrier is stacked with S.....

* others, its tie bars do not contact the tie bars of other barriers and hinder * stacking. In fact, when the barriers are stacked, the tie bars of the barrier are :1.: positioned alongside tie bars of neighbouring barriers as illustrated in Figure 5. *5SS

In the present embodiment, the barrier's legs are made of tubing having a diameter of 38.1 millimetres, and the tie bars have a diameter of 8 millimetres. To allow for production tolerance on the weld position and minor damage to the tie bar a nominal gap of 4 millimetres is provided between adjacent tie bars of stacked barriers. This is achieved by locating the tie bar at an angle of approximately 13 degrees to the horizontal. This angle may be reduced to approximately 8 degrees but then no nominal gap is provided between tie bars of stacked barriers. The angle may be increased from 13 degrees up to 20 degrees but as the angle is increased the added strength provided by the tie bar is reduced.

It should be noted that the tie bar is fixed a finite distance (i.e. non-zero distance) from the foot end of each leg to provide a space between the tie bar and the ground during use. Consequently, the barrier may be used on rough ground without damaging the tie bar. In the present example, the lowest end of the tie bar 115 is fixed to the leg 104 such that it is 10 millimetres from the ground.

Figure 8 A method for determining the angle of tie bar 115 is illustrated in Figure 8. In Figure 8 the ends of legs 104 and 504 are shown positioned alongside each other as may be the case when the barriers 101 and 202 are stacked together.

The legs 104 and 504 have a diameter D and extend at an angle A to the horizontal. The tie bars 115 and 515 are positioned at an angle B to the horizontal, which is to be determined, and have a diameter d. A gap of x is provided between the tie bars. A horizontal distance X exists between the end of tie bar 115 and the end of tie bar 515.

By considering right angle triangles PQS and RQS it is possible to derive the equations 801 and 802 by trigonometry. i.e. cos A = DIX and sin B = (d+x)/X.

By eliminating distance X from equations 801 and 802 it is possible to I.'.

derive equation 803. I.e. sin B = [(d+x)cos A]ID.

Angle A, diameter D, diameter d, and gap x may be determined by the designer of the barrier, and then the equation 803 solved to give the angle B of the tie bars that will ensure unhindered stacking. I. I * SL * Ii.. a..

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Claims

Claims 1. A barrier comprising: a frame; and two pairs of legs rigidly

attached to said frame and configured to support said frame above ground level, said legs being positioned such that a first leg in a pair of legs is positioned closer to one end of said frame than the second leg in said pair, wherein said barrier further comprises a tie bar associated with each pair of legs, each said tie bar connecting the associated pair of legs to enhance the strength of said barrier while being located such that stacking of said barrier with another similar barrier is not hindered.

2. A barrier according to claim 1, wherein for each pair of legs having a first leg positioned nearer to one end of said frame than the second leg in the pair, a tie bar is attached to said first leg of said pair on the side of the first leg that is furthest from said one end of said frame and attached to said second leg of said pair on the side of the second leg that is nearest to said one end of said frame.

3. A barrier according to claim I or claim 2, wherein each said leg S...

has an upper end attached to said frame and a foot end configured to be : placed on the ground during use of the barrier, and each said tie bar is attached to one leg of a pair of legs at a first distance from its foot end and * 25 attached to the other leg of said pair of legs at a different distance from its foot end, whereby when said barrier is stacked against another similar barrier, the tie bars of said barrier are positioned alongside tie bars of said other barrier.

4. A barrier according to claim 3, wherein said tie bars are attached such that they are angled between 8 and 20 degrees to the horizontal when said barrier is standing on horizontal ground.

5. A barrier according to any of claims I to 4, wherein each said pair of legs comprises a front leg extending to one side of said frame and a back leg extending to the other side of said frame, and each said front leg of a pair of legs is nearer to a first end of said frame than the back leg of said pair.

6. A barrier according to any of claims I to 5, wherein each said pair of legs comprises a front leg extending to one side of said frame and a back leg extending to the other side of said frame, and said rear legs extend within a first plane and said front legs extend within a second plane that is substantially perpendicular to said first plane.

7. A barrier according to any of claims I to 6, wherein each said leg extends within a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of said frame.

8. A barrier according to any of claims I to 7, wherein said legs and said frame comprise of steel tubes welded together.

9. A method of manufacturing a barrier comprising the steps of: forming a frame; rigidly attaching two pairs of legs to said frame such that said legs are : configured to support said frame above ground level, and said legs are positioned such that a first leg in a pair of legs is positioned closer to one end $ 25 of said frame than the second leg in said pair; and attaching a tie bar between each pair of legs to enhance the strength of said barrier, wherein said tie bars are located such that stacking of said barrier with another similar barrier is not hindered.

10. A barrier substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying Figures.

11. A method of manufacturing a barrier substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying Figures. S. * * S. * "S. *S*. * I IS..

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