Quick-to-erect modular civil safety barrier

• US 20120261632A1
• Filed: 04/06/2012
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Julien Conception
• Original Assignee: Julien Conception
• Inventors: BERTUCAT, Vincent
• Application Number:
  US13/441,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20120261632A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 256/26
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 13/022 Pedestrian barriers; Barriers for channelling or controlling crowds E01F13/024, E01F13/028 take precedence; corrals E04H17/18

Abstract

A civil safety barrier (10) including individual elements (12, 13, 14, 15) intended to be arranged horizontally one after the other, each of which includes at least one link (12A, 12B, 13A, 13B, 14A, 14B, 15A, 15B) made up vertically of a bottom frame and of a top frame (22), characterized in that at least one axial hinge element (32) that is the to be “dismantlable” is interposed between two adjacent edges of the frames which allows the second frame (22) to be fitted perpendicularly to the first (18) and then the second frame (22) to be pivoted to bring it back coplanar with the first.

Claims

1. Civil safety and/or protective barrier (10) comprising individual barrier elements (12, 13, 14, 15) intended to be arranged horizontally one after the other, each of which comprises at least one assembly of two vertically superposed frames known as “

links”

(12A, 12B, 13A, 13B, 14A, 14B, 15A, 15B) which comprises;

a bottom frame (18) of substantially rectangular shape accepting a filling means (20), notably a grating (28) or set of bars (30),

a top frame (22), of substantially rectangular shape, accepting a filling means (20), notably a grating (28) or set of bars (30), and a bottom edge (26) of which can be accepted removably and immobilized on a top edge (24) of the bottom frame (18) so that the vertically coupled bottom (18) and top (22) frames constitute at least one link (12A, 13A) of a high barrier,

characterized in that the frames are interchangeable and in that at least one axial hinge means (32) that is said to be “

dismantlable”

is interposed between at least one edge (24, 34) of a first frame (18, 38) and the edge (26, 36) of a second frame (22, 40), and in that it comprises a cylindrical tubular female hinge hook (42) fixed to the edge (24) of the first frame and a complementary hinge pintel (46), fixed to an edge (26) of the second frame, which comprises a male hinge pin (44) intended to be accepted into the hinge hook (42), and in that;

the hinge hook (42) comprises a lateral slit (48), the edges (50) of which are parallel to the plane (P1) of the first frame,

the hinge pin (44) has a cross section perpendicular to the plane of the second frame, the thickness (e) of which corresponds substantially to the width of the slit (48) and the width of which is greater than the width of the slit and less than the diameter (D) of the hinge hook (42), the said hinge pin (44) being intended;

when the second frame (22) is arranged perpendicular to the first (18), to be introduced into the slit (48) of the tubular hinge hook so as to allow the hinge pin (44) to be introduced in a direction (E) perpendicular to the edge (24) of the first frame (18), and then

when the second frame (22) has been pivoted to bring it back coplanar with the first, to be pivoted in the slit tubular hinge hook (42), thereby connecting the first and second frames (18, 22).

2. Barrier (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the slit (48) is centred on the axis (A) of the hinge hook (42) of tubular cross section and in that the hinge pin (44) is shaped as a plate perpendicular to the plane (P2) of the second frame (22), of a thickness corresponding to the width (e) of the slit and of a width substantially equal to the diameter (D) of the hinge hook (42).

3. Barrier (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the slit (48) is centred on the axis (A) of the hinge hook (42) of tubular cross section and in that the hinge pin (44) has a cross section in the shape of a crescent perpendicular to the plane (P2) of the second frame (22), having one wall (45) of a curvature the same as that of the slit tubular hinge hook and of total thickness (e) corresponding to the width of the slit (48).

4. Barrier (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the slit (48) is excentric with respect to the axis (A) of the hinge hook (42), one edge (50A) of the slit being centred on the axis (A) of the hinge hook (42) and the other edge (50B) being tangential to the hinge hook (42), in that the hinge pin (44) has a cross section in the shape of half a disc with a curvature and diameter (D) that are the same as those of the hinge hook (42), and in that a quarter (47) of the hinge hook (42) adjacent to the slit (48) is notably blocked off to provide an angular end stop for the rotational movement of the hinge pin (44).

5. Barrier (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the edges (50, 50A, 50B) of the slit (48) are extended by two guide plates (54) parallel to the plane (P1) of the first frame (18), the ends (56) of which are bent away from one another to make it easier to introduce the hinge pin (44).

6. Barrier (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the tubular hinge hook (42) is open at its ends and in that a first end (58) of the hinge pin (44) is connected to the edge (26) of the second frame (22) via at least one blade (60), parallel to the plane of the second frame (22) and arranged perpendicularly between the edge (26) of the second frame (22) and the hinge pin, of a thickness smaller than the separation (e) between the edges (50, 50A, 50B) of the slit (48), and which is intended to slide in the slit (48) to allow the hinge pin (44) to be introduced such that it is coaxial with the tubular hinge hook (42).

7. Barrier (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that the first opposite end (58) of the hinge pin (44) is shaped into a point to make it easier to introduce into the hinge hook (42).

8. Barrier (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the tubular hinge hook (42) is open at its ends and in that at least one stop means (62) is interposed between the hinge pin (44) and the tubular hinge hook (42) to prevent the hinge pin (44) from coming out if one frame is moved along the other.

9. Barrier (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that the stop means comprises a plate (62), perpendicular to the plane of the second frame and arranged perpendicularly between the edge (26) of the second frame (22) and a second end (64) of the hinge pin (44), of a width greater than the separation between the edges (50) of the slit (48), which is intended to come into abutment against the free end (66) of the tubular hinge hook (42) to immobilize the hinge pin (44) axially with respect to the hinge hook.

10. Civil barrier (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that each individual element (12, 13) comprises a single link (12A, 12B) comprising a bottom frame the bottom edge of which has a removable retractable stand (66) at each of its ends.

11. Civil barrier (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that each individual element (12, 13, 14, 15) comprises at least two vertically superposed links (12A, 12B, 13A, 13B, 14A, 14B), and in that a bottom link (12A) comprises a bottom frame (18) the bottom edge of which comprises a removable retractable stand (66) at each of its ends.

12. Civil barrier (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second frames (18, 22) are bottom and top frames of one and the same link (12A) of one and the same individual element (12), and in that the dismantlable axial hinge means (32) is interposed between horizontal edges (24, 26) of the first and second frames (18, 22).

13. Civil barrier (10) according to claim 12, characterized in that at least one locking means (68) for locking the first and second frames (18, 22) in a coplanar vertical position is interposed between the said first and second frames (18, 22).

14. Civil barrier (10) according to claim 13, characterized in that the first and second frames (18, 22) have the same dimensions and comprise tubular vertical edges (70, 72) which are aligned when the frames (18, 22) are in the coplanar vertical position, and in that the locking means comprises at least one lock bolt (78) which is slidably mounted in one of the vertical edges (70, 72) of one frame (18) and which is able to move between a retracted position in which it is housed in its entirety in the tubular vertical edge (72) of the frame that bears it, and an extended position, in which it can be locked, and in which part of the lock bolt (78) protrudes from the tubular edge (72) of the frame (18) that bears it and is housed in the vertical edge (70) of the other frame (22) in order to prevent the second frame (22) from pivoting on the first frame (18).

15. Civil barrier (10) according to claim 14, characterized in that the tubular edge (72) of the frame (18) slidably housing the lock bolt (78) comprises an oblong slot (80), oriented in the direction of the tubular edge (70, 72) and in which may slide the shank of a screw of which the end is housed in a captive nut secured to the lock bolt (78) and of which a head (86), shaped as a knob, is intended to be tightened onto the tubular edge (70, 72) in order to immobilize the lock bolt (78) in the edge (72) that bears it.

16. Civil barrier (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second frames (18, 20) are bottom and/or top frames of two horizontally consecutive individual elements (13, 14), and in that the dismantlable axial hinge means is interposed between bottom and/or top vertical edges of the first and second frames (18, 20) of two consecutive individual elements (13, 14).

17. Civil barrier (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that each frame is capable interchangeably at each of the ends of its bottom edge of accepting a removable retractable stand (66) intended to allow it to be used as a bottom frame (18), the said stand (66) being able to move between at least one extended position in which it extends perpendicular to the bottom frame (18) and a retracted position in which it lies such that it is coplanar with the frame (18).

18. Civil barrier (10) according to claim 17, characterized in that each retractable stand comprises a bar (88) which is fixed transversely at the end of a tube (90) mounted such that it can turn in the tubular vertical edge (70, 72) of the associated frame (18), the said bar being vertically immobilized between its extended or retracted end positions or extracted with the tube (90) from the tubular vertical edge (70, 72) by means of a bayonet fitting which comprises:

a disc (92) fixed to the bottom end of the tubular vertical edge (70, 72) and which comprises a radial slit (94),

a bracket (96), of a width smaller than that of the radial slit (94) of the disc (92), which is fixed to the bar (88) and one leg (98) of which extends above a top face (100) of the disc (92),

at least two vertical stops (102, 104) protruding above the top face (100) of the disc in order to determine the two angular rotation positions associated with the extended and retracted positions of the stand, at least one of the stops (102) being removable to allow the bracket (96) to align itself with the slit (94) and to then allow the bar (88) and the tube (90) to be extracted vertically.

19. Civil barrier (10) according to claim 18, characterized in that at least one stop (102) consists of the head of a screw the screw thread of which is housed in the disc (92).

20. Civil barrier (10) according to claim 11, characterized in that each link accepts a connecting means having at least one brace (106) supporting each individual element (12, 13, 14, 15).

21. Civil barrier (10) according to claim 20, characterized in that the brace (106) comprises an inclined tube element (108) a top end (110) of which is connected to the top edge of a top frame of a link (12A), at least an intermediate part (112) of which is connected by a horizontal bar (114) to the junctions between the bottom (18)/top (22) frames of the said link (12A), and a bottom end (116) of which slidably accepts a bar (118) connected to a baseplate (120) for resting on the ground, which baseplate is articulated to the said bar (118) by a pivot (122),

the top end (110) of the brace (106) comprising a horizontal tab (124) intended to straddle the top end of the vertical edge of the top frame (22) of the link (12A) to form the connecting means, and

one end (115) of each horizontal bar (114) connected to each intermediate part (112) comprising a holed tab (126) through which the corresponding lock bolt (78) is intended to pass where the bottom (18) and top (22) frames of a link (12A) meet in order to form the connecting means.

22. Civil barrier (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that each frame (18) accepts a grating (28) or alternatively a set of bars (30) to form the means that fills the said frame.

23. Method of manufacturing a frame (18, 22) of an individual safety barrier element (12) according to claim 1, comprising at least one top horizontal tubular edge (24) and one bottom horizontal edge (25) between which edges a set of bars (30) or gratings (28) extend, characterized in that it comprises:

a first step during which first vertical drillings (132) are made in a bottom wall of the top tubular edge (24) of the frame (18),

a second step during which second vertical drillings (134) are made only in a top wall (136) of the bottom tubular edge (25) of the frame (18), in line with the first drillings (132), and offset third vertical drillings (137) are made in a bottom wall (136) of the bottom tubular edge (25) of the frame (18),

a third step during which a grating (28) or a set of bars (30) of a length substantially corresponding to the vertical distance separating the end faces of the top (24) and bottom (25) edges and the bottom end of which is chamfered at 45 degrees is slipped into the first and second drillings (132, 134) as far as a position of abutment determined by a non-drilled bottom wall (138) of the bottom edge (25),

a fourth step during which the bottom (25) and top (24) edges of the frame (18) and possibly, at discrete points, the grating (28) or the set of bars (30) are connected to an electric arc welding device,

a fifth step during which the frame is immersed in a hot dip galvanizing bath which completes the attachment of all the bars (30) in a single operation, the molten zinc later flowing through the third drillings (137).