Barrier system

Abstract

A security barrier system (1) and a bracket (2a, 2b) therefor are disclosed. The bracket comprises at least one each of a first type and a second type of mutually spaced fence member receiving channels (8a,8b,10a-10f), the or each channel of the second type (8a, 8b) having a greater width than the or each channel of the first type (10a-10f), as measured along a length of the bracket. The security barrier system comprises a plurality of support posts (4), attached to each support post is at least one bracket, the length of the bracket orientated vertically, and a plurality of fence members (12a-12h) orientated horizontally, each member passing through a corresponding one of the fence member receiving channels of each bracket.

Claims

1. A security barrier comprising: a plurality of support posts, and attached to a single face of each support post at least one elongated bracket comprising: mutually spaced fence member receiving channels comprising one channel of a second type and at least one channel of a first type aligned on each side of the one channel of the second type, the channel of the second type having a greater width than each channel of the first type, as measured along a length of the bracket, wherein each of the channels of the first type has a substantially semi-circular cross-section and wherein the channel of the second type has a linear central region between arcuate end regions; and a plurality of non-channel regions, the non-channel regions comprising an interconnecting region between each pair of adjacent channels, wherein the plurality of interconnecting regions lie in a common plane, the channels of the first and second types extending out of the common plane and parallel to the common plane, and wherein at least one of the interconnecting regions comprises an aperture, the aperture extending through the common plane and being configured to receive a fastener in a plane perpendicular to the common plane and a plane of the channels for securing the elongated bracket to the single face of the support post; a plurality of fence members orientated horizontally, each member of the plurality of fence members passing through a corresponding one of the fence member receiving channels of the at least one elongated bracket attached to each support post, wherein each fence member receiving channel of the first type has a width and depth approximately equal to a diameter of a corresponding fence member, and wherein the fence member receiving channel of the second type allows its respective fence member to slide upwardly along the support post and within the channel during an impact of a vehicle with the security barrier system.

2. The security barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the non-channel regions comprise a pair of end regions at ends of the bracket.

3. The security barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the interconnecting regions comprises an aperture.

4. The security barrier of claim 1, comprising three channels of the first type.

5. The security barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein a channel nearest to a first end of the bracket is of the first type, and a channel second nearest to the first end of the bracket is of the second type.

6. The security barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein each support post of the plurality of support posts has attached thereto two elongated brackets, the lengths of the elongated brackets orientated vertically.

7. The security barrier as claimed in claim 6, wherein the two elongated brackets attached to each support post of the plurality of support posts are identical to each other and attached to each support post of the plurality of support posts at a same position along a length of the support post.

8. The security barrier as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least one bolt attaches the two elongated brackets to each support post of the plurality of support posts, the at least one bolt extending through: an aperture of a non-channel region of a first of the two elongated brackets; an aperture of the support post; and an aperture of a non-channel region of a second of the two elongated brackets.

9. The security barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support posts have substantially rectangular cross sections.

10. The security barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the non-channel regions of the elongated brackets are flush with the support posts.

11. The security barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein each fence member of the plurality of fence members has a circular cross-section, the circular cross-section having a fence member diameter.

12. The security barrier of claim 1, wherein each channel of the fence member receiving channels of the second type has a depth substantially equal to the fence member diameter and a width greater than the fence member diameter.

13. The security barrier as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a single sheet of material bent to form the first type and second type of mutually spaced fence member receiving channels.

14. The security barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the aperture is located between a pair of adjacent channels.

Description

(1) Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is an exploded side view of a security barrier system, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2a is a plan view of a security barrier system, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 2b is a side view of a security barrier system, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

(5) FIG. 2c is a front view of a security barrier system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 1 shows an exploded side view of a security barrier system 1, which includes a pair of brackets 2a, 2b according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention. Each bracket 2a, 2b is elongate, and each includes three fence member receiving channels of a first type 10a-10f and one fence member receiving channel of a second type 8a, 8b. The fence member receiving channels are mutually spaced along the bracket. The channel of the second type 8a, 8b has a greater width than the channels of the first type 10a-10f, as measured along the length of the bracket (which is shown vertically).

(7) Each bracket 2a, 2b comprises a plurality of non-channel regions 15a, 15b, 20a, 20b. The non-channel regions comprise interconnecting regions 15a, 15b between each pair of adjacent channels 8a, 8b, 10a-10f, and a pair of end regions 20a, 20b, at respective opposite ends of the bracket 2a, 2b.

(8) Each non-channel region 15a, 15b, 20a, 20b comprises an aperture, which provides a means by which the brackets 2a, 2b are fixed to a support post 4. This is described in more detail below. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments (not shown), only some (one or more) of the non-channel regions 15a, 15b, 20a, 20b comprise an aperture.

(9) The non-channel regions 15a, 15b, 20a, 20b lie in a common plane, while the channels 8a, 8b, 10a-10f extend out of the common plane. The non-channel regions 15a, 15b, 20a, 20b are planar.

(10) The channel 10a, 10d nearest to a first (lower) end of each bracket 2a, 2b is a channel of the first type, while the channel 8a, 8b, second nearest to the first end of each bracket 2a, 2b is a channel of the second type.

(11) The bracket may be constructed from any suitable material. In the present embodiment, the bracket is constructed from steel.

(12) In use, the brackets 2a, 2b are fixed to a support post 4, in a manner described in more detail below, to form the security barrier system 1. Each of the channels 8a, 8b, 10a-10f supports one of a series of horizontal fence members 12a-12h, and each of the channels of the second type 8a, 8b allows its respective fence member 12b, 12f to slide upwardly along the support post 4 during an impact of a vehicle with the security barrier system 1.

(13) Referring to FIGS. 2a to 2c, there are shown three views of an assembled security barrier system 1, according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention. FIG. 2a shows a plan view of the security barrier system, FIG. 2b shows a side view and FIG. 2c shows a front view.

(14) The security barrier system 1 comprises a plurality of support posts 4 (only one is shown in FIGS. 2a to 2c). Attached to each support post is a pair of brackets 2a, 2b, as described above with reference to FIG. 1. The support posts 4 and the lengths of the brackets 2a, 2b are orientated vertically. The security barrier system 1 comprises a plurality of steel cables which serve as horizontal fence members 12a-12h, with each cable passing through a corresponding one of the fence member receiving channels 8a, 8b, 10a-10f of each bracket 2a, 2b.

(15) The non-channel regions 15a, 15b, 20a, 20b are flush with the support post 4. The support post 4 has an approximately rectangular cross section. In other embodiments (not shown), the support post has an approximately square cross-section.

(16) One of the brackets 2a is attached to a front face 14a of the support post 4, and the other bracket 2b is attached to a rear face 14b of the support post 4. The first and second brackets 2a, 2b are attached to the support post 4 at the same position along a length of the support post 4.

(17) In other embodiments (not shown), the fence members 12a-12h are bars.

(18) The channels of the first type 10a-10f have a width (in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the support post 4) and depth (in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the support post 4 and the fence members 12a-12h), both approximately equal to the diameter of the cables. In this case, this is achieved by the channels of the first type 10a-10f having a semi-circular cross-section.

(19) The channels of the second type 8a, 8b have a depth approximately equal to the cable diameter, but have a width greater than the cable diameter. This is achieved by the channels of the second type 8a, 8b having a linear central region between arcuate end regions, with the linear portion extending in a direction parallel to the length of the bracket. In the present embodiment, the arcuate end regions are quarter circles.

(20) The brackets 2a, 2b are fixed to the support post 4 by a series of bolts 16. Each bolt 16 extends through the aperture of a non-channel region 15b, 20b of the second bracket 2b, an aperture of the support post 4, and the corresponding aperture of a non-channel region 15a, 20a of the first bracket 2a. The bolts 16 are held in place by a series of nuts 18. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, bolts 16 will only extend through only some (one or more) of the non-channel regions 15a, 15b, 20a, 20b.

(21) The support post may be constructed from any suitable material. In the present embodiment, the support post is constructed from steel.

(22) As described above, for each bracket 2a, 2b, the lowest of the channels (at the lowest height on the support post 4) is a channel of the first type 10a, 10e, while a second lowest is a channel of the second type 8a, 8b. The channels of the second type 8a, 8b are located at a critical loading point, determined based on the type of vehicle which is expected to impact the barrier. Positioning the channels of the second type 8a, 8b at a critical loading point means that they are located at the height of the stiffest area of the vehicle which is expected to impact the barrier (i.e. at the height of the vehicle's bumper). The effect of positioning the channels of the second type 8a, 8b at a critical loading point is described below.

(23) On impact of a vehicle with the security barrier system 1, the channels of the second type 8a, 8b allow their respective cables 12b, 12f to slide upwardly along the support post 4. This allows the energy from the vehicle impact to be absorbed and shed, the energy transferring along the cables to posts adjacent to the impact zone.

(24) In some cases, when the channels of the second type 8a, 8b are located at the critical loading point, on vehicle impact, the upward sliding of the cables 12b, 12f shifts them away from the stiffest areas of the vehicle.

(25) In other cases, when the channels of the second type 8a, 8b are located at the critical loading point, on vehicle impact, the cables 12b, 12f slide upwardly, keeping their position on the vehicle, with the vehicle moving upwardly with the cables 12b, 12f.

(26) In either of the cases described above, positioning the channels of the second type 8a, 8b at the critical loading point further improves the dissipation of energy, as this helps to spread the load from the vehicle into all of the fence members 12a-12f as evenly as possible.

(27) TABLE-US-00001 List of Reference Numerals 1 Security barrier system 2a, 2b Bracket 4 Support post 8a, 8b Extended slot 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f Unextended slot 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f, 12g, 12h Fence member 14a Front face 14b Rear face 15a, 15b Interconnecting region 16 Bolt 18 Nut 20a, 20b End region