Abstract
A barrier system constructed of modules which includes a frame, a concrete foundation, a frame attached to the concrete foundation and supporting a non-vertical front side plate and a vertical rear side plate so that the front side plate and rear side plate meet at the top and are spread apart from each other at the bottom, slotted connectors on the front side and connectors on the rear side, the module adapted to be joined to an adjacent module either at the same elevation or a different elevation. The modules are joined together via bolts in the rear side connectors and threaded toggle bolts and drop toggle nuts through the front side slotted connectors. Extenders within the slots of the open ended connectors are used when connecting adjacent modules at different elevations to accommodate for slotted connectors of different sizes which must be connected to each other.
Claims
1. A barrier system comprising: at least one module, each comprising: a frame having opposing ends, each end comprising a triangular support comprising a vertical leg, a non-vertical leg and a horizontal bottom leg attached to a concrete foundation, a non-vertical front side plate supported on a front side of the module, having opposing ends each attached to the non-vertical leg of one of the supports, and a vertical rear side plate supported on a rear side of the module, having opposing ends each attached to the vertical leg of one of the supports, wherein the front side plate and rear side plate meet at a top of the module and are spread apart from each other at a bottom of the module, single-holed connectors disposed along each end of the rear side plate on the rear side, and slotted connectors disposed along each end of the front side plate on the front side, each comprising an open-ended slot having a proximal hole and a distal hole disposed therein, wherein the distal holes of the slotted connectors are aligned with an area within the frame, and wherein the length of the slot and the distance between the proximal and distal holes of each slotted connector increases from the top to the bottom of the module, wherein the module is adapted to be joined to an adjacent module either at the same elevation or a different elevation; and extender bars for joining adjacent modules at a different elevation, each adapted to be disposed within the slot of a respective slotted connector of a lower elevation module, and comprising a distal hole aligned with the distal hole of the slotted connector, and an open end extending from the slot for engaging a nut aligned with the proximal hole of a corresponding slotted connector of a higher elevation module.
2. The system of claim 1 comprising at least two modules joined to each other with bolts through the single-holed connectors on the rear side of the modules and toggle bolts through the distal holes in the slotted connectors which are aligned with the area within the frame.
3. The system of claim 1 comprising at least two modules at different elevations from each other which are joined together so that a top single-holed connector of one module is adjacent to a second from top single-holed connector of a second module and the single-holed connectors are connected with bolts when the single-holed connectors are aligned.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the extender bars have forked ends.
5. A method of constructing a barrier wall system comprising providing at least two modules of the barrier system according to claim 1 and joining them by bolting through the rear side single-holed connectors and by inserting toggle bolts through the distal holes of the slotted front side connectors.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a barrier module according to the invention from the rear side.
(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a barrier module according to the invention from the front side.
(3) FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the barrier module from the rear side.
(4) FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a barrier module embodiment with the rear side on the left.
(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of two modules of the invention at different elevations, illustrating an assembly configuration.
(6) FIG. 6 is a view of the two modules of FIG. 5 prior to assembly with each other.
(7) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the two adjacent modules of FIG. 5, showing placement of toggle bolts placement in the blind holes in front side slotted open-ended connectors.
(8) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the two adjacent modules of FIG. 7 with the toggle bolts placed in the blind side holes in front side slotted open-ended connectors.
(9) FIG. 9A is a cross-sectional view through 9-9 of FIG. 8 showing insertion of toggle bolts into blind holes in open-ended connectors.
(10) FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view through 9-9 of FIG. 8 showing toggle pivot deployed.
(11) FIG. 9C is a plan view of extender 15d of FIG. 8, which is longer than 15c, which in turn is longer than 15b, which in turn is longer than 15a.
(12) FIG. 10 is a perspective view from the front side of sections of two adjacent modules at different elevations from each other.
(13) FIG. 11 is a perspective view from the front side of the sections of the two adjacent modules of FIG. 10 having been connected with bolts.
(14) FIG. 12 is a magnified view of area 12 of FIG. 10.
(15) FIG. 13 is a magnified view of area 12 of FIG. 11.
(16) FIGS. 14A and 14B are a cross-sectional views through 14-14 of FIG. 11.
(17) FIG. 15 is a perspective view from the rear side of the sections of the two adjacent modules of FIG. 10 at different elevations from each other.
(18) FIG. 16 is a perspective view from the rear side of the sections of the two adjacent modules of FIG. 10 at different elevations from each other having been connected with bolts.
(19) FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the front side of two adjacent modules at the same elevation prior to being connected to each other.
(20) FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the two adjacent modules of FIG. 17 after connection to each other.
(21) FIG. 19 is a front side elevational view of three connected modules, two of which being at the same elevation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(22) Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a barrier module 1 of the invention which includes rear side plates 12 which face the direction of the potential intruders. The rear side plates 12 and front side plates 11 (FIG. 2) are supported in a frame 21 (FIG. 3) which is attached via bolts 20 to a concrete foundation 13 which can be included in the prefabricated module. Left end rear side connectors 16a-16e and right end rear side are attached to rear side plates 12. Left end front side slotted connectors 14a-14e are attached to the front side plate 11 (FIG. 2) and the frame 21 (FIG. 3) so that one hole is adjacent to the triangular open area of the frame.
(23) FIG. 2 illustrates the front side of the module 1 wherein front side plates 11 are supported on the frame at an angle off of vertical. Left end front side slotted connectors 14a-14e are shown in this view, as are right end front side slotted open-ended connectors 15a-15e and right end rear side connectors 17a-17e. Connectors' 15a-15e include holes 18 for receiving bolts to join adjacent modules. The bottom of the frame 20 is joined by bolts to concrete foundation 13.
(24) Two holes 32 per module for crane hooks are shown in this view, as are access panels 31 which are only on the front side panels 11.
(25) FIG. 3 shows separate parts of the module which include front side panels 11 which have access panels 31 and open-ended connectors 14a-14e and 15 a-15e. Right end rear side connectors 17a-17e are shown but only one left end rear side connector 16a is visible in this view. Frame 21 includes rear side frame support member 23 and front side support member 22, and is connected with frame bottom member 20 to concrete foundation 13.
(26) FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of a module 1 in which the detail of the construction of the triangular frame are shown.
(27) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of two modules of the invention at different elevations, illustrating an assembly configuration wherein member 14b will be connected to member 14a, etc.
(28) FIG. 6 is a view of the two modules of FIG. 5 prior to assembly with each other.
(29) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the two adjacent modules of FIG. 5, showing placement of toggle bolts 25 being inserted in the blind holes in front side slotted open-ended connectors 24a-24d, connecting open-ended connectors 14b-14e, respectively. Drop toggle nuts 26 are used on the front side of open ended members 14b-1.4e when the drop toggle bolts 25 are inserted. Extender bars 24a-24d are shown inserted in the slots of rear side slotted open-ended connectors 15a-15d, respectively.
(30) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the two adjacent modules 1 of FIG. 7 with the toggle bolts placed in the blind side holes in front side slotted open-ended connectors 15a-15d.
(31) FIG. 9A is a cross-sectional view through 9-9 of FIG. 8 showing insertion of toggle bolts into blind holes 34 in extender bar 24. Front side plate 11 is supported on front side frame support member 23. Drop toggle bolt 25 includes off center toggle member 28 supported on a pivot and drop toggle nut 26. Front side frame support member 22 and rear (rear) side plates 12 and right end rear side connector 17c having hole 18 are shown on the rear side plate 12.
(32) FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view through 9-9 of FIG. 8 showing toggle pivot deployed.
(33) FIG. 9C is a plan view of extender 24d of FIG. 8, which is longer than 24c, which in turn is longer than 24b, which in turn is longer than 24a, matching the lengths of the corresponding slots 15d-15a (FIG. 6), respectively.
(34) FIG. 10 is a perspective view from the front side of sections of two adjacent modules 1 at different elevations from each other with bolts 29 and nuts 30 aligned to be connected. Toggle bolt 25 is shown being inserted into the distal hole of the upper most slotted connector.
(35) FIG. 11 is a perspective view from the front side of the sections of the two adjacent modules 1 of FIG. 10 having been connected with bolts 29 and nuts 30.
(36) FIG. 12 is a magnified view of area 12 of FIG. 10 showing detail of the bolt 29 going through hole and the forks of the open ended extender bar 24c which has been inserted into the slot of slotted connector 15c. Since 14d is wider than 15c, when the proximal hole of slotted connector 14d cannot be aligned with the proximal hole of slotted connector 15c, which problem is solved by the present invention which includes the extender 24c within the slot of slotted connector 15c.
(37) FIG. 13 is a magnified view of area 12 of FIG. 11 with bolt 29 and nut 30 joined through the proximal hole to hold slotted connector 14d to the forked end of extender bar 24c.
(38) FIG. 14A is a cross-sectional view through 14-14 of FIG. 11 showing bolt 29 being joined with nut 30 and toggle drop bolt 25 being inserted through slotted connector 15c to secure slotted connectors 14d to 15c.
(39) FIG. 14B is a cross-sectional view of the two slotted connectors, 14d and 15c, having been connected with bolt 29 and nut 30 and toggle bolt 25.
(40) FIG. 15 is a perspective view from the rear side plates 12 of the sections of the two adjacent modules of FIG. 10 at different elevations from each other having been connected with bolts and nuts through left rear side connectors 16b-16e of the left module and right end rear side connectors 17a-17d of the right module.
(41) FIG. 16 is a view of the sections of modules of FIG. 15 having been connected with the bolts and nuts.
(42) FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the front side of two adjacent modules at the same elevation prior to being connected to each other, with the left side connectors of the right module about to be joined with the right side connectors of the left module.
(43) FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the two adjacent modules of FIG. 17 after connection to each other.
(44) FIG. 19 is a front side elevational view of three connected modules, the left two of which being at the same elevation and the right module being at a lower elevation. Connector 14a is seen not being connected to an adjacent connector.
(45) The present invention, therefore, is well adapted to carry out the objectives and attain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as others inherent therein. While the invention has been depicted and described and is defined by reference to particular embodiments of the invention, such references do not imply a limitation on the invention, and no such limitation is to be inferred. Consequently, the invention is intended to be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims, giving full cognizance to equivalents in all respects.
