Barrier System

This invention relates to a barrier system, and particularly but not necessarily exclusively to a barrier system designed for substantially absorbing the energy of an object, such as a vehicle, impacting therewith.

It is becoming increasingly common for safety barriers to be placed outside the front of buildings, such as government offices, airports, conference centres and/or the like, to prevent unauthorised third parties from driving too close or into said buildings. This is particularly the case since the risk of terrorist attack on certain buildings has significantly increased in recent years. However, a problem with conventional safety barriers is that they are insufficiently strong or of insufficient dimensions to adequately protect the buildings. Large concrete or steel walls could be built in front of the buildings to add protection but such measures are likely to incur significant cost, restrict authorised access to the buildings and significantly reduce the aesthetic appearance of the buildings.

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a barrier system which overcomes the abovementioned problems.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a method of using a barrier system.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a barrier system, said barrier system including at least a first front barrier means and at least a second rear barrier means, said at least second rear barrier means located a predetermined spaced distance behind said front barrier means and at least a part of said second rear barrier means being

substantially greater in height than the height of said first front barrier means.

As such, the barrier system of the present invention allows an object, such as for example a vehicle, to impact with the front barrier means. If the front barrier means are insufficient to absorb all the energy from this impact or, if the object impacting the first barrier means is larger in dimensions than can be adequately contained by the first barrier means, the second barrier means absorbs the remaining energy of the impact of said object and/or contains the object. Thus, the barrier system of the present invention provides at least two separate barriers working at different heights to provide a more effective combined safety system.

The rear barrier means is typically positioned closest to a building, object and/or area to be protected by the barrier system in use. The front barrier means is typically located a distance further from the building, object and/or area to be protected by the barrier system in use than the rear barrier means. The front barrier means is typically positioned closer to a roadway or vehicle access point adjacent the building, object and/or area being protected than the second rear barrier means. Thus, a vehicle or object is most likely to impact with the first front barrier means prior to impact with the second rear barrier means.

Preferably said at least second rear barrier means has an impact portion and said impact portion is provided at a height substantially greater than the height of said first front barrier means (i.e. there is a spaced distance apart between the top of the front barrier means and the base of the impact portion) .

In one embodiment the impact portion is a substantially continuous member made from strong and/or reinforced material.

Preferably the at least second rear barrier means includes an attachment portion for allowing attachment of the barrier to a suitable surface in use. In one embodiment the attachment portion is anchored in a ground surface on which the at least second rear barrier means is placed in use. Further preferably the attachment portion is provided at or adjacent a base of the second rear barrier means.

The attachment portion can include any or any combination of one or more screws, nuts and bolts, pins, adhesive, welding, cement and/or the like.

In one embodiment the at least second rear barrier means includes support means for supporting the impact portion in a required position. Preferably the support means is provided at least partly between the impact portion and the attachment portion.

Preferably the support means is in the form of a frame. The frame is provided in such a manner so as to provide sufficient strength and rigidity to the second barrier means structure whilst using the minimum amount of material and minimising the aesthetic impact of the barrier means in the locality in which it is placed in use. For example, use of a plurality of elongate, arm like frame members joined together. Spaces can be defined between at least some of the frame members, thereby allowing light to pass through a part of the structure compared to providing a solid or continuous housing.

Preferably the impact portion runs substantially parallel to a front surface of the barrier system or first front barrier means. Further preferably the impact portion is located adjacent a top of the support means.

Preferably the impact portion is substantially elongate in form and preferably a longitudinal axis of said portion is substantially parallel to a front surface or edge of said barrier system.

Preferably at least part of the support means or frame means are provided substantially perpendicular to the impact portion (i.e. to the longitudinal axis of the impact portion) or laterally thereof. The frame means preferably extends behind said impact portion, such that on impact of an object with a front of said impact portion, the rear barrier means is substantially prevented from moving backwards, such as towards a building, object and/or area being protected or away from the first front barrier means.

In one embodiment the front barrier means is substantially solid in form and/or has a substantially continuous front surface, such as for example from a base to a top surface thereof.

The front barrier means can be any suitable type of barrier means. Attachment means can be provided on or associated with the front barrier means for anchoring the same to a required surface in use. Preferably the required surface is a ground surface on which the front barrier means is to be located on in use. The attachment means can include any or any combination of one or more screws, nuts and bolts, pins, adhesive, welding, cement and/or the like.

Preferably the front barrier means is of height substantially between 800-900mm.

In one embodiment the front barrier means is a step barrier.

Preferably an upper barrier is locatable on the front barrier means if required. The upper barrier can be attached to any suitable surface of the front barrier means and in a preferred embodiment is attached to a top surface of the front barrier means.

The upper barrier can increase the total height of the front barrier means above the height of the second rear barrier means. In this embodiment, preferably the pre-determined distance of the rear barrier means from the front barrier means and upper barrier is XX.

The upper barrier can take any suitable form, such as a fence panel, mesh and/or the like.

Preferably the upper barrier is detachably attached to the front barrier means via any suitable attachment means.

Preferably the front and rear barrier means are positioned substantially independently of each other in use (i.e. there is no attachment between said barrier means in one embodiment) .

The at least first and second barrier means can be formed from the same or different material. In one example, the barrier means are both formed from metal.

The at least first and second barrier means can be provided in a plurality of parts which are joined together before or when assembling the barrier system in use. The parts can be engaged

together via engagement means. The engagement means can include any or any combination of welding, one or more screws, ties, clips, nuts and bolts inter-engaging members and/or the like. This allows a barrier system of a required size and shape to be easily transported and constructed on site.

Further barrier means can be provided with the barrier system if required.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of constructing a barrier system, said barrier system including at least a first front barrier means and at least a second rear barrier means, said method including the step of locating the at least second rear barrier means a pre-determined spaced distance apart from said first front barrier means, and wherein at least part of said second rear barrier means is substantially greater in height than said first front barrier means.

According to further independent aspects of the present invention there is provided rear barrier means for use in a barrier system; and front barrier means for use in a barrier system.

According to a yet further aspect of the present invention there is provided a barrier system, said barrier system including at least a first front barrier means and at least a second rear barrier means, said at least second rear barrier means located a predetermined spaced distance behind said front barrier means, and wherein upper barrier means are located with said first front barrier means .

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein:

Figures I a and I b illustrate front and rear perspective views of the barrier system according to one embodiment of the present invention respectively;

Figure 2a illustrates a view of the barrier system from the rear following impact of a vehicle therewith;

Figures 2b & 2c illustrate a side view of the barrier system prior to impact with a small vehicle in the form of a car and a large vehicle in the form of a lorry respectively.

Figures 3a-3c illustrate a front view of the rear barrier means according to an embodiment of the present invention, a detailed view of an end section of the rear barrier means and a detailed view of a frame section of the rear barrier means respectively;

Figure 4 illustrates a side view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which an upper barrier is located on top of the front barrier of the barrier system.

Referring to figures I a- I b, there is illustrated a barrier system 2 including a front barrier 4 and a rear barrier 6. A rear base 8 of the front barrier 4 is located a spaced distance 'd' apart from the front base 10 of rear barrier 6 in use.

The front barrier 4 is substantially continuous in form having a front surface 12, a rear surface 14, a top 16 and a base 18. Attachment means (not shown) attach base 18 to ground surface 20 in use. Both the front and rear surfaces 12, 14 are provided with a protruding step 22 adjacent base 18 thereof that protrudes outwardly of each of said surfaces (this barrier is often called a step barrier) .

The rear barrier 6 is typically non-continuous in form having a frame 24 including a plurality of frame members joined together with spaces between some of the frame members. An impact portion in the form of a front facing elongate arm 26 is provided on a front of frame 24 and at a pre-determined height 'h' above top 16 of front barrier 4. A space is formed between the top of front barrier 4 and the base of the elongate arm 26. The longitudinal axis of arm 26 is substantially parallel to a front surface or edge of front barrier 4.

An attachment portion in the form of an L-shaped foot 28 attaches a base of a front of frame 24 to ground surface 20 in use. A plurality of bolts 30 are provided through suitable shaped apertures in foot 28 and are secured into ground surface 20. Rear attachment plates 32 are also provided for anchoring the rear of frame 24 adjacent a base thereof to ground surface 20 in use.

In the illustrated example, frame 24 includes frame members joined together or integrally formed to provide end sections 34 and intermediate sections 36. Each end section 34 includes at least one front base member 38 provided substantially parallel to impact arm 26, and two lateral base members 40 protruding substantially perpendicular to the rear of base member 38. The base members 38, 40 form a substantially U-shape frame base for the second barrier 6. Upright frame members 42, 44, 46, 48 are provided at each corner of the U-shape frame base and an intermediate frame member 50 is provided between corner frame members 42 and 46. Impact arm 26 is joined to the top of upright frame members 42, 50, 46. Top frame members 52, 54 are located between the top of upright frame members 42, 44 and 46, 48 respectively.

Although the shape and dimensions of the frame for the second barrier 6 can be adjusted according to the application of use and the likely impact force that may be applied to the barrier in use, an example of dimensions for the rectangular shaped frame means is now given. Lateral base members 40 are typically approximately 1.2m long. The front base member is approximately 3m long and the impact arm is approximately 12m long (the end terminals are approximately 4.5 m long) . The height of the upright frame members 42, 44, 46, 48 are approximately 1.60m. The frame means could be substantially triangular in shape or any other suitable shape.

The frame members can be joined together in the required arrangement via welding, adhesive, one or more nuts and bolts, inter-engaging members and/or the like. The arrangement of the frame members provides a frame for supporting the impact arm 26 which is both strong and rigid, whilst using the minimum amount of material to make it as lightweight and easy to fit as possible, to reduce the cost of the same and to reduce the aesthetic impact the barrier 6 has in the locality in which it is used.

Intermediate sections 36 include an upright member 56 provided between foot plate 28 and elongate impact arm 26, a lateral base member 58 and a lateral top member 60 protruding substantially perpendicular to upright member 56, and a rear upright member 62. The arrangement of the intermediate section forms a square or rectangle protruding rearwardly of impact arm 26.

Each intermediate section 36 is preferably located 3 metres apart.

Elongate arm 26 in the illustrated example can include a front plate 64, a rear plate 66 and a joining section 68 provided

substantially centrally and perpendicular to said plates 64, 66, as shown in figure 3c. Arm 26 is clamped to front upright frame member 56 via a front connecting plate 70 and a rear connecting plate 72 with a plurality of bolts 74 passing therebetween. This acts as an additional strengthening means to the rear barrier 6. The lateral frame members are approximately 1.2m long, the rear upright member is approximately 1.85m long and the middle of impact arm 26 is preferably 1.05m above the ground surface.

As such, it can be seen that the middle of impact arm 26 is approximately at least 20cm higher than the top 16 of front barrier 4. As such, if an object, such as a vehicle 'v' impacts with front barrier 4 and said barrier 4 is insufficiently strong to absorb or contain all the force or parts of the vehicle on the front side of barrier 4, front barrier 4 is typically crushed against rear barrier 6 and rear barrier 6 typically takes up the remainder of the energy from the impact without allowing the vehicle to pass to the rear of barrier 6.

The distance 'd' of the rear of the front barrier 4 from the front of the rear barrier 6 is such so as to prevent a base of the front barrier 4 from pivoting against a front of rear barrier 6 to form a ramp for a vehicle 'v' to drive up following an impact with the front barrier, whilst allowing a top section of the front barrier 4 to impact at least partially against a part of rear barrier 6 (i.e. such as for example a front part) if sufficient force is applied to the front barrier 4 to cause said barrier to fail, collapse or move, thus allowing the rear barrier to absorb at least part of the energy from the impact, as shown in figure 2a. For example, 'd' could be substantially equal to or slightly less than the height of the front barrier means.

Figures 2b and 2c illustrate the importance of the taller rear barrier 6 when a larger vehicle such as a lorry 100 impacts the

barrier system. Whilst the smaller front barrier 4 acts to reduce the speed of lorry 100 on impact therewith, the larger rear barrier 6 will absorb the remaining kinetic energy of the lorry as it travels in the direction of arrow 102. The front barrier 4 may be sufficient to absorb all the energy of impact with a smaller vehicle such as a car 104. In the case of impact with a smaller vehicle 104, the space between barriers 4, 6 can be larger than the space between barrier 4,6 when impacted by a larger vehicle 100. The distance between the front and rear barriers is therefore determined at least partly by the space available to locate the barrier system in and the type of vehicles that the barrier system is designed to prevent access through.

Assembly 70, 72, 74 is adjustable to allow adjustment to be made between the height of arm 26 and the surface height that base frame 62 is anchored to. Preferably the arm 26 remains at a set height of 1630mm in one embodiment but the frame 62 can be raised and lowered as required, thereby allowing the solid structure to be anchored at plate 32, 28 at different surface heights.

In one example, the distance of the rear lower edge of the front barrier from the front surface of the rear barrier is 800mm. There is a height difference of 1054mm from the top surface of the front barrier to the height of the lower edge of the arm 26.

The dimensions of the front barrier in one example are 540mm width at the base, 230mm width at the top and is 800mm high. A further example of the dimensions of a front barrier, often referred to as a step barrier, is 540mm width at the base, 200mm at the top and is 900mm high.

Referring to figure 4, there is illustrated an alternative embodiment of the barrier system in which the front barrier 4

has an upper barrier 106 located therewith. In this example, a base 108 of upper barrier 106 is welded to a top 1 10 of front barrier 4. The upper barrier increases the overall height of the front barrier.

Upper barrier 106 is in the form of a wire mesh fence with an outer frame 1 12 and substantially horizontal wire bushes 1 14 located between the sides of the frame.

An anti-visibility panel 116 can be secured to a front of the upper barrier 106 if required. In this example, panel 1 16 is located at an acute angle to the vertical between a front top edge of the front barrier and a spaced distance above a rear top edge of the barrier.