Prior art elements for the erection of continuous surfaces such as walls and the like, are expensive to produce. Furthermore, the erection proper of, for example, hoard¬ ings and walls is expensive and, above all, prior art ele- ments do not make for many-faceted design, by which is taken to mean versatility of variations in both the ver¬ tical and horizontal directions. This is a major require¬ ment, since the more environmental considerations which arise, the greater will be the demands that such contin- uous surfaces can merge, in as discrete a manner as pos¬ sible, into the existing environment without, to this end, reducing the desired effect of possible screening-off. Hence, an unconditional requirement is that the structural element permit adaptation of building worksinto the ap- pearance of the landscape both vertically and horizontal¬ ly.

The task forming the basis of the present invention is to realize an apparatus for obviating the drawbacks in prior art designs, or at least reducing such drawbacks, while making possible every consideration to be taken of en¬ vironmental aspects.

This task is solved according to the present invention in that the apparatus disclosed by way of introduction is given the characterizing features as set forth in one or more of the appended Claims.

The major advantages afforded by an apparatus according to the present invention primarily reside in the extraord¬ inarily versatile possibilities for variations in shape, height, colour, different disposition patterns, surface

structures, transparency, translucency etc. Moreover, all of these advantages will be attained by means of a profile structural element which is simple from the point of view of manufacture and assembly or erection and which may be both open and closed. By suitable design of the element, it can moreover be employed in noise barrier arrangements and noise reduction arrangements, the desired noise re¬ duction being, int. al. achieved in that the joints are always tight. Furthermore, desired sound reduction and sound absorption are made possible together with suf¬ ficient standing rigidity to satisfy applicable norms and standards without, to this end, needing to waive road safety requirement aspects in the form of yieldability, absence of loose parts, avoidance of fire risk etc. Pos- sible sound reduction (noise reduction) is optimated in that the structural element according to the present in¬ vention is given tubular design and construction which, as a result of the double-walling, imparts a higher reduction ratio. By the possibility of selecting different types of plastic materials, there will further be realized resis¬ tance to heat, cold (brittleness, risk of cracking on ice formation), colour fastness, UV light resistance, mechani¬ cal strength (impact test), resistance to exhaust gases, oil, road salt, resistance to snow-ploughing, high pres- sure washing, vandalism in the form of graffiti, blows and dismantling, and resistance to the effects of plants and animals. Furthermore, good possibilities exist for repair, as well as resistance to rot. As a result of the versa¬ tility of the apparatus according to the present in- vention, aesthetic requirements will also be satisfied in that the arrangement may be effected in such a manner as to melt into the environment in terms of both form and colour. In this context, form is taken to mean variations in both the vertical and horizontal directions. A struc- tural element according to the present invention also af¬ fords low running and maintenance costs. In addition, .the structural element according to the invention is rational and economical to manufacture and simple to assemble, and

offers great possibilities for use within many different areas, for example the element may possibly be filled with different materials such as cell-forming foamed plastic for realizing buoyant bodies and the like.

The present invention will now be described in greater de¬ tail hereinbelow with particular reference to the ac¬ companying Drawings. Fig. 1 shows a cross-section through a structural element according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 shows a cross-section through a structural element according to another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 shows a cross-section through a number of combined structural elements according to the present invention. Fig. 4 shows a vertical section through a screen which is constructed using structural elements according to the present invention. Fig. 5 shows a cross- section through a profile according to a further embodi¬ ment of the present invention.

All embodiments have a hollow profile with substantially uniformly thick walls. However, it should be observed that the profile need not be closed, but may be open and, thereby, substantially U-shaped. Furthermore, the profile may advantageously be extruded in a suitable plastic ma- terial, for example PVC or polytheylene.

As is apparent from Fig. 1, the profile is substantially quadrilateral and has two opposing sides or surfaces 1 and 2, and two opposing sides or surfaces 3 and 4 at right angles thereto. The two corners 5 and 6 disposed on either side of the surface 2 are reversed, indented into the pro¬ file and directed in towards its central longitudinal axis. The two corners 7 and 8 on either side of the sur¬ face or side 1 are also reversed, indented into the pro- file and directed in towards the interior of the profile in a direction towards its central longitudinal axis.

At each edge of the side or surface 1 , there is disposed a flange 9, 10. The flanges 9 and 10 extend transversely of the plane of the surface or side 1 and are of lesser height than the depth of the corners 5-8.

In the case that the profile or structural element ac¬ cording to the present invention is open, parts of or the whole of the side 1 will be dispensed with. If so desired, rigidifying flanges can be provided on the inside of all surfaces or sides 1-4. While the profile or structural element shown on the Drawings has uniformly thick walls, there is, naturally, nothing to prevent the provision of suitable thicker material portions for reasons of pro¬ duction engineering or mechanical strength.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2, there are pro¬ vided, on the edges of the sides 2, 3 and 4, short.flanges 11-16 which lengthen the sides, flanges 11 and 12 on side 2, flanges 13 and 14 on side 3, and flanges 15 and 16 on side 4. These short flanges 11-16 lengthening .the sides are intended to cooperate with snap catches 17 on the in¬ side of the flange 9, and 18 on the inside of the flange 10, as is illustrated more closely in Fig. 3. Since there are provided, on the inside of the two flanges 9 and 10, double snap catches 17 and 18, the possibility is created of a certain angular inclination of the mutually intercon¬ nected structural elements or profiles according to the present invention. Moreover, the symmetry in the design of the structural element or profile further permits the con- struction of both T-joints and complete intersections. However, it has proved possible to dispense with the snap catches 17, 18, as is apparent from Fig. 1.

For anchoring a hoarding or screen constructed from a number of profiles or structural elements according to

Figs. 1-3, use is made of rigidifying tubes or posts 23 in suitable spaced-apart relationship, the diameter of the

posts being adapted to the interior of the profile as is illustrated more closely in Fig. 2. According to Fig. 4, a lower U-beam 33 extends between the posts 23 enclosing the profiles and an upper U-beam 34 also extends between the posts 23 enclosing the profiles. By such means, there will be achieved desired lateral rigidity and desired resis¬ tance to wind loads. The U-beam 33 rests on a ring 24 dis¬ posed about the post 23 and secured to the post 23 with the aid of a grub screw 25. The post 23 is sunk into the substrate on which the screen or wall is to be erected and may be sunk direct into the substrate, or into a per se known concrete pipe with a collar 26 of elastic material, for example rubber, disposed at the top of the pipe. To prevent the posts 23 from being filled with water, a cap 27 is disposed on their upper ends. This cap 27 also serves the purpose of holding the beams 34 in place either by its own weight alone, or by suitable fitting on the post, ^' by a grub screw etc. Moreover, the beam 33 may be provided with suitable drainage outlets. The illustrated insert may be of any optional type whatever.

The U-beam 33 could very well be replaced by a box beam and the profiles could be recessed at the top and bottom for inserting the upper beam 34 into the profiles so that the beam is concealed, and for insertion of the lower beam 33 so that this is likewise concealed.

The beams 33 and 34 may very well consist of profiles split in the longitudinal direction, in particular the profile in Fig. 1. Such splitting is effected either cen¬ trally of the surfaces or sides 3, 4, or possibly close to the corners 7 and 8. On splitting centrally of the sides 3, 4, the part provided with the flanges 9, 10 may suit¬ ably form the lower beam, since the flanges 9, 10 need not, in such instance, be removed. If desired, the upper beam 34 and the lower beam 33 may be fixed on the standing profiles by means of screws, eg. thread-forming screws, pop rivets or other anchorage devices.

Fig. 3 exemplifies the pivotability in interconnecting of a plurality of profiles or structural elements according to the present invention. The flanges 9 and 10 will ob¬ viously be capable of resting against the corner walls, whereby the joint between two profiles or elements will be fully tight, at least as regards noise. The snap catches 17 and 18 on the flanges 9 and 10, and the flanges 11-16 on the sides 2, 3, and 4 permit angular inclination of the profiles in relation to one another without, to this end, the joint between two profiles or elements being open. This may be desirable for realizing both an arcuate screen or other lighting effects or the like when the profiles are wholly or partly translucent and/or transparent. As has been mentioned earlier, it is possible to dispense with the snap catches 17, 18 and the flanges 11-16 without any injurious effects on design and construction or the desired effect.

As has been mentioned above, the apparatus according to the present invention makes possible an extremely high de¬ gree of versatility in the erection of a screen partition or noise barrier. For example, the rigidifying posts 23 may be provided at the top with suitable light fittings for achieving an effectful illumination of the erected screen partition or noise barrier and its immediate sur¬ roundings. Similarly, it has proved appropriate to mount the profiles on movable concrete foundations.

Fig. 5 shows a further embodiment of the present in- vention. The profile is substantially quadrilateral and has two opposing sides or surfaces 1 and 2 and two oppos¬ ing sides or surfaces 3 and 4 at right angles thereto. The two corners 5 and 6 located on either side of the surface 2 are indented into the profile and give the side 2 the form of a dovetail. At the bottom of the corners 5 and 6, are disposed a material gathering 7 and 8, respectively, for forming supports for a flange which will be described

in greater detail below. On the opposing side or surface 1 , there is provided a flange 9 along the one edge of the side or surface 1, and a flange 10 along the other edge of the side or surface 1. The corners 11, 12 disposed on either side of the side or surface 1 are also indented in to the interior of the profile, and material gatherings 13 and 14, respectively, are also provided in the corners 11 and 12, but, in these corners 11, 12, the material gather¬ ings 13 and 14 are on the inside of the profile, as op- posed to the material gatherings 7 and 8 in the corners 5 and 6. The opposing sides or surfaces 3 and 4 will also, as a result of the corner indentations, be given the form of a dovetail, whereby interconnection with other iden¬ tical profiles is greatly facilitated.

On the inside of the surfaces or sides 1 and 2, there are disposed two spaced-apart projections 15. In order to im¬ part to the profile an additional noise damping effect, the interior of the profile may be wholly or partly filled with a suitable ballast material. In the embodiment il¬ lustrated in Fig. 5, the ballast material consists of a lightweight concrete beam 16 whose thickness corresponds to the distance between the projections 15 and whose length is somewhat greater than the length of the profile proper, in order that the beam 16 may bottom-out in a lower U-beam 17 in Fig. 4 and possibly also in an upper U-beam 18 in Fig. 4. The beam 16 provides not only a suit¬ able additional weight, but also a suitable rigidifying effect. It is also conceivable to employ other types of ballast material, for example sand, gravel, stone, water etc., whereby it will be possible to achieve sweeping and versatile effects in combination with wholly or partly transparent materials in the profile.