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Title:
A SAFETY BARRIER FOR DEFLECTING CARS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2002/033176
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A safety barrier for deflecting cars driving too far out in the roadside. The safety barrier comprises at least one horizontal girder (1) supported by one or more vertical posts (2). A panel is mounted on the side of the girder (1) facing the road, said panel comprising a steel plate (5) provided with a high number of identical cellular recesses (7) in the side facing the road. A steel ball (9) is embedded in each recess, said steel ball (9) substantially abutting the walls and the bottom of the recess with a slight clearance. At the bottom and the walls of the recess the steel ball (9) is locked by means of at least one retaining means (11). The depth of each recess is smaller than the diameter of the steel ball. As a result, a more efficient deflection of colliding cars than by the known safety barrier is obtained because the inventive safety barrier is less vulnerable in connection with a collision than the known safety barriers.

Inventors:
FUGLSANG LEIF (DK)
Application Number:
PCT/DK2001/000690
Publication Date:
April 25, 2002
Filing Date:
October 19, 2001
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
FUGLSANG LEIF (DK)
International Classes:
E01F15/04; (IPC1-7): E01F15/02; E01F13/02
Foreign References:
DE2148219A11973-04-05
US1770124A1930-07-08
US1795247A1931-03-03
US4662611A1987-05-05
US5921702A1999-07-13
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Chas, Hude A/s (H.C. Andersens Boulevard 33 Copenhagen V, DK)
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Claims:
Claims
1. A safety barrier for deflecting cars driving too far out in the roadside, said safety barrier comprising at least one substantially horizontal girder (1) supported by one or more vertical posts (2), c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that at least one panel is mounted on the side of the horizontal girder which faces the road, said panel comprising a steel plate (5) provided with a high number of identical, cellular recesses (7) on the side facing the road, and where a steel ball (9) is embedded in each recess (7), said steel ball substantially abutting the walls of the recess with a slight clearance in such a manner that it is locked by means of at least one retaining means (11), and that the depth of each recess (7) is smaller than the diameter (d) of the steel ball.
2. A safety barrier as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the cellular recesses (7) of the steel plate (S) are prismatic and extend perpendicular to the large surfaces of the steel plate.
3. A safety barrier as claimed in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the steel balls (9) are of a diameter (d) of 18 to 25 mm, preferably 20 mm.
4. A safety barrier as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the retaining means (11) is formed by a second steel plate (11) with a pattern of openings (13) corresponding to the pattern of balls (9) on the first steel plate, and where the diameter (d) of said openings is smaller than the diameter (d) of the balls, preferably such that the diameter of the openings corresponds to approximately 75 to 90% of the diameter (d) of the balls.
5. A safety barrier as claimed in one or more of the claims 1 to 4, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the retaining plate (11) is secured to the steel plate (5) provided with cellular recesses (7) by means of screws (10) at the contact locations between the walls of said recesses.
6. A safety barrier as claimed in one or more of the claims 1 to 5, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the prismatic recesses (7) are of a cross section shaped as an equilateral triangle.
7. A safety barrier as claimed in one or more of the claims 1 to 6, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the steel plate (5) with the cellular recesses (7) are formed by a rear plate (8) of steel and an intermediary member (19) presenting a cellular structure, and that the rear plate (18), the intermediary member (19) and the retaining plate (11) are as sembled by means of through joining means, such as screws (17).
8. A safety barrier as claimed in one or more of the claims 1 to 7, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the cellular recesses (7) are of a depth (f) smaller than the diameter (d) of the balls (9).
Description:
A SAFETY BARRIER FOR DEFLECTING CARS Technical Field.

The invention relates to a safety barrier for deflecting cars driving too far out in the roadside, said safety barrier comprising at least one substantially horizontal girder supported by one or more vertical posts.

Background Art A road barrier is known which is built of a body with many horizontal, juxtaposed through channels. The channels are provided for rendering the body transparent and consequently for rendering it possible to see behind the barrier.

Moreover, a safety barrier is known which comprises a body provided with recesses in which vertical, rotatable cylinders are mounted. These cylinders have the effect that the safety barrier deflects cars driving at an inclined angle towards said cylinders.

When a cylinder is hit by a car in the latter way, a considerable risk applies of one of the bearings of the cylinder or both bearings of said cylinder being damaged. As a result, the cylinder cannot rotate as freely as previously, and accordingly it cannot deflect future cars against collisions as efficiently as previously.

Brief Description of the Invention.

The object of the invention is to provide a safety barrier of the above type, which allows a more efficient deflection of colliding cars than the known safety barriers, even after several collisions because the safety barrier is less vulnerable towards these collisions than the known safety barriers.

The safety barrier according to the invention is characterised in that at least one panel

is mounted on the side of the horizontal girder which faces the road, said panel com- prising a steel plate provided with a high number of identical, cellular recesses on the side facing the road, and where a steel ball is embedded in each recess, said steel ball substantially abutting the walls of the recess with a slight clearance in such a manner that it is locked by means of at least one retaining means, and that the depth of each recess is smaller than the diameter of the steel ball. As a result, a more efficient deflection of colliding cars than hitherto known is obtained, because the balls in the panel are not only pressed towards the rear wall of said panel when the car hits said panel at an inclined angle, but said balls also turn and thereby deflect the car without involving a risk of bearings, if any, at said balls being damaged or pressed into a skew shape.

According to the invention the cellular recesses of the steel plate may be prismatic and extend perpendicular to said steel plate with the result that the balls can be reliably kept in position.

Moreover, the steel balls may according to the invention be of a diameter of 18 to 25 mm, preferably 20 mm, which turned out to be particularly advantageous.

Furthermore, the retaining means may according to the invention be formed by a second steel plate with a pattern of openings corresponding to the pattern of balls on the first steel plate, and where the diameter of said openings is smaller than the diame- ter of the balls, preferably in such a manner that the diameter of the openings corre- sponds to approximately 75 to 90% of the diameter of the balls. In this manner the balls can be kept in position in a particularly reliable manner.

According to the invention, the retaining plate may be secured to the steel plate pro- vided with cellular recesses by means of screws at the contact locations between the walls of said recesses with the result that said retaining plate is particularly well re- tained in position.

According to the invention, the prismatic recesses may be of a cross section shaped as an equilateral triangle, which turned out to be particular advantageous.

Moreover, the steel plate with the cellular recesses may advantageously comprise a rear plate of steel and an intermediary member of a cellular structure, whereby the rear plate, the intermediary member and the retaining plate can be assembled by means of through joining means, such as screws.

Brief Description of the Drawing The invention is explained in detail below with reference to the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic, perspective view of an embodiment of a safety barrier accord- ing to the invention, whereby the balls in the panel have been omitted for the sake of the clarity of the Figure, and whereby only some of the recesses have been included, Fig. 2 is a front view on a larger scale of a portion of a panel for the safety barrier according to the invention, whereby only a portion of the retaining plate retaining the balls appears, Fig. shows 3 a further embodiment of the safety barrier according to the invention, whereby the retaining means is formed by a front plate with openings of a diameter being slightly smaller than the diameter of the balls, Fig. 4 is a view on a larger scale taken along the line II-II of Fig. 2 of a portion of the panel of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is an end view of a panel comprising a rear plate, an intermediary member and a retaining means in the assembled state, whereby, however, the balls are not shown.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention The safety barrier shown in Fig. 1 comprises a substantially horizontal girder 1 and two vertical posts 2. At least one panel 5 is mounted on the side of the girder 1 facing the road, which in Fig. 1 means towards the viewer. This panel 5 comprises a solid steel plate provided with a high number of cellular recesses 7 in the side facing the road. A steel ball 9 is embedded in each cell, cf. Fig. 2, said steel ball 9 substantially abutting the walls and the bottom of the cell with a slight clearance.

As illustrated in Figs. 2 to 4, the balls 9 are retained in position by means of a retaining means arranged on the front side of the panel 5. This retaining means is formed as a plate 11 with a high number of openings 13. The diameter d of the latter openings is slightly smaller than the diameter d of the balls 9, cf. Fig. 4. The retaining plate is thinner than the steel plate 5 and can be retained in position on said steel plate by means of screws 10 at the contact locations between the walls of the cell. Screw holes for the latter screws are indicated at 12. As also illustrated in Fig. 4, the thickness fi of the retaining plate 11 can be considerably smaller than the depth f of the recesses 7.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the cellular recesses 7 can be prismatic and extend perpendicu- lar to the panel 5, and they can be manufactured by way of milling.

The steel balls 9 can be of a diameter d of 18 to 25 mm, preferably approximately 20 mm.

It should be noted in relation to the diameter d2 of each opening 13, cf. Fig. 4, that this diameter corresponds preferably to 75 to 90% of the diameter d of the balls 9.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the prismatic recesses 7 can present a cross section shaped as an equilateral triangle.

As indicated in Fig. 5, the plate with the cellular recesses 7 can also be formed by a rear plate 18, preferably made of steel, and an intermediary member 19 presenting a cellular structure. Once the balls have been embedded in the cells, the above retaining plate 11 with openings 13 can be mounted on the front side of the intermediary member 19. Then the plate 18, the intermediary member 19 and the retaining plate 11 can assembled for instance by means of through screws 17 and associated nuts. It should be noted concerning the intermediary member 19 that here the recesses are through openings of a cross section shaped as an equilateral triangle. The rear plate 18 forms the"bottom"of the panel. When a car hits the panel, each ball 9 is pressed against the rear plate 18 and against one or more side walls of the prismatic openings 7. As each ball 9 is made of steel, it can yield slightly with the result that it can easily turn a short distance whereby the car colliding therewith is forced into a changed direction. As a result, the car is easily deflected by the safety barrier and thereby forced into the road again. In this manner the invention improves the traffic safety.

The cellular recesses 7 are of a depth f, cf. Fig. 4, which is smaller than the diameter d of the balls 9.

The invention may be modified in many ways without thereby deviating from the scope of the invention, as it appears from the attached claims.