[0001] The present invention relates to lightweight barriers for protection from terrorist truck ramming attacks.

Technological background and prior art upon which the invention is based

[0002] Recent years have seen an increase in terrorist attacks in the West. This surge in terrorist acts has also been marked by a diversification in the means used in Europe, with the emergence in particular of the use of heavy goods vehicles as a weapon of terror.

[0003] There are heavy barriers that can reduce the risk of this type of attack, such as concrete barriers or metal posts securely anchored to the ground. However, this type of barrier requires either permanent installation or heavy logistics implying the use of a lifting device. This limitation is particularly acute with regard to securing temporary events, festivals, commercial fairs, concerts, etc. Furthermore, these temporary events appear to have today become favourite targets for terrorists.

[0004] One solution to this problem is provided for example by document US 2012/0177439 which proposes a lightweight barrier that can be set up, positioned and dismantled by just a few people having little in the way of tools and no lifting device. However, although these barriers are effective against lightweight vehicles, experience shows that they are not adequate to stop heavy vehicles such as those used recently by terrorists.

Objects of the invention

[0005] The present invention aims to propose a device for protection from attacks using heavy goods vehicles, which device should be lightweight and easy to use by law enforcement having little in the way of tools. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present invention relates to an anti-ramming truck device comprising:

- at least one essentially horizontal arresting bar;

- at least one pivot bar forming, with the arresting bar(s), an angle of at least 100° in a vertical plane,

each arresting bar being rigidly connected to a corresponding pivot bar.

[0007] According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the anti- ramming truck device comprises one or an appropriate combination of several of the following features:

the device comprises anchoring means comprising essentially vertical spikes that are able to penetrate the surface of the ground when the wheel of a truck presses on an arresting bar;

the device comprises additional anchoring means comprising a spike that is able to penetrate the surface of the ground when the device pivots as a consequence of a truck hitting a pivot bar;

the pivot bars form an angle of between 100 and 135° with respect to the arresting bars;

the arresting bars, when the device is set up on a flat horizontal surface, are slightly inclined, the pivot bars forming an angle of at least 100° with respect to the horizontal, the inclination being preferably obtained by means of supports located close to the centre of gravity of the arresting bar/pivot bar assembly or assemblies so as to facilitate pivoting of the assemblies;

the arresting bars are removably fitted into connectors into which the pivot bars are removably fitted, the connectors maintaining, in use, a fixed angle of greater than 100° between the arresting bars and the pivot bars;

multiple arresting bar/connector/pivot bar assemblies are arranged parallel to one another and are connected to one another by means of crossbars.

[0008] A second aspect of the invention relates to a kit for setting up an anti-ramming truck device according to the invention, comprising:

- n arresting bars, n being an integer greater than 1 ;

- n pivot bars;

- n connectors into which the arresting bars and the pivot bars fit;

- (n-1 ) ^* 3 crossbars for fixing adjacent bars and connectors.

[0009] Advantageously, the arresting bars and the pivot bars are interchangeable. [0010] Preferably, the connectors comprise two hollow metal arms to allow the arresting bars and pivot bars to be fitted, the two hollow arms being welded to one another at an angle of greater than 100°.

[0011] Advantageously, the metal arms have square cross sections arranged such that the diagonal of the square cross sections is vertical, which on the one hand improves their mechanical strength and on the other hand minimizes the probability of the arresting bars being blocked by a wheel.

[0012] In order to improve the mechanical strength of the system, the connectors preferably comprise a strut or a gusset plate strengthening said connectors.

Brief description of the figures

[0013] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary barrier according to the invention.

[0014] Figure 2 shows a side view of the exemplary barrier of Figure 1 .

[0015] Figure 3 shows a side view of a preferred example of the invention.

[0016] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the example of Figure 3.

[0017] Figure 5 shows a side view of another preferred example of the invention.

[0018] Figure 6 shows a view of the rear face of an arresting bar/connector/pivot bar assembly according to the invention.

[0019] Figure 7 shows a heavy goods vehicle approaching a device according to the invention.

[0020] Figure 8 shows a heavy goods vehicle pivoting an arresting bar/connector/pivot bar assembly according to the invention.

[0021] Figure 9 shows a heavy goods vehicle that has pivoted the device of the invention, the arresting bar pressing at one end against the ground and at the other end against the underside of the body, thus applying a maximum arresting force.

Description of a preferred embodiment of the invention

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the present invention relates to an anti- ramming truck device comprising essentially horizontal arresting bars 3 fixed to pivot bars 5 (i.e. bars causing the device to pivot) forming, with the arresting bars 3, an angle a of at least 100°.

[0023] Essentially horizontal is to be understood as meaning that these bars are intended to be laid on the ground, one of the two ends being laid on the ground and the other end being either laid on the ground or slightly raised. [0024] In contrast with the prior art that seeks to produce a vertical barrier that is held in that position by the weight of a vehicle on a base of the barrier, or that seeks to lift up the vehicle by means of a rotational movement of the barrier, the device of the present invention aims to use arresting bars 3 as stakes or spearheads that are on the one hand lodged in the ground by a spike 8 that penetrates the surface of the ground, and on the other hand lodged in the underside of the body of the vehicle by the impact of the vehicle with the elements of the device of the invention.

[0025] Indeed, in the case of a heavy goods vehicle, it is ridiculous to suggest that the hinge of the devices of the prior art can have sufficient mechanical strength to stop a truck travelling at full speed. By contrast, a stake lodged in the underside of the body, rather than lifting up the truck, allows the greatest possible amount of kinetic energy to be absorbed, and the truck to be stopped more effectively. It is then clear that the more horizontal the stake (opposite the direction of movement) during the arresting phase, the more effective the system.

[0026] In order to arrive at this result, the device of the invention seeks to facilitate pivoting of each element of the barrier. To that end, rather than using a vertical barrier, the pivot bars 5 are fixed to the arresting bars 3 at an angle of at least 100°, that is to say at least 10° greater than the angle of the prior art barriers. This angle is preferably between 100 and 135°. This inclination has two consequences. First, this inclination moves the centre of gravity of the assembly backward, thus facilitating pivoting of the device; second, this angle makes it possible to increase the torque of rotation applied by the front of the truck on the system.

[0027] Advantageously, anchoring means comprising a spike 8 that is able to penetrate the surface of the ground when the device pivots as a consequence of a truck hitting the barrier are arranged at the end of or in line with the arresting bars in order to improve the stake effect thereof.

[0028] Preferably, anchoring means comprising essentially vertical spikes

7 that are able to penetrate the surface of the ground when the wheel of a truck presses on the system are arranged beneath the device so as to avoid it slipping.

[0029] Advantageously, the arresting bars 3, when the device is set up on a flat horizontal surface, are slightly inclined, the pivot bars 5 forming an angle of at least 100° with respect to the horizontal, this inclination being preferably obtained by means of supports 10 located slightly forward of the centre of gravity of the arresting bar 3/pivot bar 5 assembly or assemblies so as to facilitate pivoting of the assemblies.

[0030] In addition to those aspects of the device making it effective in terms of stopping ability, the device of the invention must also be easy to set up and dismantle by a limited number of persons. To that end, the device can preferably be dismantled, the arresting bars 3 being removably fitted into connectors 6 into which the pivot bars 5 are removably fitted, the connectors maintaining a fixed angle of greater than 100° between the arresting bars 3 and the pivot bars 5.

[0031] Multiple arresting bar 3/connector 6/pivot bar 5 assemblies can be arranged parallel to one another and are connected to one another by means of crossbars 4. In this case, the crossbars will advantageously be dimensioned so as not to be too strong during an impact with a truck, in order that adjacent assemblies do not prevent movement of the other assemblies. In particular, it is important that an assembly facing a wheel, which will therefore be less able to pivot owing to the weight of the truck, does not prevent an adjacent assembly from pivoting and playing its stake part to stop the heavy goods vehicle.

[0032] From this point of view, it is also of interest to try to minimize the probability of a wheel of the truck mounting directly on top of the arresting bars 3, which would reduce their ability to pivot. To that end, it is advantageous for the upper face of the arresting bars 3 to have the smallest possible horizontal surface. For example, the use of square or lozenge-shaped cross sections arranged on-edge, as shown in Figures 3 to 6, urge the wheel of the truck to slide sideways, reducing the probability of pivoting being prevented by a wheel.

[0033] The invention can easily be dismantled and advantageously comprises n arresting bars 3, n being an integer greater than 1 , n pivot bars 5, n connectors 6 and (n-1 ) ^* 3 crossbars for fixing the adjacent bars 3, 5 and connectors 6.

[0034] The arresting bars 3 and the pivot bars 5 can be identical, reducing the number of different parts and thus making the system simpler to set up and dismantle.

[0035] The connectors can for example comprise two hollow metal arms welded to one another at an angle of greater than 100°, the arresting bars and pivot bars being fitted in a male/female-type assembly. A person skilled in the art will easily understand that, conversely, the bars can be hollow and the connectors fit into the bars.

[0036] Advantageously, the connectors comprise a strut 9 or a gusset plate 12 strengthening said connectors.

[0037] The ends of the arresting bars may also possibly comprise tyre puncturing means 1 1 . Preferably, the puncturing means are sized so that they can also pierce a metal sheet, such as a steel sheet, as those forming the engine crankcase or, more generally, the underside of a truck. Those piercing means allow an improvement of the stopping power of the barrier by fixing themselves to the truck underside.