TERRAIN

Description

Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to a system for transferring loads to a terrain for poles, in order to increase the resistance thereof and limit the rotation thereof in case of an applied transversal force. Examples of possible applications of the anchoring system include poles for road barriers or rockfall barriers, signposting poles or utility poles, noise barrier poles or windbreak poles or integrated, poles of photovoltaic panels or foundation poles.

Background art

The anchoring of the poles to the terrain is a key aspect in many applications. For example, the poles of traffic lights or certain road signs may frequently be hit by out-of-control cars, with the risk of being destroyed and, given the height thereof, cause damage in a particularly wide range of action. All the more so, this problem can occur with lampposts or posts of aerial telephone lines, the height of which is even greater.

The impact of a motor vehicle or a mass in the case of rockfall barriers is certainly one of the most frequent causes of bending and collapse of a support pole, but in certain cases wind or water, in case of a flood, can also cause problems relating to the anchoring grip.

The anchoring of support poles in road barriers is undoubtedly a deeply-felt problem.

Side safety barriers are installed to prevent vehicles leaving the carriageway in case of an accident along various types and categories of roads. In order to be installed along roads, protective side barriers, also commonly referred to as "guard rails", require certification. In Europe such certification is the CE mark. In order to obtain the latter, a road safety barrier must have some minimum requirements, including: passing impact tests according to the standard EN1317-1/2 related to the type of knocks and vehicles involved, performing the assembly in compliance with the working drawings of the elements forming the protective barrier, and producing the device according to a detailed manufacturing and control plan.

All the commonly used supports, both those for barriers embedded in the ground and those anchored to the curbs, barely meet or do not meet at all the necessary requirements. The problem is even worse where the side barriers are installed on sections of road consisting of backfill, having a consistency which is poorly adapted to anchoring.

In order to obviate this problem, it is necessary to resort to costly and invasive interventions, which are often very complicated, such as modifying the consistency of the terrain. All these solutions, besides being very expensive, do not always ensure that the legal requirements are met.

Summary of the invention

Therefore, the need is felt for an anchoring system for support poles, which is applicable both to road barriers and to any other type of support pole, which ensures a firm anchoring to the ground and, at the same time, has a limited cost and is easy to install.

Such problem is overcome by an anchoring system for support poles, as defined in the appended claims, the definitions of which form an integral part of the present description.

The present invention relates to a system for transferring loads, for poles, to a terrain, comprising an anchoring barrier and a load transfer element of said anchoring bar fixed to said anchoring bar and connected, in contact or at a distance to said pole, characterized in that the anchoring bar is a substantially rigid bar, preferably made of steel, and is preferably characterized by a non-linear section, more preferably, a section with a tubular or broken line.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the description of some embodiments, given by way of nonlimiting example herein below.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a sectional diagrammatic side view of the anchoring system of the invention;

Figures 2A and 2B are two perspective views from different visual angles of a first embodiment of the anchoring system of the invention;

Figures 2C and 2D are two perspective views from different visual angles of the embodiment in figures 2A-2B, in a different type of assembly;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the anchoring system of the invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the anchoring system of the invention;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the anchoring system of the invention; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the anchoring system of the invention;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of the anchoring system of the invention;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a seventh embodiment of the anchoring system of the invention;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of an eighth embodiment of the anchoring system of the invention;

Figures 10A and 10B are two perspective views from different visual angles of a ninth embodiment of the anchoring system of the invention;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a tenth embodiment of the anchoring system of the invention;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of an eleventh embodiment of the anchoring system of the invention;

Figures 13A and 13B are two perspective views from different visual angles of a twelfth embodiment of the anchoring system of the invention;

Figures 14A-14G are seven different sectional examples of the anchoring bar.

Detailed description of the invention

According to the present invention, the anchoring system of a support pole, indicated by reference numeral 1 as a whole, comprises an anchoring bar 2 and a load transfer element 3 fixed to said anchoring bar 2 and connected in contact or at a distance to said pole.

The support pole, generally referred to with letter P, can be any type of pole, such as a support pole of a road barrier, the support pole of a rockfall barrier, a utility pole, such as a traffic light pole or a road sign pole, a lamppost or a pole of an aerial telephone line, a noise barrier or a windbreak or integrated or the like.

In the scope of the present invention, the term "support pole" indicates not only a rectilinear pole to be placed vertically in the ground, but also the implantable portion in the terrain of a more complex structure, such as, for example, portal-type structures for traffic light installations or signposts, which are placed straddling or cantilevered along a road or a highway.

The term "connected in contact or at a distance" in the scope of the present invention means that the load transfer element 3, under non-operating conditions (i.e. when the pole is not stressed by transversal forces) can contact the pole, be fixed to the pole, or form a connection at a distance configured so that, under operating conditions (i.e. when the pole is stressed by transversal forces), the load transfer element 3 comes into contact with the pole so as to transfer the load to the terrain. For example, the load transfer element 3 can surround the pole, without coming into contact with it, but forming a containment collar for the pole when it is subjected to a transversal force, which tends to tilt it.

Furthermore, the support pole P can have a section with any shape: for example, the pole P can have a circular section (figures 2A-2D, 3, 5 and 9), or a rectangular section (figures 4, 7, 8 and 13A- 13B) or a square section (figure 6), or an H-shaped section (figures 10A-10B, 11 and 12).

Typically, the support pole P is made of metal (in particular, steel), but it could also be a pole made of wood, cement or any other material.

As for the description of the anchoring system 1 according to the invention, the anchoring bar 2 is a substantially rigid bar.

The term "substantially rigid bar" means a bar made of a material, which is not readily flexible or in any case, which cannot be bent easily. A bar made of metal, such as steel or alloys thereof, fit, for example, within such definition. The rigidity of the bar depends not only on the material of which it is made, but also on the shape of the section thereof.

Preferably, the anchoring bar 2 is characterized by a non-linear section 2a, more preferably by a broken line or tubular section, so as to develop a wide surface of contact with the terrain in which it is installed.

As shown in the figures, the anchoring bar 2, for example, can have a broken line section, for example, a C-shaped section C (figures 2A-2C, 3-9, 10A-10B,

11-12, 13A-13B, 14D), a U-shaped section (figure

14A), an H-shaped section (figure 14B), a sigmashaped section (figure 14C), an omega-shaped section, a zeta-shaped section (figure 14E), or it can be of a tubular shape with a circular (figure 14F), elliptical, pentagonal, triangular, rectangular or square (figure 14G) shape. In such figures, the dimensions of the sections are only indicative of the shapes and do not depict true scale representations of the bars.

Preferably, the anchoring bar 2 has a total surface area in cm ² , for each decimeter (dm) of length, which is greater than 50 cm ² /dm, more preferably, greater than 150 cm ² /dm, even more preferably greater than 300 cm ² /dm. A wide total surface allows obtaining a high resistance of the section bar.

For cost and installation reasons, considering that for a certain section shape the surface area increases as the dimensions of the bar 2 increase, the total surface area in cm ² , for each decimeter (dm) of length, of the anchoring bar 2 will generally be less than 2,600 cm ² /dm, preferably less than 2,000 cm ² /dm, more preferably less than 1,700 cm ² /dm.

Preferably, the anchoring bar 2 is made of a metal material, more preferably galvanized steel or weathering steel.

The load transfer element 3 for transferring loads from the pole P to the anchoring bar 2 can comprise at least one fixing element 4 and at least one screw-nut element 5 for fixing said fixing element 4 to the anchoring bar 2.

In certain embodiments, the fixing element 4 can consist of, or comprise at least one fixing plate 4.

The fixing element 3 is configured so as to connect, in contact or at a distance, the anchoring bar 2 to the pole P with a convenient inclination, expressed by an angle α with respect to the ground plane, which will preferably be from 0° to 60° with respect to the ground level. Figures from 2A to 13B show various types of load transfer element 3, which can be adapted to one or more of the poles P shown. How the poles P have been shown, i.e. with various sections (circular, rectangular, square or H-shaped), is merely indicative and does not limit the use of a particular embodiment of the fixing element 3 to a particular pole P.

Furthermore, the poles P in the drawings have been illustrated in transparency so as to make the fixing system easier to understand.

Figures 2A-2D show the same embodiment of the load transfer element 3, but while in figures 2A-2B the anchoring bar 2 is placed with the open side of the C facing outwards, in figures 2C-2D the open side of the C faces inwards, i.e. faces the pole P. The load transfer element 3 in such embodiment consists of a fixing plate 4 and two screw-nut elements 5, which join the fixing plate 4 to the anchoring bar 2 through respective holes aligned so that the pole P is embedded like a sandwich between the bar 2 and the plate 4. The distance between the two screw-nut elements 5 is such as to allow a play between pole P and load transfer element 3, which is sufficient to place the anchoring bar 2 in the inclined position according to a convenient angle α (figure 1).

The fixing plate 4 in such embodiment has a U- shaped section so as to increase the resistance thereof to bending.

Figure 3 shows a different embodiment, comprising a first fixing plate 4 and a second fixing plate 4'. The two fixing plates 4, 4' embed the pole P in a sandwich-like manner and are fixed to each other by a pair of screw-nut elements 5. One of the two screw- nut elements 5 also passes through the anchoring bar 2 so as to anchor it to the load transfer element 3.

The first fixing plate 4 in such embodiment has a U-shaped section, while the second fixing plate 4' is flat.

Figure 4 shows a different embodiment, comprising a first fixing plate 4 and a second fixing plate 4".

The first fixing plate 4 has a U-shaped section, while the second fixing plate 4" comprises a sleeve- shaped portion 4a, in which there is housed a portion of the anchoring bar 2, and a flat portion 4b.

The first fixing plate 4 is fixed to the flat portion 4b of the second fixing plate 4" and to the anchoring bar 2 by means of respective screw-nut elements 5, so as to be placed at the two sides of the pole P, which is closed like a sandwich.

The embodiment shown in figure 5 comprises a first fixing plate 4 and a second fixing plate .

The first fixing plate 4 has a U-shaped section, while the second fixing plate ' is saddle-shaped and is placed straddling the anchoring bar 2.

The first fixing plate 4 and the second fixing plate ' are placed at the two sides of the pole P, closing it like a sandwich. A first screw-nut element 5 directly connects the first fixing plate 4 to a first portion of the second fixing plate , while a second screw-nut element 5, connects, in order, the first fixing plate 4 to a second portion of the second fixing plate ' and to the anchoring bar 2.

The embodiment in figure 6 comprises a first fixing plate 4 and a second fixing plate 4c.

The first fixing plate 4 has a U-shaped section like the previous ones, while the second fixing plate 4c is L-shaped, lying on a plane.

The first fixing plate 4 is placed on one side of the pole P, while the second fixing plate 4c is placed externally with respect to the anchoring bar 2 so that the pole P and the anchoring bar 2 are arranged in a sandwich-like manner between the two plates 4, 4c.

A first screw-nut element 5 directly connects the first fixing plate 4 to a first portion of the second fixing plate 4c, while a second screw-nut element 5 connects, in this order, the first fixing plate 4 to the anchoring bar 2 and to a second portion of the second fixing plate 4c.

The embodiment in figure 7 is quite similar to that in figure 6, other than for the shape of the second fixing plate 4d, which, in this case, has a trapezoidal shape. Clearly, the second fixing plate can have any other shape.

The embodiment in figure 8 comprises a first fixing plate 4 and a second fixing plate 4e.

The first fixing plate 4 has a U-shaped section like the previous ones, while the second fixing plate 4e is sleeve-shaped.

The first fixing plate 4 is placed on one side of the pole P, while the second fixing plate 4e surrounds the anchoring bar 2 so that the pole P is arranged in a sandwich-like manner between the two plates 4, 4e.

A first screw-nut element 5 directly connects the first fixing plate 4 to a first portion of the second fixing plate 4e, while a second screw-nut element 5 directly connects the first fixing plate 4 to the anchoring bar 2.

The embodiment in figure 9 comprises a first fixing plate 4 and a second fixing plate 4f.

The first fixing plate 4 has a U-shaped section like the previous ones, while the second fixing plate 4f is L-shaped with two perpendicular sides 6, 6'.

The first fixing plate 4 is placed at one side of the pole P, while the second fixing plate 4f is fixed onto the anchoring bar 2 by means of screw-nut elements 5', so that a first side 6 of the fixing plate 4f faces the first fixing plate 4 and the pole P is arranged in a sandwich-like manner between the two plates 4, 4f.

A first screw-nut element 5 directly connects the first fixing plate 4 to the first side 6 of the second fixing plate 4f, while a second screw-nut element 5 directly connects the first fixing plate 4 to the anchoring bar 2.

The embodiment in figures 10A-10B comprises a first fixing plate 4 and a second fixing plate 4g.

The first fixing plate 4 is omega-shaped and comprises, at the ends, two flaps 7 extending in opposite directions on a base plane. The second fixing plate 4g comprises a gripping portion 8a for gripping to the anchoring bar 2 and a planar portion 8b extending on a plane parallel to the flaps 7 of the first fixing plate 4. The gripping portion 8a can be shaped so as to form a seat for a portion of the anchoring bar 2. For example, in the case shown in the figures, it can comprise a seat for one side of the bar 2 with a C-shaped section, so as to be inserted at one end of the bar 2 and be positioned at a convenient height along the bar.

The first fixing plate 4 and the second fixing plate 4g are placed at the two sides of the pole P, so that the pole P is arranged in a sandwich-like manner between the two plates 4, 4g.

A first screw-nut element 5 directly connects the first fixing plate 4 to the planar portion 8b of the second fixing plate 4g, while a second screw-nut element 5 directly connects the first fixing plate 4 to the anchoring bar 2.

The embodiment in figure 11 comprises a first fixing plate 4 and a second fixing plate 4h.

The first fixing plate 4 is omega-shaped as in the previous embodiment and comprises, at the ends, two flaps 7 extending in opposite directions on a base plane. The second fixing plate 4h comprises a gripping portion 8a for gripping to the anchoring bar 2 and a planar portion 8b extending on a plane parallel to the flaps 7 of the first fixing plate 4. The gripping portion 8a can be shaped so as to form a seat for a portion of the anchoring bar 2 or to be interlocked in a portion of the bar 2.

The planar portion 8b comprises an eyelet 9.

The first fixing plate 4 and the second fixing plate 4h are placed at the two sides of the pole P, so that the pole P is arranged in a sandwich-like manner between the two plates 4, 4h.

A first screw-nut element 5 directly connects the first fixing plate 4 to the planar portion 8b of the second fixing plate 4h through the eyelet 9, while a second screw-nut element 5 directly connects the first fixing plate 4 to the anchoring bar 2.

The eyelet 9 allows fixing the anchoring bar 2 to the pole P with different inclinations.

The embodiment in figure 12 comprises a first fixing plate 4 and a second fixing plate 4i.

The first fixing plate 4 is flat in shape.

The second fixing plate 4i comprises a gripping portion 8a for gripping to the anchoring bar 2, as described previously, and two anchor portions 8b extending perpendicularly to the gripping portion 8a so as to be placed side by side at the two sides of the pole P. The two anchor portions 8b comprise, on the upper edge, respective recesses 10 configured to house a portion of the first fixing plate 4.

The gripping portion 8a can be shaped so as to form a seat for a portion of the anchoring bar 2 or to be interlocked in a portion of the bar 2.

The first fixing plate 4 is placed on one side of the pole P, while the anchoring bar 2, integral with the second fixing plate 4i, is placed on the opposite side, so that the pole P is arranged in a sandwich- like manner between the two plates 4, 4i.

The first fixing plate 4 is positioned in the recesses 10 of the second fixing plate 4i and a screw-nut element 5 can join the two plates 4, 4i and the anchoring bar 2, optionally passing through the pole P.

The embodiment in figures 13A-13B comprises a pair of first fixing plates 4 and a second fixing plate 41.

The two first fixing plates 4 are omega-shaped and comprise, at the ends, two flaps 7 extending in opposite directions on a base plane. Likewise, the second fixing plate 41 has a flattened omega-shape and respective flaps 11 extending on a plane parallel to the flaps 7 of the first fixing plates 4.

The pair of first fixing plates 4 and the second fixing plate 41 are placed at the two sides of the pole P, so that the pole P is arranged in a sandwich- like manner between the two plates 4, 41.

Respective screw-nut elements 5 directly connect the flaps 7 of the two first fixing plates 4 to the flaps 11 of the second fixing plate 41.

The anchoring system 1 according to the invention can be installed as described below.

First, it must be fixed to the pole P, if not already present. The fixing of the pole P to the terrain can be achieved by means of piling, thrust or hammering or by means of immersion in the casting of concrete or asphalt or other material with which the pavement is made.

The anchoring system 1 is intended to be mounted along the pole P at a convenient height with respect to the road surface and with an angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal, which can be from about 0° to 70°, preferably from 15° to 40° (figure

1)• The anchoring system 1 can be installed as shown in figure 1, i.e. completely submerged by the installation terrain, or the load transfer element 3 and the first section of the anchoring bar 2 can come out of the terrain. Nonetheless, it is important that at least 50%, preferably at least 70%, of the length of the anchoring bar 2 is placed below the terrain.

Therefore, the load transfer element 3 is fixed to the anchoring bar 2 and optionally to the pole P, by selecting, for example, the most suitable load transfer element 3 depending on the section of the pole P and the bar 2.

On completion of this operation, the anchoring system 1 or a part thereof, are covered by the terrain, the surface of which can optionally be refinished as desired.

It has been seen that by using an anchoring bar 2 with a non-linear section, as defined above and preferably having a total surface area, which is higher than the values defined above, it will be possible to obtain a high retaining force of the pole P also following knocks of considerable intensity, such as the impact of a motor vehicle, in the direction of the arrow F in figure 1. This is obtained by virtue of the friction force developed by the particular shape of the anchoring bar 2, which therefore does not require projections, threads or other movable plate systems, which would make the construction of the anchoring system 1 and the installation thereof much more complicated.

The anchoring system 1 of the invention is also inexpensive and easy to manufacture and install.

It is apparent that only some particular embodiments of the present invention have been described, to which those skilled in the art will be able to make all of the necessary changes for the adaptation thereof to particular applications, without however departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.