The present patent application for industrial invention relates to a safety end piece for road barriers.
The peculiarities and advantages of the present invention will be more evident after a short description of the prior art.
As it is known, a road barrier consists in a structure disposed along the edge of a road, with the purpose of retaining the vehicles that may deviate from the correct trajectory towards the exterior of the carriageway, without severe risks for the safety of the passengers.
The most typical and most popular road barriers are metal guardrails that are substantially formed of long bands made of heavy corrugated sheet iron that are horizontally supported by a suitable set of sturdy metal posts that are fixed to the ground.
The large popularity of these road barriers all over the world is the confirmation of their great efficacy.
In spite of the above, the road barriers of the prior art are impaired by a considerable drawback.
Reference is made to the fact that such road barriers involve a considerable risk for the safety of the vehicles and of the passengers when they are frontally hit in their initial end by an out of control vehicle.
In fact, in such a case, being disposed in edgewise position, the end of any road barrier tends to act on the vehicle as a blade, concentrating the impact on a small surface and having a very high penetrating force.
Evidently, such a dangerous effect is amplified because, after a similar shock, the vehicle is abruptly stopped against the road barrier, without the possibility of sliding in a guided way along the barrier and of progressively dissipating the energy of the impact.
In such a case, the occupants of the vehicle are likely to suffer severe traumas due to the sudden deceleration.
The specific purpose of the present invention is to devise a wood end piece with progressive impact absorption, which is suitable for being mounted at the ends of traditional road barriers.
Its function is to absorb and gradually dissipate, as if it were a sort of shock-absorber, the kinetic energy of a vehicle that hits the road barrier in axial direction because of an unexpected deviation from the correct traveling direction.
In order to achieve a similar function, the end piece of the invention substantially consists in a beam of laminated wood with horizontal direction that is fixed to the ground by means of a suitable column, in correspondence of its back end, and is supported for the remaining length by a number of sliding support means that are spaced regularly and are capable of sliding relative to a rectilinear guide fixed to the ground.
The additional part of said end piece consists in a slider suitable for sliding relative to the guide, which is mounted in the initial end of said beam and is consequently suitable for becoming the impact point when a vehicle deviates from its traveling direction and hits the end piece in axial direction.
In particular, said slider has a box body suitable for exactly containing the front end of said beam made of laminated wood; it being also provided that said box body is internally provided with a set of especially sharp blades that are directed towards the beam.
In such a situation, the impact caused by an out of control vehicle will determine the energetic forward movement of said slider towards the wooden beam, in such a way that its blades will progressively cut the structure of the beam along substantially longitudinal cutting lines, gradually slicing and chipping the beam.
Naturally, the wood of the beam will offer a significant resistance against the cutting action of said blades and against the thrust exerted by the out of control vehicle against said slider.
Such a resistance capacity that is guaranteed by the beam against the forward movement of the slider will generate the shock-absorbing effect that tends to progressively slow down the out of control vehicle until it is stopped.
It must be noted that, when the slider is moved forward because the impact with the vehicle, the slider is also capable of fulfilling two additional functions.
On one side, it will eject the splinters and the chips of wood that are gradually removed by the blades from the structure of said beam made of laminated wood.
On the other side, while the beam is chipped and its length is reduced, the slider will successively interfere with the various sliding support means that support the beam horizontally.
Because of such an interference, the various sliding support means are forced to slide forward along the guide, ultimately stopping one against the other and reducing the distance that initially existed between them, in proportion to the reduction of the length of the beam.
According to this first description, it can be easily understood the reason why the beam is made with laminated wood, it being a type of wood provided with a wood fiber that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the beam.
In view of the above, such a beam can be cut by the blades of the slider with a suitable resistance to generate the shock-absorbing effect that guarantees the desired progressive slowing down the vehicle after frontally hitting the slider.
For the sake of clarity, the description of the invention continues with reference to the attached drawings, which have a merely illustrative, not limiting value, wherein:
With reference to the appended figures, the end piece (T) consists in an apparatus formed of some cooperating parts.
The first part consists in a track (1) suitable for being fixed to the ground on the edge of a carriageway, in aligned position in front of an ordinary safety road barrier, possibly an ordinary guardrail.
In order to favor the firm fixing of the track (1) to the ground, the track (1) is provided in lower position with a set of posts (100) suitable for deeply penetrating the ground.
With reference to
Said two C-shaped guides (11a, 11b) are firmly fixed in parallel position by means of a set of crosspieces (11c); it being provided that each one of said crosspieces (11c) is also the fixing point of a post (100).
The second part of the end piece (T) according to the invention consists in a sliding support means (2) suitable for being used from time to time in the desired number of pieces, as expressly shown in
Said sliding support means (2) is provided at the base with a slide (20) suitable for being transversely and exactly inserted between said two C-shaped guides (11a, 11b) of the track (1) with the possibility of freely sliding.
Said slide (20) is provided in upper position with an upright (21) disposed in off-centered position, and more precisely, protruding near the first one (11a) of the two C-shaped guides of the track (1).
Said upright (21) is provided on the internal side (21a)—i.e. the side facing the second C-shaped guide (11b) of the track (1)—with a pair of hooked brackets (22, 23) that are aligned vertically, but lie at different heights, provided with a substantially L-shaped profile in the portion that protrudes from said upright (21).
As a matter of fact, the upper bracket (22), which is fixed at the top of the upright (21), comprises a horizontal wing (21) joined at the end with a downward-facing vertical wing (22b).
The lower bracket (23), which is fixed under the upper bracket (22), comprises a horizontal wing (23a) joined at the end with an upward-facing vertical wing (22b), which is preferably suitable for being perfectly aligned with the vertical wing (22b) of the upper bracket (22).
It can be said that said two brackets (22, 23) are practically configured as a pair of tightening jaws.
With reference to
Said beam (3) has a rectangular section that is developed vertically, being defined by a first vertical wall (3a), a second vertical wall (3b), an upper horizontal wall (3c) and a lower horizontal wall (3d); and being also provided that the upper horizontal wall (3c) and the lower horizontal wall (3d) are provided with central longitudinal grooves (24a, 24b).
Within such a configuration, the beam (3) has a height (H) that is substantially identical to the vertical distance that is established between the horizontal wing (22a) of said upper bracket (22) and the horizontal wing (23a) of the lower bracket (23), and a width (L) that is substantially double than the horizontal distance that is established between each one of said vertical wings (22b, 23b) of the two brackets (22, 23) and the upright (21).
In view of the above, as shown in
In such a way, the beam (3) is held in projecting position relative to the upright (21) of the slide supporting means (2), in the central line of the slide (20) of the sliding support means (2).
With reference to
Because of such a condition, in the initial operating position of the beam (3), the back end (30a) of the beam (3) is rigidly fixed in the back end (10a) of the track (1), whereas its front end (30b) is disposed in a considerably more internal position relative to the front end (10b) of the track (1).
With reference to
Said column (4) is suitably provided with a base plate (4a), with a substantially rectangular shape, suitable for being inserted and firmly screwed between said two C-shaped guides (11a, 11b) of the track (1) in said back end (10a) of the track (1).
A box vertical arm (4b) protrudes in upper position from said plate (4a) in off-centered position relative to said plate (4a), it lying in the proximity of the first one (11a) of said first C-shaped guide (11a) of the track (1).
In view of the above, in the operating position of the end piece (T) of the invention, the vertical arm (4b) is perfectly aligned with said uprights (21) provided in the sliding support means (2).
The function of said vertical arm (4b) is to support a rectangular sleeve (4c) in projecting position, substantially in correspondence of the central line of the plate (4a), said rectangular sleeve (4c) being suitable for exactly receiving said first end (30a) of the beam (3).
In particular, such a sleeve (4c) is disposed in such a way to be perfectly aligned with the pairs of said hooked brackets (22, 23) provided in the sliding support means (2), being suitable for supporting the intermediate points of the beam (3).
As shown in
With reference to
The holes (4a′) provided on the longitudinal edges of the plate (4) are suitable for receiving screws with horizontal axis (V2) inserted in holes with horizontal axis obtained on the two C-shaped guides (11a, 11b) of the track (1) and suitable for firmly fixing said plate (4) inside said back end (10a) of the track (1).
With reference to
The slider (5) has a base frame (50) with rectangular shape, formed of two transverse sections (50a, 50b) connected at right angle by two longitudinal sections (50c, 50d); it being provided that the two transverse sections (50a, 50b) are suitable for being exactly inserted between the two C-shaped guides (11a, 11b) of the track (1) with possibility of sliding freely.
A framework (IN) is provided above the base frame (50) and formed of four vertical rods (50a′, 50a″, 50b′, 50b″) that substantially protrude upwards from the four corners of said frame (50) to support a box body (CS) with horizontal development in upper position, which is suitable for exactly housing the front end (30b) of the beam (3) in the non-operating position.
More precisely, a first vertical rod (50a′) and a second vertical rod (50a″) protrude from the two ends of the first transverse section (50a), said vertical rods (50a′, 50a″) being identical and externally fixed, at least on top, to a vertical panel (55) that practically is the front surface of the slider (5).
A third vertical rod (50b″), with the same height as the two rods (50a′, 50a″) of the first transverse section (50a), and a fourth vertical rod (50b′), with a substantially halved height, respectively protrude from the two ends of the second transverse section (50b), said fourth vertical rod (50b′) being joined and fixed to the third vertical rod (50b″) by means of a crossbar (50b′″).
The box body (CS) is formed of a first side (56a) and a second side (56b) disposed in opposite position, wherein the first side (56a) is fixed between said first vertical rod (50a′) and fourth vertical rod (50b′) of the framework (IN), whereas the second side (56b) is fixed between said second vertical rod (50a″) and said third vertical rod (50b″).
Said box body (CS) is frontally covered by said panel (55), whereas is provided in the back with a mouth (57) that extends vertically between said two sides (56a, 56b); it being provided that the width of said mouth (57)—just like the center distance between the two sides (56a, 56b)—is slightly higher than said width (L) of the beam (3) and the height of said mouth (57) is slightly higher than said height (H) of the beam (3).
It must be noted that two sets of blades (58a, 58b) are fixed between said sides (56a, 57a) of said box body (CS), of which the upper set (58a) is curved upwards, towards the upper opening (59a) provided between said two sides (56a, 57a), whereas the lower set (58b) is curved downwards, towards the lower opening (59b) provided between the sides (56a, 57a).
The points of said blades (58a, 58b) are disposed in slightly backward position relative to said mouth (57) of the box body (CS); it being provided that the free space that is generated immediately behind the mouth (57) is suitable for housing said front end (30b) of the beam (3), in the non-operating position of the slider (5), as shown in
Moreover, it must be noted that said box body (CS) is positioned in said vertical framework (IN) in such a way to be horizontally aligned with the pairs of brackets (22, 23) provided in said sliding support means (2) and with the sleeve (4c) of said column (4), when the slider (5) is inserted in the track (1), because all these parts are suitable for cooperating with the same horizontal beam (3).
After illustrating the structure of the end piece of the invention (T), this description continues by illustrating its operating mode.
In such a position, the following conditions are given:
In such a case, the slider (5) is energetically pushed forward along the track (1), in such a condition that:
With reference to
Because of its curvature, said partition (54) practically acts as deflector, it being capable of favoring the ejection towards one side of the slider (5) of the wooden chips produced by the blades (58a, 58b) that may be intercepted by the slider (5) during its forward travel along the track (1) and may otherwise interfere with the correct forward travel.
A sloping wing (53) is transversally mounted, immediately above said mouth (57) of the box body (CS), it being suitable for conveying upwards—and more precisely towards said upper opening (59a) of the box body (CS)—the wood chips that may be intercepted by the slider (5) while sliding along the track (1).
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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102019000002773 | Feb 2019 | IT | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2020/050707 | 1/13/2020 | WO |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2020/173612 | 9/3/2020 | WO | A |
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International Search Report for corresponding PCT/EP2020/050707, dated Feb. 4, 2020. |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20220213658 A1 | Jul 2022 | US |