The present invention relates to a security barrier for forcing vehicles to a stop, and in particular to a security barrier for preventing vehicles from accessing pedestrian zones or security zones, such as military installations, official or civilian buildings.
Security barriers are already known and are generally used for protecting military locations and sensitive targets in general. Current terrorist activities, in which a vehicle has been driven, while moving, into a crowd, have made it necessary to systematically protect pedestrian zones against the intrusion of vehicles.
While sensitive objects can be protected by using fixed structures (for example with fixings or anchorages mounted beneath the roadway), the protection of urban and civilian areas generally requires the use of mobile and/or easily re-erectable security barriers.
Modular re-erectable security barriers are already known, which security barriers are conventionally composed of L-shaped elements which can be connected together by transverse elements and may optionally have elements which are designed to damage the tyres and transmission members of the vehicle. Examples of such structures are described in WO2016630886 A1.
Although the structures of this type which are already known can easily be transported, installed and removed, they are not suitable for above-ground and underground applications because they can cause the protrusion of vehicle parts with dangerous consequences for the surrounding crowd of people in every case.
In practice, inadequate structures are frequently used, such as, for example, road barriers of the Jersey type or concrete blocks which are arranged transversely to the direction of a potential intrusion of a vehicle. Not only are these structures heavy, cumbersome and scarcely aesthetically pleasing, but they are also unable to stop within a limited space a vehicle that is wilfully being driven at high speed, and they are also heavy to transport and remove.
It is therefore necessary to develop road barriers which are easy to transport, install and remove, have an increased stopping efficiency and do not cause protruding parts in the surrounding area.
The above object is achieved by a security barrier according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are to be found in the dependent claims.
The spur of the security barrier can have a straight edge. The spur preferably has multiple indentations. Alternatively, in a particularly preferred embodiment, the spur can be tapered, that is to say can have an arrowhead-shaped form, or can have the shape of a hook/claw. As a result, the spur can penetrate more deeply and more firmly into the substrate/ground. Furthermore, stiffening structures, for example metal reinforcing plates, for the spur can be provided on the security barrier, as a result of which deformation of the spur can be reduced or even eliminated.
The vertical bars of the frame can each have a lower vertical portion and an upper inclined portion, wherein the upper portion is inclined towards the hinges. The upper inclined portion is preferably orthogonal with respect to a bar of the load structure, preferably orthogonal with respect to the lower sloping bar. The lower end of the upper inclined portion is preferably connected directly to the lower sloping bar of the load structure. Further preferably, the lower sloping bar of the load structure is likewise connected directly to the upper end of the lower vertical portion. As a result of these measures, the spur can penetrate even more deeply and more firmly into the substrate/ground. In addition, lifting of the security barrier can be reduced. Such lifting can occur if the vehicle that strikes the security barrier pushes against the upper transverse bar from beneath with the A-pillar.
The base plate can have a tyre killer, which can be produced from one or more pointed metal plates. The tyre killer is preferably positioned on the upper surface of the base plate in front of the frame, that is to say on the opposite side of the frame to the load structure. As a result, the vehicle can be rendered unfit to drive even before the impact with the frame. In addition, the sudden bursting of the front tyres generates a force component coming from the vehicle downwards and towards the base plate, which can have the result that the spur penetrates more deeply and more firmly into the substrate/ground and lifting of the security barrier from the substrate/ground is reduced or prevented. In addition, the vehicle penetrates more deeply into the frame. Alternatively, the tyre killer can be provided on the base plate between the load structure. The tyre killer would thus be housed in a protected manner, as a result of which this embodiment would also be safe because passers-by cannot injure themselves on the concealed tyre killer.
The base plate can have a front portion which extends forwards from the frame, that is to say in the opposite direction of the frame to the load structure, wherein the length of the front portion is so chosen that it is greater than or equal to a length between the front tyres and the front of a truck. The front portion is preferably at least as long as the frame in its normal position is high. The base plate can preferably be extended so that the length of the front portion can be adapted to requirements. The base plate can preferably be extended telescopically or in a folding manner.
Between the load structures there can be provided at least one additional auxiliary load structure which preferably corresponds to the lower sloping bars of the load structures, wherein the auxiliary load structure can also be identically connected to the base plate and preferably forms a spur. This auxiliary load structure or multiple such auxiliary load structures can be connected to one another or to the frame by means of longitudinal or transverse members at their end remote from the spur. As a result, the efficiency of the security barrier can be increased, since it is possible to damage the vehicle radiator, which increases the likelihood of the vehicle being unfit to drive.
The base plate can have rubber sheets or rubberised runners on the underside, as a result of which the friction of the base plate is increased and displacement and lifting of the base plate can thus be reduced or prevented.
The above object is likewise achieved by a security barrier system having security barriers described herein which are coupled with one another, wherein the coupling can take place by means of multiple transverse bars or transverse members. Preferably by means of transverse members which are mounted in or on an upper or lower transverse bar of the frame. For the purpose of coupling, the security barrier can have elongated holes, preferably vertical elongated holes.
The security barrier can have one or more auxiliary load structures arranged in front of it, wherein each structure preferably has an impact member which is preferably pivotably connected to the base plate. A nail structure can preferably protrude from the impact member.
The security barrier can have a tyre killer, or vehicle barbed structure, directed towards the base plate.
The security barrier can have a tyre killer which is protected by a cover.
For better understanding of the present invention, some preferred embodiments are described hereinbelow by means of non-limiting examples and with reference to the accompanying drawings:
With reference to the figures, a security barrier for forcing vehicles to a stop is designated 1 as a whole.
The security barrier 1 has substantially the following: a base plate 2, a front frame 3 which in elevation extends above the base plate 2, and a pair of lateral load structures 4 which are configured to connect opposite sides of the frame 3 to the base plate 2 according to the description given hereinbelow.
The frame 3 consists of a pair of vertical bars 5, which represent opposite sides of the frame itself, and of a pair of upper and lower transverse bars 6, 7, which are connected to the upper ends 8 and the lower ends 9 of the vertical bars 5 (or in the vicinity thereof). The lower ends 9 of the vertical bars 5 lie on the base plate 2.
Each load structure 4 has a lower sloping bar 11 and an upper sloping bar 12, the respective ends of which are connected to the frame 3 and the opposite ends of which are connected together at a node 13, so that they form a nose/spur 14 which is configured for contacting the ground outside the base plate 2. This spur 14 can be of different forms. In
The lower sloping bar 11 is connected to the associated vertical bar 5 in the vicinity of the lower end 9, but at a certain distance from the base plate 2; the upper sloping bar 12 is connected to the frame 3 at an associated lateral end of the upper transverse bar 6 or, alternatively, at the upper end 8 of the associated vertical bar 5.
The lower sloping bars 11 define associated longitudinal rails 20, which receive the bolts/pins 21 of corresponding hinges 22 which connect the load structures 4 to associated plate pairs 26 which are fastened to the base plate 2 on both sides of each load structure 4. The pins 21 of the hinges 22 define a hinge axis A about which the frame 3 and the associated load structures 4 are able to rotate relative to the base plate 2.
An embodiment of the frame 3 shown in
The base plate 2 is advantageously made of steel and provided with a lower surface with increased friction, preferably with a higher friction than an upper surface of the base plate 2, which lower surface is configured to ensure greater adhesion to the ground in the event of an impact. For this purpose, the base plate 2 can be provided with a rubber coating having increased resistance, for example HNBR, or with special coatings, or it can have surface features (for example elevations or teeth) which increase its adhesion to the ground. An embodiment of the base plate 2 with rubber mats/rubberised runners 29 is shown in
A base plate 2 shown in
An embodiment of the base plate 2 shown in
As can clearly be seen from the plan view of
The height of the frame 3 is preferably such that the upper transverse bars 6 are positioned above the front part of a car or truck.
An embodiment of the security barrier 1 shown in
In an embodiment of the security barrier 1 shown in
The functioning of the security barrier 1 is as follows.
In the event of an impact, the security barrier 1 is exposed to an impact force against the frame 3 and at the same time to the weight of the vehicle, which causes the base plate 2 to adhere to the ground. As a result of the impact and the friction between the base plate 2 and the ground caused by the weight of the vehicle, the frame 3 tends to be displaced in the direction of movement of the vehicle, which causes the pins 21 and the associated rails 20 to slide relative to one another (
Owing to the inclination of the rails 20, this relative sliding tends to lower the spurs 14 and thus drive them into the ground. The whole security barrier 1 and the vehicle itself therefore tend to rotate upwards about the pivot point which is formed by the locking point of the spurs 14 in the ground. The kinetic energy of the vehicle is thus converted into potential energy which causes the vehicle itself to be lifted, wherein the continued movement of the security barrier 1 in the direction of movement of the vehicle is limited on account of the increased friction of the base plate 2 and the spurs 14 with the ground.
As can clearly be seen from
According to the embodiment in
In the embodiment of
In the embodiment of
In the embodiment of
The functioning of the security barrier 40 is substantially identical to the preceding description; the presence of the further transverse bar 42 is advantageous for stopping vehicles with large dimensions, such as delivery vehicles and trucks.
The security barrier 50 differs from the preceding security barriers 1, 40 by the fact that it has two hinges 22a, 22b for each load structure 4 instead of a single hinge 22 according to the preceding embodiments, having associated pins 21 which slide inside the rail 20 and have associated mutually parallel axes A, B.
In this case, the frame 3 is initially raised with respect to the base plate 2, that is to say it is spaced apart from the base plate 2, preferably by a distance at which the frame 3 covers, preferably completely, the hinges 22a, 22b in a direction parallel to the base plate, further preferably at a distance greater than 0 mm and less than the shortest distance from the base plate 2 to the next hinge 22b or pin 21. Following an impact of the vehicle against the frame 3, the load structures 4 are forced by the pins 21 to move in the direction of the rail 20, and the spurs 14 are therefore necessarily driven into the ground.
In
Thus, the two security barriers 50 shown, which are located next to one another and coupled with one another, are coupled by means of a plurality of transverse or threaded bars 24a, which are mounted via corresponding bores 24c in the vertical bars 5. The coupling can likewise take place by means of transverse or threaded bars (not shown) via vertical elongated bores 24d, which are preferably arranged at regular intervals along the upper sloping bars 12. Such elongated bores can alternatively or additionally be provided for the vertical bars 5 (not shown). In this manner, a simple height compensation between two security barriers 50 that are to be coupled can be achieved. For example, if one of the security barriers 50 is located on the roadway and the other security barrier 50 is located on a higher footpath.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, forward auxiliary load structures 43 are provided, which auxiliary load structures are connected to the base plate 2 in front of the frame 3, that is to say on the opposite side of the frame 3 to the load structure 4. In the embodiment shown, the auxiliary load structures are arranged at regular intervals from one another and along the frame 3, from which they are spaced apart. The forward auxiliary load structures 43 have the function of utilising the energy of an impacting vehicle to fix the base plate 2 and thus the security barrier 50 more firmly to the substrate/ground. For this purpose, a forward auxiliary load structure 43 has a receiver 44 which is articulated with the base plate 2 and on which an impact member 45 is pivotably mounted at one end with respect to the base plate 2. This impact member 45, preferably in the form of a C-shaped profile which is open towards the frame 3, is held in its normal position, here substantially perpendicularly to the base plate 2, by means of a bar 46, which is preferably inclined by 45° relative to the base plate 2. To that end, the bar 46 is articulated at one end with the impact member 45, close to the other end of the impact member 45. The opposite free end 47 (see
Finally, further embodiments of the tyre killer are also shown. One embodiment provides that a tyre killer 27a projects downwards from the upper transverse bar 6 in the direction towards the base plate 2. This has the purpose in particular that the vehicle cannot detach itself from the security barrier 50 again following a collision or an impact. The tyre killer 27a thereby engages into the body, in particular into the bonnet and/or A-pillar, of the impacting vehicle. For this reason, this tyre killer 27a can be referred to as a vehicle barbed structure 27a, which prevents the vehicle that has penetrated the frame 3 from being detached or freed from the security barrier 50 in an opposite direction of the frame 3 to the load structure 4.
A further embodiment of the tyre killer 27b provides that the tyre killer is positioned on the upper surface of the base plate 2 in front of the frame 3, that is to say on the opposite side of the frame 3 to the load structure 4, and that it is protected from above by means of a cover 49. This cover 49 can extend away from the lower transverse bar 7 and can preferably be made of sheet metal. The tyre killer 27b made of sheet metal here has a triangular shape, wherein the hypotenuse points away from both the base plate 2 and the frame 3.
The described embodiments of the tyre killer 27a,b,c can be combined with one another as desired. In particular, the upper tyre killer 27a can be combined with one or both of the lower tyre killers 27b, 27c.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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102018000003101 | Feb 2018 | IT | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2019/054702 | 2/26/2019 | WO | 00 |