GB2264968A

GB2264968A - Post-and-rail barrier system

Info

Publication number: GB2264968A
Application number: GB9205162A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Francis Ignatius Bradley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-03-10
Filing date: 1992-03-10
Publication date: 1993-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 2012-03-10
Also published as: GB2264968B; EP0560539A1; GB9205162D0

Description

2264968 1 is

TITLE "A barrier system" TECHNICAL FIELD & BACKGROUND ART

The present invention relates to barrier systems of the kind comprising a spaced array of free-standing posts which carry rails extending therebetween and which may be erected quickly, simply and inexpensively to provide what is generally regarded as a temporary barrier. Such barrier systems are well known to indicate safe paths and to isolate haz, ardous regions, typically at building sites, civil engineering and road works and the like. Barrier systems are also known which simply employ an array of adjacently disposed free upstanding posts which may be sufficiently close together to alleviate the requirement for inter- connecting rails.

In the structure of barrier systems of the aforementioned kind. the free standing barrier post is conventionally formed by a post part upstanding from a relatively broad base on which the barrier post stands.

Typically the post part is formed as a plastics moulded cone secured to a relatively broad circular or rectangular base which may also be of plastics or of rubber. While the barrier posts provide a clear indication of pathways, hazardous regions and "no-go areas", the broad bases as aforementioned are themselves found to be a hazard (particularly by visually handicapped persons, users of wheelchairs, pushchairs and the like and generally in poor lighting) by virtue of their necessary projection to provide a stable base for a relatively narrow post part.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a barrier system by which the aforementioned hazard presented by relatively broad based free standing barrier posts is alleviated in an efficient, relatively simple and 2 inexpensive manner which may be aesthetically and environmentally acceptable.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION & ADVANTAGES is According to the present invention there is provided a barrier system comprising a f ree standing barrier post having a post part upstanding from a relatively broad base; rail locating means attached to the barrier post and a rail carried at least in part by the rail locating means, and wherein said rail locating means carries the rail off-set f rom the post part towards the outermost peripheral edge of the base.

By use of the system in accordance with the present invention it is envisaged that several free standing barrier posts will be disposed as a spaced array with their broad bases standing stably on a f loor and rails will extend longitudinally between the adjacent posts with such rails being carried by the rail locating means which are attached to the respective posts. These rail locating means will carry the rails offset from the respective post parts towards the outer peripheral edges of the respective broad bases. Preferably the rails will directly overlie the outer peripheral edges of the respective bases. it is possible however f or the rail locating means to extend outwardly from the post part beyond the broad base of the barrier post to which it is attached so that the rail carried thereby is offset clear of the base to directly overlie the floor (provided that such displacement is unlikely to prejudice the stability of the barrier system).

With this arrangement, persons following the successive rails on the side remote from the post parts are directed clear of the horizontal protrusions presented by the barrier post bases so that such protrusions should no longer present a hazard. The rails may be carried by the 3 rail locating means at any height on the post part and indeed the barrier post may have attached thereto two or more rail locating means for carrying rails at different heights. often the, or a, rail locating means will be attached to the barrier post to carry a rail which extends horizontally relatively close to the floor surface, say at a height from the floor of approximately 15 centimetres, to provide a so-called blind rail which may be sensed through a stick carried by a visually handicapped person. The offsetting of, the rail in the system of the present invention is, of course, advantageous generally in so far as persons coming into contact with, or sensing the general presence of, the rail are naturally guided along a path which should maintain them clear of obstructions presented by the bases of the barrier posts. With this in mind it is preferred that the base is substantially unobtrusive horizontally from the side of the rail remote from the post part beyond a notional vertical planar region which includes the rail and the rail locating means.

Preferably the rail has a flat face which is presented substantially vertically on the side of the rail remote from the post part and the base is substantially unobtrusive horizontally beyond the notional vertical plane which includes the aforementioned vertical face of the rail. Generally the aforementioned vertical face of the rail on the side of the rail remote from the post part will coincide, approximately, with the outermost peripheral edge of the base.

For simplicity in erecting the barrier system it is desirable that the rail and rail locating means can be connected together by a simple coupling, preferably they co-operate in tongue and groove relationship. This cooperation may be provided by an upwardly directed slot in 4 is the rail locating means receiving part length of the rail or by a downwardly directed slot in the rail receiving an upwardly directed tongue of the rail locating means.

Furthermore the rail locating means may provide a coupling for adjacent ends of two rails both of which are carried in part by the rail locating means. This coupling may connect the rails so that two rails extend substantially rectilinearly from each other; it may connect the rails in the formation of a corner between two rails (typically where one rail. extends longitudinally at 900 relative to the other rail), or it may connect two or three rails in the formation of a 'IT" junction between those rails.

Again for simplicity in erecting the barrier system, the rail locating means preferably has a collar, sleeve or cap within which the post part of the barrier post is received for attaching the rail locating means to the barrier post. When the rail locating means is attached to the barrier post it may be supported, at least in part, on the base of that barrier post. It is also possible for the locating means to extend outwardly from the post part and beyond the outermost peripheral edge of the base to be supported, at least in part, directly by the floor surface on which the barrier post stands.

Conveniently the rail locating means includes a warning lamp or a holder therefore which may simply comprise a socket within which a warning lamp is received.

The lamp holder may be located as convenient and appropriate on the rail locating means but where such means provides a coupling for the ends of two rails as previously discussed, it is preferred that the lamp holder is located between the adjacent ends of the two rails which are coupled together.

Preferably the rail locating means is formed as a relatively inexpensive one piece plastics moulding.

Still further according to the present invention there is provided a plastics moulded rail locator for attachment to a barrier post in the construction of a barrier assembly comprising a circular opening for receiving the barrier post and an extension part which extends substantially radially relative to the circular opening and has at its radially outer end coupling means by which a rail is to be connected and carried by said rail locator to extend substantially. parallel to a tangential plane of said circular opening.

DRAWINGS Embodiments of a barrier system constructed in accordance with the present invention -will now be described., by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings, in which:Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of a first embodiment in which the rail locating means couples two rails together rectilinearly; Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the barrier post and rail locating means of Figure 1 and shows a rail being fitted thereto; Figure 4 is a plan view of the rail locating means in the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a perspective view showing part of a rail locating means similar to that shown in Figure 2 but modified for mounting a warning lamp; Figure 6 is a plan view of a rail locating means similar to that shown in Figure 4 but modified for coupling together two rails in a corner formation; Figure 7 is a perspective view showing part of a rail 6 is locating means modif ied from that shown in Figure 6 to include a lamp housing; Figure 8 is a plan view of a rail locating means similar to that shown in Figure 6 and having a different modification to include a lamp housing, and Figures 9 and 10 show side elevations of second and third embodiments respectively for the barrier system with different forms of rail locating means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In each Pf the barrier systems illustrated a single free standing barrier post 1 has been shown simply for convenience but it will be realised that in practice the system will usually have two or more spaced barrier posts 1 interconnected by rails. In each instance the barrier post is considered as a conventional form of free standing hazard warning cone (commonly termed a "road cone") 1 having a generally frusto conical body 2 attached to, and upstanding with its apical nose 3 uppermost from, a rectangular base 4 on which the road cone stands. The side length of the base 4 is considerably greater than the maximum diameter of the conical body 2 to provide a stable structure. Typically the conical body 2 will be a plastics moulding secured to a rubber-like heavy duty base 4. A light ref lective sleeve 5 may be fitted to the conical body 2. Attached to the conical body 2 of the road cone 1 is a rail locator shown generally at 6 which is intended to locate and carry one or more rails 7 which extend between adjacent road cones 1 in the spaced array.

In each instance the rail locator 6 is preferably formed as a one piece plastics moulding having a circular opening within which the body 2 is received.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4 the rail locator 6 has a collar 8 forming a circular aperture 9 within which 7 the conical body 2 is received to attach the locator 6 to the road cone. The collar 8 is formed as an extension of a coupling part 10 on the locator 6. The coupling part 10 has a straight elongated slot 11 which, when the locator 6 is attached to the road cone, is presented upwardly as shown in Figure 4. As will be apparent from Figure 4, the portion 8A of the collar 8 between the aperture 9 and the coupling part 10 extends generally radially relative to the aperture 9 (and therefore relative to the conical body 2) -while the elongated slot 11 extends in a plane substantially parallel with a tangent of the aperture 9 and the conical body 2. Furthermore, the rail locator 6 is arranged so that when the collar 8 is a f irm f it on the conical body 2, the coupling part 10 rests on the base 4 to be supported thereby and the coupling part 10 is offset by the extension 8A from the conical body 2 so that its slot 11 overlies the outermost edge 4A of the base as is best seen in Figure 3.

The longitudinally extending rails 7 are substantially straight and of oblong rectangular shape in lateral section as shown in Figure 3. The slot 11 is sized to receive a rail 7 as a relatively close f it so that the rail is supported above the ground surface on which the road cone 1 stands. The coupling part 10 can receive in its slot 11 opposing ends of two rails 7 to provide what is, in effect, a continuous rail extending between an array of spaced road cones. Preferably the rails have generally flat opposed side faces 7A and when the rails are received in the slot 11, with the road cone 1 standing on a horizontal surface, the faces 7A extend substantially vertically in a planar region which includes the base edge 4A. In the arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 3 the rail 7 is located to present what may be regarded as a "blind 8 is rail" where the bottom edge of the rail is approximately 15 centimetres from the floor surface. A blind rail is primarily intended for use by visually handicapped persons who may locate and f ollow the rail with the aid of a stick.

In this latter use it will be apparent that the location of the rail 7 of f set f rom the conical body 2 will ensure that a person following the rail on the side thereof remote from the conical bodies 2, will not encounter the road cone bases 4 as an obstacle and possible hazard - not only does this apply f9r visually handicapped persons but also generally f or persons moving alongside the rails 7 who will be guided clear of the bases 4.

In Figure 3 the coupling part 10 is shown supported on the outermost marginal edge of the base 4 but if required the rail locator 6 can be modified by increasing the length of its collar extension part 8A and the depth of the coupling part 10 for the latter to be supported directly on the floor surface on which the base 4 stands.

The modified rail locator 6 shown in Figure 5 has an upwardly opening socket 13 formed in its coupling part 10. A battery operated hazard warning lamp indicated at 14 may be received within the socket 13. Desirably the socket 13 is located so that the lamp 14 will be positioned between the opposing ends of two rails which are rectilinearly coupled together by the rail locator.

The rail locator 6 shown in Figure 6 is intended to couple together two rails 7 to form a corner connection in which one rail extends substantially at 900 with respect to the other rail. A comparison of Figures 4 and 6 will show that the locator 6 in Figure 6 is modified from that shown in Figure 4 by having a second coupling part 10A with its longitudinally extending slot 11A formed similarly to the slot 11 in the coupling part 10 but arranged so that 9 the slots 11 and 11A extend at right angles with respect to each other. The slot 11A will overlie the outermost marginal edge of the road cone base 4 in a similar manner to that discussed for the slot 11 and each slot 11 and 11A can receive a rail 7 to form a corner between those rails.

Conveniently the slots 11 and 11A are open at each of their longitudinal ends so that, if required, one of those slots can have a rail extending completely therethrough or can provide a coupling for two rails in a similar manner to that shown in Figure 2 so that a 'IT" junction may be formed by locating a rail 7 in the other of the slots.

The modified form of corner rail locator 6 shown in Figure 7 includes a socket 13 for receiving a warning lamp at the corner that will be formed between adjacent ends of rails 7 that will be received within the slots 11 and 11A. Figure 8 shows a corner rail forming locator 6 similar to that shown in Figure 6 and with a corner lamp holder socket 13 offset from the effective corner that will be formed between rails received in the slots 11 and 11A; those slots 11 and 11A may therefore be open at each end for the purpose of forming a T-junction between the rails as previously discussed.

In the embodiment of Figure 9 the previously mentioned longitudinally extending slot 11 in the coupling part 10 of the rail connector is replaced - by an upstanding The rails 7 are provided with downwardly extending slots 21 which are received as a close sliding fit on the tongue 20 during the erection of the barrier system. With this arrangement it will be appreciated that if two rails 7 are coupled on a common tongue 20 with their adjacent ends in abutment, the rails can present a continuous face 7A to a person moving along the side of the rail remote from the conical body 2.

longitudinally extending tongue 20 The embodiment of the barrier system shown in Figure has a rail locator 6 (shown in section) in which the previously described collar 8 is replaced by a cap part 30 having a frusto conical socket 31. The socket 31 receives the nose 3 of the conical body 2 as a substantially complementary fit to attach the locator 6 firmly on the road cone 1. In this latter arrangement the coupling part 10 may be of f set from the cone body 2 in a similar manner to that previously discussed although it will be apprepiated that the embodiment of Figure 10 is likely to be more appropriate for locating and carrying rails at a greater height than the arrangements previously discussed. Furthermore it will be appreciated that the locator 6 shown in Figure 10 can be modified to provide for a corner or T-junction coupling of rails as shown in Figures 6 to 8, to include the tongue coupling part 20 as shown in Figure 9 and also it may be used in conjunction with the previously described rail locators if it is required for a single road cone to carry upper and lower height rails.

A 11

Claims

1. A barrier system comprising a free standing barrier post having a post part upstanding from a relatively broad base; rail locating means attached to the barrier post and a rail carried at least in part by the rail locating means, and wherein said rail locating means carries the rail offset from the post part towards the outermost peripheral edge of the base.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base is substantially unobtrusive horizontally from the side of the rail remote from the post part beyond a notional vertical planar region which includes the rail and rail locating means.

3. A system as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2 in which the rail presents a substantially vertical face on the side thereof remote from the post part and the base is substantially unobtrusive horizontally beyond the notional vertical plane which includes said vertical face of the rail.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3 in which said vertical face of the rail substantially coincides with the outermost peripheral edge of the base.

5. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the rail locating means extends outwardly of the post part and has at its outer end coupling means with which the rail co-operates to be carried by the locating means.

6. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the rail and rail locating means co-operate in tongue and groove relationship.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6 in which the said cooperation is provided by an upwardly directed slot in the rail locating means receiving a part length of the rail.

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8. A system as claimed in claim 6 in which the said co operation is provided by a downwardly directed slot in the rail receiving an upwardly directed tongue of the rail locating means.

9. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the rail locating means provides a coupling for adjacent ends of two rails both of which are carried in part by that rail locating means.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9 in which the rail locating meanp couples said two rails substantially rectilinearly.

11. A system as claimed in claim 9 in which the rail locating means couples said two rails in the formation of a corner therebetween.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein in the corner formation one rail extends longitudinally substantially at 900 relative to the other.

13. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the rail locating means comprises a collar, sleeve or cap having an opening within which the post part is received for attaching the rail locating means to the barrier post.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13 in which the post part is of circular section and the collar, sleeve or cap has a circular opening within which the post part is received as a substantially complementary fit.

15. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the rail locating means is attached to the barrier post to be supported, at least in part, on the base of the barrier post.

16. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the barrier post comprises a conically formed post part upstanding from the broad base with the apical region w 13 of the post part uppermost.

17. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the rail locating means includes a lamp holder.

18. A system as claimed in claim 17 in which the lamp holder comprises a socket within which a hazard warning lamp is received.

19. A system as claimed in either claim 17 or claim 18 when appendant to any one of claims 9 to 12 in which the lamp holder is located substantially between the adjacent ends of the two rails coupled by the rail locating means.

20. A system as claimed in claim 14 or in any one of claims 15 to 19 when appendant thereto in which the rail locating means includes an extension part which extends substantially radially relative to the circular opening and has at its radially outer end coupling means to which a rail is connected and carried to extend substantially parallel to a tangential plane of said circular aperture.

21. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the rail locating means is formed as a one piece moulding in plastics.

22. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and comprising a spaced array of at least two said barrier posts each having rail locating means attached thereto and the or each pair of adjacent barrier posts in the array being interconnected by a rail carried by the rail locating means of the barrier posts between which it extends.

23. A plastics moulded rail locator for attachment to a barrier post in the construction of a barrier assembly comprising a circular opening for receiving the barrier post and an extension part which extends substantially radially relative to the circular opening and has at its radially outer end coupling means by which a rail is to be connected and carried by said rail locator to extend is 14 substantially parallel to a tangential plane of said circular opening.

24. A locator as claimed in claim 23 in which the coupling means extends longitudinally in a plane substantially parallel with the tangential plane of the circular opening for co-operation longitudinally with a rail to locate the rail in said tangential plane.

25. A barrier system substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.

26. A rail locator as claimed in claim 23 and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.