GRADE ADJUSTABLE BARRIER AND A PREASSEMBLED BARRIER PANEL

Abstract

Preassembled barrier or fence panels are assembled with fasteners and a plurality of slip elements that permit the pickets and cross rails to move relative to each other or rack for installation and grade adjusts in the field without requiring loosening or removal of the fasteners.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a security barrier. More specifically, the present invention relates to pre-assembled panels for a security barrier. Most specifically, the invention relates to security barrier panels that are grade-adjustable as an assembly.

BACKGROUND

The prior art relating to grade adaptable security barriers requires on-site assembly of independent components. Typical, installation of a security barrier requires setting the end posts, securing the cross rails to the end posts, and attaching pickets to the cross rails. This sequential assembly is done on-site to ensure the orientation of the barrier matches the surface grade while the pickets remain substantially vertical. The major drawback to on-site assembly of the individual components is that it is time consuming, weather dependent, and costly.

In view of the above, the industry desires assembled fence panels that are grade-adjustable in the field.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides preassembled barrier panels that are grade adjustable in the field. The cross rails and pickets of the barrier panels are fastened in an assembled with slip elements that permit the pickets and cross rails to move relative to each other in relationship to the grading without requiring loosening or removal of the fasteners. The barrier panels are preferably assembled with a post using a similar fastener and slip element arrangement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, made with reference to the attached drawings where: security

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an assembly of fence panels and post on a horizontal surface;

FIG. 2 illustrates the assembly of FIG. 1 in a racked condition to conform to a changing grade;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an assembly like FIG. 1 with curved pickets;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the connection at the circled area of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the other side of the fastening connections in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a larger sectional view of the fastening connections in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a larger sectional view of the fastening connections in a racked condition;

FIG. 8 is a front view of a preferred assembly in a racked condition with spiked pickets;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a single picket in the assembly of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a front elevation of the picket in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a rear elevation of the picket in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a right side elevation of the picket in FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is a left side elevation of the picket in FIG. 9;

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the picket in FIG. 9;

FIG. 15 is a bottom plan view of the picket in FIG. 9;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of single a picket with a curved top suitable for the assembly in FIG. 8;

FIG. 17 is a front elevation of the picket in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a rear elevation of the picket in FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is a right side elevation of the picket in FIG. 16;

FIG. 20 is a left side elevation of the picket in FIG. 16;

FIG. 21 is a bottom plan view of the picket in FIG. 16; and

FIG. 22 is a top plan view of the picket in FIG. 16.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a section of a security barrier having a post 2 and preassembled fence panels 1 having a plurality of pickets 4, at least two cross rails 6, fasteners 8 that secure the pickets to the cross rails. The preassembled panels also include a plurality of slip element, see 18 in FIG. 4.

The pickets 4 may be straight, as depicted in FIGS. 1, 2 and 9-15, or curved at the top, as depicted in FIGS. 3, 8, and 16-22. For security applications, the tops 10 of the pickets 4 preferably have some form of anti-climbing element, such as the spiked tops as shown. The pickets 4 may be fabricated from bent and pressed metal tubes, such as steel or aluminum, or other material having sufficient strength and rigidity to maintain a stable presence.

The cross rails 6, such as depicted in FIGS. 4 and 7, are preferable channeled bars that have a “C” and are arranged parallel to each other and vertically spaced over the picket's vertical length. In a preferred assembly, the gap between pickets 4 are sufficiently narrow, approximately four or less inches apart and preferably 3.75 inches apart, to deter or hinder intruders from using the cross rails as a means of traversing the security barrier. The pickets 4 preferably maintain a generally perpendicular relationship to the cross rails 6. The pickets 4 and the cross rails 6 have complementary apertures that align and to receive fasteners joining the pickets and rails as an assembly.

The pickets 4 and cross rails 6, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7, are secured by fasteners 8, such as bolt 14 and nut 16 as shown in FIG. 4, through the aligned apertures in the pickets 4 and the cross rails 6. Preferably, the bolt head is of a tamper resistance style and the nut 16 is of a break-away style that fractures under a predetermined load and leaves a conically shaped, tamper resistant body. One suitable fastener arrangement bolts and nuts are Loss Prevention Fasteners from Ultra Fasteners that have nut and bolts that break-away under the application of adequate torque. Another suitable arrangement of nut and bolts are stainless steel carriage bolts and Trident® stainless steel nuts available from Tanner Bolt and Nut Corp. of Brooklyn, N.Y.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a plurality of pickets 4 fastened to a cross rail 6 of what might be termed the exterior of the barrier and FIG. 7 depicts what might be termed the interior or opposite side to that of FIGS. 5 and 6.

Reference again to FIG. 4, the fastening arrangement for assembled barrier panel includes at least one slip element 18 that is located between the abutment of each picket 4 and each cross rail 6. The slip element 18 is a washer like disc that is located between abutment of each picket 4 and each cross rail 6 and enables movement between them when the panel is in and application where it is racked to a grade and secured in place. Preferably, multiple slip elements 18 are located between the bolt head and the picket 4 and between the nut 16 and the cross rail 6. In this configuration, each fastening point has three slip elements 18. One acceptable slip element is a nylon washer manufactured by Seastrom Manufacturing Co., Inc of Twin Falls, Id.

Advantageously, the slip element 18 allows the grade-adjustment or racking such that the cross rails 6 substantially match the contour of surface 12, see FIGS. 2 and 8, and the pickets 4 and posts 2 remain generally vertical as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 8. A major advantage of the slip elements 18 is that they allow the assembled panel to be grade-adjustable as an assembly without loosening the fasteners or disassembling the panel. In other words, the slip elements permit the pickets and cross rails within an assembled panel to move relative to each other without requiring loosening or removal of the fasteners. One advantage of the preferred panels is that panel assemble within an overall protective barrier does not require panel assembly to be carried out at the job site when weather or conditions at the job site may make the operation more difficult.

Referring again to FIGS. 4 and 7, the preferred post 2 for an assembled security barrier has projecting attachment plates 20 connected to the post 2, preferably by welding, for securing the cross rails 6 to the post 2. The connecting plates 20 are position on the posts 2 at desired heights which approximates the desired positions of the rails 6 relative to the post 2 when the post 2 is secured in place.

The attachment 20 is sized and shaped to fit between the flanges 22 of the cross rail 6, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. The sizing of plate 20 and the space between flanges 22 of cross rail 6 are selected to accommodate the angular change in the cross rail 6 due to racking of the panel. Additionally, the plate 20 may have relief notches 24 in its upper and lower portions to enable greater racking by permitting the respective flange 22 to extend beyond the respective surface 24. The fastener connecting the plate 20 and cross rail 6 preferably have a slip arrangement as described before in the event additional adjustment is desired in the overall barrier, however it may be any fixed connection that is tamper resistant.

FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 7 depict a post 2. The post 2 may be configured to connect to successive panels as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or as an end post as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. The post 2 also may be configured to form a return by planning the plate 20 at various angles, such as 90 degrees to the prior panel to run the barrier perpendicular from that panel.

Claims

1. A grade-adjustable fence panel comprising:

at least two cross rails, each cross rail having a plurality of predetermined apertures;

a plurality of pickets, each picket having an aperture that mates with at least one aperture among the plurality of apertures in a respective one of the at least two cross rails;

a plurality of fasteners that connect a respective picket to a respective cross rail; and

at least one slip element that is located between the respective picket and the respective cross rail and is retained in place by a fastener positioned within mating apertures in the respective picket and the respective cross rail.

2. The grade-adjustable fence panel of claim 1, wherein the fastener comprises a bolt and a tightening member.

3. The grade-adjustable fence panel of claim 2, wherein at least one of the bolt and the tightening member has a break-away portion.

4. The grade-adjustable fence panel of claim 1, wherein the slip element is a nylon washer.

5. The grade-adjustable fence panel of claim 1, wherein the fastener is tamper-proof.

6. The grade-adjustable fence panel of claim 1, wherein the slip element is located between the fastener and the cross rail.

7. The grade-adjustable fence panel of claim 1, wherein the slip element is located between the fastener and the picket.

8. The grade-adjustable fence panel of claim 1, wherein the slip element is located between the picket and the cross rail.

9. The grade-adjustable fence panel of claim 1, wherein at least one of the pickets is straight.

10. The grade-adjustable fence panel of claim 1, wherein at least one of the pickets is curved.

11. The grade-adjustable fence panel of claim 1, wherein the pickets are spaced from each other by a distance that is no greater than four inches.

12. The grade-adjustable fence panel of claim 1, wherein the pickets are spaced from each other by a distance that is no greater than three and three-quarters inches.

13. A security barrier comprising:

at least two vertically disposed posts wherein each post is adapted to interconnect to each cross rail of at least one grade-adjustable fence panel; and

at least one grade-adjustable fence panel as defined in claim 1.

14. The security barrier of claim 13, wherein the vertically disposed posts are steel tubes.

15. The security barrier of claim 14, wherein the cross rails are steel rails.

16. The security barrier of claim 15, wherein the pickets are steel pickets.

17. A grade-adjustable fence panel comprising:

at least two cross rails;

a plurality of pickets;

a plurality of tamper resistant fasteners that connect the plurality of pickets to the cross rails in an assembled fence panel; and,

a plurality of slip elements,

wherein each of the plurality of tamper resistant fasteners secures at least one slip element between a respective picket and a respective cross rail and the assembled fence panel racks for grade adjustment.

18. The grade-adjustable fence panel of claim 17, wherein the fastener has two components and at least one of the two components has a break-away portion.