Crowd control barrier

A portable crowd control barrier for use in sporting or entertainment events having lightweight body members formed of a resiliently deformable material and each defining an interior chamber and having slots formed in endwalls thereof to receive wooden studs such that the introduction of liquid into the interior chambers deforms the body members, clamping the walls of the slots against the studs and locking the system in place.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a portable barrier system, and more 
particularly, a barrier system for use with outdoor activities such as 
athletic events which require a predefined field layout or for use with 
entertainment events having an outdoor stage where a discreet distance 
between spectators and the stage is desired to be maintained. 
In the prior art, portable athletic event barriers have generally been 
relatively expensive and difficult to erect and disassemble before and 
after the athletic events. Generally such prior art barriers are of a 
relatively low height which a spectator might easily step across. The 
basic function of the prior art devices was merely to outline the area of 
play and the area beyond which it was desired to maintain control of 
spectators. Additionally, the prior art also describes various embodiments 
of highway and construction barriers one of which is the New Jersey style 
barrier. 
The New Jersey style barrier has a relatively wide base having side walls 
which extend upwardly from the pavement a short distance; thereafter the 
walls of the barrier extend upwardly and inwardly for a distance; and 
finally, the upper portion of the barrier extends upwardly in a vertical 
plane. In the past, the barriers were made of poured concrete. The 
disadvantages of this was occasioned by the high weight which occasioned 
special equipment for handling the barriers. More recently, however, the 
highway barriers have been made from a semi-rigid plastic material having 
an opening to permit liquid to be introduced into the interior to give 
weight or ballast and an opening near the bottom to permit the liquid to 
be drained in order that the barriers might be easily moved for 
relocation. 
One disadvantage of these later barriers was the intricate means of 
interlocking one barrier end onto another such that problems were 
occasioned by production molding of the barriers. Additionally, one type 
of barrier required lifting and sliding the ends into interlocking 
relation while other barrier types required use of a metal pin or post to 
join them. Further, the construction type barrier is generally not of a 
configuration and height to be conveniently used in spectator type 
situations. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of this invention to provide a crowd control barrier which 
is relatively light in weight for ease of transportation and which 
provides sufficient height to control access of a crowd to the playing or 
entertainment area while permitting the spectators to easily view the 
event. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a crowd 
control barrier which may be easily positioned in the desired 
configuration and rigidly locked into place. 
The above objects are provided by the crowd control barrier of the present 
invention which comprises an elongated hollow container having a base 
portion, having a first vertical side wall extending upwardly 
perpendicular to the base portion a predetermined distance, a second 
vertical side wall extending upward a lesser distance, and a third 
vertical side wall thereafter extending upward in an inwardly sloping 
direction and a top portion joining the upper extremities of the first 
side wall and the third or sloping side wall. Additionally, end walls are 
provided to enclose the unit and a means to allow it to be filled with a 
liquid and a means to discharge the liquid are formed into the unit. 
Further, two cylindrical recesses are formed in the top portion, 
perpendicular thereto and extending into the interior of the unit to 
permit a net or the like to be placed above the unit for added safety or 
security. 
A pair of recesses are formed into the base unit to permit use of a 
forklift in moving and arranging the unit. Further, a pair of spaced-apart 
slots are formed in each end wall such that they may be placed over a 
section of a standard dimension wooden board such as a 2".times.4" stud 
having a predetermined length. When placed into position over the 
2.times.4 studs and abutted end to end with another unit, filling the unit 
with a liquid causes the semi-rigid plastic material to deform slightly 
clamping the 2.times.4 studs into place and providing a locking means for 
the system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to FIG. 1, the barrier system 10 of the present invention 
includes a number of straight control barrier units 12 and a curved 
control barrier unit 40 joined together in a manner hereinafter set forth. 
Each barrier unit 12, 40 of the invention comprises an elongated hollow 
container having a base portion 19 with side walls 20, 22, end walls 16, 
18 and a bottom 14. Side walls 20, 22 rise substantially vertical with 
side wall 20 extending upward a distance greater than the vertical rise of 
side wall 22. An intermediate wall portion 24 extends inwardly from the 
upper edge of side wall 22 toward the upper edge of side wall 20. A top 
portion 26 is joined to end walls 16, 18 and side wall 20 and intermediate 
wall 24 to enclose the barrier units 12, 40. One embodiment of the present 
invention envisions a base footprint of 33/4'.times.51/2'.times.4' in 
height. 
Cylindrical, recessed fill plugs 25,31 are formed in top 26 to permit, when 
either plug is removed, a liquid to be introduced into the interior 
chamber of barrier units 12, 40. Additionally, the fill plugs 25,31 are 
dimensioned to receive a pair of cylindrical uprights (not shown) which 
may be used to support a net or the like therebetween for added safety or 
security. Likewise, a recessed drain plug 27 is formed into side wall 22 
to permit draining the liquid from the interior chamber of barrier units 
12, 40 when it is desired to relocate or reposition the barrier 10. 
Still referring to FIGS. 2A through 2C, a plurality of notches or slots 30 
are formed at the juncture of bottom 14 and end walls 16, 18. An equal 
number of slots 30 are formed in each side wall 16, 18 and extend a 
predetermined distance from side wall 16, 18 toward the opposing side wall 
18, 16 respectively. The slots are further positioned so that when an end 
16 is abutted to an end 18 the slots 30 in each end 16, 18 are in 
alignment. Each slot 30 is dimensioned to receive in relatively snug fit, 
a standard 2".times.4" wood stud or board 32 dimensioned such that when an 
end wall 18 of one unit 12 or 40 is abutted against an end wall 16 of a 
second unit 12 or 40, the 2.times.4 stud 32 positioned in slot 30 will be 
in snug contact with the surfaces of slot 30. 
Still referring to FIG. 2, a second set of slots 28 are formed at the 
juncture of bottom 14 and sidewall 22 and extend from sidewall 22 inwardly 
a predetermined distance toward side 20. The slots are dimensioned and 
spaced apart in order to receive the tines of a standard fork lift for 
ease in moving and transporting the barriers. Referring also to FIG. 3, a 
second adaptation of the fork lift slots 29 are shown extending between 
side 20 and side 22. 
The actual embodiment will be dependent upon the type of activity for which 
the units 12, 40 are utilized. If the units 12,40 are utilized to delimit 
the playing field for a game such as hockey or the like which has a 
relatively small game piece which may inadvertently be knocked into one of 
the fork lift slots 28, the adaptation depicted in FIG. 2 showing the 
slots 28 extending from side 22 almost but not completely to side 20 is 
advantageous in that it presents a solid wall 20 to the playing area. 
Where, however, the playing piece used is large such as in the case of 
soccer, or system 10 is used as a barrier for crowd control at an 
enterprise where no game pieces would be utilized, the embodiment shown in 
FIG. 3 wherein fork lift slots 29 extend completely transversely through 
the body of the barriers of 12, 40 would simplify production of the units. 
Barriers 12, 40 are made of a resiliently deformable plastic material 
selected from materials having strong, semi-rigid and energy absorbing 
properties. The materials are selected from a polymeric group which will 
deform under internal pressure but will not fail in a brittle manner. In 
addition, the material is selected to provide a smooth exterior surface on 
units 12, 40 so as to reduce abrasions from collisions of players or 
crowds pushing against the barrier 10. 
When the term "semi-rigid" is used, it means that the units 12, 40 are made 
from a material that is capable of allowing a slight flexing when water is 
introduced into the interior chamber of the units 12, 40. This is in 
opposition to a rigid material which would hold its shape regardless of 
the interior loading of the water. As will be hereinafter explained, the 
flexure under load becomes important to the locking mechanism by which the 
units 12, 40 are held in place when positioned for use. 
In practice, the units 12, 40 while empty of any liquid are relatively 
light in weight and may be easily transported to the site where they are 
to be used. The units 12, 40 may then be placed or otherwise positioned in 
the desired layout at the location where the control barrier 10 is needed. 
As the units 12, 40 are being positioned, 2.times.4 studs 32 are placed 
such that when an end 18 is positioned against and end 16, slots 30 in the 
abutting units completely cover studs 32. 
Once positioned, liquid is introduced into the hollow interiors of units 
12, 40. Referring now to FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C, FIG. 4A shows a unit prior 
to introduction of liquid into the hollow interior. In this configuration, 
the control barrier units 12, 40 may be easily moved and repositioned 
until the desired configuration is obtained. Referring to FIG. 4B, as 
liquid 42 is introduced into the interior chamber of the barriers 12, 40, 
the weight of the liquid 42 causes a slight flexure in the vertical walls 
20, 22 and 24 of barrier 12, 40. Of utmost importance, however, is the 
flexure occasioned on slots 30. As the pressure increases, the slot 30 
tends to bow out and clamp firmly onto studs 32. Liquid 42 not only adds 
weight to barriers 12, 40 helping to hold them in place, but also clamps 
the barriers to the studs 32 so that the normal force of a crowd pushing 
against the barrier 10 or of a player running into the barrier 10 would 
not be sufficient to dislodge the units 12, 40 of barrier 10 from their 
positions. 
Referring now to FIG. 5, unit 40 is shown having a curved configuration 
which permits installation of a control barrier 10 in a smoothly flowing 
curved or circular arrangement. Except for having predetermined curved 
walls 20', 22' and 24' along with bottom 14' and top 26', formed to join 
with side walls 20', 22' and 24'. End walls 16 and 18 are identical to end 
walls 16 and 18 of unit 12. Thus, the construction of unit 40 is identical 
to that described for unit 12 as had been above indicated. 
Referring now to FIGS. 6A, B and C, various configurations of the control 
barrier system 10 are indicated showing the flexibility by which the 
system can be readily configured. FIG. 6A depicts use of the barrier 10 to 
provide a playing field layout while FIGS. 6B and 6C depict use of the 
barrier 10 for crowd control during an event might be presented on a 
stage. 
in addition, referring now to FIG. 7, the barrier system 10 may be utilized 
in constructing an ice rink or, in view of modern times, a half-pipe 
configuration for use with snowboards and the like, whereby snow or an ice 
surface 60 is placed against the sloping surface of units 12, 40 to 
provide a relatively slick surface to the users. 
Still referring to FIG. 7, an inset 60 is shown formed in side 20 of the 
unit 12. It is envisioned that advertising material may be placed in the 
inset and covered with a clear cover material (not shown) such as plastic 
or the like. 
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described 
herein, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the 
embodiments disclosed and that variations can be made therein without 
departing from the essential features of the invention and the preferred 
embodiments are not intended to limit the spirit or scope of the invention 
as set forth in the appending claims.