FENCE ELEMENTS

Abstract: A fence element (10) for use in construction of temporary fences, the fence element comprising a planar frame with a horizontal top (14) and a bottom bar (16), and two side bars (18, 20), connecting elements (30) fitted at the bottom bar (16) for connecting to one or more horizontal intermediate bars (26) of another fence element of the same kind so as to form a structure with an inverted T-like shaped silhouette. The fence element further comprising a conneting arm (40) pivotally connected (42) to the frame and swingable about a horizontal axis and having a suitable length, the arm being fitted at its free end with an engagement element (44) for engagement with a horizontal bar of a second frame element with which it forms said T-like shaped structure.

Description: FENCE ELEMENTS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns modular fence elements which may be used for construction of temporary fences, for example, such used by police or the like, to prevent crowds from approach or to prevent people from entering restricted zones. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Temporary fences are routinely used, for example by the police, in order to keep a crowd from entering restricted zones. This may be the case in demonstrations, in separating between two groups of fans of opposing teams, etc. (such fences are at times referred to as police barriers). In such instances, it is a requirement that the fence be suitable for resisting high pressure applied by the crowd. In addition, such fences are occasionally used also to mark restricted access to construction areas, areas containing hazards, etc. and in these cases, usually, the fence does not have to withstand high pressure. Such fences are constructed from individual elements, which are connected to other such elements to form a continuous fence. After use, the fence may be disassembled, and transported away for storage. Such fence elements have a variety of seemingly contradictory structural requirements. On the one hand, they should withstand the force imparted by a crowd standing nearby, for which purpose they need a relatively broad base. Against this, in order to allow easy transfer of the elements from one place to another, they have to be made to allow them to be stacked on one another with a minimal storage space. It is an object of the invention to provide novel elements useful in the assembly of such a fence. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a fence element for use in construction of temporary fences, comprising: a planar frame with a horizontal top and bottom bar, and two side bars; connecting elements fitted at the bottom bar for connecting to one or more horizontal intermediate bars of another fence element of the same kind so as to form a structure with an inverted T-like shaped silhouette; a connecting arm pivotally connected to the -frame and swingable about a horizontal axis and having a suitable length, the arm being fitted at its free end with an engagement element for engagement with a horizontal bar of a second frame element with which it forms said T-like shaped structure. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, said intermediate bar is about the middle between the top and the bottom bars. In accordance with another preferred embodiment, the fence element comprises two intermediate bars, aligned with one another, each one extending between one of the side bars to an intermediate vertical bar extending between the bottom and the top bars. In accordance with still a preferred embodiment, the connecting elements have the form of a U-shaped trough, such that they can envelop a portion of the intermediate bar. Preferably, the side bars are formed with an arrangement to allow connecting of a series of elements to one another. This will typically include male-female type engagement means, one of these being at one side bar and the other at the opposite side bar. Such connecting elements will also allow connection of the fence elements at an angle with respect to one another. When two fence elements are assembled together, one element will be horizontal and placed on the ground and the other will be vertical, extending upward from said intermediate bar. In this position, the connecting arm of the vertical element is fixed at its, free end by means of its engagement element with a horizontal bar of the other fence element, typically the bottom bar of this other element. At the same time, the arm of the other fence element is fixed in a similar manner to horizontal bar in the vertical fence element, typically the top bar. Preferably, in order to ensure tensioning of the structure to ensure its stabilization and rigidity, at least one of the engagement elements of the two cooperating fence elements have a structural line to induce such tension. Typically, the engagement element is a toggle-type fastener which is suitable for enveloping engagement with either a top or bottom bar of a second fence element, at either a free or a lockeα mode, respectively. The invention will now be illustrated in a non-limiting manner in the following description and accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a fence element in accordance with the present invention, the fence element in an erected position with its connecting arm in an open position; Fig. 2 is a side view of the fence element seen in Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 is an isometric view illustrating a series of fence elements assembled in a first operative position; Fig. 4 is an isometric view of two fence elements assembled together so as to form a pressure resistant fence element having an inverted T-like shape; Fig. 5 is a side view of the assembly seen in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a toggle-type engagement element of a connecting arm in its open position; Fig. 7 is the toggle-type engagement element of the connecting arm in its locking position; and Fig. 8 is an assembly of fence elements to form a fence in a second operative position. DETAD ED DESCRIPTION OF SPECD7IC EMBODIMENTS Attention is first directed to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings illustrating a fence element generally designated 10 being in the shape of a planar frame element 12 fitted with a horizontal top bar 14 and a horizontal bottom bar 16 connected to one another by side bars 18 and 20 and intermediate connecting vertical bars 22 and 24. Two horizontal bars 26 extend essentially intermediate the top and bottom bars 14 and 16, respectively, two perforated plates 27 are attached (for example by welding) to the fence element, which plates may be printed with a pattern e.g, "POLICE ", "DANGER ", etc. The bottom bar 16 is fitted with two pairs of inverted U-shaped trough-like connecting elements 30 adapted for enveloping a portion of the intermediate bars 26 as will be explained hereinafter in connection with Figs. 3 and 4. Side bar 18 is fitted with two locking rings 32 adapted for engagement with connecting hooks 34 fitted on the opposed side bar 20 of a neighboring fence element, in a male-female type arrangement, as will be explained in connection with reference to Figs. 3 and 8. A connecting arm generally designated 40 is swingably connected by bearings 42 to the top bar 14 and has at its free end a toggle-type engagement element 44, the operation of which will be explained in connection with Figs. 4 and 5. The fence element seen in Fig. 1 may be supported in its erected position supported over its engagement elements 30 and bearing over the connecting arm 40 as seen also in Fig. 2 of the drawings. In a first operative position, in which it is not expected that the assembled fence will have to withstand forces imparted by crowds, the fence is assembled as seen in Fig. 3 by connecting the male-female type connections in which each pair of hooks 34 is pivotally received within locking rings 32 of a neighboring fence element. As can best be seen in Fig. 1, the hook elements 34 have a lower lateral projection 35 which serves for preventing disconnecting of neighboring fence elements by simple vertical displacement but rather requiring a complex motion consisting of rotating of the neighboring fence elements with respect to one another and then vertically displacing them to disconnect. Thc dssembled fence elements seen in Fig. 3 are supported over their connecting elements 30 bearing against their connecting arms 40. However, as it is readily understood, improved support of the assembled fence is obtained when at least some of the fence elements are not aligned with other fence elements, as seen for example, in Fig. 3. In this position, as already mentioned above, the fence is suitable for marking restricted areas but will not be suitable for withstanding force imparted by crowds standing nearby. Further attention is now directed to Figs. 4 and 5 for understanding how a fence may be erected in accordance with a second operative position in which it is suitable for withstanding force imparted by crowds. For the sake of clarity, similar elements which were described in connection with the previous figures will be designated by the same reference numerals shifted by 100. As seen, a first fence element 110 is vertically mounted over a second, essentially horizontal fence element 110', wherein engagement elements 130 of the first fence element partially envelope the intermediate horizontal bars 126' of the second fence element 110'. Connecting arm 140' of the second fence element 110' is connected to the top bar 114 of the first-fence element by an enveloping engagement. The connecting arm 144 of the first fence element 110 is connected to the bottom bar 116' of the second fence element 110' in a locking fashion by the toggle engagement mechanism 144, as will hereinafter be explained with reference to Figs. 6 and 7. As seen also in Fig. 5, the assembled fence element has an inverted T-like shape with the second fence element 110' lying on the ground and serving.-as a wide basis for the erected, essentially vertical second fence element 110, which arrangement is suitable also for resisting strong forces applied by crowds pulling or leaning against the fence element 110. Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate the toggle-type engageme.it of the connecting arm in the open and locked position, respectively. In Fig. 6 the locking element 144' (associated with the second fence element 110' seen in Fig. 4). The locking element 144 seen in Fig. 7 illustrates is associated with the first fence element 110. The toggle-type engagement element consist of a locking frame 160 pivotally connected to an extension 162 of the connecting bar 140 with a hook-like clamp member 164 being pivotally connected at an end of the element 160. In the position seen in Fig. 6, the hook-like clamp member 164 engages the top bar 114 of the first fence element 110 in an enveloping manner as seen in Fig. 6, while in Fig. 7, the frame element 160 is pivoted in direction of arrow 170 (seen in Fig. 6) by aid of flanges 172 whereby the engagement element 144 toggles to its locked position as seen in Fig. 7 with the hook-like clamp 164 enveloping a portion of the bottom bar 116' of the second fence element 110 and the flange elements 172 bearing at an opposite side of the bar element 116' . In this manner it is ensured that the fence elements 110 and 110' are connected to one another in a manner which, on the one hand allows simple and fast connecting and disconnection and on the other hand, provides a rigid connection. Fig. 8 illustrates a series of fence elements connected to one another wherein some of the fence elements are assembled into the inverted T-like assembly as explained with reference to Figs. 4 and 5 and other fence elements are connected in series to one another as explained in connection with Fig. 3. The number of fence elements which will be assembled as explained in connection with Fig. 4 depends on the force which such a fence is expected to withstand. It should be readily understood to a person versed in the art that other connecting means may be provided, mutatis mutandis, which will permit connecting of The fence elements to one another so as to obtain the same results.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A fence element 10 for used in construction of temporary fences, comprising: a planar frame 12 with a horizontal top 14 and bottom 16 bar, and two side bars 18;20; connecting elements 30 fitted at the bottom bar 16 for connecting to one or more horizontal intermediate bars 26 of another fence element of the same kind so as to form a structure with an inverted T-like shaped silhouette; a connecting arm 40 pivotally connected to the frame 12 and swingable about a horizontal axis and having a suitable length, the arm 40 being fitted at its free end with an engagement element 44 for engagement with a horizontal bar 14; 16 of a second frame element with which it forms said T-like shaped structure. 2. A fence element 10 according to Claim 1, wherein said intermediate bar 26 is about the middle between the top 14 and the bottom bars 16. 3. A fence element 10 according to Claim 1, comprising two intermediate bars 26, aligned with one another, each one extending between one of the side bars 18;20 to an intermediate vertical bar 22;24 extending between the bottom 16 and the top bars 14. 4. A fence element 10 according to Claim 1, wherein the connecting elements 30 have the form of a U-shaped trough, such that they can envelop a portion of the intermediate bar 26. 5. A fence element 10 according to Claim 1, further including male-female type engagement means 32;34, one of these being at one side bar 18 and the other at the opposite side bar 20 so as to allow connecting of a series of elements to one another. 6. A fence element 10 according to Claim 5, wherein the male-type engaging means 34 is fitted with a horizontal extension 35 so as to prevent unintentional disconnecting offence elements from one another. 7. A fence element 110 according to Claim 1, adapted for engagement with a similar fence element 110', one element being horizontal and placed on the ground and the other extending essentially vertically over the intermediate bar of the first fence element wherein the connecting arm 144 of the vertical element 110 is fixed at its free end by means of its engagement element 144 with a horizontal bar of the other fence element 110'. 8. A fence element 10 according to Claim 1, wherein the engagement element 144 is a toggle-type fastener suitable for enveloping engagement with either a top 144 or a bottom bar 116 of a second fence element.

Inventors: MELLER YEHUDA, MELLER, YEHUDA
Applicants: MELLER YEHUDA, OSTRO HAIM, MELLER, YEHUDA, OSTRO, HAIM
Application year: 1998
Main classification: E01F13
IPC codes: E01F13