Abstract:
A vehicle barrier apparatus includes a horizontal barrier component, a vertical barrier component, at least one rigid stabilizer beam having two end surfaces and at least one elongated side surface. One end of the stabilizer beam is affixed to the vertical barrier component. The elongated side surface of the stabilizer beam is affixed to the horizontal barrier component to prevent rotational movement of the vertical barrier component. A lower surface of the horizontal barrier component is a friction-enhanced surface which creates a sliding friction interface upon contact of a moving vehicle with the vertical barrier component.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/253,587 filed Nov. 10, 2015. The above application is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    The invention described herein was made by an employee of the United States Government and nay be manufactured and used by the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefore. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0004]    This invention relates to the field of rapidly deployable traffic barriers (referred to as “expedient barriers”) which bring vehicles to a controlled stop by interfering with tire rolling. 
         [0005]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0006]    Vehicle checkpoints, roadblocks and barriers (i.e., “barriers” generally) manned by military personnel and/or law enforcement are becoming increasingly commonplace in the world we live in. There are several objectives of the barriers. To the greatest extent possible, the personnel who are operating the barriers must be protected from threats, typically associated with the vehicles and occupants the barriers are designed to stop. Of course, barriers usually serve to protect personnel and facilities within an established perimeter or region. 
         [0007]    Often, in a crisis, expedient barriers must be rapidly deployed. As a result, vehicles containing peaceful civilians or other local police or military personnel may unexpectedly encounter an expedient barrier where none previously existed, be caught by surprise and fail to appropriately slow down. 
         [0008]    The US military has consistently sought solutions for rapid deployment of vehicle barriers. The US Army Corps of Engineers, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, the US Air Force and the State Department have conducted research to design effective barrier devices, without regard to the use of other physical mechanisms to prevent a vehicle from breaching a checkpoint. Research has primarily focused on the development of barricade structures. 
         [0009]    U.S. Patent Application No. 2014/0301781 to Lindberg et al proposed the use of both a ground barrier and upright vertical barrier to slow an approaching vehicle. Lindberg utilized a rebar ground barrier capable of supporting the weight of vehicles. This structure requires significant cargo space to accommodate its shape, and requires several persons to deploy it on site. Once in place, it is difficult to move or reconfigure the structure. 
         [0010]    There is an unmet need for rapidly deployable and easily stored equipment at checkpoints which can safely and reliably stop a speeding vehicle at a checkpoint. 
         [0011]    There is a further unmet need in the art for checkpoints with cuing mechanisms to reduce instances of miscommunications with drivers. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    A vehicle barrier apparatus includes a horizontal barrier component, a vertical barrier component, at least one rigid stabilizer beam having two end surfaces and at least one elongated side surface. One end of the stabilizer beam is affixed to the vertical barrier component. The elongated side surface of the stabilizer beam is affixed to the horizontal barrier component to prevent rotational movement of the vertical barrier component. A lower surface of the horizontal barrier component is a friction-enhanced surface which creates a sliding friction interface upon contact of a moving vehicle with the vertical barrier component. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0013]      FIG. 1 a    illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a vehicle barrier apparatus. 
           [0014]      FIG. 1 b    is a sectional view of an embodiment of a horizontal barrier component. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 1 c  and 1 d    are top and sectional views, respectively of another embodiment of a horizontal barrier component. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1 e    is a top view of another embodiment of a horizontal barrier component. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]      FIG. 1 a    illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of vehicle barrier apparatus  100 .  FIG. 1 b    is a sectional view of an embodiment of horizontal barrier component  20 .  FIGS. 1 c  and 1 d    are top and sectional views, respectively of another embodiment of horizontal barrier component  20 .  FIG. 1 e    is a top view of another embodiment of horizontal barrier component  20 . 
         [0018]    Vehicle barrier apparatus  100  includes at least one vertical barrier component  10 , at least one stabilizer beam  11 , and at least one horizontal barrier component  20  connected to at least one optional spreader bar  30 . Certain embodiments of vehicle barrier apparatus  100  include multiple vertical barrier components  10 , multiple stabilizer beams  11 , multiple horizontal barrier components  20  and/or multiple spreader bars  30 . 
         [0019]    Vertical barrier component  10  is a rigid component extending at least partially in a vertical direction relative to a road surface. Vertical barrier component  10  has a minimum vertical height equal to a height of a target vehicle bumper, allowing vertical barrier component  10  to come into contact with and restrict the target vehicle motion. 
         [0020]    Stabilizer beam  11  has a length greater than a height of the target vehicle bumper, preventing vertical barrier component  10  from rotating when hit by the target vehicle. In certain embodiments, vertical barrier component  10  has a movable connection to stabilizer beam  11  to alter an angle between vertical barrier component  10  and stabilizer beam  11 . In the exemplary embodiment, the movable connection is a hinged or pinned movable connection between vertical barrier component  10  and stabilizer beam  11 . Vertical barrier component  10  forms an angle with stabilizer beam  11  ranging from approximately 15 degrees to approximately 90 degrees. In certain embodiments, springs, pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders, or other actuating components between vertical barrier component  10  and stabilizer beam  11  to allow rapid setup of vehicle barrier apparatus  100 . 
         [0021]    Horizontal barrier component  20  is a structure capable of preventing rolling of a vehicle tire relative to the road surface beneath the tire when placed between the vehicle time and the road surface. Horizontal barrier component  20  may be constructed of metal, fabric, nylon, other polymers, resins, carbon fiber, or composites thereof. Because horizontal barrier component  20  prevents contact between the target vehicle and a road surface, vehicle barrier apparatus  100  skids along the road surface under the target vehicle&#39;s momentum. In certain embodiments, a plurality of modular horizontal barrier components  20  connect together to accommodate larger sizes of vehicle barrier apparatus  100 . 
         [0022]    Horizontal barrier component  20  may be a rigid or flexible structure. A flexible structure is non-rigid and/or deformable, or comprised of components capable of being moved or repositioned without breakage. A flexible structure is one capable of being bent, flexed, twisted or folded to alter its shape or position and reduce the amount of space necessary for storage. Because a flexible horizontal barrier component  20  can be rolled or folded, it is easy to transport and maneuver into place. A rigid horizontal barrier component  20  can be easily manufactured from one or more sections of rigid material. 
         [0023]    Horizontal barrier component  20  is affixed to stabilizer beam  11 . Affixation is the connection of horizontal barrier component  20  to stabilizer beam  11  by means of cables, threaded and unthreaded connectors, male-female connecting structures, and any other connecting means known in the art. In certain embodiments, horizontal barrier component  20  is selectively affixed to stabilizer beam  11 , allowing for replacement. In certain embodiments, horizontal barrier component  20  is permanently affixed to stabilizer beam  11 . Horizontal barrier component  20  has a barrier length greater than a wheelbase of the target vehicle, and a barrier width greater than an axle track of the target vehicle. 
         [0024]    In embodiments where horizontal barrier component  20  is flexible, horizontal barrier component  20  is also attached to spreader bar  30 . Because horizontal barrier component  20  includes a tension force when attached to spreader bar  30 , it is “under tension” and does not roll or otherwise contract during use. Spreader bar  30  keeps a flexible horizontal barrier component  20  from rolling up or otherwise deforming during use. In the exemplary embodiment, spreader bar  30  is integrated with vertical barrier component  10  and/or stabilizer beam  11 . In other embodiments, spreader bar  30  is separate from vertical barrier component  10  and/or stabilizer beam  11 . 
         [0025]    In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1   b,  horizontal barrier component  20  includes an upper barrier surface  21   a  and a lower barrier surface  21   b  having a friction-enhanced surface  21   c.  Friction-enhanced surface  21   c  is a surface which increases friction between horizontal barrier component  20  and the road surface. Upon contact of a moving vehicle with vertical barrier component  10 , friction-enhanced surface  21   c  creates a sliding friction interface, at least one physical point of sliding contact between friction-enhanced surface  21   c  and the road surface. Friction-enhanced surface  21   c  has a minimum coefficient of kinetic friction with a road surface of approximately 0.3. In certain embodiments, friction-enhanced surface  21   c  includes at least one frictional structure  22 , which increases the coefficient of kinetic friction between the road surface and horizontal barrier component  20 . Frictional structures  22  can include metal grating, at least one layer of elastomer, integral metal protrusions, welded metal angles or bolted metal angles. 
         [0026]    In certain embodiments, horizontal barrier component  20  includes apertures  23  extending from upper barrier surface  21   a  to lower barrier surface  21   b.  Aperture  23  is a chamber, cavity or structural configuration which minimizes material and reduces weight. An average diameter of apertures  23  is inversely proportional to a road roughness surface coefficient K s  calculated by the equation: 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               K 
               s 
             
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                   ∑ 
                   
                     i 
                     = 
                     1 
                   
                   
                     i 
                     = 
                     n 
                   
                 
                  
                 
                   
                     ( 
                     
                       
                         b 
                         i 
                       
                       - 
                       a 
                     
                     ) 
                   
                   2 
                 
               
               n 
             
           
         
       
     
         [0000]    wherein b is the height of a road surface at a measurement point i, a is the average height of the road surface and n is the total number of measurement points i. 
         [0027]    In certain embodiments, at least one barrier anchor  24  may pass through aperture  23  into a road surface below. Barrier anchor  24  is a stake, picket, peg, or other anchor capable of fixing horizontal barrier component  20  to a road surface, increasing the force required to move horizontal barrier component  20 . In certain embodiments, horizontal barrier component  20  also includes a vehicle disabling mechanism  40  on upper barrier surface  21   a.  Vehicle disabling mechanism  40  may include spike strips or other tire deflation devices, or a mechanism which prevents a target vehicle from disengaging from vehicle barrier apparatus  100 . 
         [0028]    In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 c    and  1   d,  horizontal barrier component  20  is made up of a plurality of flexible panel components  25  connected by link components  26 . This allows horizontal barrier component  20  to be folded or rolled into a more compact configuration for easier storage, transport and placement. In certain embodiments, flexible panel components  25  are modular. In one embodiment, flexible panel components  25  are metallic panel components made from aluminum. 
         [0029]    In certain embodiments, link components  26  are meshes of cargo netting riveted to flexible panel components  25 . A mesh is a material made of woven or connected fibers, strands, wires, tapes, strips, fabric, metal, or other materials or other components which are structurally integrated, interwoven, crossed, twisted, interlocking, interconnected or otherwise structurally integrated or attached. In various embodiments, mesh may include apertures  23  or be configured to reduce weight or to increase structural integrity. Link components  26  may be manufactured from polymer straps having a tensile strength of at least 10,000 lbs. per strap. In other embodiments, link components  26  are a plurality of woven metal wires. The plurality of woven metal wires includes coated steel wires or chain link fencing. In still another embodiment, link components  26  are meshes of a para-aramid synthetic fiber. Link components  26  may have an asymmetrical or symmetrical configuration, and may have a sinuous or triangular waveform configuration. 
         [0030]    In another embodiment shown in  FIG. 1   e,  horizontal barrier component  20  is a mesh made solely from a plurality of interconnected link components  26 , as discussed above. 
         [0031]    It will be understood that many additional changes in the details, materials, procedures and arrangement of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. Moreover, the term “approximately” as used herein may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related. 
         [0032]    It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale; instead, emphasis has been placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.