Abstract:
The security wall of the invention is easy to assemble under field conditions to protect buildings and other objects from explosions, vehicle ramming and artillery projectiles. The security wall has a frame made from interlocking parallel horizontal beams and vertical posts. Tie rods or other stabilizing means can be used to stabilize the frame. After assembling the frame, panels are fastened to the frame. The paneled frame is then filled with fill material and an optional roof paneling can be added to the top of the paneled frame.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to an easy-to-assemble, framed security wall that can be built under field conditions and is used for protecting buildings and other objects from explosives, ramming vehicles and artillery, and a security wall kit for building the security wall. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Security walls protect buildings, equipment, jets, and the like, especially from explosives, ramming vehicles and artillery projectiles. In the case of explosions, such as car bombings or a jet, a well built security wall absorbs the brunt of the explosive force. Thus, a jet isolated within a security wall can explode without igniting nearby parked jets. Security walls should also be difficult to climb over, which would require a tall wall and one without hand and foot holds. 
   Current security walls have a number of problems. Current walls are cumbersome to build and require a building crew of at least four to six people to assemble. The current walls assemble from a number of shorter panels. Each panel is heavy and awkward, requiring two people to lift. The panels secure to each other using connecting rods that thread through holes in the panels to form a partial wall of about eight feet long. The partial walls then stack on top of each other to form taller walls. 
   Because the partial walls are even heavier than the panels, for safety purposes a crew of at least four people is used to lift the partial wall to place it on a base partial wall. Building higher walls requires equipment to lift the partial wall high enough to finish the tall security wall. 
   Currently used security walls also use a number of noninterchangeable parts, such as different sized end panels, side panels, brace panels and cross panels. Because of their different lengths, heights and functions, panels are not interchangeable with each other. The panels can also only be used in one particular orientation to assemble a wall in order for the connecting rods to fasten the panels together. Therefore, to build a wall, the assembly kits require a large number of different parts. Because the panels are limited by size and orientation, the panels are not easily assembled into a large number of different configurations-especially under field conditions. 
   The security walls are not quickly assembled because the holes in the segments often align poorly. This requires the use of a mallet or sledge hammer to ram the connecting rods down through the holes in the segments. 
   Therefore, there is a need for a security wall that one or two people can easily assemble. There is also a need for a security wall that can be assembled into a large number of different configurations under field condition. There is also a need for a security wall and its kit that uses a small number of interchangeable parts. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The security wall of the invention and the kit for building the security wall of the invention use interlocking parallel horizontal beams and vertical posts to build a frame. Tie rods or other stabilizers can be used to stabilize the frame. Each beam has a slat, a transverse ledge along the length of the slat, and opposite first and second beam ends. 
   Each post has a front, a back opposite the front, and opposite sides therebetween. The sides and the front define side corners, which are adapted to matingly engaging one of the beam ends. The sides and the back define back corners which are adapted to matingly engaging one of the beam ends. 
   Additional effects, features and advantages will be apparent in the written description that follows. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a security wall of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a frame for a security wall of the invention; 
       FIG. 3  is rear view a post of the invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a bottom plan view of a beam of the invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of a beam of the invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a tie rod of the invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a top plan view of a post of the invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a partial side view of a beam of the invention showing the tabs; 
       FIG. 9  is a partial perspective view of the tie rod of the invention; 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a clip of the invention; 
       FIG. 11  is a side view of a clip of the invention; 
       FIG. 12  is a partial perspective view of a beam and post of the invention before engagement; 
       FIG. 13  is a partial perspective view of a beam matingly engaging the post of the invention; 
       FIG. 14  is a partial perspective view of a beam fully interlocking with the post of the invention; 
       FIG. 15  is a partial perspective view of a frame corner with intersecting wall sections of the frame of the invention; 
       FIG. 16  is a partial perspective view of an inside corner of the security wall of the invention; 
       FIG. 17  is a partial plan view of a beam and post of the invention with a tie rod approaching the hole in the ledge; and 
       FIG. 18  is a partial perspective view of a panel with a panel bending tool bending a panel end. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Turning to the Figures, where like reference numerals refer to like objects, the security wall  10  of the invention and the kit for building the security wall use panels  18  of corrugated metal fastened to a modular frame  20 . The frame  20  has vertical posts  12  which matingly engage horizontal beams  14  using interlocking tabs  38  and slots  54 . Tie rods  16  matingly engage the horizontal beams  14  for additional structural support. 
   Each post  12  has an opposite front  24  and back  25  and is preferably rectangular in cross-section. Opposite sides  22 ,  23  extend outwardly along the length of the front  24  and the back  25 , preferably approximately perpendicular to the front  24  and back  25 . The sides  22 ,  23  and the front  24  define side corners  26 ,  27 . 
   The back  25  is preferably split along the length of the post to define flanges  28 ,  29  and giving the post  12  a C-shape in cross-section. The flanges  28 ,  29  extend from each side  22 ,  23  toward each other opposite the front  24  and are preferably approximately perpendicular to the sides  22 ,  23 . The back  25  and sides  22 ,  23  define back corners  30 ,  31 . 
   Slots  54  are regularly arranged along each post  12  and are preferably arranged as pairs, with one slot located above the other. Slots  54  are in the front  24 , sides  22 ,  23  and back  25 . Slots  54  are located at the side corners  26 ,  27 , the back corners  30 ,  31 , and preferably the middle of the front  24 . Side slots  58  are located in the sides  22 ,  23  of the side corners  26 ,  25 , although side slots  58  can be located in the intersection of the sides  22 ,  23  with the front  24  or in the front  24 . Back slots  60  are located in the back  25  of the back corners  30 ,  31 , although back slots  60  can be located in the intersection of the back  25  with the sides  22 ,  23  or in the sides  22 ,  23 . Front slots  62  are located in the front  24  between the side corners  26 ,  27 , preferably in the middle of the front  24 . Upper slots  56  at the top of the post  12  are preferably open on top. 
   Beams  14  have opposite beam ends  32 ,  33 , a slat  34  and a transverse ledge  36  extending along the length of the slat  34 . The slat  34  has tabs  38  extending outwardly at each beam end  32 ,  33  to matingly engage the slots  54  of one of the posts  12 . Each tab  38  has a head  40  and a stem  42 . The head  40  is preferably rectangular and oriented downwardly when engaging the slot  54 . The stem  42  rests on the bottom of the slot  54 . 
   Tie rods  16  matingly engage holes  44  in the ledges  36  at each beam end  32 ,  33 . Both diagonal and transverse tie rods  86 ,  87  are preferably curved or L-shaped at each of their rod ends  46 . A first portion  48  of the rod end  46  curves approximately 90° in a first direction from the rod  45 . A second portion  50  curves approximately 90° in a second direction from the first portion  48 . 
   Clips  64  allow more than one tie rod  86 ,  87  to attach at the corner, especially at the inner corner  53 . Clip  64  has a top plate  66  connecting to a transverse plate  68 . A lip  72  and a bottom projection  74  from the transverse plate  68  form a channel  70  for receiving the bottom part of the slat  34 . The top plate  66  has bores  76 ,  77  for receiving tie rods  86 ,  87 . 
   Panels  18  fasten to the frame  20  and are preferably vertically corrugated. Before installing, panel ends  78  are bent using a panel bending tool  88 , such as a vice grip, to fit flush against a post  12 , which is usually about a 90° angle. Panels  18  fasten to the frame  20  using any fastening method, such as screwing or riveting. 
   After the panels  18  are fastened to the frame  20 , fill material  84 , such as sand, dirt, rocks, bricks, debris, and the like, is added between the walls. Fastened or unfastened roof paneling  19  can be added to protect the top of the security wall  10  from the elements. 
   The security wall  10  of the invention is easy for one or two people to assemble. The first two posts  12  connect with a beam  14  at the bottom to start a corner  51 . The user slides the heads  40  of the tabs  38  through the lower slots  54  of each post  12 . Additional beams  14  similarly interlock with the first two posts  12  until the first section  80  is complete. Alternatively, the user can start by sliding the tabs  38  of two beams  14  into the slots  54 , such as the back slots  60  and the side slots  58 . 
   More beams  14  interlock with the first two posts  12  to continue to form a first wall  82 . Additional beams  14  and posts  12  interlock with each other to continue the first wall  82 . When building a corner, beams  14  can interlock with the back slots  60  and/or front slots  62  of the inner post  13 . 
   The tie rods  16  stabilize the frame  20  by extending from the beams  14  of one wall section to the beams  14  of another wall section, such as the first wall section  82  to the second wall section  83 . Each rod end  46 ,  47  inserts into a hole  44  in the ledge  36 , preferably at each beam end  32 ,  33 . During insertion, the second portion  50  is parallel to the post  12  ( FIG. 17 ). Then the second portion  50  of the tie rod  16  slides into the hole  44 . The tie rod  16  is rotated until the first portion  48  is parallel to the post  12 . This rotation allows the first portion  48  to slide into the hole  44 . The second portion  50  is parallel to the plane of the ledge  38 . The curved tie rod ends  46 ,  47  releasably lock the tie rod  16  in place by preventing the removal of the tie rod  16  without being first rotated to allow the second portion  50  to align with and slide out of the hole  44 . 
   The frame corner  51  of the frame  20  as shown in  FIGS. 15 and 16 , is reinforced using diagonal tie rods  86 . Frame corners  51  form from the intersection of two wall sections. Part of the inner frame corner  53 , for example, can form from beams  14  inserted into the front slots  62  of the inner post  13 . The other part of the inner frame corner  53  forms from other beams  14  inserting within the side slots  58  of the inner post  13 . Likewise, the outer frame corner  52  forms from beams  14  inserted into the side slots  58  and back slots  60  of the outer post  11 . 
   Tie rods  16 , such as a diagonal tie rod  86 , connect the inner frame corner  53  with the outer frame corner  52  of the frame  20 . The outer bore  76  of a clip  64  aligns with one of the holes  44  of the beam  14  located in the inner frame corner  53 , such as in the first wall section  82 . A transverse tie rod  87  inserts into the outer bore  76  and the hole  44  of the opposite beam  14  in the opposite wall section  83 . A diagonal tie rod  86  inserts into one of the inner bores  77  of the clip  64  and one of the holes  44  in the beam  14  in the outer frame corner  52  or another clip  64 , preferably diagonally from the beam  14  in the inner frame corner  53 . Clips  64  can also be used to thread an additional support stabilizer, such as a support rod or wire through one of the inner bores  77  not used for the diagonal tie rod  86  to the clip on another beam  14  in the same wall, such as the first wall section  82  (not shown). 
   Wall stabilizers  17  include the tie rods  16 . Other wall stabilizers  17  can include wire strung across the top and bottom corners of the posts before attaching the panels (not shown). Any wire should be tightened to further stabilize and hold the frame  20  square. 
   To attach the panels  18 , one panel is aligned flush to one end of the frame  20 . Once the panel  18  is square to the frame  20 , the panel  18  fastens to the beams  14  with fasteners in every other inside rib  79  of a corrugated panel. The panel  18  at the end of the frame  20  may need to overlap the next panel  18  in order to fit. Overlapped panels  18  can fasten to the frame  20  with an additional fastener between each beam  14 , such as with stitcher screws. The process is repeated until the frame  20  is completely paneled. The assembled security wall  10  is now ready for fill material  84  to be poured into the frame  20 . Optional roof paneling  19  can be added to the top of the security wall  10 . 
   Because the beams, posts and tie rods are adapted to fit each other, a security wall kit with the components of the security wall can be assembled in a variety of configurations. This allows the security wall&#39;s configuration to match field conditions. The security wall kit may also include assembly instructions. 
   The security wall of the invention has a number of advantage. One or two people can easily assemble the security wall. The security wall can be assembled from a kit into a number of different configurations to match the location and needs in the field. The security wall and its kit uses interchangeable parts which is economical and allows the user to build the wall to fit the terrain. 
   The security wall components can be economically made. Slots can be stamped out of a blank. The blank can then be folded to form posts. 
   While the invention is shown in only one of its forms, it is not thus limited but is susceptible to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.