Patent ID: 8393822

Claim:
A lightweight, portable roadway barrier wherein the weight of the barrier is less than 200 kg per meter of length of the barrier, wherein the barrier is a stand alone barrier in that it does not require additional mass to function as a barrier, and wherein the barrier comprises: (a) a structural framework for resisting collapse of the barrier in response to impact of a vehicle, the structural framework comprising upright members at opposite ends of the barrier and at least one upright member between the end members, and at least one longitudinal member extending along on the length of the barrier and connected to each of the upright members; and (b) panels mounted to opposite sides of the barrier for deflecting vehicles on impact with the barrier, wherein the side panels are made from steel, wherein the upright members are in the form of steel plates, wherein the side panels are connected to the structural framework, wherein the interconnected arrangement of upright and longitudinal members provides the structural framework with sufficient rigidity for resisting direct collapse of the barrier in the regions of vehicle impact and from uncontrolled twisting of the barrier around the longitudinal barrier axis, wherein the principal function of the side panels is to deflect a vehicle on impact of the vehicle against the barrier, and wherein the side panels do not make a substantial contribution to the rigidity of the barrier.