GB2416131A - A protective barrier device - Google Patents

Abstract

A barrier device, in a plastic material, including at least one elongated section (1) constituting a barrier and, at the rear of these barrier(s), connection components (15) connected to bearing posts (13) distributed in a given lay-out, these connection means allowing said elongated sections to be set up on the posts removably and by self-latching. Preferably the posts are mounted on holding rods which allow the posts to swivel.

Description

A PROTECTIVE BARRIER DEVICE

The invention relates to a barrier device.

One problem encountered in these products relates to safety, particularly at racecourses, in relation to both jockeys and mounts (horses etc). The safety of pedestrians is also important.

The cost of the products, the conditions of manufacture and assembly thereof are also important points.

In order to meet all or part of the above-mentioned requirements, it is proposed that the barrier device of the invention should include at least one elongated (to advantage partitioned) section constituting a barrier and, to the rear of this (these) barrier(s), connection means connected to bearing posts distributed in a given lay-out, these connection means allowing said elongated sections to be set up on the posts removably and by self- latching.

It should be noted that the term "barrier" will be used to denote any guardrail, gate, fence, handrail used as a railing or safeguard to delimit an area (for example the track boundaries at a racecourse, stadium or training ground or playing field) in order to protect or contain a crowd of attendees (for example spectators at a racetrack) or else to constitute a jump, for example for horses, again on a racetrack.

Potentially over and above the presence particularly of the aforementioned sections (the barriers could be constituted by other types of sections) and of said self latching connection, and even of the removable nature of the barrier/post connection, another characteristic of the invention foresees that in their lower part, substantially at ground level, the posts are connected individually or in groups, in an elbow, to a holding base adapted to extend along the ground, in a plane substantially parallel to said ground.

The use of such a ground support base, that allows the posts thereby provided with at least one barrier connected to them via a connection component to be put up on this ground, further allows safety and flexibility of use to be combined, since the barrier device is thereby in particular easier to move than when the barrier bearing posts are anchored to the ground.

To advantage, - the holding base will be in a plastic material, - at least a part of this base will extend (parallel to the ground) in a direction moving away from the connection area between the corresponding barrier and the post(s), - and the holding base will include an added counterweight, to keep the bearing post upright in a position of stable equilibrium, away from additional applied impact and weight.

The stability of the barrier device in the fixed position will thus be promoted, when it is required to fulfil its function as a zone boundary or jump.

In other words, the self-stabilising and movable characteristics of the barrier device will then be combined.

To the same end, and for ease of manufacture and/or reduced cost, it is further recommended that the base be presented as an arc with two free ends connected to two adjacent posts, each at a so-called elbow.

To promote safety in particular in the event of horizontal impact against the barrier, particularly in a racecourse environment, as well as the already cited stability, it is additionally recommended that the (each) post be bent in an elbow above the ground, the connection between this post and the barrier being thus cantilevered relative to the base of said post located near the ground, the ground holding base including a part that extends substantially in the plane of the post and its upper angled part.

Again to promote stability in the operational state of the barrier device, it is foreseen that the posts are each at least locally inclined backwards overall in the direction of the said base part that moves away from the connection zone between the corresponding barrier and the post(s) .

One problem that has also been dealt with in the invention relates to the impacts to which the barrier device may be subjected, in particular in a horizontal direction, for example an impact caused by a horse against this barrier.

To bring a satisfactory solution to this problem, it is proposed that the base resting on the ground be provided with brake means to prevent the barrier device from moving freely on the ground, at least in the event of a strain being exerted frontally substantially horizontally, on said barrier, in the direction of the posts located behind.

To advantage, these brake means will include inclined counter reverse movement means, that are driven into the ground at least when a strain of this kind is applied.

Although this is not ruled out in the invention, it will be preferred not to fit the base with wheels, even if such wheels could be provided with the aforementioned brakes, or even supplemented by said counter reverse movement means.

Preferably, the holding base will include a tubular structure and the braking hooks will be defined by tube means extending in the direction of the ground, in a plane substantially perpendicular to the direction of elongation of the corresponding barrier.

Integrating such ground brakes with the holding base will thus be facilitated, hence greatly simplified manufacture and reduced cost.

To the same end, and to further promote the self stabilising and movable characteristics of the barrier device, it is recommended that two adjacent posts be connected to each other via a base as described above.

To the same end, it is further recommended that the posts and their base be defined by a single continuous piece of tubing, cast in one piece and in a plastic material, in which is placed, at the base, one or more heavy loads defining said counterweight.

It may be easier to move the barrier device helped by the presence of the ground support base if, between their upper end connecting with the barrier and their foot where they are connected to said base, the posts are connected to each other, parallel to the direction of elongation of the barriers, by means of a substantially horizontal bar that makes it easier to grip and lift the barrier device, in order to move it.

While, as has already been pointed out, the presence of the ground support base does not particularly compel the necessary use of partitioned sections for the barriers, nor a self-latching connection between the barriers and the posts, it is recommended, even in the event of such a base being used, that the connection means between the posts and the barriers include a lock- plate, preferably in a plastic material, connected in a removable way to the corresponding bearing post, each lock-plate including reliefs intended to engage with grooves provided in the sections, in order to achieve said self-latching, which therefore consists of a forcible resilient snap-on engagement. Overall this promotes safety, since self- latching provides the sectional, removable, characteristic of the barriers relative to the posts.

Again in respect of this safety aspect, it is additionally recommended that the bearing posts include tubular components in a plastic material adapted to engage with holding rods also in a plastic material, in an engagement that allows the bearing posts to swivel around the axis of said rods, which are preferably fixed into the ground (a connection with swivelling rods connected to the base resting on the ground is however possible).

The posts can thus be pulled away, by rotation.

And if this characteristic is combined with self latching, safety is further increased since the barrier can be disengaged from the post at the same time as the latter swivels, particularly in the event of a frontal impact. The fact that the post is located at the back relative to the barrier further increases safety, Still in respect of this safety aspect, it has further been foreseen that the sections are able to have externally a curved wall, which extends backwards, in the direction of said connection means, via a distortable cap, with a double wall, which covers the connection means when they are connected to the corresponding section(s).

Thus, in the event of a top to bottom impact on the upper surface of the barriers, for example, a jockey will be in less danger of sustaining an injury in contact with the connection means, since the intermediate cap constitutes protection and shock absorber.

Preferentially, the barriers will be made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), preferably with a thickness of 2 mm + 0.3 mm, if they are partitioned, therefore internally reinforced by partitioning walls.

Again in respect of safety, it is recommended: - that the posts be adapted to stand above the ground relative to which they are free to swivel, and that the snap-on connection between the reliefs and the grooves is a sliding connection which allows them to slide relative to each other, in a common direction of elongation of said grooves (or slideways) and reliefs, this direction being parallel to the direction of elongation of the barriers, at least in proximity to the post under consideration, which swivels on itself at the same time as said relative sliding occurs.

In particular at racecourses, since the height at which the barriers ensure protection is an important safety component, it is recommended that the posts engage in a swivelling way around a holding rod (already cited above) and that levelling washers be interposed between the ground and the post base around said rods. In this way the preferred protective height is respected and post swivelling can still be guaranteed in the event of an impact, if necessary in conjunction with the disengagement of the barrier/post connections.

Again in respect of safety, but also in respect of the ease of use of the barrier device, particularly when moving it or replacing the barriers, it is further foreseen that the (each) lock-plate is connected to the corresponding post in a removable way, by means of a tube section that the lock-plate has on a rear surface, this tube section and an upper end of the post defining a mutual fitting.

It will also be noted that the activity sites to be delimited and marked out frequently need to be rapidly reorganized. For example, in the bends of a racecourse track, it is often necessary to "unrope", in other words to shift the barrier by a few metres relative to the initial position in order to prevent the horses from always passing over the same spot.

In this way, to ensure increased mobility for the barriers, it has been foreseen, if necessary in connection with the foregoing, that an end-toend connection between two adjacent barriers is effected by means of a bolt extending in a general direction of elongation of the barriers, the bolt being fixed to a slide provided with said snap-on reliefs and thereby forcibly and resiliently engaged in the slideways of one of the barriers to be assembled, the bolt being adapted to engage inside one of the compartments of the adjacent barrier, this compartment being open laterally, opposite the bolt, and having transversally a closed contour.

It happens that at some points of the sites to be delimited, the activities being practiced require jumping relatively high relative to ground level. This occurs, for example, at racecourses near hedges in steeple chasing. In this case, marking and protection equipment of unaccustomed height may be required.

It is then foreseen that the barrier device includes to advantage a number of barriers placed at different heights, substantially parallel to each other over at least the greater part of their length, the posts having, between their upper end and their lower ground connection base, projecting intermediate tubing that extends transversally relative to the direction of elevation in which each of these posts mainly stands, these transverse tubes being formed in a single piece with each post and defining struts at the free end of which is connected a so-called lock- plate connecting with the corresponding barrier.

In this way, a protective barrier is obtained at a number of levels.

As an alternative, or in addition to the foregoing, it is recommended that among these barriers, a first level barrier is rectilinear overall, whereas the barriers of the other levels are locally angled so as to have a part inclined relative to the horizontal, this inclined part being fixed to the first level barrier.

Another characteristic of the invention relates to the fact that some at least of the sections that define a barrier may be cast in a single piece in their direction of elongation over a length equal to at least 10 m, thus defining a single continuous barrier in this direction of elongation, which is arched with one or more gradual curves.

In this event, a flexible barrier of great length may be obtained that allows in particular the negotiation of bends with gradual curves that are free from angles and bumps, since they are all in one piece.

According to another aspect, it is proposed that the section is notched in its outer wall, to promote significant bending.

In this way, a barrier that is evenly notched to begin with over a considerable length will be able to be adapted to very tight curves.

According to yet another innovative aspect, it is proposed that on a gate comprising at least one swivelling leaf, a section part connected to bearing posts is connected to this leaf, by means of fixing means integral with the posts, which will be interrupted at the lower part before reaching ground level.

Other characteristics and advantages may yet appear from the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings which are provided by way of non- restrictive examples.

In these drawings: - figure 1 shows in perspective a part of a barrier device in accordance with the invention, - figure 2 is a transverse cross-section in II-II of the device in figure 1, - figure 3 is an assembly and connection detail of a barrier device in accordance with the invention, in local perspective, - figure 4 is a cross-section view (enlarged) made in the same plane as figure 2, showing an alternative shape for the barrier section, - figures 5 and 6 show the barrier device in figure 1 reacting under strain, - figures 7 and 8 show a device with a number of tiered barriers, in perspective (front and rear respectively), figure 8 showing an exploded view, - figure 9 shows a barrier of great length with a number of gradual curves, - figure 10 shows a bend barrier, with an external split wall, - figure 11 shows again in perspective the adaptation of a barrier of the invention to a gate, - figure 12 shows a barrier device provided with a ground support base, - figure 13 is a view of the device in figure 12 in the direction of the arrow XIII in figure 12, - and figures 14 and 15 show two easy possibilities of moving a barrier device as in figure 12.

Figure 1 therefore shows an internally partitioned section 1, of great length, like those intended to form a barrier or guardrail that can be used in the invention and embodied in a plastic material, to advantage polyvinyl chloride. The wall thickness of this barrier will preferably be 2 mm + 0.3 mm, in order to combine mechanical resistance, break-point safety and lightness, in particular for lengths of between 3 m and 12 m.

Internally, the section 1 shown is therefore provided with multiple partitioning, that brings about a series of cavities or compartments 3 constituting a grid pattern extending perpendicular to the general direction of elongation of the barrier, or barriers if a number of barriers are placed end to end, typically in a substantially horizontal direction, along a given course, for example the rails on a racecourse.

Two grooves or slots 7 (see also figure 2) extending parallel to the direction of elongation 5 are provided on either side of the central compartment 3a (upside down) and emerge in a rear channel 19 limited by two lateral walls 11 and communicating with the space 12 located between elongated reliefs 9, like the grooves 7, parallel to the in this case horizontal direction 5.

Posts 13 placed behind the barriers 1, which are here placed cantilevered (figure 2), ensure the barriers are supported and positioned at the right height above the ground 14 (figure 1).

Connection means 15 in a plastic material provide the connection between the posts and the corresponding barrier.

Each connection component 15, entirely in plastic for preference, includes a plate 17 provided with longitudinal reliefs (or flanges) 9 intended thereby to engage with the grooves or slideways 7 of the sections 1.

The grooves 7 and reliefs 9 engage by forcible resilient, or snap-on, engagement of the latter into the former, according to a connection of the "self-latching" type.

The bearing posts 13 are here gooseneck in shape, with an elbow 21 above the ground, such that their vertical part 23 is set well back relative to the vertical plane 25 in which the aligned barriers 1 are found.

The bearing posts 13 are preferably tubes in a plastic material (PVC).

As shown in figure 3, the lower part, in this case vertical, 13a of each tubular post 13 is to advantage mounted to swivel around a vertical axis, relative to the ground 14, by means of rods 27 around which the base 13a of the posts engages to rotate freely. Each vertical rod 27 is held in the ground, by means of a leg 27a, which fits tightly inside a volume 29, which in the event is embodied inside a block 31 sealed in the ground 14, for example a concrete block.

Split clip washers 33 engaged by forcible resilient distortion around the rods 27 allow the height of each barrier 1 to be adjusted individually relative to the ground 14, several washers 33 being able to be stacked between ground level and the base 13a of the corresponding post.

In figure 4, it can be seen that the partitioned section 10 (the compartments 30 of which are of a different shape from the compartments 3 of the section in figure 2, has externally a curved front wall 35 which extends backwards (ARR), in the direction of the lock- plate 15, via an upper cap 37 with a double wall 37a 37b which cover the greater part of the lock-plate 15 constituting a protective obstacle, with its form which becomes thinner towards its free end.

It will be noted that the drawing of the section of the barrier 10 defines a closed section, with however the same grooves 7 and flanges 9 connected in a forcible resilient engagement along the axis X (in this case horizontal) which is also the axis of engagement of the connection element 25 relative to the corresponding rear post 13.

In figures 2 to 4, it can be seen that the rear part of the lock-plate 15 has a tube section 15a open at the back in the direction X to ensure mutual fitting with the upper end of the post 13, this in a removable way.

In figure 3, it will be seen that additionally the tubular end-piece 15a is pierced in 39, perpendicular to the direction of fitting X, in order to receive a cotter pin 41, a piercing 43 being embodied correspondingly towards the end of the tube 13, so that, in its engaged state, the cotter pin 41 holds the lock-plate 15 on the post 13, while allowing removal. A strap 45 holds the cotter pin relative to the part 15.

Still in figure 3, it can be seen that at its shown end, the barrier 1 is provided with a bolt 47, mobile in the general direction of elongation 5. The bolt is fixed to a slide 49 provided with reliefs 9a (perhaps less bulky than the reliefs 9) forced inside the slideways 7 of the barrier, in order to slide therein and thus allow the bolt 47 to engage in the opposite compartment (such as 3a in figure 2 or 30a in figure 4) of an adjacent barrier, the corresponding compartment being of course open laterally so that the bolt 47 is able to be engaged.

Figure 3, a butt-plate 50 shows that two adjacent barriers placed coaxially can be protected once held end to end in this way.

To hold these two barriers once the bolt is engaged, the corresponding compartment is closed, entirely for the compartment 30a, partially (by the shoulders on the walls 11) for the compartment 3a.

Together, figures 1, 5 and 6 show the reaction of the barrier device of the invention in the face of a frontal, for example substantially horizontal, impact, in the direction of the arrow 51 in figure 5, the barrier 1 extending with its front outer wall, the bumper 4 (curved like the corresponding wall 35 in figure 4) confronting this horizontal impact.

If the impact is very weak (figure 1) it is the inner walls, which partition the barrier 1, that absorb the impact. The barriers remain latched with the connection means 15 and the rear posts 13 are practically not acted upon.

To advantage, the length of latching 1 (figures 1, 9) between 7 and 9 will be about 1 to 3 times the height _ of the section.

If the impact in the direction 51 is more significant, the posts 13 bend, as shown in figure 5 where they buckle in their vertical part, with the upper, substantially horizontal, part after the elbow 21 transmitting the strain.

If the strain increases further (figure 6), the posts 13 swivel at their ground base around the rods 27 and the flanges 9 are disengaged from the grooves 7, such that each barrier 1 hangs by its own weight from the ground.

It will be noted that if the strain had been not perpendicular to the direction 5 of elongation of the barriers, but applied at a slantwise angle, then the preferably sliding snap-on connection 7-9 would have allowed, in the event of a relatively moderate strain, a slight rotation by a few degrees of the posts 13 to be produced around the rods 27, potentially preventing the connection means 15 from becoming disengaged relative to the sections 1.

In figures 7 and 8 can be seen two barrier devices and 70 respectively, one including two parallel barriers 61-63 at two different heights, the other including three barriers 71, 73, 75 at three different heights, the barriers being however on each occasion located together in one and the same vertical plane and in this case each embodied as the barrier 1.

The device 60 in figure 7 allows a structure of this kind to be seen in front view, assembled, figure 8 showing a diagrammatic exploded rear view.

In both cases, the sets of barriers, such as 61, 63 in figure 7, are held and supported at the rear by posts identified as 130 that have, between their upper angled end 121 and their ground connection base, an intermediate tube 123 (figure 7), or two tubes 123, 125 (figure 8) that extend horizontally, formed in a single piece with the posts and defining struts.

At the free end of these parts 121, 123, 125, are again found the endpieces or connection means 15 snapped on to the corresponding section.

One of the barriers, in this case, the lower barrier 71, (figure 8) is rectilinear and extends coaxially via an adjacent barrier 71a to which it is connected by a plate 74 tightly fitted in the adjacent compartments 3 of each barrier 71, 71a and held by screwing.

The barriers of the other levels (73, 75) are directed towards the first level barrier 71a by inclined barrier parts, 73a and 75a respectively, the ends of which are formed slantwise with the angle that is appropriate and which are each connected to the corresponding barrier, at the upper part by an angled plate 77, and, at the lower end, by a rectilinear plate identical to the plate 74 but placed inclined.

The plates 74 and 77 engaged in the same rear compartments 3 already cited are screwed therein, if necessary by means of struts such as 80 for the lower part connection.

In figure 9, the barrier 1 shown, still held at the rear by the angled posts 13, via the disengageable connection means 15 is made in a single piece, therefore all in one piece, its direction of elongation 5 being in this case arched with a double gradual curve giving it the shape of an "S". The length of such a single continuous barrier is at least between 10 and 12 m.

In figure 10, the barrier 100 is notched at 110, 111. The notches are provided essentially in the external wall of the section, which leaves the internal partitions intact and prevents fracturing from starting. The notches are vertical and extend both on the front and rear surface.

In figure 11 can be seen a barrier 120 in a number of sections joined endto-end' with a certain space 122 between two successive sections (placed coaxially). At the rear of the rear posts 230, two barrier sections are connected to a first leaf 124a and a second leaf 124b respectively of a gate 126, each leaf being mounted to swivel around a vertical axis on a lateral post 128a, 128b.

The posts 230 have, beyond their upper elbow, a vertical part, like the posts 13, 130, but they are interrupted before reaching ground level, so as not to hinder the movement of the leaves to which they are connected by fixing lugs such as 132.

In figure 12 can be seen a continuous barrier of great length 150 (but this could be several barriers end to end) held at the rear by posts 330 not anchored in the ground but connected by their base to a ground support base 350.

In the event, the posts 330 are angled at their upper part at 331 so as to form substantially an inverted L, their lower part extending, in a continuous and rigid way, via the holding base 350 in a lower elbow 333 at a sharper angle than is the upper curved elbow 331.

In the embodiment, at least two upright tubes 330 and a base 350 constitute a unitary set 360, in a plastic material, preferably the same material as previously, embodied in moulded tubes, in this case round tubes.

The base 350 holding the posts is therefore adapted to extend on the ground, in a plane 335 parallel to the ground 14.

As shown, and to advantage, the base 350 is shown as a U-shaped arc connected at its opposite ends, at the elbows 333, to two upright posts 330, distant one from the other, parallel to the direction 5 of elongation of the barrier.

By the lateral branches 351 of the U. the holding base extends, in the plane 335, in a direction moving away from the connection area between the posts and the barrier, thus allowing the whole to be held in stable equilibrium.

In this way the device shown can be put up on the ground and support the barrier, while being able to remain in place through its own weight and its shape, fulfilling in all circumstances the function of a protective barrier, despite any impacts it may sustain.

Since the device is not specifically driven into the ground, it may be easily moved, by dragging it or by carrying it from one place to the other, rapidly, since the weight remains reasonable (between 35 and 50 kg for 4 m of barrier length). No previous dismantling is necessary.

The relatively small weight of this device as well as its stability stem from the modest weight of the counterweight (15 to 30 kg) associated with a significant lever arm to counterbalance the weight of the barrier and any additional impact that may be applied. Furthermore, offsetting the barrier relative to the front support point consigns the posts backwards.

To advantage, the lever arm Z of the holding base (distance between the front and rear support ends 333, 353), in a plane perpendicular to the plane 25 and to the axis 5, will be between 5/8 and 13/8 of the height H of the posts and even preferably between 2/3 and 5/4 (figure 13).

As is shown in figure 13, a counterweight 337 is preferably provided at the base 315.

In this case, the counterweight is placed in the section 353 of the holding base fitted with the lateral sections 351 (figure 12) and located furthest from the barrier 150, so as to attain the largest possible lever arm, without getting in the way.

The counterweight 337 is a heavy bar (heavy metal) here placed inside the tubular section 353.

Figure 13, it will have been noted that the lower vertical part 332 which extends between the lower elbow 333 and the upper elbow 331 is inclined relative to the vertical by an alpha angle to advantage of between 5 and 25 .

It will be preferred that the lower elbow 333 which constitutes the frontsupport point of the base 350 is located at the back (ARR) relative to the vertical of the barrier, so as to preserve the best protective effect, since the posts and their base then still remain at the rear relative to the protective barrier.

Figure 13, it will thus be seen that for a barrier placed at a height of about 1000 mm to 1800 mm, the rear offset Y (in a plane perpendicular to the plane 25 of the barrier, will to advantage be of about 200 mm + 50 mm, the length, in this same plane, of the section 351 being to advantage such that Z = 1200 mm + 500 mm.

With a design of this kind the rear counterweight 337 may be about 15 kg + 10 kg.

A braking (or counter reverse movement) system 339 additionally prevents the barrier device shown from moving freely on the ground, at least in the event of a strain exerted frontally from the front on the barrier 150, in the direction of the posts located behind (arrow F in figure 13).

To advantage, the brake means 339 include types of inclined hooks that are driven into the ground, when the base 350 is flat, laid onto it, as can be seen in figure 13.

It is a question, in the preferred embodiment shown, of initial tube sections (in the event two in number) 339a, 339b in figure 12, in a single piece with the transverse section 353 and extending in the direction of the ground (for example at 45 ), in a plane substantially perpendicular to the direction 5 of the barriers.

In figure 12 it can be seen that, between the two sets of two posts joined together by a holding base 350, there extends an intermediate connection tube 361 located substantially at mid-height, this bar carrying on, continuously or in sections, between the posts connected to the bases, by another tube or bar 363 also preferably horizontal making it easy to grip and lift the barrier device, in order to move it at least forwards, as can be seen in figure 14.

To move it backwards, as in figure 15, it may be preferable to pick up the bases 350 by their transverse rear bar 353, and to incline the whole of the device forwards, so as to drag the whole thing which then remains on the ground simply by the front support points formed by the lower elbows 333.

The connection between the posts 330 and the corresponding base 350 could be swivelling, the posts being able to swivel in or around short rods 365 (figure 15) connected to the base and vertically upright or inclined backwards (aforementioned alpha angle).

In relation to the above, the enclosed claims further disclose the invention as follows:

Claims (25)

1. A barrier device, made in a plastic material, comprising at least one elongated section (1, 10, 61) defining a barrier and, to the rear of said barrier, connection means (15) connected to bearing posts (13, 130, 330) distributed in a predetermined lay-out, the connection means allowing said at least one elongated section to be set up on the bearing posts removably and by self-latching, the or each barrier being internally partitioned.

2. The barrier device according to claim 1, characterized in that said connection means (15) comprise a lock-plate cast in a single piece, preferably in a plastic material, removably connected to the corresponding bearing post (13, 130, 330), each lock-plate comprising relief parts (9) intended to engage grooves (7) provided in said at least one elongated section, in order to achieve said self-latching, which therefore consists of a snap-on fitting.

3. The barrier device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the bearing posts comprise tubular means (13, 330, etc.) made in a plastic material and adapted to engage holding rods (27, 365) raised on the ground and having an axis, said engagement allowing the bearing posts to swivel around said axis of the holding rods.

4. The barrier device according to claim 3, characterized in that the bearing posts are engaged in a swivelling way around the holding rods and levelling washers (33) are interposed between the ground and the base of said bearing posts.

5. The barrier device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of said elongated sections which have externally a curved wall (35) extending backwards, in the direction of said connection means (15), via a protective cap (37) having a double wall which covers the connection means when they are connected to the corresponding elongated sections.

6. The barrier device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that each barrier, which is made in polyvinyl chloride, has a thickness of 2 mm + 0.3 mm.

7. The barrier device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that: - it comprises a plurality of said elongated sections which extend along a elongating direction, - the bearing posts are adapted to stand above the ground on which they are supported so that they are free to swivel on said ground, and - the snap-on connection between the relief parts (9) and the grooves (7) is a sliding connection which allows them to slide relative to each other, in a common direction of elongation of said grooves and relief parts, said direction being substantially parallel to said elongating direction of the barriers, at least in vicinity of the corresponding bearing post (13) which swivels on itself at the same time as said relative sliding connection occurs.

8. The barrier device according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that each lock-plate (15) is removably connected to the corresponding bearing post, by means of a tube section (15a) provided on a rear surface of the lock-plate, the tube section and an upper end of said bearing post (13) defining a mutual fitting held in place by a cotter pin (41).

9. The barrier device according to claim 2, characterized in that: - it comprises a plurality of said barriers which extend along a elongating direction, - an end-to-end connection between two adjacent barriers is effected by means of a bolt (47) provided on one of said barriers and extending in said elongating direction, - the bolt being fixed to a slide (49) provided with said snap-on relief parts and thereby forcibly and resiliently engaged in the sliding grooves (7) of one of the barriers to be assembled, - each barrier is internally partitioned, and - the bolt is adapted to engage inside one of said compartments (3a) of an adjacent barrier, the compartment being open laterally, opposite the bolt, and having transversally a closed contour.

10. The barrier device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the bearing posts have a lower part, substantially at ground level, where they are connected, at an elbow (333), to a holding base (350) adapted to extend along the ground, in a plane substantially (335) parallel to said ground.

11. The barrier device according to claim 10, characterized in that: - the holding base (350) is made in a plastic material, - at least a part of said holding base extends, in said plane, in a direction moving away from the connection between the corresponding barrier (150) and the bearing posts, - and said holding base is provided with a counterweight (337), to keep the bearing post upright in a position of stable equilibrium, at least when no impact and no additional weight is applied to said barrier.

12. The barrier device according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the holding base (350) is curved as an arc having two free ends connected to two adjacent of said bearing posts (330), each at the location of said elbow (333).

13. The barrier device according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that, in a vertical plane, each bearing post (330) has an upper part bent at an angle above the ground, the connection between the bearing post and the barrier being thus cantilevered relative to a lower part of said bearing post located near the ground, the holding base including a part that extends substantially in the plane of the bearing post.

14. The barrier device according to claim 10, characterized in that at least a part (351) of the holding base (350) extends, in said plane, in a direction moving away from the connection between the corresponding S barrier (150) and the bearing posts (330), and, to promote the general equilibrium of the barrier device, said holding base is provided with a counterweight (337) and each bearing post is, over at least a part (332) of its height along which it stands, inclined backwards (2) in the direction of said part (351) of the holding base which moves away from the connection between the corresponding barrier and the bearing posts.

15. The barrier device according to any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the holding base, which rests on the ground and is made in plastic material, as is/are the barrier(s), is provided with braking means (339) to prevent the barrier device from moving freely on said ground, at least in the event of a strain being exerted frontally, substantially horizontally, on the corresponding barrier, in the direction of the bearing posts (330) located behind.

16. The barrier device according to claim 15, characterized in that the holding base (350) includes a tubular structure defining a U-shaped connected at its opposite ends to said bearing posts (330), and the braking means (339) comprise tube means (339a,339b) integral with the transversal portion (353) of said U shaped tubular structure and extendir, g slantwise in the direction of the ground in a plane substantially perpendicular to the direction of elongation of the barrier.

17. The barrier device according to any one of claims 10 to 16, characterized in that: - by series of two adjacent bearing posts (330), said bearing posts are connected to each other via one of said holding base (350), so that an intermediate space free of any holding base extends therebetween, - between the upper part where they are connected to the corresponding barrier and the lower part (333) where they are connected to said holding base, all the adjacent bearing posts (330) are connected to each other, parallel to the direction (5) of elongation of the barriers, by means of a substantially horizontal bar (363) that makes it easier to grip and lift the barrier device, in order to move it.

18. The barrier device according to any one of claims 10 to 16, characterized in that the bearing posts (330) and the holding base (350) thereof are defined by a single continuous piece of tubing, cast in one piece, made in a plastic material, in which is placed, at the location of the holding base, at least one heavy load (337) defining said counterweight.

19. The barrier device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that it includes a plurality of barriers (61, 63, 71, 73, 75) disposed at different heights above the ground, substantially parallel to each other over at least a greater part of their length, the bearing posts (130) having, between the upper part and the lower ground connection part thereof, projecting intermediate tubing (121, 123, 125) that extends transversally relative to the direction of elevation in which each of said bearing post mainly stands, the transverse tubes being formed in a single piece with each post and defining struts at a free end of which is connected a said lock-plate (15) for said connection with the corresponding barrier.

20. The barrier device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it includes a plurality of said barriers disposed at different heights, substantially parallel to each other over a greater part of their length, and among these barriers, a first level barrier (61, 71) is essentially rectilinear, whereas remaining barriers of other levels (63; 73, 75) are locally bent at an angle so as to have a part (73a, 75a) inclined relative to the horizontal, said inclined part being fixed to the first level barrier.

21. The barrier device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that at least some of said elongated sections are cast in a single piece in their direction of elongation, over a length equal to at least 10 metres, thus defining a single continuous barrier along said direction (5) of elongation, which is arched with one or more gradual curves.

22. The barrier device according to claim 21, characterized in that along said curves the elongated section defining said single continuous barrier is notched (110, 111) in its outer wall, to promote significant bending.

23. The barrier device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that on a gate (126) comprising at least one swivelling leaf (124a, 124b), a portion of elongated section connected to two bearing posts (128a, 128b) is connected to the leaf, by means of fixing means (132) integral with the bearing posts, which are interrupted at a lower part before reaching ground level.

24. The barrier device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that: - the bearing posts are swivel mounted on a holding base (31, 350) bringing them into contact with the ground, and - each of said elongated sections, the bearing posts, the holding base and said connection means (15) removably connecting said at least one elongated section to the bearing posts are defined so that, under a horizontal strain exerted frontally on each barrier, the bearing posts distort, before said connection means (15) automatically disengage relative to the corresponding elongated sections and said bearing posts swivel.

25. A barrier device constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described or with reference to any one of Figures 1 to 15 of the accompanying drawings.