Crash barrier

Abstract

A crash barrier system for forming a crash barrier including a plurality of barrier units, each barrier unit including a body having at least one crash wall, the body defining a cavity for receiving ballast; the crash wall including a series of longitudinal grooves on the outside surface thereof, each groove adapted to house a reinforcement bar; a first barrier unit is connectable to an adjacent second barrier unit by locking pins; at least one locking pin able to pass through apertures in the body of the first barrier unit and reinforcement bar(s) housed in the crash wall of the first barrier unit, and through apertures in the adjacent second barrier unit and reinforcement bar(s) housed in the crash wall of the adjacent second barrier unit so as to lock the barrier units together to form the crash barrier.

1 . A crash barrier system for forming a crash barrier comprising a plurality of barrier units, each barrier unit comprising:
 a body having at least one crash wall, the body defining a cavity for receiving ballast;   the crash wall comprising a series of longitudinal grooves on the outside surface thereof, each groove adapted to house a reinforcement bar;   wherein a first barrier unit is connectable to an adjacent second barrier unit by locking pins; at least one locking pin able to pass through apertures in the body of the first barrier unit and reinforcement bar(s) housed in the crash wall of the first barrier unit, and through apertures in the adjacent second barrier unit and reinforcement bar(s) housed in the crash wall of the adjacent second barrier unit so as to lock the barrier units together to form the crash barrier.   
     
     
         2 . A crash barrier system according to  claim 1 , wherein the body of each barrier unit has a first end and a second end, and wherein the first and second ends each comprise connecting lugs with recesses formed therebetween so that, in use, the connecting lugs of the first end of the first barrier unit can be mated into complementary recesses in the second end of the second barrier unit. 
     
     
         3 . A crash barrier system according to  claim 2 , wherein the connecting lugs have apertures therein and wherein:
 apertures in the mated connecting lugs line up with apertures in the reinforcement bar(s) housed in the first crash walls of the mated barrier units to form a first passageway for a first locking pin; and   wherein apertures in the mated connecting lugs line up with apertures in any reinforcement bars housed in the second, opposing crash walls of the mated barrier units to form a second passageway for a second locking pin.   
     
     
         4 . A crash barrier system according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking pin has a head and a body, and the head is received into a socket or recess formed in the body of the barrier unit. 
     
     
         5 . A crash barrier system according to  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal grooves in the at least one crash wall of each barrier unit are at a height of up to about 300 and/or up to about 500 and/or up to about 700 mm from a roadway on which the barrier unit is placed. 
     
     
         6 . A crash barrier system according to  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal grooves are spaced from about 100 to about 300 mm apart. 
     
     
         7 . A crash barrier system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the reinforcement bars is formed from steel. 
     
     
         8 . A crash barrier system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the reinforcement bars is hollow. 
     
     
         9 . A crash barrier system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the reinforcement bars has a rectangular cross-section. 
     
     
         10 . A crash barrier comprising a plurality of barrier units, each barrier unit comprising:
 a body having at least one crash wall, the body filled with ballast;   the crash wall comprising a series of longitudinal grooves on the outside surface thereof, at least one groove in the series housing a reinforcement bar;   wherein a first barrier unit in the crash barrier is connected to an adjacent second barrier unit in the crash barrier by a locking pin; the locking pin passing through apertures in the body of the first barrier unit and at least one reinforcement bar housed in the crash wall of the first barrier unit, and through apertures in the adjacent second barrier unit and at least one reinforcement bar housed in the crash wall of the adjacent second barrier unit so as to lock the barrier units together to form the crash barrier.   
     
     
         11 . A barrier unit for forming a crash barrier comprising a plurality of the barrier units joined together, the barrier unit comprising:
 a body having at least one crash wall, the body defining a cavity for receiving ballast;   the crash wall comprising a series of longitudinal grooves on the outside surface thereof, each groove adapted to house a reinforcement bar;   wherein the barrier unit is connectable to an adjacent barrier unit by locking pins; at least one locking pin able to pass through apertures in the body of the barrier unit and reinforcement bar(s) housed in the crash wall of the barrier unit, and through apertures in the adjacent barrier unit and reinforcement bar(s) housed in the crash wall of the adjacent barrier unit so as to lock the barrier units together to form the crash barrier.   
     
     
         12 . (canceled)