Barrier device with side wall reinforcements

Abstract

A barrier device comprises a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed end walls and opposed side walls interconnected to form a hollow interior in which a pair of spaced openings are formed which extend between the side walls. An external reinforcement structure is provided to enhance the structural integrity of the barrier device, including first and second beams each located along one of the side walls which are connected to one another by a mounting device extending through the openings in the hollow interior, or, alternatively, are mounted within a seat formed in each side wall between the opposed ends of the barrier device. The beams of one barrier device are connected end-to-end with the beams of adjacent barrier devices to form an essentially continuous wall of barriers which resist disengagement from one another and exhibit improved resistance to being broken apart upon impact by a vehicle.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A barrier device, comprising: 
 a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed end walls and opposed side walls interconnected to collectively form a hollow interior;    at least one opening extending through said hollow interior from one of said side walls to the other of said side walls;    a first beam extending along one of said side walls and a second beam extending along the other of said side walls;    a mounting bracket extending through said at least one opening;    a ground anchor connected to said mounting bracket, said ground anchor having a base adapted to be secured to a surface upon which said bottom wall rests.    
     
     
         2 . The barrier device of  claim 1  in which said mounting bracket has opposed ends, one end of said mounting bracket being connected to said first beam and the opposite end being connected to said second beam.  
     
     
         3 . The barrier device of  claim 1  in which said ground anchor comprises: 
 a turnbuckle having first and second ends;  
 an upper arm having one end connected to said first end of said turnbuckle, and a second end;  
 a connector tube connected to said second end of said upper arm and to said mounting bracket;  
 a lower arm having one end connected to said second end of said turnbuckle and an opposite end connected to said base.  
 
     
     
         4 . The barrier device of  claim 3  in which said second end of said upper arm mounts a yoke, said yoke being pivotally mounted to said connector tube.  
     
     
         5 . The barrier device of  claim 1  in which each of said first and second beams is mounted to said mounting bracket.  
     
     
         6 . The barrier device of  claim 1  in which each of said side walls is formed with a seat, said first beam being mounted within said seat in one of said side walls and said second beam being mounted within said seat in the other of said side walls.  
     
     
         7 . A barrier wall, comprising: 
 a number of individual barrier devices each including: 
 (i) a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed end walls and opposed side walls interconnected to collectively form a hollow interior;  
 (ii) at least one opening extending through said hollow interior from one of said side walls to the other of said side walls;  
 (iii) a first beam extending along one of said side walls and a second beam extending along the other of said side walls, each of said first and second beams having opposite ends which protrude from one of said end walls;  
   a clamping device located at each end of said first and second beams of each of said barrier devices, one of said clamping devices being connected between one end of a first beam of one barrier device and one end of a first beam of an adjacent barrier device, and another of said clamping devices being connected between one end of a second beam of one barrier device and one end of a second beam of an adjacent barrier device.    
     
     
         8 . The barrier wall of  claim 7  in which each of said clamping devices is a generally C-shaped clamp.  
     
     
         9 . The barrier wall of  claim 7  in which each of said barrier devices includes at least one mounting bracket which extends through said at least one opening in said hollow interior and connects to each of said first and second beams to mount said first and second beams along respective side walls of said barrier device.  
     
     
         10 . The barrier wall of  claim 7  in which each of said side walls is formed with a seat, said first beam being mounted within said seat in one of said side walls and said second beam being mounted within said seat in the other of said side walls.  
     
     
         11 . A barrier wall, comprising: 
 a number of barrier devices each including: 
 (i) a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed end walls and opposed side walls interconnected to collectively form a hollow interior;  
 (ii) at least one opening extending through said hollow interior from one of said side walls to the other of said side walls;  
 (iii) a first beam extending along one of said side walls and a second beam extending along the other of said side walls, each of said first and second beams having opposed ends;  
   adjacent barrier devices being connected together end-to-end to form a wall, an end-most barrier device being located at one end of said wall and having a first beam and a second beam each with an exposed end;    a pair of end connectors each having opposed ends, one end of each of said end connectors being connected to said exposed end of one of said first and second beams of said end-most barrier device, said opposite ends of said end connectors being mounted to one another.    
     
     
         12 . The barrier wall of  claim 11  in which each of said barrier devices includes at least one mounting bracket which extends through said at least one opening in said hollow interior and connects to each of said first and second beams to mount said first and second beams along respective side walls of said barrier device.  
     
     
         13 . The barrier wall of  claim 11  in which each of said side walls is formed with a seat, said first beam being mounted within said seat in one of said side walls and said second beam being mounted within said seat in the other of said side walls.  
     
     
         14 . A barrier device, comprising: 
 a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed end walls and opposed side walls interconnected to form a hollow interior;    a seat formed in each of said side walls which extends from one end wall to the opposite end wall, each of said seats having an inner wall located within said hollow interior and an outer opening substantially flush with one of said side walls, said inner wall and said outer opening each having a height dimension extending in a direction between said top and bottom walls, said height dimension of said inner wall being greater than said height dimension of said outer opening;    a first beam insertable within said seat formed in one of said side walls and a second beam insertable within said seat formed in the other of said side walls, said first and second beams each having a height dimension which is greater than said height dimension of said outer opening in said seats so that said first and second beams are retained within said seats.    
     
     
         15 . The barrier device of  claim 14  in which said inner wall of each of said seats is generally T-shaped, each of said first and second beams being correspondingly shaped with a head section connected to a stem section.  
     
     
         16 . The barrier device of  claim 14  in which said inner wall of each of said seats is generally C-shaped, each of said first and second beams being correspondingly shaped with a flattened outer surface which extends along said outer opening of said seat.  
     
     
         17 . The barrier device of  claim 14  in which each of said beams is dimensioned to slide into one of said seats from one end wall to the other end wall.  
     
     
         18 . The barrier wall of  claim 14  in which each of said barrier devices includes at least one mounting bracket which extends through said at least one opening in said hollow interior and connects to each of said first and second beams to mount said first and second beams along respective side walls of said barrier device.  
     
     
         19 . The barrier wall of  claim 14  in which each of said side walls is formed with a seat, said first beam being mounted within said seat in one of said side walls and said second beam being mounted within said seat in the other of said side walls.  
     
     
         20 . A barrier device, comprising: 
 a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed end walls and opposed side walls interconnected to collectively form a hollow interior;    a seat formed in each of said side walls which extends from one end wall to the opposite end wall, each of said seats having a cross sectional shape formed of an inner wall located within said hollow interior and an outer opening substantially flush with one of said side walls;    a first beam and a second beam each having a cross sectional shape substantially conforming to said cross sectional shape of said seats, said first beam being inserted and frictionally retained within said seat of one of said side walls and said second beam being inserted and frictionally retained within said seat of the other of said side walls.    
     
     
         21 . A barrier wall, comprising: 
 a number of individual barrier devices connected end-to-end, each of said barrier devices including: 
 (i) a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed end walls and opposed side walls interconnected to collectively form a hollow interior;  
 (ii) a seat formed in each of said side walls which extends from one end wall to the opposite end wall;  
 (iii) a first beam mounted within said seat in one of said side walls and a second beam mounted within said seat of the other of said side walls, said first and second beams each having opposed ends which protrude from one of said end walls;  
   connecting structure located at each protruding end of said first beam and said second beam of each barrier device, said connecting structure including a first bracket extending between a protruding end of a first beam of one barrier device and the protruding end of a first beam of an adjacent barrier device to connect said first beams together, and a second bracket extending between a protruding end of a second beam of one barrier device and the protruding end of a second beam of adjacent barrier device to connect said second beams together.    
     
     
         22 . A barrier wall, comprising: 
 a number of individual barrier devices connected end-to-end, each of said barrier devices including: 
 (i) a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed end walls and opposed side walls interconnected to collectively form a hollow interior;  
 (ii) a seat formed in each of said side walls which extends from one end wall to the opposite end wall;  
 (iii) a first beam mounted within said seat in one of said side walls and a second beam mounted within said seat of the other of said side walls, said first and second beams each having opposed ends which protrude from one of said end walls;  
   connecting structure located at each protruding end of at least one of said first beam and said second beam of each barrier device, said connecting structure comprising a hitch device including a first member mounted to the protruding end of at least one of said first and second beams of one barrier device, a second member mounted to the protruding end of said at least one of said first and second beams of an adjacent barrier device and a coupler connecting said first and second members.