Roadside barrier

Abstract

A stackable roadside barrier ( 10 ) has an open base ( 12 ) and a closed top ( 18 ), and front and rear walls ( 14, 16 ) and end walls ( 20, 22 ). The front and rear walls ( 14, 16 ) and/or end walls ( 20, 22 ) taper from the open end to the closed end to allow one barrier to nest within another similar barrier. The barrier includes at least one open channel or the like defined at or near the base of the barrier, adjacent the front and/or rear walls of the barrier for receiving ballast such as sand or gravel either in bags or loose.

1 . A stackable roadside barrier defining a base, front and rear walls defining external surfaces, end walls, and a top, the barrier having an open end at its base, and defining a closed end at its top, the front and rear walls and/or end walls tapering from the open end to the closed end to allow one barrier to nest within another similar barrier, and including a first open channel defined at or near the base of the barrier, adjacent the front wall of the barrier, and a second open channel defined at or near the base of the barrier, for receiving ballast including sand or gravel, and wherein the channels are open at the base of the barrier so as to receive ballast sliding down the external surfaces of the front and/or rear walls of the barrier when ballast is impacted onto those external surfaces. 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A roadside barrier as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the channels include walls having a height measured from the base of the barrier in the range of 50 to 150 mm. 
     
     
         4 . A roadside barrier as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the channels include walls having a height measured from the base of the barrier in the range of about 100 mm. 
     
     
         5 . A roadside barrier as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each channel has a volume of from 5 to 20 litres. 
     
     
         6 . A roadside barrier as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each channel has an average width in the range of 50 to 250 mm. 
     
     
         7 . A roadside barrier as claimed in  claim 1  wherein both the end walls and the front and rear walls of the barrier are tapered and the top is closed. 
     
     
         8 . A roadside barrier as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the barrier defines two pairs of apertures for receiving the tines of a fork lift, one pair located at the base of the barrier and one pair at the top of the barrier. 
     
     
         9 . A roadside barrier as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a plug or protrusion is provided at the base of one end wall of the barrier and a slot for receiving such a plug is defined at the base of the opposite end wall. 
     
     
         10 . A roadside barrier as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the channel has a base and the area of the open top of the channel is substantially the same as the area of the base of the channel.