Base for a temporary barrier

Abstract

A base for a temporary barrier, comprising (i) a support portion of plastics material on which is provided an upwardly extending spigot or socket for engaging with a part of the barrier; (ii) a first elongate, horizontally extending, ground engaging stabilising member of plastics material which is connected to and extends from the support portion to a first remote end; (iii) a first elongate stiffening member which is connected to the first stabilising member and extends horizontally from adjacent the first remote end towards the support portion; (iv) a second elongate, horizontally extending, ground engaging stabilising member of plastics material which is connected to and extends from the support portion to a second remote end in a direction opposite to the first stabilising member; and (v) a second elongate stiffening member which is connected to the second stabilising member and extends horizontally from adjacent the second remote end towards the support portion; wherein the first and second stiffening members are separate and do not define a continuous stiffening member extending from adjacent the first remote end of the first stabilising member to adjacent the second remote end of the second stabilising member. The use of the stiffening members, provides stiffness to the elongate stabilising members and means that the profile of the stabilising members can be kept low so as to reduce the danger of a pedestrian tripping over a foot of the base.

1 . A base for a temporary barrier, comprising:
 (i) a support portion of plastics material on which is provided an upwardly extending spigot or socket for engaging with a part of the barrier;   (ii) a first elongate, horizontally extending, ground engaging stabilising member of plastics material which is connected to and extends from the support portion to a first remote end;   (iii) a first elongate stiffening member which is connected to the first stabilising member and extends horizontally from adjacent the first remote end towards the support portion;   (iv) a second elongate, horizontally extending, ground engaging stabilising member of plastics material which is connected to and extends from the support portion to a second remote end in a direction opposite to the first stabilising member; and   (v) a second elongate stiffening member which is connected to the second stabilising member and extends horizontally from adjacent the second remote end towards the support portion;   wherein the first and second stiffening members are separate and do not define a continuous stiffening member extending from adjacent the first remote end of the first stabilising member to adjacent the second remote end of the second stabilising member.   
     
     
         2 . A base as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the height of the stabilising members over major parts of their respective lengths does not exceed a dimension selected from about 40 mm, about 35 mm, about 30 mm, about 25 mm, about 20 mm, about 15 mm, or about 12.5 mm. 
     
     
         3 . A base as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the height of the stabilising members does not exceed that dimension at least for a length of the elongate part of the stabilising member from its end to a point which at least about 95%, or about 90%, or about 85% or about 80%, or about 75%, or about 70%, or about 65%, or about 60%, or about 55%, or about 50% of the length of the stabilizing member from its remote end. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A base as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening members are of a suitable material so as to be substantially rigid, or to be semi-rigid so as to have a sufficient degree of flexibility to assist in assembly of the base. 
     
     
         6 . A base as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the members are of a fibre reinforced plastic material. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A base as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the or each stiffening member extends to the support portion. 
     
     
         9 . A base as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the or each stiffening member is joined to the support portion. 
     
     
         10 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A base as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the ends of the stabilising members are provided with portions which restrain their respective stiffening member against longitudinal movement when the stiffening member is in position, at least one of the portions being capable of flexion so that the stiffening member can be inserted, and then returning resiliently to keep it in position. 
     
     
         22 . A base as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein for each stabilising member there are a plurality of laterally spaced stiffening members, which are preferably substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         23 . A base as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the or each stiffening member extends through a bore or an open recess formed in a respective stabilising member. 
     
     
         24 . A base for a temporary barrier, comprising:
 (i) a support portion of plastics material on which is provided an upwardly extending spigot or socket for engaging with a part of the barrier;   (ii) first and second elongate, horizontally extending, low profile ground engaging stabilising members of plastics material connected to the support portion, the stabilising members extending in diametrically opposite directions from the support portion to respective remote ends of the stabilising members;   each stabilising member being of a material which is sufficiently stiff whereby the stabilising members are not provided with a stiffening member.   
     
     
         25 . A base as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the material of the stabilising members is a high performance plastics material selected from: (a) a nylon, (b) a fibre reinforced plastics material, (c) a self-reinforced advanced plastics material in which a polymer matrix is reinforced by highly oriented polymer fibres, or (d) a polymer produced by polymerisation catalysed by one or more metallocenes or metallocene derivatives. 
     
     
         26 . A base as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the support portion of the base and the first and second stabilising members are integrally formed. 
     
     
         27 . A base as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the support portion of the base is provided with an integrally formed upwardly extending plastics part which can either define a spigot or socket of the base. 
     
     
         28 . A base as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the stabilising members are connected to the upwardly extending part of the support portion part way up, preferably by curved transition regions. 
     
     
         29 . A base as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the base comprises a support portion which is formed of one component, and a second component which provides both stabilising members and a connection portion between the two stabilising members and is connected to the support portion. 
     
     
         30 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A base for a temporary barrier, comprising:
 (i) a support portion of plastics material on which is provided an upwardly extending spigot or socket for engaging with a part of the barrier;   (ii) first and second elongate, horizontally extending, ground engaging stabilising members of plastics material connected to the support portion, the stabilising members extending in diametrically opposite directions from the support portion to respective remote ends of the stabilising members; and   (iii) an elongate stiffening member which is connected to the first stabilising member and to the second stabilising member and extends horizontally from adjacent the remote end of the first stabilising member to adjacent the remote end of the second stabilising member;   wherein a first component of the base of moulded plastic defines the support portion, and a second component of the base provides both stabilising members and a connection portion between the two stabilising members, the connection portion being connected to the support portion.   
     
     
         34 . A base as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein the support portion is formed of relatively inexpensive, relatively low quality plastics material. 
     
     
         35 . A base as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the second component is formed of injection or blow moulded plastics which is of higher quality. 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A base as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein the support portion includes a ballast member to provide a ballast weight. 
     
     
         38 - 41 . (canceled)