Flexible tensioned crash barrier

Abstract

A roadside crash barrier configured for deflecting errant vehicles towards the road. The barrier comprising at least one tensioned flexible strap comprising a planar face facing the road in use. Compared to prior art systems, the present invention reduces the chances of injury to motorcyclists, as well as being fast and easy to install. A collapsible end anchor for holding the tension of the straps is also described herein, where the end anchor is configured to reduce vehicle rollover should end on impact occur whilst still retaining the effectiveness of the retained road barrier.

1 . An end anchor for anchoring the ends of flexible members of a road barrier, the end anchor comprising a road barrier end at where said flexible members of the road barrier meet the end anchor and an opposing terminal end, the end anchor comprising:
 a. a support post configured to receive the flexible members at or near the road barrier end, the support post configured to pivot in a direction away from the terminal end,   b. a trigger post at or near the terminal end that is presented so as to be able to be contacted and engaged by an oncoming vehicle, the trigger post comprising a trigger hinge about which the trigger post is configured to pivot in a direction towards the barrier end when so engaged by a vehicle,   c. a support unit configured to be affixed securely to the ground and receiving and restraining the ends of the flexible members, the base hinge of the support post and the trigger hinge of the trigger post both engaged with the support unit,   d. a bracing arrangement comprising at least one bracing element pivotably engaged at one of its ends to the support post via a support post hinge and releasably pivotably engaged at another end to a cam arrangement via a cam end hinge, the bracing arrangement bracing the support post to maintain the tension of the flexible members, the cam arrangement comprising a cam hinge about which the cam arrangement is pivotably engaged with the support unit, and   e. an actuator extending between the trigger post and the cam arrangement,
 wherein the trigger post is configured to pivot about its trigger hinge in a direction towards the barrier end when so engaged by a vehicle so as to actuate the actuator to cause the cam arrangement to pivot about its cam hinge, releasing the cam end hinge of the at least one bracing element from its pivotable engagement to the cam arrangement such that the bracing arrangement no longer braces the support post, permitting at least partial collapse of said support post and a release in the tension of the flexible members. 
   
     
     
         2 . The end anchor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said at least partial collapse of said support post and release in the tension of the flexible members reduces a height of at least part of the road barrier and/or end anchor so as to at least limit and/or prevent rollover of the oncoming vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The end anchor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bracing arrangement is configured such that, after said at least partial collapse of said support post, the at least one bracing element is configured for releasable pivotable reengagement to the cam arrangement. 
     
     
         4 . The end anchor as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said reengagement of the at least one bracing element to the cam arrangement permits the bracing arrangement to re-brace the support post. 
     
     
         5 . The end anchor of  claim 1 , wherein said bracing arrangement bracing the support post to maintain the tension of the flexible members defines an operative condition of the end anchor and wherein said at least partial collapse of said support post and said release in the tension of the flexible members defines a collapsed condition of the end anchor. 
     
     
         6 . The end anchor of  claim 5 , wherein the end anchor is adapted to switch between, and/or be switched or moved between, said operative condition and said collapsed condition. 
     
     
         7 . The end anchor of  claim 5 , wherein the end anchor is configured to be movable to the operative condition from the collapsed condition. 
     
     
         8 . The end anchor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein an actuator cam end of the actuator is connected to the cam arrangement at an actuator receiver of the cam arrangement and, wherein an actuator trigger end of the actuator is connected to the trigger post at an actuator catch of the trigger post. 
     
     
         9 . The end anchor as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the actuator catch of the trigger post is positioned beneath the trigger hinge, when said trigger post is in an upright non-impacted position, such that upon contact and engagement by a vehicle, a pivoting of the trigger post about the trigger hinge causes said actuator catch to move in a direction away from the barrier end. 
     
     
         10 . The end anchor as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein a movement of the actuator catch in a direction away from the barrier end causes a movement of the actuator cam end also in a direction away from the barrier end. 
     
     
         11 . The end anchor as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein a movement of the actuator cam end in a direction away from the barrier end causes a movement of the actuator receiver of the cam arrangement in a direction away from the barrier end and a resulting pivoting of the cam arrangement about its cam hinge. 
     
     
         12 . The end anchor as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the actuator receiver is positioned at or on at least one cam flange of the cam arrangement spaced apart from a position of the cam hinge on said at least one cam flange. 
     
     
         13 . The end anchor as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said at least one cam flange comprises a bracing slot adapted to releasably receive said cam end hinge of the at least one bracing element. 
     
     
         14 . The end anchor as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said bracing slot is positioned at or on said at least one cam flange spaced apart from the position of the cam hinge on said at least one cam flange and from the position of the actuator receiver on said at least one cam flange. 
     
     
         15 . The end anchor as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said support unit comprises a plate formed into an inverted channel extending longitudinally across the end anchor. 
     
     
         16 . The end anchor as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said inverted channel at least partially houses and/or receives the support post, the base hinge of said support post, the trigger post, the trigger hinge of said trigger post, the actuator, the cam arrangement and/or the cam hinge of said cam arrangement. 
     
     
         17 . The end anchor of  claim 16 , wherein said cam arrangement is positioned within said inverted channel so as to be flanked by and between plate walls of said inverted channel. 
     
     
         18 . The end anchor of  claim 17 , wherein said plate walls comprise plate slots adapted to releasably receive said cam end hinge of the at least one bracing element. 
     
     
         19 . The end anchor of  claim 18 , wherein said bracing slot and said plate slots are configured to together releasably receive and constrain said cam end hinge of the at least one bracing element at least until a pivoting of the cam arrangement about said cam hinge thereof causes a movement of the bracing slot that moves the cam end hinge through said plate slots to and towards a released position out from said bracing slot and said plate slots. 
     
     
         20 . The end anchor as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein said bracing slot and said actuator receiver are positioned at opposite ends of said at least one cam flange with the cam hinge positioned therebetween, such that a rotation or pivoting of said cam arrangement about said cam hinge causes a corresponding rotation or pivoting of the bracing slot and said actuator receiver in a same direction. 
     
     
         21 . The end anchor as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein said pivoting of the cam arrangement about its cam hinge causes a downward movement of the actuator receiver of the cam arrangement and an upward movement of the bracing slot and the cam end hinge of the at least one bracing element when so releasably received thereby. 
     
     
         22 . The end anchor as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the cam arrangement comprises two of said at least one cam flange, spaced apart laterally and connected by way of said cam hinge extending therebetween. 
     
     
         23 . The end anchor as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the bracing arrangement comprises two of said at least bracing element, each spaced apart laterally to flank said support post and said plate walls of said inverted channel. 
     
     
         24 . The end anchor as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein said support post comprises a plurality of flexible member supports through which said flexible members of the road barriers extend through, the ends of said flexible members extending from said flexible member supports to terminate at a plurality of flexible member mounts at least partially housed by said inverted channel of the support unit. 
     
     
         25 . An end anchor for anchoring the ends of flexible members of a road barrier, the end anchor comprising a road barrier end at where said flexible members of the road barrier meet the end anchor and an opposing terminal end, the end anchor comprising:
 a. a trigger post at or near the terminal end of the end anchor, and   b. a support post at or near the barrier end of the end anchor,   wherein the end anchor is configured to change and/or move between:
 i. an operative condition in which said support post braces said flexible members and maintains their tension, and 
 ii. a collapsed condition in which said support post does not brace said flexible members and maintain their tension. 
   
     
     
         26 . An end anchor for anchoring the ends of flexible members of a road barrier, the end anchor comprising a road barrier end at where said flexible members of the road barrier meet the end anchor and an opposing terminal end, the end anchor comprising:
 a. a trigger post at or near the terminal end of the end anchor,   b. a support post at or near the barrier end of the end anchor, and   wherein the end anchor is configured to change and/or move between:
 i. an operative condition in which said support post braces said flexible members and maintains their tension, and 
 ii. a collapsed condition in which said trigger post is engaged by an oncoming vehicle so as to cause the support post to no longer brace said flexible members and maintain their tension, the collapsed condition reducing a height of at least part of the road barrier and/or end anchor so as to at least limit and/or prevent rollover of the oncoming vehicle. 
   
     
     
         27 . An end anchor for anchoring the ends of flexible members of a road barrier, the end anchor comprising a road barrier end at where said flexible members of the road barrier meet the end anchor and an opposing terminal end, the end anchor comprising:
 a. a trigger post at or near the terminal end of the end anchor,   b. a support post at or near the barrier end of the end anchor, and   c. an actuator operatively connecting said trigger post to said support post, wherein the end anchor is configured to change and/or move between:
 i. an operative condition in which said support post braces said flexible members and maintains their tension, and 
 ii. a collapsed condition in which said trigger post is engaged by an oncoming vehicle so as to cause the actuator to move the support post so that it no longer braces said flexible members and maintains their tension. 
   
     
     
         28 . An end anchor for anchoring the ends of flexible members of a road barrier, the end anchor comprising a road barrier end at where said flexible members of the road barrier meet the end anchor and an opposing terminal end, the end anchor configured to move between:
 i. an operative condition where the end anchor holds the tensioned member(s) in a first tension; and   ii. a collapsed condition where the end anchor releases the tensioned member(s) from the first tension,   wherein the end anchor comprises a trigger post configured to be engaged by an oncoming vehicle, and be actuated, to change the end anchor from the operative condition to the collapsed condition.   
     
     
         29 . An end anchor for anchoring the ends of flexible members of a road barrier, the end anchor comprising a road barrier end at where said flexible members of the road barrier meet the end anchor and an opposing terminal end, the end anchor configured to move between:
 i. an operative condition where the end anchor braces said flexible members and maintains their tension; and   ii. a collapsed condition where the end anchor no longer braces said flexible members and maintains their tension, such that a height of at least part of the road barrier and/or end anchor is reduced so as to at least limit and/or prevent rollover of an oncoming vehicle,   wherein the end anchor comprises a trigger post configured to be engaged by said oncoming vehicle, and be actuated, to change the end anchor from the operative condition to the collapsed condition.