Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ROLL-OUT SAFETY SYSTEM
The invention relates to an unrollable safety system according to the preamble
to
Claim 1.
With a generic, portable barrier system according to publication US-
2007/0176158 a
cylindrical housing is provided in which a hollow shaft accommodating the
unrollable
net is rotatably mounted, it being possible to turn this hollow shaft in one
or the other
direction using a manually operated crank handle. Moreover, for the purpose of
locking, a ratchet wheel, which interacts with a catch adjustable from the
outside, is
assigned to the hollow shaft. This barrier system is suitable for blocking off
places
which are dangerous for children.
The object forming the basis of the present invention was to provide a system
by
means of which a mobile or stationary barrier over shorter or longer
distances, with
high stability and with simple and fast assembly and dismantling is made
possible.
The object is achieved according to the invention in that the net, as
meshwork, is
flexible and so designed such that it can be rolled up, it being produced from
a
plurality of wires, ropes and/or strands bent in coil shapes and preferably
made of
high-strength steel, the wires, ropes and/or strands bent in coil shapes being
aligned
perpendicularly to the direction of pulling out the net so that the net can be
rolled up
on the vertically standing shaft.
With this embodiment according to the invention of the roll-out and roll-up
safety
system, on the one hand high stability of the latter is guaranteed so that it
can reliably
withstand vandalism, acts of violence and external environmental influences
(e.g.
wind, rain, snow, sandstorms, etc.) and also so that the protection system
does not
come loose where a large number of people have to be guided through in a high
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density. Moreover, it is not possible, or only with great difficulty, to climb
over or crawl
under this type of meshwork because the net can be correspondingly
pretensioned.
In addition, it can be assembled and dismantled easily and quickly without any
high
degree of previous knowledge, and so, for example, it can be set up quickly as
a
temporary barrier, for example at a stadium, and then be removed again during
the
sporting event so that the spectators can leave the stadium without any
obstruction
after the end of the game so as to avoid any tailbacks.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention and further advantages and applications
of
the latter are described in greater detail in the following by means of the
drawings.
These show as follows:
Fig.1 a view of a rolled out net system according to the invention,
Fig.2 an enlarged partial view of a support of the net system according to
Fig.1,
Fig.3 an enlarged partial view of the upper part of a box with the rolled out
net and
longitudinal element of the system according to Fig.1, and
Fig.4 an enlarged partial view of an end support of a net system.
Fig.1 shows a rolled out net system 10 in the assembled state which is
suitable for
various purposes. It can therefore be set up, for example in a football
stadium, and
here define different sectors even in front of the entrance to the stadium so
as to thus
facilitate the entrance of the spectators and also in order to guarantee
safety
arrangements in order to separate fans from one another, even before they
reach the
stadium. Before the spectators leave the stadium again, these nets 11 can be
rolled
back into the box 15 and the system 10 can be dismantled without any great
effort
within a few minutes, and so consequently the spectators can leave the stadium
without any tailbacks and in comfort.
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These systems are suitable for various applications, such as for example also
for
large events in sports and in other fields, but these net systems can also be
used at
building sides or on roads as mobile or likewise as stationary barriers and
guides.
This type of net system 10 includes a box 15 which contains a device, not
shown in
detail, with a rotatable shaft on which the net 11 can be rolled up or out. In
the rolled
out state - as illustrated - the net 11 is advantageously on the one hand held
in the
box 15 on this shaft, and on the other hand on an end support (see Fig.4) and
between this on a number of supports 12 spaced apart from one another.
Moreover, at least one longitudinal element 16 is guided over the upper side
of the
net from the box 15 to the end support. After being fixed to the end support,
both this
longitudinal element 16 and the net 11 are braced by means of a respective
bracing
device (not shown in detail) so that the net suspended on this longitudinal
element is
additionally stabilised.
According to the invention, the net 11, as meshwork, is flexible and so can be
rolled
up, it being produced from a plurality of wires 13, ropes and/or strands bent
in coil
shapes. The wires 13, ropes and/or strands bent in coil shapes are aligned
perpendicularly to the direction of pulling out the net so that the net 11 can
be rolled
up on the vertically standing shaft. The wires, ropes and/or strands are
produced from
a high-strength steel with a tensile strength of at least 1,000 N/mm2.
In the present exemplary embodiment the net 11 is woven from wires 13 made of
high-strength steel with a diameter of 2 mm and a tensile strength of 1,700
N/mm2. In
this way these nets can on the one hand be produced with a very low weight,
and on
the other hand, however, they fulfil the stability requirements ideally due to
the high
strengths. This low weight structure of the net means that it can be pulled
out a long
way - up to 50 m - without it tending to sag.
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The box 15 is designed such that it can preferably be transported using a fork
lift
truck. Therefore, corresponding openings 17 are provided on its lower side
into which
the forks of the fork lift truck can pass. Moreover, the box 15 has a door 16
through
which access to the shaft and to the bracing devices is guaranteed, and it is
of
dimensions such that all of the required implements, including in particular
the
supports 12, can be enclosed within it.
A further advantage is thus offered within the framework of the invention,
namely with
this system in the dismantled state this box 15 alone can be positioned and
removed,
and consequently very little space is required for it.
To the side next to the door 16 a passage slot 18 extends over almost the
whole
height of the box 15 through which the net 11 is passed. Moreover, an opening
19 is
provided above this passage slot 18 from which the longitudinal element 16
projects.
Furthermore, the base of the box 15 contains a heavy material, preferably
concrete,
so that in the rolled out state of the net 11 this box also has sufficient
stability.
According to Fig.1 and Fig.2 the supports 12 are respectively provided on the
upper
end with a protective hook 12' and centering means 16' for holding the
longitudinal
element 16. Moreover, claws 32, which serve as additional holding for the net
11, are
attached to the latter. For this purpose, with these claws the net 11 can be
suspended
with the edge rope 31 threaded through said net and the ends of the wires 13.
Moreover, the ends of the wires 13 are connected to the adjacent wires by
loops 13'
which are formed.
According to Fig.1 and Fig.3, on the upper end of the net 11 slots fixed
specified
distances apart from one another are advantageously provided with brackets 21
which are respectively U-shaped in form and are attached with a sidepiece 21'
to the
net 11. In addition, assigned to these brackets 21 are slide elements provided
as
guide rollers 22 which roll over the extended longitudinal element 16 when the
net is
11
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pulled out. These brackets 21 are advantageously attached to the net spaced
apart
from one another such that when the net is unrolled, as can be seen in Fig.1,
they are
located approximately half way between the supports 12.
These brackets 21 on the net and the hooks 12' with the centering means 16'
projecting upwards on the upper end of the supports 12 are arranged such that
a
respective bracket 21 can be moved with the guide roller 22 over the
longitudinal
element through these hooks 12' without making any contact, and so unimpeded,
so
that the net 11 can be rolled out easily and without stopping.
Fig.4 illustrates the upper part of an end support 25 on which the end of the
longitudinal element 16 and the end of the net 11 are fixed. With a mobile
embodiment this end support 25 can further have a base which is provided with
a
heavy weight, for example a concrete slab. Here, the end of the net 11 is
fitted with
an end strip 26 which has connection elements 27 which are engaged in
corresponding slots 28 on the side of the end support 25 facing towards the
net. With
the upper end of this end strip 26 a bracket 29 is also provided with a guide
roller.
This bracket 29 is moved over the longitudinal element to the end support in
order to
roll out the net, and so the end strip with the net can be pushed onto it.
After this
however, this bracket 29 is removed again from the longitudinal element 16.
When assembling the system the box 15 is first of all advantageously brought
into the
desired position with a fork lift truck or some other available means of
transport. The
end support 25 and, if appropriate, the supports 12 are first of all then
positioned pre-
specified distances apart from one another, and the latter are either inserted
into
holes in the ground or are simply lined up. After this the longitudinal
element 16 can
be pulled out of the box 15 through the opening 19, fixed onto the end support
and be
braced on the box 15 by means of a bracing device. As soon as this
longitudinal
element is fitted, the net 11 can then be unrolled out of the box 15 and be
drawn out
like curtains over the longitudinal element 16 up to the end support 25 by
suspending
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its brackets 21, 26 and be attached to said end support. Moreover, the net is
braced
back by a bracing device and advantageously suspended at the bottom and at the
top with these claws 32 on the supports 12 so that sufficient rigidity is
achieved so
that if, for example, a person hangs onto the net or falls into the latter,
the net only
moves slightly and in fact remains stable.
The invention is sufficiently displayed by the exemplary embodiments described
above. However, it can also be illustrated by other versions. The box could
therefore
be provided with a round or similar cross-section instead of with a
rectangular one.
Depending on the requirement, two or more boxes could be positioned next to
one
another. The end support could also be attached to a wall or similar.
The safety system is preferably provided with a fence-type meshwork having a
box or
box-type apparatus accommodating the latter and which contains a device with a
rotatable shaft on which this fence meshwork can be rolled up or out such that
no,
one or a number of supports can be positioned spaced out at specified
distances
from the box and that at least one longitudinal element which can be pulled
out of the
box and holdable on the positioned supports, preferably a rope, is provided on
which
the net is rolled out like a curtain and held by support elements.
These unrollable safety elements can be used upright, but also horizontally or
suspended. Inclined or other forms of use are also possible. Moreover, the
form of
the rolled up safety element can itself vary and be designed differently over
the rolled
up length.
Moreover, these roll-up safety elements can also be multi-layered in form
and/or have
a so-called sandwich structure without its ability to roll up being
restricted.
Other applications are mobile fence barriers for trade fairs or similar events
where
one needs the flexibility to make different areas accessible for different
events or to
be able to block them off.
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In addition to the actual blocking purpose, however, the present rolling fence
system
can also be used for further applications. For example, various other rollable
materials can be rolled up in the box and be rolled out and up in the same way
as the
fence meshwork. These applications can be used in the advertising sector.
Correspondingly, advertising posters can be stretched out and then be
dismantled
again. Due to the great stability when subjected, for example, to wind forces,
the
present application is also suitable for large-scale events, sports fixtures,
trade fair
services and people management applications.
When using particularly strong nets and meshworks dynamic protection
applications
are also possible. Therefore, mobile protection devices can be used as
temporary
thoroughfare barriers. Similar applications are also possible for rockfall
protection
nets or for protection against other natural dangers.
When using, for example, high-strength fence systems one can additionally make
use
of the advantage that one can hardly, or only with great difficulty, cut
through these
special nets and meshworks with normal tools. This enables increased break
through
protection which is often required for police and military applications.
Moreover,
these protection applications can also be put to use in the field of sensitive
objects
(e.g. embassies, transport facilities, energy supply plants, etc.) or in the
field of
personal security.
If these boxes are equipped with a rollable fence offering protection against
hollow
charge weapons, mobile protection against corresponding threats, for example
in the
form of RPG7 and similar missiles, can be guaranteed. This application can be
used
in the field of military storage facilities, establishments and in areas of
conflict and
war. It offers the advantage that efficient protection against such hollow
load
projectiles can be achieved relatively simply and with rapid installation.
Ballistic
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protection can be also achieved by means of rollable elements by forming a
canopy
over and covering facilities worthy of protection.
Likewise, rollable shatter protection walls can be simply conveyed, assembled
and
dismantled again for temporary applications. For this purpose, instead of the
meshwork a shatter protection system is fitted in the box which is likewise
rolled out
and set up in the same way. Also possible are combinations of net systems with
shatter protection elements which can be rolled together or assembled one
after the
other. These shatter protection applications against improvised explosive
charges
are used in particular in areas of conflict where not only military, but
especially also
civil facilities and personnel (e.g. VIPs) must be protected. By means of the
rapid
installation, temporary protection functions can thus be fulfilled efficiently
and
inexpensively.
The unrollable box system described can also be combined with heat-arresting
protection elements which are used especially at military bases and facilities
against
infrared images and films. These elements, which are often textile or textile-
type, can
also be rolled up and stowed again in the way described.
In addition to the upright, i.e. vertical embodiment, horizontal, suspended or
inclined
applications of the aforementioned applications are also possible. For this
purpose
the boxes are designed such that the unrollable elements and/or fence systems
can
be pulled out horizontally. This is used for the purposes of covering and
providing a
canopy over facilities and infrastructures worthy of protection. Here, the
strong
design and the possibility of pretensioning the rollable elements likewise
offers a
great advantage in practical application because wind, rain and snow loads as
well as
other external influences (e.g. sandstorms) can have significant loading
effects upon
the support system. Preferably, these horizontal or suspended applications are
used
with longitudinal elements (e.g. tensioning ropes) on both sides in order to
assist with
rolling out and up. This additionally simplifies assembly and dismantling.
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The aforementioned boxes are basically closed, substantially cylindrical units
in which
the net system can be rolled up. However, depending on the application, these
boxes
can also be designed to be open, to have a loose structure or to be at least
partially
closed, and combinations of these embodiments of the boxes are of course also
possible.
