Posts for anchoring a protective device in the ground

Abstract

Post (2) for anchoring a protective device (1) in the ground (3), with an elongated base body (4) which has a holding section (5) serving to hold the protective device (1) and an anchoring section (6) provided for anchoring in the ground (3), wherein the anchoring section (6) has four anchoring elements (7) projecting laterally outward from the elongate base body (4), wherein the four anchoring elements (7) are welded to the elongate base body (4), wherein the elongate base body (4) has a substantially rectangular cross-section, wherein an anchoring element (7) is arranged on each side of the elongate base body (4), wherein the four anchoring elements (7) are attached to the elongate base body (4) in such a way that they partially overlap the side surfaces of the elongate base body (4), wherein adjacent anchoring elements (7) are each arranged at least approximately perpendicular to one another, and wherein inner sides (7c) of the anchoring elements (7) attached to the elongated base body (4) bear against the respective adjacent anchoring element (7).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a post for anchoring a protective device in the ground, comprising an elongated base body which has a holding section for holding the protective device and an anchoring section for anchoring in the ground.

[0002] It is generally known from the state of the art to anchor road safety devices, such as crash barriers or steel guardrails, in the ground using elongated posts. For this purpose, the posts are usually driven mechanically and with appropriate force into the ground over a length of up to one meter, which ensures very good anchorage of the posts. Particularly due to the fact that such safety devices are usually anchored with multiple posts, a solid anchoring of the entire safety device is ensured.

[0003] In certain situations, however, it may not be possible to drive the post deep enough into the ground, for example, if electrical or hydraulic lines, ducts, or other structures are located at the desired location. While it would be possible to install the post as a structural post on a concrete strip foundation, this would require considerable additional effort, both in terms of time and money.

[0004] A post of this type is known from EP 0 110 853 A1.

[0005] US 131 037 A describes a similar post to which, for example, a telegraph pole can be attached.

[0006] From US 2018 / 0066447 A1 a fence post with a section for attaching it in the ground is known.

[0007] US 743 150 A describes another fence post with a section to be placed in the ground.

[0008] Another fence post is known from US 367 848 A.

[0009] However, none of the posts mentioned can be anchored to the ground in such a way that a protective device, such as a guardrail, can be attached to them.

[0010] The object of the present invention is to provide a post for anchoring a protective device in the ground, which ensures secure anchoring even with a lower penetration depth into the ground.

[0011] According to the invention, this object is achieved by the features mentioned in claim 1.

[0012] The anchoring elements according to the invention of the anchoring section located within the ground when the post is installed ensure a significantly better hold of the post according to the invention in the ground. This makes it possible to make the anchoring section of the post, i.e. the part that is located in the ground when the post is used as intended, significantly shorter than is the case with conventional, consistently straight posts.

[0013] Although the post according to the invention is somewhat more complex to manufacture than conventional posts due to the four anchoring elements projecting outwards from the sides of the elongated base body, this is more than compensated for by the simple assembly, which can be carried out in a similar way to the assembly of previously known posts and which, in particular, does not require concreting or the like.

[0014] The shorter length of the anchoring section even offers certain advantages over conventional solutions, as the posts, for example, do not have to be driven as far into the ground as is the case with conventional solutions.

[0015] A further advantage of the solution according to the invention is that by appropriately arranging the four anchoring elements in a corresponding position along the longitudinal direction of the post, a desired bending point of the post—that is, the point at which the post bends when, for example, a vehicle impacts the safety device—can be adjusted. This allows the post according to the invention to be adapted to a wide variety of applications.

[0016] In order to achieve a simple production of the post, the invention provides that the four anchoring elements are welded to the elongated base body.

[0017] By attaching the four anchoring elements to the elongated base body in such a way that they partially overlap the side surfaces of the elongated base body, a better connection of the anchoring elements to the elongated base body can be achieved. Furthermore, this simplifies the welding between these components.

[0018] According to the invention, four anchoring elements are provided, with adjacent anchoring elements arranged at least approximately perpendicular to each other. This ensures both simple production of the post and secure anchoring in the ground.

[0019] This is especially true since, according to the invention, the elongated base body has a substantially rectangular cross-section, with an anchoring element arranged on each side of the elongated base body. In particular, the elongated base body can be a so-called C-post.

[0020] In a very advantageous development of the invention, the anchoring elements can be provided with an angle other than 90° relative to the elongated base body on their underside facing away from the holding section. This slanted shape of the underside of the anchoring elements reduces the force required to drive the post into the ground, since the anchoring element does not penetrate the ground along its entire length.

[0021] In order to avoid unnecessary material consumption in the anchoring element according to the invention, it can further be provided that the outer side of the anchoring elements facing away from the elongate base body has a greater length than the inner side of the anchoring elements attached to the elongate base body.

[0022] A highly advantageous development of the invention, both with regard to the manufacture of the anchoring elements and the installation of the post in the ground, can consist in the anchoring elements being trapezoidal in shape. This also allows for particularly high torsional rigidity of the entire post. Furthermore, by changing the angle of the underside and / or the top side of the anchoring elements, a desired bending point of the post can be adjusted.

[0023] In a further very advantageous embodiment of the invention, the anchoring elements can have at least one notch on their outer side facing away from the elongated base body. Such notches can ensure better anchoring of the post in the ground, as they effectively prevent it from being pulled out.

[0024] This is especially true if the at least one notch is designed as an undercut that widens in the direction away from the holding section. Undercuts arranged and designed in this way create virtually no resistance when driving in the post with the attached anchoring elements, while effectively counteracting its withdrawal from the ground, thus supporting the post's retention in the ground even when subjected to corresponding forces.

[0025] An embodiment of the invention is shown in principle below with reference to the drawing.

[0026] It shows: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a protective device which has been anchored in the ground by means of at least one post according to the invention; Fig. 2 a front view of a post according to the invention; Fig. 3 a perspective view of a post according to the invention; Fig. 4 a plan view of the post according to arrow IV Fig. 2; Fig. 5 shows a first embodiment of a notch in an outer side of one of the anchoring elements according to the line V / VI of Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 a second embodiment of a notch in an outer side of one of the anchoring elements.

[0027] Fig. Figure 1 shows a protective device 1 anchored in the ground, designated by reference numeral 3, by means of several posts 2. In this case, the protective device 1 is a steel guardrail; however, it is possible to anchor other types of protective devices in the ground 3 using at least one of the posts 2 described below.

[0028] The post 2 described in more detail below is used when conventionally used posts, which are driven comparatively deep into the ground 3, cannot be used for certain reasons, for example because there are obstacles at certain points in the ground 3. It is therefore possible to use one or more of the posts 2 described below in combination with conventionally used posts 2 known from the general state of the art to anchor the protective device 1. Of course, posts 2 according to the invention alone can also be used.

[0029] The Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 show a front view and a perspective view of the post 2. The post has an elongated base body 4, which has a holding section 5 for holding the protective device 1 and an anchoring section 6 provided for anchoring in the ground 3. The fastening of the protective device 1 to the holding section 5 can be carried out in a manner known per se and is therefore not described here.

[0030] Compared to conventionally used posts, the anchoring section 6 of post 2 is relatively short. In order to improve the anchoring of post 2 in the ground 3 or to achieve equally good anchoring of post 2 as is the case with conventionally used posts with a longer anchoring section, the anchoring section 6, in a general embodiment, has four anchoring elements 7 projecting outward from the sides of the elongated base body 4, which can also be referred to as wings due to their shape. The anchoring elements 7 are therefore also driven into the ground 3 when the post 2 is driven into the ground 3 and, when the post 2 is fully assembled, are located completely within the ground 3.

[0031] On their underside 7a facing away from the holding section 5, the anchoring elements 7 have an angle deviating from 90° with respect to the elongated base body 4. Furthermore, the outer side 7b of the anchoring elements 7 facing away from the elongated base body 4 has a greater length than the inner side 7c of the anchoring elements 7 attached to the elongated base body 4. In the present case, the anchoring elements 7 are trapezoidal, i.e. the upper side 7d of the anchoring elements 7 facing the holding section 5 also has an angle deviating from 90° with respect to the elongated base body 4. This angle can, as in the present case, correspond to the angle of the underside 7a.

[0032] In order to achieve a firm connection between the elongated base body 4 and the anchoring elements 7, these are preferably welded to the elongated base body 4. In particular in Fig. 4 shows that the anchoring elements 7 are attached to the elongated base body 4 in such a way that they partially overlap the side surfaces of the elongated base body 4. This allows for particularly simple welding of the anchoring elements 7 to the elongated base body 4. Furthermore, the inner sides 7c of the anchoring elements 7 rest against the adjacent anchoring element 7. A welded connection is easier to produce than a screw connection.

[0033] From the top view of Fig. 4 shows that, according to the invention, four anchoring elements 7 are provided. Adjacent anchoring elements 7 are each arranged at least approximately perpendicular to one another. Furthermore, according to the invention, the elongated base body 4 has a substantially rectangular cross-section, with an anchoring element 7 being arranged on each side of the elongated base body 4. The term “substantially rectangular cross-section” also includes an open cross-section of the elongated base body 4, in particular a C-shaped cross-section, as is commonly used in so-called C-posts. In the present case, such a C-post is used as the elongated base body 4. Furthermore, the elongated base body 4 is preferably provided with respective radii in the corner regions, which in Fig. 4 is not recognizable.

[0034] In the two enlarged views of the Fig. 5 and Fig.6 shows that the anchoring elements 7 have at least one notch 8 on their outer side 7b facing away from the elongated base body 4. In the present case, the at least one notch 8 is designed as an undercut that increases in the direction away from the holding section 5. In this way, the resistance to pulling the post 2 out of the ground 3 increases, since the notch 8 grips the ground 3. Preferably, several of the notches 8 are provided along the outer side 7b of the anchoring elements 7.

[0035] Preferably, the anchoring elements 7 are produced by punching. The punching tools used for this purpose can be designed such that the at least one notch 8 is already created during the punching process. Alternatively, it would also be possible to produce the anchoring elements 7 by means of water or laser cutting. Preferably, the base body 4 and the anchoring elements 7 are made of steel, which is preferably galvanized.

Claims

[1] Post (2) for anchoring a protective device (1) in the ground (3), with an elongated base body (4) which has a holding section (5) serving to hold the protective device (1) and an anchoring section (6) provided for anchoring in the ground (3), wherein the anchoring section (6) has four anchoring elements (7) projecting laterally outward from the elongate base body (4), wherein the four anchoring elements (7) are welded to the elongate base body (4), wherein the elongate base body (4) has a substantially rectangular cross-section, wherein an anchoring element (7) is arranged on each side of the elongate base body (4), wherein the four anchoring elements (7) are attached to the elongate base body (4) in such a way that they partially overlap the side surfaces of the elongate base body (4), wherein adjacent anchoring elements (7) are each arranged at least approximately perpendicular to one another, and wherein inner sides (7c) of the anchoring elements (7) attached to the elongated base body (4) bear against the respective adjacent anchoring element (7). [2] Post according to claim 1, characterized bythat the anchoring elements (7) have an angle deviating from 90° with respect to the elongated base body (4) on their underside (7a) facing away from the holding section (5). [3] Post according to claim 2, characterized by that the outer side (7b) of the anchoring elements (7) facing away from the elongated base body (4) has a greater length than the inner side (7c) of the anchoring elements (7) attached to the elongated base body (4). [4] Post according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by that the anchoring elements (7) are trapezoidal. [5] Post according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the anchoring elements (7) have at least one notch (8) on their outer side (7b) facing away from the elongated base body (4). [6] Post according to claim 5, characterized bythat the at least one notch (8) is designed as an undercut which increases in size in the direction away from the holding section (5).

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