1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to safety barriers and, more particularly, to a cable-reinforced safety barrier adapted to be disposed adjacent a traffic area such as a highway and to improvements in existing safety barriers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the safety barrier art, conventional safety barriers are of several types. For example, it is well known to place a plurality of wooden posts along a roadway and affix one or more longitudinally extending cables to the post. The cables normally are not under tension, or if they are tensioned initially, they gradually sag after a period of time. This type of barrier is extremely ineffective and even dangerous because the posts are easily sheared. Additionally, when the cables are impacted, they generally extend to such a degree because of the lack of tension that there is little resistance to the movement of an impacting body. Furthermore, this type of barrier rarely extends to a height of more than about two feet with the result that a fast-moving vehicle often vaults the barrier with little resistance.
Another type of safety barrier comprises a longitudinally extending metal rail disposed adjacent a traffic area, which metal rail is supported by vertically extending metal posts at intervals therealong. The rail is much wider than the cable of the previously mentioned safety barrier, with the result that an impacting body is more likely to be deflected upon impacting the safety barrier. Because the barrier generally is comprised entirely of metal components, the barrier is less susceptible to catastrophic failure. Nevertheless, if a vehicle should impact the barrier at an angle approaching 90.degree., the rail oftentimes is not strong enough to stop the vehicle. Rather, the barrier either fails completely or a "pocket" in the rail is created with the further result that the vehicle directly impacts one of the posts.
Another type of safety barrier comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending cylindrical rails supported at intervals therealong by vertically extending parapets. This type of safety barrier functions in a manner quite similar to that of the second-mentioned type and commonly fails catastrophically or "pockets" to permit an impacting vehicle to directly engage one of the parapets. It is apparent that the conventional safety barrier has serious deficiencies as regards the ability to deflect or stop an impacting vehicle. As a result, many lives are lost needlessly.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved safety barrier wherein catastrophic failure of the barrier is prevented or minimized greatly.
It is another object of the invention to provide a new and improved safety barrier wherein the deflecting characteristics of the barrier are increased and "pocketing" and vaulting of the rail are prevented or greatly reduced.
Another object of this invention is to improve existing safety barriers to prevent catastrophic failure and to minimize "pocketing" and vaulting of the barrier.