EP0278881A2 - Arch-shaped structure for snow protection - Google Patents

Abstract

This structure comprises, on the one hand, a frame (2) essentially composed of a plurality of independent arches (3) in the form of stirrups whose free ends forming the feet are intended to be fixed vertically to the ground and which are arranged so as to cover the surface to be protected and, on the other hand, a ventilated covering (4) placed and fixed on this frame (2) so as to completely or partially cover it.

Description

The present invention relates to a vault-shaped structure for protection against snow and in particular against the effects of snowdrifts and snow flows on traffic lanes.

The known means currently used for this type of protection are generally made of concrete and are therefore installed in a non-removable and final manner. These means therefore have the double disadvantage of being of a very high cost price and of not being able to be eliminated during a period of non-snow cover, that is to say when they are useless and even undesirable.

The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks. To this end, the structure which it concerns comprises, on the one hand, a frame essentially composed of a plurality of independent arches in the form of stirrups whose free ends forming the feet are intended to be fixed vertically to the ground and which are arranged so as to cover the surface to be protected and, on the other hand, a ventilated covering placed and fixed on this frame so as to cover it totally or partially.

This light structure allows the fixation of the snow which, after a certain time and after compaction of a relatively large layer itself forms, by a vault effect, a freestanding structure generating no overload on the structure.

Preferably, the fixing to the ground of the feet of the arches and that of the ventilated covering to the arches are made in a removable manner.

This light and easily removable structure therefore has the advantage of being of a low cost price and of being able to be easily installed before winter and removed before the seasons without snow where its unnecessary presence would have the disadvantage of possibly depriving the tourist of a panoramic view.

This structure also has the advantage, by its installation flexibility, of easily adapting to the particular conditions of each use.

According to a simple embodiment of the invention, the ventilated covering is composed of at least one metallic mesh forming meshes of the order of 5 cm per side, itself covered with an openwork ply constituting a barrier to flakes and which be made of a weak material such as plastic.

The fact that the structure's covering is made of an aerated material, allowing the snow layer to breathe, naturally favors its different transformations whereas an impermeable material would create problems when the snows.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, each arch is formed by a metal section of H section relatively easy to bend. It can be formed of a single element or of several elements assembled end to end and in a removable manner.

Preferably, each hoop foot is fixed to the ground by means of a prefabricated concrete or similar sole in which is provided at least one housing for the free end of a hoop, the fixing of which can be ensured by casting mortar with or without a release agent, depending on whether you want a removable structure or not.

Each sole is advantageously provided with two housings so that all the hoops of the same structure are associated in pairs.

The installation of soles on the ground obviously requires a preparation of the latter which consists in the realization of two parallel trenches whose leveled bottom is constituted by the ground or by a bed of mortar.

In the first case, the fixing to the ground of the soles is completed by pins engaged in the ground and crossing the bottoms of the housings of the feet of the arches. In the second case, the footings can be glued to the mortar bed with cement.

According to a particular characteristic of the invention aimed at facilitating the release of the hoop feet from their housings provided in their soles, each hoop foot is provided with a vertical gusset allowing the engagement of a pin capable of supporting the effort required for demolding.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least the arches of the two pairs of end arches of the structure are joined to one another by bracing elements preventing any subsequent inclination of the structure.

To further improve the ridiculousness of this structure, according to yet another characteristic of the invention, each summit point of each arch is connected to the summit point of each neighboring arch by a spacer constituting, therefore, part of the ridge line of the frame. In this case, advantageously, each hoop consists of two identical elements assembled end to end one at the other at a point constituting the top point of the hoop.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, aimed at facilitating the mounting and dismounting of this structure, each metallic mesh of ventilated covering consists of several elements overlapping in the manner of the tiles of a roof.

It is easy to see that this light and inexpensive structure is perfectly suitable for the production, not only of avalanche or snowbreakers on particularly exposed mountain road sections, but also of a track support element above a road or winter shelters such as parking lots or the like.

Its easy disassembly allows its removal, if you like, during snow-free periods during which its presence can be considered unsightly.

• Figure 1 en est une vue en perspective ;
• Figure 2 est une vue en plan par-dessus de l'armature seule ;
• Figure 3 est une vue de face en élévation de l'armature seule ;
• Figure 4 montre, à échelle agrandie, le mode de fixation d'un premier élément d'arceau de l'armature dans sa semelle ;
• Figure 5 est, à échelle agrandie, une vue partielle en élévation, dans le sens de la flèche 5, de figure 2, montrant le mode d'assemblage bout à bout de deux éléments d'arceaux de l'armature ;
• Figure 6 est une vue en coupe suivant VI/VI de figure 5 montrant l'entretoisement des points sommitaux de deux arceaux voisins ;
• Figure 7 est une vue en plan par-dessus illustrant une forme d'exécution préférée d'une semelle pour arceaux d'armature ;
• Figure 8 est une vue partielle similaire à figure 3 montrant le mode de réalisation et de fixation aux arceaux de l'armature des éléments de revêtement aéré ;
• Figure 9 est une vue partielle de côté en élévation de la structure de l'invention illustrant la disposition des éléments du revêtement aéré sur l'armature.

In any case, the invention will be clearly understood with the aid of the description which follows, with reference to the appended schematic drawing representing, by way of nonlimiting example, an embodiment of this structure:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view;
• Figure 2 is a plan view over the frame only;
• Figure 3 is a front elevation view of the frame only;
• Figure 4 shows, on an enlarged scale, the method of fixing a first hoop element of the frame in its sole;
• Figure 5 is, on an enlarged scale, a partial elevational view, in the direction of arrow 5, of Figure 2, showing the method of end-to-end assembly of two arch elements of the frame;
• Figure 6 is a sectional view along VI / VI of Figure 5 showing the bracing of the top points of two neighboring arches;
• Figure 7 is a plan view from above illustrating a preferred embodiment of a sole for reinforcing arches;
• Figure 8 is a partial view similar to Figure 3 showing the embodiment and attachment to the arches of the frame of the ventilated covering elements;
• Figure 9 is a partial side view in elevation of the structure of the invention illustrating the arrangement of the elements of the ventilated covering on the frame.

As shown in the drawing, the structure of the invention consists of a frame 2, itself essentially constituted by arches 3 in the form of stirrups supporting a ventilated covering 4 which, in the example illustrated in the drawing, is composed of at least a first ventilated ply, for example in wire mesh 6, forming meshes 7 of about 5 cm per side, and itself supporting a second ventilated ply 8 of low mechanical resistance and of meshes smaller than those of the first ventilated sheet 6, which may be made of plastic.

In the example illustrated in the drawing and taking into account what is not found on the market of mesh gratings with 5 cm sides, the first ventilated sheet 6 is in fact constituted by the superposition of two metallic gratings 6a , 6b of meshes of 10 cm side, offset diagonally with respect to each other to form them two meshes of 5 cm side.

Each arch 3 is made up of at least one curved element and, in the example illustrated in the drawing, this element is an H-shaped section having the advantage of being able to be easily curved.

In the example illustrated in the drawing, each hoop 3 is in fact made up of two identical elements 3a, 3b, each of which constitutes a half-hoop 3 and which are assembled end to end at the top point 3c of the hoop 3.

As shown more particularly in FIGS. 5 and 6, to allow this end-to-end assembly of the elements 3a and 3b of a hoop 3, each of their assembly ends is equipped with a transverse plate 9 forming an assembly flange, reinforced by two side gussets 11, the flange 9 and gussets 11 assembly being fixed to the profile constituting the element 3a or 3b considered by welding or the like.

Each arch 3 of the frame 2 is intended to be fixed vertically, with its free ends forming feet, themselves fixed definitively or removably, to a sole 12 of precast concrete. Preferably, as shown in the drawing, each sole 12 is provided to support two arches 3 so that the arches 3 of the same structure are associated in pairs.

As shown more particularly in Figures 4 and 7, each sole 12 is constituted by a parallelepiped plate of elongated shape at each end of which is provided a housing 13 in the form of a trunk of pyramid intended to receive one of the feet of the 'one of hoops 3 of a pair of associated hoops 3. Each hoop foot 3 carries at least one lateral gusset 14 whose length is greater than the width of the opening of a housing 13, so as to form a stop by pressing against the sole 12 when the foot is engaged. the arch 3 considered in the housing 13 of this sole.

The fixing of a hoop foot 3 in a housing 13 of sole 12 is then ensured by introduction, until it is completely filled, in each housing 13, with a sealing cement.

If it is desired to provide the feet 13 of the hoops 3 to be demolded later from their housings 13, it is sufficient to brush the latter, before introduction of the sealing cement, with a formwork oil. To facilitate this demolding, it is also advantageous to provide, in each gusset 14, one or two transverse through holes 15 allowing the introduction of a pin on which it will be possible to act in the direction of demolding of the foot of the hoop 3 considered.

For the correct positioning of the soles 12 of the pairs of poles 3, it is obviously necessary to prepare the ground by making two parallel trenches 10 the distance of which corresponds to the width of the poles 3 and the bottom of which is properly leveled to allow a correct alignment of the different pairs of arches which should constitute the reinforcement considered. The soles 12 can obviously be applied directly to the earth bottom of the corresponding trench, bottom to which they can be fixed by broaching or in any other suitable manner. It is also possible to provide that the bottom of each trench consists of a mortar bed 16 on which each sole 12 can be fixed using a light layer of cement.

According to another characteristic of the invention visible in FIGS. 1 and 2, in order to improve the vertical or substantially vertical holding of all the hoops 3 of the same frame, the hoops 3 of at least each pair of ends of this reinforcement is linked to each other in the vicinity of their feet by bracing braces 17.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the aim of which is not only to further improve the rigidity of the reinforcement but also to facilitate the fixing on it of the elements of the ventilated covering, the top point 3c of each arch 3 is connected to the point top 3c of each adjacent hoop by a spacer 18. For this purpose, each spacer 18 is equipped, at each of its ends, with a lateral gusset 19 able to be fixed, by bolting or the like, to the two flanges 9 constituting the summit point of assembly of the elements 3a and 3b of the arch 3 considered.

After the reinforcement of this structure has been put in place, as indicated above, it suffices to cover it with its ventilated covering comprising, in the example illustrated in the drawing, two sheets 6a and 6b of metal mesh and a sheet 8 of mesh thin plastic. The purpose of this fine mesh, of low mechanical resistance, is to form a barrier to the flakes, the two metallic meshes 6a and 6b having the purpose of ensuring its support.

As shown more particularly in FIG. 9, each metal grid 6a, 6b is made up of rectangular elements 6ʹa, 6ʹb overlapping in the manner of roof tiles: for example, these elements 6ʹa, 6ʹb can be hung together others using double C-shaped hooks 21

It is easily understood that this structure can be easily adapted to the conditions of its use thanks to the flexibility of positioning of the elements of its frame, that it is light and therefore requires only small installation means and that finally , its dismantling facilities allow it to be removed without difficulty during periods of non-snowfall during which its presence could harm the aesthetics of the landscape or simply prevent tourists or walkers from admiring it.

Claims (10)

1.- Arch-shaped structure for protection against snow, characterized in that it comprises, on the one hand, a frame (2) essentially composed of a plurality of independent arches (3) in the form of stirrups whose free ends forming the feet are intended to be fixed vertically to the ground and which are arranged so as to cover the surface to be protected and, on the other hand, an airy covering (4) placed and fixed on this frame (2) of so as to cover it totally or partially. 2.- Structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the fixing to the ground of the feet of the hoops (3) and that of the ventilated covering (4) to the hoops (3) are made removably. 3.- Structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the ventilated covering (4) is composed of at least one metallic mesh (6) forming meshes (7) of the order of 5 cm on a side. , itself covered with an openwork ply (8) constituting a barrier to flakes. 4.- Structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each hoop (3) is constituted by a metal section of H section relatively easy to bend. 5.- Structure according to claim 4, characterized in that each hoop (3) consists of a single element. 6.- Structure according to claim 4, characterized in that each hoop (3) consists of several elements assembled end to end in a removable manner. 7.- Structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each hoop foot (3) is fixed to the ground by means of a prefabricated sole (12) of concrete or the like in which is provided at less a housing (13) for the free end of a hoop (3), the fixing of which can be ensured by pouring mortar with or without release agent, depending on whether a demountable structure is desired or not. 8.- Structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the arches (3) of the two pairs of end arcs of the structure are joined to one another by elements of bracing (17) preventing any subsequent inclination of the structure. 9.- Structure according to any one of the preceding claims teeth, characterized in that each summit point (3c) of each arch (3) is connected to the summit point (3c) of each neighboring arch (3) by a spacer (18) thus constituting part of the line ridge of the frame (4). 10.- Structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each metal mesh ((6) of the ventilated covering consists of several elements (6a, 6b) overlapping in the manner of the tiles of a roof.

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