Flat folding alternating barrier

Claim 2

A barrier for dividing a roadway having a plurality of traffic lanes, comprising: a plurality of slab-like roadway segments having adjacent sides thereof hingedly joined together; and means for elevating at least two adjacent slab-like segments to form a dividing barrier for separating said traffic lanes in the general form of an inverted "V".

Claim 3

The barrier according to claim 1 further comprising means for hingedly mounting a pair of the barrier panels to the roadway.

Claim 4

The barrier according to claim 1, wherein the hinges lock to provide rigidity to the first and second barriers.

Claim 5

The barrier according to claim 3, wherein the hinges have an unlocked position for each barrier panel to permit removal thereof from the array.

Claim 6

The barrier according to claim 1, further comprising support beam means connected to selected hinges, the support beam means depending from the selected hinges to provide vertical support to the panel.

Claim 7

The barrier according to claim 5, further comprising a flange extending from the support beam to rest upon a base when the hinge connected to the support beam is in its lower position and to hang between the panels connected to the hinge when the hinge is in its upper position to limit the range of hinging movement of the elevated panels.

Claim 8

A collapsible barrier for selectively dividing a roadway, comprising: a plurality of barrier panels configured to be a section of a roadway and positioned in a side-by-side array between or adjacent other roadway sections; a plurality of hinges arranged for hingedly connecting adjacent barrier panels together; means for selectively elevating a first one of the hinges to erect a first barrier comprising a first barrier panel connected to the first hinge and a second barrier panel connected to the first hinge, the first barrier being adjacent a first side of the roadway and providing a traffic lane over the array adjacent a second side of the roadway; and means for selectively elevating a second one of the hinges to remove the first barrier and to erect a second barrier comprising a third barrier panel connected to the second hinge and a fourth barrier panel connected to the second hinge, the second barrier being adjacent the second side of the roadway and providing a traffic lane over the array adjacent the first side of the roadway.

Claim 9

A collapsible barrier for selectively dividing a roadway, comprising: a plurality of barrier panels configured to be a section of a roadway and positioned in a side-by-side array between or adjacent other roadway sections; a plurality of hinges arranged for hingedly connecting adjacent barrier panels together; means for selectively elevating a first one of the hinges to erect a first barrier comprising a first barrier panel connected to the first hinge and a second barrier panel connected to the first hinge, the first barrier being adjacent a first side of the roadway and providing a traffic lane over the array adjacent a second side of the roadway; and means for selectively elevating a second one of the hinges to remove the first barrier and to erect a second barrier comprising a third barrier panel connected to the second hinge and a fourth barrier panel connected to the second hinge, the second barrier being adjacent the second side of the roadway and providing a traffic lane over the array adjacent the first side of the roadway.

Claim 10

The barrier according to claim 7 wherein the means for selectively elevating the first hinge comprises means placed under one of the first and second barrier panels for lifting the first hinge to elevate the first and second barrier panels.

Claim 11

The barrier according to claim 8 wherein the means placed under one of the first and second barrier panels comprises a hydraulic jack.

Claim 12

The barrier according to claim 8 wherein the means for selectively elevating the first hinge further comprises actuator means having a first end fixed under the roadway and a second end connected to the array for selectively moving the array laterally with respect to the roadway to erect one of the first and second barriers and remove the other barrier.

Claim 13

The barrier according to claim 10 wherein the actuator means comprises a hydraulic ram.

Claim 14

A movable barrier for selectively dividing a roadway having a multiplicity of traffic lanes, comprising: a plurality of barrier sections, each barrier section including a plurality of barrier panels positioned in a side-by-side array, the barrier sections being arranged such that each barrier section is between two spaced apart roadway sections; a plurality of hinges arranged for hingedly connecting adjacent barrier panels together in each barrier section; means in each barrier section for selectively elevating a first one of the hinges to erect a first barrier comprising a first barrier panel connected to the first hinge and a second barrier panel connected to the first hinge, the first barrier being being between a pair of adjacent traffic lanes of the roadway and providing a traffic lane over the array adjacent a second side of the roadway; and means in each barrier section for selectively elevating a second one of the hinges to remove the first barrier and to erect a second barrier comprising a third barrier panel connected to the second hinge and a fourth barrier panel connected to the second hinge, the second barrier being spaced apart from the location of the first barrier such that at least one traffic lane is formed over each barrier section between the locations of the first and second barriers.

Claim 15

A movable barrier for selectively dividing a roadway having a multiplicity of traffic lanes, comprising: a plurality of barrier sections, each barrier section including a plurality of barrier panels positioned in a side-by-side array, the barrier sections being arranged such that each barrier section is between two spaced apart roadway sections; a plurality of hinges arranged for hingedly connecting adjacent barrier panels together in each barrier section; means in each barrier section for selectively elevating a first one of the hinges to erect a first barrier comprising a first barrier panel connected to the first hinge and a second barrier panel connected to the first hinge, the first barrier being being between a pair of adjacent traffic lanes of the roadway and providing a traffic lane over the array adjacent a second side of the roadway; and means in each barrier section for selectively elevating a second one of the hinges to remove the first barrier and to erect a second barrier comprising a third barrier panel connected to the second hinge and a fourth barrier panel connected to the second hinge, the second barrier being spaced apart from the location of the first barrier such that at least one traffic lane is formed over each barrier section between the locations of the first and second barriers.

Claim 16

A collapsible barrier for selectively dividing a roadway having a plurality of traffic lanes, comprising: a plurality of barrier panels configured to be a section of a roadway and positioned in a side-by-side array between or adjacent other roadway sections; a plurality of hinges arranged for hingedly connecting a pair of adjacent barrier panels together; means for selectively elevating a pair of barrier panels to erect a dividing barrier for separating said traffic lanes comprising a first barrier panel and a second barrier panel.

Claim 17

A collapsible barrier for selectively dividing a roadway having a plurality of traffic lanes, comprising: a plurality of barrier panels configured to be a section of a roadway and positioned in a side-by-side array between or adjacent other roadway sections; a plurality of hinges arranged for hingedly connecting a pair of adjacent barrier panels together; means for selectively elevating a pair of barrier panels to erect a dividing barrier for separating said traffic lanes comprising a first barrier panel and a second barrier panel.

Claim 18

A barrier for selectively dividing a roadway, comprising: a plurality of barrier panels configured to be positioned between a pair of roadway sections; means for hingedly connecting adjacent barrier panels together; means for selectively elevating two adjacent barrier panels to form a first barrier adjacent a first side of the roadway and to provide a traffic lane adjacent a second side of the roadway; and means for selectively elevating a second pair of barrier panels to form a second barrier and to remove the first barrier, the second barrier being adjacent the second side of the roadway and providing a traffic lane over the array adjacent the first side of the roadway.

Claim 19

A barrier for selectively dividing a roadway, comprising: a plurality of barrier panels configured to be positioned between a pair of roadway sections; means for hingedly connecting adjacent barrier panels together; means for selectively elevating two adjacent barrier panels to form a first barrier adjacent a first side of the roadway and to provide a traffic lane adjacent a second side of the roadway; and means for selectively elevating a second pair of barrier panels to form a second barrier and to remove the first barrier, the second barrier being adjacent the second side of the roadway and providing a traffic lane over the array adjacent the first side of the roadway.

Claim 20

The barrier according to claim 14 further comprising means for hingedly mounting a pair of the barrier panels to the roadway.

Claim 21

The barrier according to claim 14, wherein the hinged connecting means lock to provide rigidity to the first and second barriers.

Claim 22

The barrier according to claim 16, wherein the hinged connecting means have an unlocked position for each barrier panel to permit disconnection thereof from adjacent barriers.

Claim 23

The barrier according to claim 14 wherein the means for selectively elevating the first of barrier panels comprises means placed under one of the first and second barrier panels for lifting the first hinged connecting means to elevate the first and second barrier panels.

Claim 24

The barrier according to claim 18 wherein the means placed under one of the first and second barrier panels comprises a hydraulic jack.

Claim 25

The barrier according to claim 18 wherein the means for selectively elevating the first pair of barrier panels further comprises actuator means having a first end fixed under the roadway and a second end connected to the array for selectively moving the array laterally with respect to the roadway to erect one of the first and second barriers and remove the other barrier.

Claim 26

The barrier according to claim 20 wherein the actuator means comprises a hydraulic ram.

Claim 27

The barrier according to claim 21, further comprising support beam means connected to selected hinged connecting means, the support beam means depending from the selected hinged connecting means to provide vertical support to the barrier panels connected thereto.

Claim 28

The barrier of claim 22 wherein the support beam means further comprises a flange extending therefrom to provide vertical support to the barrier panels and to limit the range of hinging motion of barrier panels connected to the selected hinged connecting means.

Claim 31

The method according to claim 24 further comprising the step of hingedly mounting a pair of the barrier panels to the roadway.

Claim 32

The method according to claim 25, wherein the hinged connecting means lock to provide rigidity to the first and second barriers.

Claim 33

The method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of forming the hinged connecting means to have an unlocked position for each barrier panel to permit disconnection thereof from adjacent panels.

Claim 34

The method according to claim 24 wherein the step of selectively elevating the first pair of barrier panel comprises activating a jack placed under one of the first and second barrier panels for lifting the first hinged connecting means to elevate the first and second barrier panels.

Claim 35

The method according to claim 28 wherein the step of selectively elevating the first pair of barrier panels further comprises the step of achieving actuator means having a first end fixed under the roadway and a second end connected to the array for selectively moving the array laterally with respect to the roadway to erect one of the first and second barriers and remove the other barrier.

Claim 36

The method according to claim 24, further comprising the step of connecting deck rib means to selected hinged connecting means such that the deck rib means depends from the selected hinged connecting means to provide vertical support to the barrier panels.

Claim 37

The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of forming a flange on the deck rib means for supporting the barrier panels and limiting the range of hinging motion of the pair of barrier panels that form the erect barrier.