Floating barrier units
View Patent ↗A number of individual barrier units form a floating barrier wall each comprising a housing formed in the general shape of a highway barrier having a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed end walls, and, opposed side walls interconnected to form a hollow interior which is preferably partially or completely filled with a foam material. A ballast weight is secured to each barrier unit, either inside or outside of the hollow interior, to maintain them in an upright position in the water. Cables, couplers and/or other connectors are employed to mount adjacent barrier units end-to-end to form a barrier wall which can encircle a vessel or otherwise isolate an area within a seaport or other body of water to provide security.
1. A floating barrier unit, comprising:
a housing having a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed side walls, and opposed end walls defining a hollow interior, said hollow interior being formed with at least one opening;
a body of foam material located within said hollow interior;
at least one cable connected to said housing and extending between said opposed end walls;
a reinforcing member extending through said hollow interior of said housing between said opposed end walls;
a mounting post having an outer portion and an inner portion, said inner portion of said mounting post being inserted through said opening in said housing into engagement with said reinforcing member, said outer portion of said mounting post being adapted to mount at least one accessory item; and
a ballast weight connected to said housing, said ballast weight being effective to maintain said outer portion of said mounting post out of the water when said housing is placed in the water.
2. The floating barrier unit of claim 1 in which said at least one cable is located within said hollow interior and embedded in said body of foam material.
3. The floating barrier unit of claim 1 in which at least one of said side walls is formed with at least one seat located externally of said hollow interior, said at least one cable being mounted in said at least one seat.
4. The floating barrier unit of claim 1 in which said at least one cable has opposed ends each of which protrude from one of said end walls of said housing, said opposed ends each being adapted to connect to a coupling device.