One of the varieties of protective structures is a guard rail. It is a cable tightly stretched between vertical struts, which serves to protect a person from falling or entering a hazardous area. This concept came to us from the Netherlands at the beginning of the 18th century. In Dutch, the word "leer" comes from the verb leiden - message.
Initially, this term was used exclusively in shipbuilding. Here he designated a cable fixed on ship structures, which serves to prevent people from falling overboard or in a hold. Gradually, with the development of technology, such a fence began to be used in private construction, and to protect roads, and in many other areas of human activity.
Varieties of rope barriers
The guard rail is classified according to several criteria. So, depending on the location, the enclosing structures can be internal and external. The former are installed indoors, and the latter on the street, which is why they are subject to higher reliability and safety requirements.
According to the functional purpose of the structure, there are safety, protective, signal and guides. What their purpose is clear from their definition. The main material for the manufacture of such structures is metal - stainless steel, aluminum, iron. The guardrail can be designed both with flexible horizontal jumpers (cables, ropes) and rigid.
Scope of application
The division of rail structures by scope is much more important, because the function, device, reliability requirements and other indicators depend on the place of their use. According to this criterion, all leers are:
- ship - assault (held on to them during a strong pitching) and rescue (located on lifeboats);
- roofing - designed to protect people from falling both during construction or repair work, and after putting the building into operation;
- decorative - serve to improve the aesthetic performance of the building;
- Balcony and staircase - perform both protective and decorative functions;
- road - this railing can be seen in areas with steep slopes, in curves and in other dangerous places.
Protections can also be stationary and temporary, which are installed only for the duration of a certain type of work.
Safety and height
After installation, regardless of the scope, all the enclosing structures are tested for stability. A load of 400 N / m is applied to each horizontal jumper (cable). If the rail will perform a safety function, then the magnitude of the force increases to 700 N / m.
They also test the structure by impact, lifting 100 kg of cargo 1 meter from the surface of the earth. The displacement of the structure under the influence of any force from the design position should not exceed the established limits (1-5%).
The height of the railings depends on the scope. On buildings with a height of more than 10 mm, the installation of rail structures is carried out without fail. Their height can be:
- as protective fences - not less than 110 cm;
- in the role of signaling - at least 80 cm;
- on unexploited roofs - at least 30 cm.
The height is regulated by normative acts, in particular GOST 12.4.059-89 and GOST 5.2124-81, which describes the technical conditions and characteristics.
Railings in scale models
The construction of rail structures is not an easy task not only for builders of roads, ships, buildings, but also for assemblers of large-scale models. Rope barriers are an integral part of any sailboat or frigate - the most popular ships among collectors. Therefore, the question of how to make a guard rail will remain relevant for a long time.
The first thing you need is to find the right materials and tools. It is best to use copper or brass wires 0.6-0.8 mm thick as racks. You can use materials from iron, as well as a special electric welding copper-plated wire - it all depends on your imagination and budget.
As the main working tool, it is best to use thin-nose pliers with grooved tips combined with side cutters. To manipulate the wire was easier, sharpen the lips of the instrument with a grinder or emery.
Rack Making
Knowledge of how to make rails for the model may be needed not only in the construction of "boats", but also in the construction of large-scale copies of buildings and structures. The height of the enclosing structures depends on the type of layout being created. But it is necessary to cut a piece of wire with a margin of 8-10 mm - one edge will be recessed into the structure for reliable fixation, and the other will be bent to secure the cable.
Make a hook 1-2 mm long. Work the bottom edge of the rack with emery so that it becomes perfectly even - the vertical position of the rack depends on this. For reliable fixation, the lower end of the rod is treated with instant glue and left to dry completely. After the “Moment” dries, the stand can be glued with ordinary PVA.
Ship marking
We must strive to ensure that the model rail rails accurately repeat the enclosing structures of the original object. For accurate layout of the site you will need several tools - a template, an awl and a ruler. As a template, you can use a wooden block, the length of which will be equal to the height of the rack. It is necessary for deepening rails to the same depth.
The awl should be thin - 6-8 mm in diameter. If you can’t find anything like this in stores, you can do it yourself. To do this, break off the eye and tip of the needle, and then sharpen one of the edges. Handles are made of solid wood - oak or birch.
Before piercing the holes, use the delivery line to point to where the rail will be located in the future. So you can monitor your work and correct if necessary.
Rack Installation
The installation of cable rails on the ship is practically no different from the installation of structures on the building model - only their height, the distance between the elements and the horizontal bridge (it is made of hard material) changes. In any photo you can see what a roof rail is. The photo below also demonstrates this.
After making holes, you can begin to fix the racks. Apply a little glue to the bottom edge (5-7) of the rod, then immerse it in the hole. By this time, the fibers of the tree can have time to straighten, because of which the diameter of the channel will narrow slightly. In this case, two options are possible:
- If your workpieces have sufficient rigidity, then you can just hammer them with a wooden hammer, squeezing them in the middle with thin-nose pliers.
- If the racks are made of soft material, it is better to immerse them in a rotational motion or a light tapping.
It is not recommended to widen the hole, since the value of residual deformations may turn out to be too large - the rail guard will hang out, or large gaps will remain.
Installation of rails
Once the glue has dried and the racks are securely fixed, you can proceed with the installation of the rails themselves. As such, you can use a thin thread, wire or a woven thin cord. If you are building a model of the house, then use a rigid wire.
Assembling the ship, the first thread is pulled at the very edge of the struts, thereby simulating a small side. After that, the thread is pulled at an average level. In this case, the fiber should once bend around each vertical rod. At the very end, the thread is passed through the hooks made earlier, and then they are greatly flattened. The sequence and method of work will not change if you use thin wire.
Once you have flattened the last hook, you can level the whole structure. Take a closer look - the elements should be at the same level both in plan and in profile, and also have the same height. After aligning the structure, grease the base of the uprights with an additional layer of glue for better fixation. After that, you can assume that your rail guard is ready. GOST will not be able to find fault with your model, and the audience will be delighted.