EP0113742A4

EP0113742A4 - Turnstile.

Info

Publication number: EP0113742A4
Application number: EP19830902233
Authority: EP
Inventors: David James Demery; Stanley Alfred Madden; Brian Geoffrey Straker
Original assignee: TROLLEY GUARD (AUSTRALIA) Pty Ltd; TROLLEY GUARD AUSTRALIA
Current assignee: TROLLEY GUARD (AUSTRALIA) Pty Ltd; TROLLEY GUARD AUSTRALIA
Priority date: 1982-07-16
Filing date: 1983-07-18
Publication date: 1984-11-23
Also published as: GB8406701D0; EP0113742A1; GB2135093A; WO1984000396A1; JPS59501552A

Abstract

A turnstile suitable for supermarket trolleys which has an endless drive (32) that passes around sprocket wheels (30, 31) to provide a main run (F) and a return run (R). A plurality of spaced arms (20) are coupled to the endless drive (32). Each arm (20) is pivotally mounted on a carriage (41) connected to the endless drive (32) so that upon engagement of the roller (50) with guide means (53, 52, 54) the arm is raised to the horizontal position at or adjacent to the start of the main run (F), held in that position for most of main run (F) and returned to the downward position at or adjacent to the end of the main run.

Description

TURNSTILE

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to turnstiles and more particularly to turnstiles capable of passing elongated bodies.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventional turnstiles have a multi-arm stile which is rotated about a fixed vertical axis. Although these turnstiles are well suited to permit the passage of individual people they do not permit the free passage of elongated bodies such as prams, parcels or shopping trolleys.

For the sake of brevity, the invention will be described in relation to turnstiles through which supermarket shopping trolleys may pass, however, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto as it will be readily applicable to a wide variety of circumstances.

Supermarket trolleys present a number of problems for both the shopper and the supermarket operator. When the shopper elects to take a trolley to the carpark for the purpose of loading purchases into a car, it so happens that the trolley is often left in the carpark because it has fulfilled the need that the shopper had of it. Apart from the likelihood of damage or theft, such abandonment by the shopper leaves the supermarket operator with the problem of retrieving the trolley. Slowness in the retrieval process will, of course, leave other shoppers with a shortage of trolleys. Moreover, the supermarket operator^" may face fines by local authorities in respect of trolleys left in public carparks. Hitherto, several attempts have been made to alleviate the problems arising when a trolley is taken from a supermarket. One solution to the problem was to provide each trolley with a locking mechanism that retained a key chained to another trolley. The trolleys were stacked in line with the key of the first trolley engaged inthe locking mechanism of the second trolley, and so on down the line with the key of the end trolley free.

In order to remove the end trolley from the line, the shopper deposited a coin in a slot in the free key and placed the key with the coin into the locking mechanism which then released the key of the adjacent trolley so as to disengage the end trolley from the line.

After the trolley had served its purpose - whether inside or outside the supermarket - the shopper had an incentive to return the trolley in that the coin can be reclaimed. This was done by placing the trolley at the end of the line and inserting the free key from the trolley that had been at the end of the line into the locking mechanism whereupon the key with the coin was released. In this way the shopper reclaimed the coin and the trolley was locked back into the line.

This system has a number of disadvantages not the least of which is that each trolley must be fitted with a locking mechanism, key and chain. Another disadvantage of this system is that it usually compels the shopper to pay the coin deposit in order to shop even when there is no intention to take the trolley past the checkout to, say, the carpark.

Another approach to the problem which possesses a monetary incentive for the shopper to return the trolley after use is based upon a token system. Should the shopper desire to take the trolley past the checkout, a sum of money is given to the checkout operator in exchange for a token. When the trolley is returned, the token is given to the checkout operator and the sum of money returned.

Apart from the need to obtain special tokens and the inherent operator involvement, the token system does not have a positive link between the return of the trolley to the store and the refund. Indeed, the system lays itself open to the practice of returning the token but not the trolley.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a turnstile for elongate articles such as trolleys, for people with substantial loads such as prams, for groups of people and for similar purposes where the conventional rotatable turnstile is not suitable. It is a further object of this invention to provide a turnstile suitable for use with shopping trolleys which can offer the shopper a monetary incentive to return the trolley to the shop but which overcomes the disadvantages of the above described prior art approaches to the problem.

According to the invention there is provided a turnstile suitable for the passage therethrough of elongated objects, said turnstile comprising; a housing, endless drive means supported by the housing and having a main run and a return run, and, a plurality of arms connected to the drive means and spaced apart sufficiently to allow an elongated object to be positioned between adjacent arms, and wherein the arms project outwardly from the housing as they move along the main run whereby an elongated object can be positioned between adjacent arms and be transported along the main run. According to the invention there is also provided a turnstile comprising:

(i) endless drive means having a main run and a return run,

(ii) a plurality of spaced apart arms connected to the drive means so as to be movable between a first disposition as they move along the return run and a second disposition as they move along the main run, and, (iii) guide means adjacent the main run and adapted to engage each arm at or adjacent to the start of the main run to move the arm to its second disposition, to hold the arm in that disposition for a substantial portion of the main run and then to permit the arm to return to its first disposition at or adjacent to the end of the main run.

When the invention is adapted for use with supermarket trolleys, the runs of the drive means may be parallel to one another and in a horizontal plane. The arms would be spaced apart by a distance greater than the length of the trolley and the drive means would be driven by the shopper pushing against one of the arms as it assumes a horizontal disposition at the start of the main run.

Preferably such a trolley turnstile would have a one way drive so that the arms could not be reversed along the main run to free a trolley once it has commenced its passage along the main run. The turnstile may have means to distinguish one set of trolleys from another and pay-out means to refund a charge for trolleys use to a pre-selected set of trolleys. -

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a turnstile according to one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the turnstile shown in Fig. 1,

Figure 3 is an end view of the turnstile shown in Figs 1 and 2,

Figure 4 is an enlarged front elevational view of the control box of the turnstile shown in Figs 1 to 3 with the front cover removed,

Figure 5 is a perspective view from the front of the endless drive means of the turnstile shown in

Figs 1 to 3,

Figure 6 is a view taken along line X-X of Fig. 5,

Figure 7 is a partial perspective view from the rear of the endless drive means of the turnstile shown in Figs 1 to 3, and,

Figure 8 is a cross-sectiontal view, partly cut away, of an arm of the turnstile shown in Figs 1 to 3. *

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

As indicated in Fig. 1, the turnstile shown in the drawings is particularly suitable for use with supermarket trolleys and has a main cabinet 10 which rests upon the supermarket floor. Adjacent the cabinet or housing 10 is a guide rail 11 so spaced therefrom that the shopping trolley 12 may pass therebetween. Mounted on the trolley frame 13 is a plate 14 which carries reflective markers 15 the purpose of which will be described below.

The housing 10 supports a control box 16 which has a coin supply shute 17 and a warning light 18. The control box 16 will be described below in relation to Fig. 4. Although the housing 10 is shown as an enclosed cabinet, the housing may be of any shape or style, enclosed or open provided that it is capable of supporting the endless drive means referred to below.

Turning now to Figs 2 and 3, it will be seen that adjacent the top of the cabinet 10 there is a horizontal slot 19 along which a plurality of arms 20 run. The arms 20 emerge from the cabinet 10 through outlet 21 and return to the cabinet through inlet 22. Whilst the arms 20 run along the slot 19 they are in a horizontal disposition and extend outwardly from the cabinet 10 as shown in Fig. 3. Whilst the arms are being returned through the cabinet they are in a vertical or downward disposition (see Fig. 5).

The control box 16 shown in detail in Fig. 4 has a coin hopper 23 and an electrically driven coin-collector wheel 24 which when actuated delivers a coin to the shute 17.

Appropriate pulses from the wheel 24 are used to operate an electronic counter 25 so that a record may be made of the number of coins dispensed. The control box 16 also contains the electrical circuitry for the turnstile including earth leakage control 26, relays 27 and transformer 28.

A large supply of coins is placed in the hopper 23 and when energised, the coin-collector wheel 24 sweeps past the

OMPI

Y rfo^" - ^~ -^{~ ~} k'^~\ hopper outlet and collects a sequence of coins which are deposited at a horizontal disposition within a coin tube (not shown) one above the other. At the lower portion of the tube there is an aperture through which a finger connected to a switch will project when the top of the coin stack is below the aperture. Movement of the finger into the coin tube operates the switch which is adapted to energise the coin-collector wheel 24 for a pre-determined time so as to refill the coin tube. The light 18 is on - whenever the turnstile is operating and is adapted to flash whenever the coin hopper 23 needs filling.

The endless drive means for the arms 20 is shown in Figs 5, 6 and 7 and includes sprocket wheels 30, 31 around which passes an endless drive chain 32 shown partially in dotted outline in Fig. 5. The main run of the chain 32 is adjacent to the slot 19 (see Fig. 2) and is indicated by arrow F in Fig. 5. The return run of the chain 32 is indicated by arrow R. The sprocket wheels 30, 31 have one way clutches 33, 34 to prevent the chain drive 32 from being reversed. In this instance, there are three arms 20 equally spaced about the chain drive 32 with the space between adjacent arms being slightly larger than the length of the trolley 12.

Each sprocket wheel 30, 31 is supported on a shaft 35 by means of a clutch bearing 36 as shown in Fig. 6. The shaft 35 is mounted by means of a shaft bolt 37 and washer 38. The shaft bolt 37 passes through an aperture in a top plate 39 which extends between the ends of the cabinet 10. The top plate 39 supports a track 40 upon which ride carriages 41 which carry the arms 20. The carriages 41 are connected to the drive chain by links 42 retained by pin 43 and have bearings 44, 45 which engage in the recessed faces of the track 40. At the outer end of each carriage 41 there is a fork 46 in which is pivotted the free.end of arm carrier 47. The arm carrier 47 has an upper bearing 48 (see the right hand side of Fig. 6) which bears against a guide 49 when the arm 20 is in the horizontal position as shown on the left hand side of Fig. 6.

Each arm carrier 47 has a nylon wheel or roller 50 and removable arm 20. Extending forward of the top plate 39 is a support 51 which carries a guide 52 for wheel 50 that runs adjacent to the slot 19. A lead-in guide 53 is so shaped and positioned that when an arm 20 emerges from the outlet 21 the wheel 50 engages the guide 53 and the arm 20 is swung out to the horizontal disposition which it maintains in its run along the guide 52. When the wheel 50 approaches the end of the main run F it engages a lead-off guide 54 so shaped to allow the arm 20 to return to its vertical disposition. An additional guide may be used to urge the carrier 47 downwards so that the wheel or roller 50 positively follows the lead-off guide 54.

Each arm 20 consists of a polycarbonate tube 60 the free end of which is closed by end cap 61 as shown in Fig. 8. The arm carrier 47 has a stub axle 62 having a threaded portion 63 which engages a correspondingly threaded portion of boss 64. The tube 60 is heat bonded to the boss 64 and sealed thereto by plated sleeve 65. A stainless tube 66 covers the exposed portion of the axle 62.

At the front of the cabinet 10 there is a pair of apertures 70, 71 aligned each with one of a pair of emit and receive lights cell (not shown). The set of trolleys selected for use with the turnstile all carry a pair of reflective strips 15 of the same spacing. The strips are so positioned on the trolley that they move across the path of the light emitted from the cells.

IPO In operation, the turnstile will be moved to the position shown in Fig. 1 and the front of the trolley will engage one of the arms 20. Forward movement of the trolley will drive the chain 32, and the arm 20 on the return run of the chain 32 will be moved towards the outlet 21. When the rear of the trolley passes the outlet 21 the arm 20 will emerge from the outlet 21 and under the influence of the roller 50 and lead-in guide 53 will assume its horizontal disposition between the trolley and the shopper.

When the reflective strips on the trolley pass the apertures 70, 71 the emitted light will be reflected back to cells which are adapted to then pass a signal to the electrical circuitry of the turnstile. Further forward movement of the trolley will take both of the reflective strips past the second aperture 71 and the then rearward carriage 41 on the return run of the chain 32 will, after further forward movement of the trolley, operate a switch 72 connected in the electrical circuitry.

Upon completion of the signal system from the cells and the delaying switch 72, the coin dispenser will be energised and a coin(s) will be dropped from the coin tube to the coin shute 17. The coin so made available to the shopper represents his initial deposit to gain use of the trolley and may, for example, be given to the check-out operator when leaving the supermarket.

Should a trolley not of the selected set be presented to the turnstile the coin will not be dispensed because it will either be without reflective strips or have them at different spacings.

Although the preferred embodiment of the invention employs arms that drop down to a vertical disposition, it is possible to use arms that remain horizontal. If the arms are retained in the horizontal disposition during the return run, passage of the trolley may be blocked by an appropriately positioned bar, or, the arms could return through an enclosure.

As indicated above, the turnstile may be applied to areas other than with supermarket trolleys and adaptations, changes and/or modifications necessary to so apply the turnstile are within the scope and ambit of the invention as are variations in design and construction of the turnstile for trolleys.

_OMPI

Claims

1. A turnstile suitable for the passage therethrough of elongated objects, said turnstile comprising; a housing, endless drive means supported by the housing and having a main run and a return run, and, a plurality of arms connected to the drive means and spaced apart sufficiently to allow an elongated object to be positioned between adjacent arms, and wherei the arms project outwardly from the housing as they move along the main run whereby an elongated object can be positioned between adjacent arms and be transported along the main run.

2. A turnstile according to claim 1 wherein the drive means includes a chain passing around a pair of spaced sprocket wheels.

3. A turnstile according to claim 2 wherein at least one of the sprocket wheels is constrained against reverse rotation.

4. A turnstile according to claim 1 wherein each arm is so connected to the drive means as to be movable between a substantially downward disposition as it moves along the return run and a substantially horizontal disposition as it moves along the main run.

5. A turnstile according to claim 4 including guide means adjacent the main run and adapted to engage each arm at adjacent to the start of the main run to move the arm from the downward disposition to the horizontal disposition, to hold the arm in that disposition for a substantial portion of the main run and then to permit the arm to return to its downward disposition at or adjacent to the end of the main run. 6. A turnstile according to claim 5 wherein the connection means includes a carriage coupled to the drive means, said carriage having bearing means which engage a rail loop extending along the main and return runs, and a pivotal connection for the arm, said pivotal connection including a stub axle to which the arm is secured and on which is roller adapted to engage the guide means to move the arm from its downward disposition to its horizontal disposition and vice versa.

7. A turnstile according to claim 1 wherein the drive means is driven by pushing the article against an arm.

8. A turnstile according to claim 1 adapted for use with supermarket trolleys and wherein the runs of the drive means are parallel to one another, are in a horizontal plane and are longer than the length of a trolley.

9. A turnstile according to claim 8 further including means to distinguish one set of trolleys from another and pay-out means to refund a charge for use of a trolley once it has passed a predetermined way along the main run.

10. A turnstile according to claim 9 wherein the distinguishing means includes a spaced pair of emit and receive light cells and wherein the set of trolleys each have a pair of reflective strips of the same spacing and so positioned that they move across the path of the light emitted by the cells.

11. A turnstile comprising:

(i) endless drive means having a main run and a return run, (ii) a plurality of spaced apart arms connected to the drive means so as to be movable between a first disposition as they move along the return run and a second disposition as they move along the main run, and,

(iii) guide means adjacent the main run and adapted to engage each arm at or adjacent to the start of the main run to move the arm to its second disposition, to hold the arm in that disposition for a substantial portion of the main run and then to permit the arm to return to its first disposition at or adjacent to the end of the main run.