GB2249574A - Turnstile assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A turnstile assembly comprising two upstanding shells (5, 6) with a walkway (8) therebetween, passage through which is controlled by a rotary gate (9). The two shells (5, 6) are interconnected by roof structure (7). One of these shells (6) provides a cubicle for a operator and has a front wall (13, figure 2) which is provided with a screen (14, figure 3). The other shell (5) houses the rotary gate (9). Means for controlling rotation of a rotary gate (9) are provided within the cubicle. <IMAGE>

Description

TURNSTILE ASSEMBLY The invention relates to turnstiles of a kind which are used, for example, at the entrance to a sports stadium.

Such turnstiles are normally controlled by an operator, who checks a season ticket or takes appropriate money, before releasing a rotary gate of the turnstile to enable one person to pass through the gate. Conventionally, the operator is accommodated in a brick built or wooden kiosk, which is erected to the side of the turnstile.

In accordance with the present invention, a turnstile assembly comprises a housing formed of two upstanding shells which are spaced from one another to provide therebetween a walkway through the assembly, and which are interconnected by a roof structure; a rotary gate which is housed in one of the shells and has radially extending wings which, upon rotation of the gate, successively sweep through the walkway to control the passage of persons along the walkway through the assembly, the second shell providing a cubicle for an operator and, facing the one shell, a front wall which is provided with a screen through which the operator can see; and means for controlling rotation of the gate from within the cubicle.

A novel feature of the new turnstile assembly is the provision of the integral operator's cubicle and an advantage is that it can be taken to the site in one, or only a few, piece(s), and bolted or otherwise secured into position ready for use without the necessity for building any walls to provide a kiosk or to house the gate.

The shells are preferably made of sheet metal.

In order to secure the walkway against a person squeezing past the gateway, it is desirable to provide on at least the lower part of the front wall of the second shell, below the screen, a concave configuration close to which the tips of the wings sweep as they pass through the mid position in which a respective wing extends perpendicularly across the walkway.

Although a door for the operator to enter and leave the cubicle may be provided in the second shell, it is preferably provided by the front wall, which closes the second shell, this door preferably swinging about a central vertical axis. The operator will then enter and leave the cubicle via the walkway. The absence of any door in the side of the operator's cubicle improves security.

A number of the assemblies may be located in line in series, or in an offset array with the first shell of one assembly overlapping the side of the first or second shell of an adjacent assembly, with the walkways of the two assemblies essentially parallel to one another. This provides a compact arrangement of multiple turnstiles. For this purpose the ends or sides of the shells which abut or overlap one another may conveniently be made flat so that they can readily be fitted together.

The ratchet or other mechanism for releasing the gate to rotate through an angle corresponding to that between adjacent wings, to control the passage of persons one at a time through the walkway, may be housed in the roof structure of the housing, and controlled from within the cubicle.

The invention will now be explained by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a side elevation of the turnstile assembly; Figure 2 is a broken plan view of the turnstile assembly; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the turnstile assembly, with the door to the cubicle in an open position; Figures 4 to 7 are plan views of arrays of turnstiles in various arrangements.

The turnstile assembly has a housing comprising first and second sheet steel, or other sheet metal, shells 5 and 6 interconnected by a roof structure 7.

The space between the two shells 5 and 6 provides a walkway 8, passage through which is controlled by a rotary gate 9 having four equiangularly spaced wings 10. The gate is mounted essentially within the shell 5 for rotary movement about a vertical axis 11 under the control of a mechanism within the roof structure 7. The mechanism may be any conventional arrangement such as a chain and link mechanism operated by a lever, or a solenoid actuated mechanism.

The second shell 6 forms a cubicle for an operator 12.

The front of the cubicle is closed by a door 13 which can, when unlocked, swivel about a, preferably, central vertical axis, as shown in Figure 3, to provide for entry and exit of the operator. The door has, in its upper portion, a lattice screen 14, at the bottom of which is a cash receiving opening above a shelf 15. On the outside of the door below the shelf level, is a projecting portion 16 providing a concave configuration complementary to the arc swept by the wings 10. The cubicle contains a switch or lever allowing the operator 12 to operate the mechanism to control the rotation of the gate 9 from within the cubicle.

The shells 5 and 6 may be semi-cylindrical or may each have one or two right angular corners 6A. This feature provides flat surfaces 6B which can be adapted or overlapped with a complementary flat surface 6B of an adjacent assembly to provide a compact modular array, which may be staggered, as shown in Figures 4 and 6, or straight as in Figure 5 or undulating as shown in Figure 7. In each case the array may be extended by adding further unitary assemblies. The walkways through all the assemblies are parallel to one another and the array can provide part of a secure boundary to, e.g., a stadium.

A door may be provided to close the walkway between the shells at the non-secure side of the or each assembly.

The assembly or array of assemblies could then form part of the unattended external face of a stadium out of hours.

Claims (8)

1. A turnstile assembly comprising a housing formed of two upstanding shells which are spaced from one another to provide therebetween a walkway through the assembly, and which are interconnected by a roof structure; a rotary gate which is housed in one of the shells and has radially extending wings which, upon rotation of the gate, successively sweep through the walkway to control the passage of persons along the walkway through the assembly, the second shell providing a cubicle for an operator and, facing the one shell, a front wall which is provided with a screen through which the operator can see; and means for controlling rotation of the gate from within the cubicle.

2. A turnstile assembly according to claim 1, wherein the shells are made of sheet metal.

3. A turnstile assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein there is provided on at least the lower part of the front wall of the second shell, below the screen, a concave configuration close to which the tips of the wings sweep as they pass through the mid position in which a respective wing extends perpendicularly across the walkway.

4. A turnstile according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the front wall of the cubicle provides a door, swingable about a central vertical axis.

5. A turnstile assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a ratchet mechanism for releasing the gate to rotate through an angle corresponding to that between adjacent wings, to control the passage of persons one at a time through the walkway, is housed in the roof structure of the housing, and controlled from within the cubicle.

6. A series of turnstile assemblies according to any one of the preceding claims, the assemblies being arranged so that the first shell of one assembly overlaps the side of the first or second shell of an adjacent assembly and the walkways of the assemblies are essentially parallel to one another.

7. An array according to claim 6, wherein the ends or sides of the shells which abut or overlap one another are flat.

8. An turnstile assembly substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.