GB2264332A

GB2264332A - Security barrier

Info

Publication number: GB2264332A
Application number: GB9303509A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Paul Coward
Original assignee: Post Office
Current assignee: Post Office
Priority date: 1992-02-21
Filing date: 1993-02-22
Publication date: 1993-08-25
Anticipated expiration: 2013-02-22
Also published as: GB2264332B; GB9303509D0

Abstract

A security barrier comprises a flexible sheet 3 of obscuring and ballistic material and a storage device 4 for storing the material in a compact configuration and incorporating means to release the material into a protective position. The sheet is provided with loops at each fold and has a weighted member at its lower edge. The member is connected to a reel by a tensile member. The reel is locked by a solenoid operated clutch. <IMAGE>

Description

SECURITY BARRIER The invention relates to security barriers for use at counters or similar positions where transactions take place between members of the public on one side of the counter and staff on the other side.

At counter positions where transactions are made with the public, and where the public side of the counter is open to any member of the public, there is always the danger that an armed attack could be mounted from this side of the counter. Such an attack may follow the pattern of a firearm or other ballistic weapon being aimed or pointed at and/or discharged at counter staff in an attempt to obtain cash or goods of value. In order to protect such staff a transparent screen is normally provided, and the invention is concerned with the provision of an improvement to such a screen.

According to the present invention, there is provided a security barrier comprising a flexible sheet of obscuring and ballistic resistant material and a storage device for storing the material in a compact configuration, the storage device being mountable above a counter or similar position to be protected and incorporating means to release the material into a protective position.

Additionally, where a plurality of counter positions is provided, release may be provided from a number of remote positions. Thus in the event of an armed threat of attack the obscuring and ballistic resistant material sheet may be released thus allowing counter staff the opportunity of moving away from the threatened position and also providing a barrier that offers protection against any projectile that penetrates the transparent screen and against any flying shards of glazing material that may result from the impact of the projectile on the glazing material.

Preferably the material comprises a woven aramid fibre material.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 shows a sectional view through a typical counter position with a barrier of the invention in a stored or inoperative position, FIGURE 2 shows a similar sectional view of the counter position but with the barrier in a released or operative position, FIGURE 3 shows an enlarged perspective view of the barrier material, FIGURE 4 shows a front view of the barrier release mechanism with the release mechanism cover removed and with the barrier in its inoperative position, FIGURE 5 shows a front view of the barrier release mechanism with the cover removed and with the barrier in its operative position, and FIGURE 6 shows a front view of the barrier release mechanism with a barrier raising device in its operative position.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, each counter position comprises a horizontal surface 1 extending either side of a fixed glazed security screen 2, means being provided for the passage of documents, cash and related products between one side of the screen and the other without substantially reducing the security of the counter position, such means being one of many commercially available designs. Positioned beyond and above the counter side of the glazed security screen 2 is an obscuring and ballistic resistant barrier 3, the barrier 3 being affixed to a release device 4 which is attached either to upper framework 5 of the glazed security screen or to a convenient adjacent fixing.This fixing is also positioned to ensure that the barrier 3 when released is located a short distance, say 50mm, from the inner surface of the glazed security screen 2 thus allowing free vertical movement of the released barrier.

Referring to Figure 3, the obscuring barrier 3 comprises a sheet of woven aramid fibre material 6, for example "Kevlar", the sheet of material being dimensioned to extend across and beyond the width of the corresponding transparent screen, with a minimum overlap of 25mm. The sheet of woven aramid fibre material 6 may be encased within outer sheets of covering material 7, 8, such sheets of covering material being capable of providing decorative finish or serving to carry text or other indicia for the operated barrier. This sheet of material is arranged in a folded configuration each fold being arranged alternately such that the sheet may be stored concertina-fashion. As well as being folded concertina-fashion, every other fold is sewn to form a loop 9.Such a loop 9 provides lateral stiffness to the sheet thus ensuring that the sheet, when suspended from its upper edge 10, will lie substantially in a vertical plane. Sewn into the lower edge of the sheet, within a final loop 11, is a rigid weighted member 12. Such a weighted member 12 imparts a vertical force on the sheet to ensure that, when released, the lower edge of the sheet falls downwards quickly. Additionally, the weighted member serves to maintain the vertical disposition of the sheet when it is in the released state. Also attached to this lower edge is a rigid loop 13 that acts as an anchor member for a flexible tensile member, preferably a length of cord 14. Such a length of cord 14 is further constrained by a plurality of rigid loops 15 attached to every other folded edge thus providing a constraint to assist in holding the released barrier in a vertical position.These loops 15 are attached to short lengths of dowel 16 sewn into the folded edges of the barrier material.

Referring to Figure 4, the upper end of the cord 14 is attached to the face of a flanged reel or pulley 17, the pulley being mounted on, and affixed to, a shaft 18.

Flanges 19 of the pulley 17 serve to ensure that the cord 14 is constrained to the face of the pulley. This pulley 17 is positioned such that the centre of the face of the pulley is vertically in line with the loops 13, 15 attached to the lower edge of the sheet and to the intermediate folded edges. Thus rotation of the shaft 18 and the flanged pulley 17 will cause the flexible tensile member 14 to be wound onto, or payed out from, the flanged pulley thus raising or lowering the barrier 3.

Attached to one end face of the pulley is a dog clutch device 20. This device comprises a disc 21 with projecting teeth 22 set on one face of the disc towards the periphery of the disc. Located in close proximity to this disc is a horizontal solenoid 23, the plunger 24 of which carries a projecting member 25, mounted in a housing 29, which member 25 cooperates with the projecting teeth on the disc 22 thus preventing rotation of the disc when the solenoid 23 is energised. Referring to Figure 5, upon release of the solenoid, the plunger 24 withdraws causing the projecting member 25 attached to the solenoid plunger 24, to withdraw from the projecting teeth 22 thus allowing the disc 21 and the attached pulley 17 to rotate together with the shaft 18. The effect of the weight of the rigid member 12 and the weight of the barrier itself, transmitted through the cord 14, is to cause the freed barrier to descend, such descent causing rotation of the shaft 18.

Referring to Figure 6, the shaft 18 extends from the pulley 17 by way of a hinged support member 26 to a second pulley 27. The hinged support member 26 comprises a bearing that allows the shaft 18 to rotate freely about its longitudinal axis but which also allows the shaft 18 to be pivoted about a transverse axis, such pivot movement being sufficient to cause disengagement of the projecting member 25, attached to the solenoid 23, from the projecting teeth 22 of the dog clutch 20 to allow free rotation of the shaft 18. Additionally, the bearing 26 is positioned such that in its normal rest position, the shaft is biased by gravity into a position of engagement of the teeth 22 with the projecting member 25, attached to the solenoid 23. In an alternative arrangement, a spring may also be employed to ensure the required engagement.Affixed to the second pulley 27 is a further flexible tensile member in the form of a looped cord 28 secured to the pulley, the cord 28 being capable of effecting pivoting movement of the shaft 18 about the above referred to transverse axis and coincidentally effecting rotary motion of the shaft about its longitudinal axis. Thus a force applied to the cord 28 will disengage the teeth 22 from the projecting member 25 and also cause the shaft 18 to rotate about its longitudinal axis. In this way the released barrier can be raised again. Additionally, it is possible with such an arrangement to raise the barrier part way through its travel thus providing partial protection. Release of the of lifting force will cause the toothed wheel 22 to reengage with the member 25 thus preventing any further rotation of the shaft 18 thereby locking the barrier 3 in position.

The solenoid 23 is activated from a switch, or, in the case of a number of counter positions, one of a number of switches, the switches being located at each counter position and arranged such that operation of one switch will release all barriers at the same time.

Additionally a switch, or a number of switches could be located at a remote position thus allowing remote operation of the barrier. A delay device is also incorporated in the control circuit for the solenoids to ensure that, upon operation of any of the switches,sufficient time is allowed for the barrier(s) 3 fully to descend before the solenoid plunger(s) 24 return to their locking positions.

In an alternative arrangement, the barrier may comprise a roller blind device, such blind being constructed from similar material to the material described above and being releasable by similar means.

As an alternative and cheaper material for the barrier 3 to that described above, a polyolefin material, for example a material known as "Dyneema" (high density polyethylene), may be used.

Known screens are usually manufactured of glass, or of a glass/polymer laminate, thus providing a rigid, tough, scratch resistant membrane that also provides some level of ballistic resistance. Various commercially manufactured designs of such screens are available.

However their ballistic resistance is related to their construction. Such construction needs to be economical in terms of materials used and also related to manufacturing costs. Additionally dangers arise because any attack will generally be directed from the public side towards counter staff behind the said screen.

Although such a screen may prevent penetration of a projectile, or moderate the velocity of that projectile thus providing a potentially less lethal attack, the screen itself, or certain components of the screen laminate can create further hazard as shards of glass or spall, may be propelled towards counter staff following the impact of a projectile from a firearm. As more powerful ballistic weapons become available so the effectiveness of such screening devices becomes more questionable.

The barrier described has been found to display improved resistance to ballistic attack and to provide improved security to persons involved in transacting business in such environments, without the necessity for continually reviewing and updating the protection provided.

Claims

Claims:

1. A security barrier comprising a flexible sheet of obscuring and ballistic resistant material and a storage device for storing the material in a compact configuration, the storage device being mountable above a counter or similar position to be protected and incorporating means to release the material into a protective position.

2. A security barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material is formed with horizontal lines of fold to permit holding of the material into its stored position concertina-fashion and release of the material into its protective position.

3. A security barrier as claimed in claim 2, wherein the material includes a horizontally extending loop at each fold.

4. A security barrier as claimed in claim 2 or 3, including a weighted member at or near a lower edge of the material.

5. A security barrier as claimed in claim 2, 3 or 4, including a flexible tensile member attached to the material at or near a lower edge of the material and passing through rigid loops on the folds of the material on one side whereby the material may be folded.

6. A security barrier as claimed in claim 5, wherein the storage device includes a reel around which the flexible tensile member is passed.

7. A security barrier as claimed in claim 6, including means for releasably locking the reel.

8. A security barrier as claimed in claim 7, wherein the locking means comprise a solenoid operated clutch.

9. A security barrier as claimed in claim 8, wherein the clutch comprises a toothed wheel on the reel and a solenoid operated plunger to engage the toothed wheel in the manner of a dog-clutch.

10. A security barrier as claimed in claim 9, wherein the reel is mounted on a shaft which is pivotable into and out of a position in which the toothed wheel is engaged by the plunger.

11. A security barrier as claimed in claim 10, wherein the shaft is biassed into a position in which the wheel is engaged by the plunger by gravity.

12. A security barrier as claimed in claim 11, wherein the shaft carries a pulley to which a second flexible tensile member is secured whereby the shaft may be pivoted to disengage the wheel from the plunger and the second flexible tensile member then employed to raise the barrier material into its folded position, whereafter by release of the second flexible tensile member, the wheel may be reengaged with the plunger.

13. A security barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the barrier material comprises a woven aramid fibre material.

14. A security barrier substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.