GB2284842A

GB2284842A - Security post assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2284842A
Application number: GB9425541A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Godfrey Lukes Barton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-12-17
Filing date: 1994-12-19
Publication date: 1995-06-21
Anticipated expiration: 2014-12-19
Also published as: GB2284842B; GB9425541D0

Abstract

A security post assembly comprises a base 12 for securing to the ground and having an internal cavity 20, and at least one post portion 14, 42 having attachment means 22 and locking means 28, 46. The attachment means is insertable in the cavity with the post in a first position, and thereafter movable to a second in-use position in which the post is locable to another post portion or to a fixture or the base to secure the attachment means within the cavity. <IMAGE>

Description

Post Assembly The present invention concerns a post assembly, and in particular relates to an improved security post of the kind used on car parking spaces or driveways and the like to restrict access or exit.

A known kind of security post comprises a base and an upright post member pivotally mounted on the base for movement between a collapsed, out-of-use position and an upright in-use position. The post may be locked in the in-use position. An arrangement of this kind necessitates the use of a particular key to operate the locking mechanism and thus the security post. Problems accordingly arise if a person needs to operate a number of such posts, as he will have to carry a corresponding number of keys and correctly identify the key required for each post.

The invention seeks to mitigate or obviate these or other difficulties.

According to the invention there is provided a post assembly comprising a base portion for securing to the ground and having a cavity therein, at least two post portions, each of which has attachment means and locking means, the attachment means being adapted to be inserted in the cavity when the post portion is in a first position, and thereafter to enable movement of the post portion to a second in-use position, the post portions, in their second positions, being lockable together by the locking means to secure the attachment means within the cavity.

Preferably each post portion is provided with a projecting lug so arranged that a padlock may be secured through aligned through apertures in respective lugs of the post portions.

Preferably the attachment means comprises a projecting foot. The foot and the post member preferably define an acute angle therebetween.

There may be provided a supporting member locatable within the base cavity for supporting each post portion in the in-use position. Alternatively each post portion may be supported by the bottom of the base cavity. As a further alternative, the post portions may support each other in the in-use position.

According to the invention there is further provided a post assembly comprising a base portion for securing to the ground and providing a cavity therein, at least one post portion having attachment means and locking means, the attachment means being adapted to be inserted in the cavity when the post portion is in a first position, and thereafter to enable movement of the post portion to a second in-use position, the post portion, in the second position, being lockable by the locking means to another post portion or to a fixture to secure the attachment means within the cavity.

The or each post portion may be provided with a projecting lug so arranged that a padlock may be secured through an aperture in the lug to a similar post portion or to an appropriate fixture.

In an alternative arrangement, there is provided a single post portion including a locking arrangement permitting the post portion in its second position to be locked to the base portion. Preferably the locking arrangement automatically locks the post portion to the base portion when the post is brought to the in-use position. The locking arrangement may be released by means of a key. The locking arrangement is preferably operable from a location on the post portion spaced above ground level.

The invention will be further described for the purposes of illustration only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a side view of the post assembly according to the invention; Fig. 2 is an end view corresponding to Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a top plan view; Fig. 4 is a side view of an alternative post assembly; Fig. 5 is a side view of a further alternative post assembly; and Fig. 6 is a side view of a still further alternative post assembly.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, a post assembly 10 comprises a base 12 and two post sections 14. The base 12 is substantially cuboidal in shape and has an opening 16 located centrally in an upper face 18. The opening 16 gives access to hollow interior 20 of the base. A support block 21 is provided in the base 12 opposite the opening 16.

The post section 14 comprises a bar which may be formed from a suitable metal. At a lower end 14A of each post 14 is attached a foot 22. Each foot 22 comprises a first rectangular plate 24 attached to one face of the post 14 at the end 14A. As will be seen from Fig. 1, the plate 24 projects beyond the end 14A of the post 14. The free end of the plate 24 projecting from the post 14 is bent to form a second plate 26 directed outwardly of the post 14. The angle formed between the plate 26 and the plate 22 is less than 900, in this instance approximately 75-80 .

Adjacent an upper end 148 of each post 14 is provided a projecting lug 28 having a through aperture therein.

The base 12 of the assembly is fixed in a required location, for example by being embedded within the ground so that the face 18 thereof lies flush with the surface. The base 12 thus provides a fixed cavity to receive the post sections 14. The foot 22 of each post 14 is in turn placed into the interior 20 whilst the post 14 is tilted at an angle to the base 12. In this position, the plate 26 is firstly inserted through the opening 16 into the base 12 and then moved to underlie the face 18 of the base 12 at a respective side of the opening 16. Each post 14 may subsequently be brought into an upright position with the foot 22 still within the base and the plate 26 engaging against the face 18, so that the two posts 14 are upstanding from the base 12 substantially vertically and adjacent to each other.

The block 21 supports the lower end 14A of each post so that each post may stand in the base 12 independently of the other. The use of block 21 mitigates problems caused by debris collecting within the interior 20 of the base and preventing correct seating of the post portions 14 therein. The two post sections 14 are locked together by means of padlock (not shown in the drawing) located through aligned through apertures of the lugs 28, thereby securing the feet 22 in the base 12.

Given the provision of a suitable base 12, the post assembly 10 can be erected or removed when required by insertion or removal in the cavity of the post sections 14. The post assembly may be used for example at the entrance to a parking area in order to prevent access thereto or exit therefrom. When the post sections 14 are removed there remains simply an aperture in the ground formed by the opening 16. A motorist, for example, may carry his own post sections 14 for use at will. The use of removable post sections 14 and a separate locking arrangement obviates the need for a particular key to be used for a particular post assembly thereby providing a more flexible arrangement than prior security posts utilising fixed but hinged post elements which requires a particular key to be operated.

Fig. 4 shows a modified post assembly 10A utilising a single post section 14 mounted in a suitable base 12A located adjacent an existing door or other fixture 30. The post 14 is locked to the door 30 by way of appropriate cooperating fixtures 32 and a lock (not shown). The base 12A does not include the support block 21 of the base 12, as the post 14 of this assembly simply rests on the bottom of the cavity of base 12A.

Fig. 5 shows a further modified arrangement substantially similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 3. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 5, post elements 34, 36 are of unequal length. Locking lugs 28 are so provided on the post 34, 36 as to permit locking together thereof. It will be appreciated from Fig. 5 that the post 36 has a foot 22 as described hereinbefore, whilst the post 34 has a modified foot 38 in the form of a plate attached to one end of the post 34 to project from the post at a right angle thereto. In this arrangement, the post 36 with foot 22 must be inserted into the cavity after the post 34 when erecting the assembly, and must be removed before the post 34 when dismantling the assembly.

Fig. 6 shows an alternative post assembly comprising a base 12B and a single post 42. The base 12B is similar to the base 12 of Figs. 1 to 3, but does not include the supporting block 21. The single post 42 may be made from metal. A foot 22 as hereinbefore described is provided on one side of the post 42 at a lower end 42A thereof. The post 42 further comprises a locking arrangement having a retractable locking member 46 which is biassed in the position shown to project from lower end 42A of the post opposite the foot 22.

The post 42 is inserted into the base 128 by a method similar to that described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3. Firstly the foot 22 is inserted into the interior of the base through an aperture 16 with the post 42 tilted at an angle to the base 12B. As the foot 22 locates in the base 128 and the post is moved to its upright position, the locking member 46 comes into contact with a part 18B of the upper face of the base adjacent the aperture 16. A lower surface of the locking member 46 is curved so that the locking member is retracted against the bias by contact with the base part 18A whereby to enable the locking member to enter the interior of the base 12B. The locking member 46 then locks within the base 128 by virtue of the action of the bias to retain the post 42 within the base.When it is required to remove the post 42 the locking member 46 is retractable against the bias by the use of an appropriate key, which releases a handle part 44 of the locking arrangement located at or adjacent an upper end of the post 42. The handle 44 operates the lock via a shaft (not shown) located within the post 42.

Modifications may be made within the.scope of the invention. The relative shape and dimensions of the or each post may be varied from those described and shown.

The posts may be locked together, or a single post locked to another fixture, in any convenient manner.

The number of posts may be varied and the base 12 modified accordingly. The attachment and locking arrangements may differ from those described and shown.

The or each post may be supported on a supporting block, or by the bottom of the base cavity. Alternatively, two or more post portions may support each other in the in-use position.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing Specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

Claims:

1. A post assembly comprising a base portion for securing to the ground and having a cavity therein, at least two post portions, each of which has attachment means and locking means, the attachment means being adapted to be inserted in the cavity when the post portion is in a first position, and thereafter to enable movement of the post portion to a second in-use position, the post portions, in their second positions, being lockable together by the locking means to secure the attachment means within the cavity.

2. A post assembly according to Claim 1 wherein each post portion is provided with a projecting lug so arranged that a padlock may be secured through aligned through apertures in respective lugs of the post portions.

3. A post assembly according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the attachment means comprises a projecting foot.

4. A post assembly according to Claim 3 wherein the foot and the post member define an acute angle therebetween.

5. A post assembly according to any of the preceding Claims including a supporting member locatable within the base cavity for supporting each post portion in the in-use position.

6. A post assembly according to any of Claims 1 to 4 wherein each post portion is supported by the bottom of the base cavity.

7. A post assembly according to any of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the post portions support each other in the in-use position.

8. A post assembly comprising a base portion for securing to the ground and providing a cavity therein, at least one post portion having attachment means and locking means, the attachment means being adapted to be inserted in the cavity when the post portion is in a first position, and thereafter to enable movement of the post portion to a second in-use position, the post portion, in the second position, being lockable by the locking means to another post portion or to a fixture to secure the attachment means within the cavity.

9. A post assembly according to Claim 8 wherein the or each post portion is provided with a projecting lug so arranged that a padlock may be secured through an aperture in the lug to a similar post portion or to an appropriate fixture.

10. A post assembly according to Claim 8 wherein there is provided a single post portion including a locking arrangement permitting the post portion in its second position to be locked to the base portion.

11. A post assembly according to any of Claims 8 to 10 wherein the locking arrangement automatically locks the post portion to the base portion when the post is brought to the in-use position.

12. A post assembly according to any of Claims 8 to 11 wherein the locking arrangement is released by means of a key.

13. A post assembly according to any of Claims 8 to 12 wherein the locking arrangement is operable from a location on the post portion spaced above ground level.

14. A post assembly according to any of Claims 8 to 13 wherein the attachment means comprises a projecting foot.

15. A post assembly according to Claim 14 wherein the foot and the post member define an acute angle therebetween.

16. A post assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

17. A post assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings.

18. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding Claims.