GB2288635A

GB2288635A - Barrier locking device

Info

Publication number: GB2288635A
Application number: GB9508127A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Wixey; Caryl Davies
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-04-21
Filing date: 1995-04-21
Publication date: 1995-10-25
Also published as: GB9508127D0; GB9407879D0

Abstract

One end of a barrier, such as a gate, is conventionally hingedly mounted at a first post so that it can be swung over a wide arc towards or away from a second post to which it would normally he locked. The means of locking comprise a plate (11) secured to the gate at its other end, and a housing (13) within said second post. The plate carries a pair of spaced upper and lower pins (9, 10) which in the closed position of the gate pass through respective holes (7, 8) in the second post and are disposed respectively above and below the housing (13), the pins having respective notches (12A, 12B) therein. The housing contains a key operated barrel lock (15) arranged to be operated to extend or retract in opposite directions respective plungers (19A, 19B), which move into or out of engagement with a respective one of the notches (12A, 12B) to lock the gate to the second post. The lower pin (10) prevents lifting of the gate to cause release of the upper pin (19) from its associated notch (12A) and thus unauthorised unlocking of the gate. <IMAGE>

Description

BARRIER LOCKING DEVICE AND BARRIER INCORPORATING SUCH DEVICE.

This invention relates to a locking device for a barrier, such as a gate serving to control entry to a field or to domestic or commercial premises, for example.

Locking devices, particularly for farm gates, are often crude and cumbersome, one commonly used example being a chain and padlock which is inconvenient to use and relatively simple to overcome in order to gain improper entry.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved locking device which alleviates or avoids the aforesaid drawbacks.

According to the present invention, a locking device comprises a locking unit for mounting, in use, on one of a pair of elements comprising a fixed structure, such as a post or wall, adjacent an opening to be controlled by a barrier, and the barrier, catch means for attachment to the other of the elements for cooperation with the locking unit to effect releasable locking of the barrier, and retention means serving to prevent movement of the barrier from its normal position of use in a manner which would release the catch means from the locking unit.

In one convenient arrangement, the catch means is formed on or is carried by a member adapted for attachment to one of the elements so as to project therefrom and intended to engage within an opening in the other element for locking cooperation with the locking unit attached thereto, in use.

Preferably, the catch means is carried by a mounting device for attachment to one of the elements, the mounting device also carrying the retention means in the form of a further projecting element arranged to lie, in use, above or beneath the locking unit when the barrier is locked, in order to prevent the aforesaid movement of the barrier from its normal position.

The invention also embraces a barrier, such as a gate carrying one of the elements and arranged to cooperate with the other element incorporating the locking unit. In a convenient practical arrangement, the catch means is carried by the gate and the unit by fixed structure adjacent the barrier, such as a post or wall.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a pictorial view of a gate and associated gate post incorporating the locking device of the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-section through part of the post illustrating the mechanism of a locking unit of the locking device, and Figure 3 is a perspective view of an alternative arrangement of a gate post and locking device.

Figure 1 of the drawings illustrates one form of barrier, shown as a gate 1 serving to control entry to a field or to domestic or commercial premises, for example, the gate being mounted on a post 2 by way of conventional hinges 3, 4 permitting it to be swung over a wide arc away from an associated further post 5, to which it would normally be locked, when required. The post 5 incorporates a locking unit 6, illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 1, and is provided with a pair of apertures 7, 8 to provide access to locking mechanism of the locking unit 6 for a respective pair of pins 9, 10 carried by a plate 11 secured to the gate 1 and arranged to be aligned with the holes 7 and 8 when the gate approaches its closed position. The pins are provided respectively with notches 12A, 12B and act as catch means of the locking device, in the manner to be described hereafter.

The locking unit 6 is illustrated in more detail in Figure 2 and will be seen to comprise a housing 13 of generally rectangular form let into the post 5 to the extent permitted by a front facia plate 14. The unit includes, in this embodiment, a barrel lock 15 operable by a key 16, the barrel lock having an output rod 17 extending into a tubular housing 18 from opposite ends of which project end portions of respective locking plungers 1 9A, 1 9B. The rod 17 is rotatable by action of the key 16 and cooperates with a cam or similar mechanism to effect linear movement of the plungers 1 9A, 1 9B. In one convenient arrangement, the plungers 19 would be spring-urged to their illustrated projecting positions and positively moved against the spring to retracted positions when the key is operated.It will be seen that the plungers 19, when extended, cooperate respectively with the notches 12A, 1 2B of the pins 9, 10 projecting from the gate. It would be possible for only a single plunger to be provided for engagement with only one of the pins 9, 10.

In operation, as the gate is swung towards the post, the pins 9, 10 engage within the holes 7, 8 and the forward rounded end portions 9A, 10A of the pins engage inclined surfaces 1 9C on the forward ends of the plungers 19A, 1 9B, camming the latter inwardly against the action of the spring to permit the pins to reach their locking positions in which the plungers are able to engage the notches 12A, 12B when the plungers and notches come into alignment. In this position, the pins are both locked against withdrawal and the gate is thereby locked in its closed position and can only be released by action of the key 16 to withdraw the plungers from the notches. It will be seen that, when the gate is closed, the pin 9 comes to rest beneath the housing 13 and restricts the amount by which the gate may be lifted.This amount is less than the depth of the notch 12A so that there is no possibility of the gate being lifted to clear the plunger 1 9A and opened without operation of the key. This restriction upon lifting of the gate also precludes its removal from the hinges 3, 4, each of which may simply consist of an upstanding pin carried by the post 2 received within a respective hollow bracket carried by the gate.

In the alternative arrangement illustrated in Figure 3, the locking unit 6 is mounted on the inner side of the post 5 which can facilitate installation in some circumstances and also enables the unit to be entirely covered at the entry side by the adjacent gate upright in the closed position of the gate, thereby contributing to security.

It will be understood that it will be possible for the locking unit to be carried by the gate and the cooperating catch means to be mounted on the post. Any convenient type of mechanical key-operated or other locking mechanism may be employed, either to actuate one or more reciprocable linear plungers, or to rotate a locking element into engagement with the catch means 1 2A and/or 12B when required. Other mechanisms controlled, for example, by pushbutton key pads or similar arrangements, including remotely operated devices may be employed. In one typical example, one or more movable locking members of the locking unit, such as the opposed plungers described above, or rotary means, may be actuated by remotely controlled means, such as an electrical solenoid or fluid-operated device, either of which may conveniently be controlled electronically by suitable means from a remote location.

Claims

1. A locking device comprising a locking unit for mounting, in use, on one of a pair of elements comprising a fixed structure adjacent an opening to be controlled by a barrier, and the barrier, catch means for attachment to the other of the elements for cooperation with the locking unit to effect releasable locking of the barrier, and retention means serving to prevent movement of the barrier from its normal position of use in a manner which would release the catch means from the locking unit.

2. A locking device according to Claim 1, wherein the catch means is formed on or is carried by a member adapted for attachment to one of the elements so as to project therefrom and intended to engage within an opening in the other element for locking cooperation with the locking unit attached thereto, in use.

3. A locking device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the catch means is a notch formed in the projecting member.

4. A locking device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the catch means is carried by a mounting device for attachment to one of the elements, the mounting device also carrying the retention means in the form of a further projecting element arranged to lie, in use, above or beneath the locking unit when the barrier is locked in order to prevent the aforesaid movement of the barrier from its normal position.

5. A locking device according to Claim 4, wherein at least one of the projecting elements is provided with catch means.

6. A locking device according to Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein the projecting elements are parallel pins or rods spaced apart so as to lie, in use, closely adjacent oppositely facing surfaces of the locking unit when the barrier is locked.

7. A locking device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the retention means cooperates, in use, with the fixed structure when the barrier is locked to prevent the aforesaid movement of the barrier from its normal position.

8. A locking device according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein locking is effected by bolt means in the locking unit engaging the catch means.

9. A locking device according to Claim 5, wherein both projecting elements are provided with catch means and locking is effected by a pair of oppositely directed bolts in the locking unit engaging the respective catch means.

10. A locking device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more movable locking members of the locking unit are operable by remotely controlled means.

11. A locking device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A barrier carrying catch means of the locking device according to any one of the preceding claims and arranged to cooperate with a locking unit carried by an associated post.

13. A barrier carrying catch means of the locking device according to any one of the preceding claims, in combination with a post incorporating the locking unit of the locking device.