GB2304770A - Security barrier - Google Patents

Abstract

An access control security barrier lies in a horizontal position and rises by means of a hydraulic ram 14, or similar means, to a vertical position about a pivot point 11. A closure plate 13 is hinged at 22 and is moved upwardly by lever 26. The lever is rotated by a lug 27 on connecting rod 28 and supports the plate 13 in it's raised position. Several posts may be connected in a line and operated by a single hydraulic ram via attachment fork 31. In a lowered position the post and plate are supported by a stop plate 18 and a bridge plate 24.

Description

SECURITY BARRIER This invention relates to an access control security barrier of a type which can be selectively operated. It was specifically devised for use with security posts, but could be applicable in certain circumstances to other types of barrier.

Security posts find many uses, for example to protect car parks or individual car parking spaces, to close access roads, courtyards or forecourts of residential or business premises.

The invention particularly relates to security posts which can be concealed below floor level to allow normal traffic but which can selectively be raised to project upwardly as a barrier.

Hitherto, security posts have been difficult to install. A housing for the post and its mechanism needs to be sunk into the ground or floor structure, typically to a depth of approximately a metre. Such excavation is expensive and it may be impracticable, for example to install security posts on a concrete deck of a multi-storey car park, a bridge, or where underground services are present. Furthermore, the mechanism below ground is likely to become waterlogged in low-lying areas or where there is insufficient provision for drainage. This can be a particular disadvantage for electronic remotely controlled security posts.

It would be desirable to provide pivoted security posts in shallow horizontally-extending housings, but this has also given rise to problems. When the post is in use, the portion of the housing out of which it has been pivoted is open and accessible. This could cause injury to passers-by, or might enable tampering with the lifting mechanism.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a security barrier of the type described in which the barrier is pivotally mounted but which overcomes or reduces this disadvantage.

According to the invention there is provided a security barrier comprising a housing; a barrier member pivotally mounted in the housing for movement between a substantially concealed condition within the housing and a projecting condition at least partly projecting from the housing; an operating mechanism for moving the barrier member between the concealed and projecting conditions; and a closure for the housing, operated by the operating mechanism and effective to close the portion of the housing vacated by the barrier member as the barrier member moves to the projecting condition.

The operating mechanism may comprise a ram.

The closure may comprise a plate having a pair of ends, one end being pivotally mounted on the barrier member and the other end being supported by a pivoted lever, movable by the operating mechanism.

There may be a lost motion coupling between the operating mechanism and the pivoted lever to provide a dwell between the moving of the barrier member into the projecting position and the movement of the closure plate to close the vacated portion of the housing.

A plurality of security barriers may be positioned adjacent to each other and operated by a common operating mechanism.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a security barrier in the form of a security post, in a concealed condition within a housing; FIGURE 2 is a similar perspective view to that of Figure 1, with the security post in a projecting condition; FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the barrier of Figure 1; FIGURE 4 is a similar view to Figure 3, showing the post deployed in a projecting position; FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view of a plurality of security posts positioned adjacent each other and deployed together.

Referring to the drawings, a security barrier is shown in the form of a security post 10 which can be raised to a projecting condition as seen in Figures 2 and 4 from a concealed condition as seen in Figures 1 and 3. The post 10 is pivotally mounted at 11 in a housing 12 of rectangular box form. The housing is normally received in a shallow recess so that its upper surface lies flush with a ground surface, and may be provided with external anchoring means (not shown), to enable it to be secured in place, for example keying means adapted to be set in concrete, weld lugs or bolt means for attachment to metal.

When the post 10 is in the projecting condition, the portion of the housing which it has vacated is closed off by a closure plate 13. In Figure 2, the nearer end of the housing is open to permit projection of a rod and linkage for connection of another adjacent security barrier, so that a plurality can be linked end to end as shown in Figure 5, using a common operating mechanism. Where no further adjacent barrier is to be used, the housing can be capped off.

The operating mechanism can be seen in more detail in Figures 3 and 4 and comprises, in the example shown, an hydraulic ram 14. This can in turn be operated by any of a number of control means, which are generally known and do not form part of this invention. For example, the ram 14 may be remotely controlled by radio signal, infra-red beam and sensor, metal-sensing induction loop, or may be controlled by a timer, or manually operated by a simple valve, perhaps having a security key. As an alternative to a hydraulic ram 14, pneumatic means may be used, or an electrically operated ball screw or other chosen means.

The post 10 is pivoted at 11 between a pair of brackets 15, rigid with the housing. A cranked fork lever 16 provides a pivotal attachment 17 for the ram 14, and for a connecting rod 28.

A stop plate 18 is provided rigid with the housing 12, to limit the pivotal movement of the post 10. The stop plate 18 has a screw-threaded adjustable stop 19, which can be adjusted so that the post 10 projects vertically in use, even where the ground is not horizontal and hence the housing lies at an angle to the horizontal. This accommodates the camber of a road, or allows for use on sloping ground. The cranked fork lever has a stop end 20, which co-operates with the adjustable stop 19 (Figure 4) to limit travel of the post.

The post itself has a cranked lug 21, providing a pivot 22 for a closure plate 13. When the post 10 is concealed in the housing 12, the closure plate 13 lies against the lower face of the post. The housing 12 is closed off by the post itself, so it presents no danger to passers-by and the mechanism of the barrier is concealed and safe from tampering. As the ram 14 is operated, the post 10 starts to rise from the housing and the pivoted end of the closure plate rises with it, the plate sliding slightly on a pair of supports inside the housing, one of which is the stop plate 18 and the other of which is a bridge plate 24, through which the connecting rod 28 passes. The closure plate 13 has a cross-member 25 welded to its underside, located outboard of the bridge plate 24.

When the post 10 has almost reached the limit of its projecting condition, a pivoted lever 26 is contacted by a lug 27 on the connecting rod 28 and carried along with further extension of the ram. The pivoted lever is rapidly swung upwardly. The lever 26 bears on the underside of the closure plate and lifts the closure plate to the position shown in Figure 4, where it lies flush with the upper face ofthe housing 12 and conceals the portion 29 vacated by the post 10. The cross-member 25 on the underside of the closure plate 13 limits the movement of the lever 26, which is spring-loaded (not shown) to keep it in contact with the underside of the closure plate and maintain it in the generally vertical limit position shown.

The cross-member 25 extends laterally to a position close to the side walls of the housing 12, so as to prevent side-to-side play in the closure plate. The housing has a top plate 23 which overlies the ends of the cross-member 25, effectively preventing the closure plate 13 from being lifted or prised out of the housing. For servicing of the unit, the top plate 23 can be removed by removal of its tamperproof screws, permitting the top plate 13 to be lifted out to gain access to the mechanism.

To withdraw the post 10 into the housing 12, the ram is reversed. The first part of its travel tilts the post 10 downwardly, carrying with it the pivoted end of the closure plate 13. The other end of the closure plate initially remains supported by the lever 26 during a dwell period, until another lug 30 on the free end portion of the connecting rod 28, picks up the lever 26. The lever is swung rapidly downwardly against its spring bias, to lower the closure plate to the position flush against the lower face of the post, seen in Figure 3.

While the post is in the concealed condition of Figure 3, the top surface of the post closes off the housing. The weight of any traffic passing over is transferred to the stop plate 18 and bridge plate 24. When the post is in the projecting condition of Figure 4, the closure plate covers the housing and is supported at one end by the pivotal mount of the post, locked in position hydraulically by the ram, and at the other end by the lever 26, held vertical by its spring and by the lug 27 on the connecting rod 28.

It is envisaged that a number of security posts could be connected for simultaneous operation as shown in Figure 5. The free end of the connecting rod 28 has an attachment fork 31, which can be linked to the cranked fork lever 16 of an adjacent security post, the hydraulic ram being omitted for the adjacent post. It is preferred that no more than three posts are operated from the same mechanism, although more can be positioned end to end if desired, operable in sets. The preferred spacing of the posts is about 1.4 metres.

Since the generally horizontally positioned housing only requires a relatively shallow recess or excavation, it is not difficult to install, even in places where conventional vertical housing posts would be impracticable, such as on bridges or ramps, on upper decks of multi-storey car parks or over underground services. Additionally, because the housing length is not particularly critical, the post height can be more generous than that of vertically mounted conventional posts. Typically, these do not exceed 600 mm in height, whereas the post of the present invention could readily be, say, 750 mm in height.

Although described in relation to security posts, the invention could be extended to other forms of barrier structure, for example fencing, shutters and shields.

Claims (1)

1. A security barrier comprising a housing; a barrier member pivotally mounted in the housing for movement between a substantially concealed condition within the housing and a projecting condition at least partly projecting from the housing; an operating mechanism for moving the barrier member between the concealed and projecting conditions; and a closure for the housing, operated by the operating mechanism and effective to close the portion of the housing vacated by the barrier member as the barrier member moves to the projecting condition.