GB2359318A

GB2359318A - Vehicle barriers

Info

Publication number: GB2359318A
Application number: GB0003331A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leonard Pendlebury
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-02-15
Filing date: 2000-02-15
Publication date: 2001-08-22
Also published as: GB0003331D0

Abstract

To protect doors and gates against forced entry by ramming with a vehicle, a barrier is proposed which comprises a pair of supports (10) located each side of an entrance, for supporting e.g via channels (32), a crash bar device (12). In order to absorb and resist any impact, each support (10) comprises a pair of arms (14, 16) which are pivotally connected at (18), one of which is secured to the ground and/or to an upright wall, and means such as a strut (20) which extends between locations adjacent the free ends of the arms (14, 16) to brace them apart. The bar device may be pivotably connected to one of the supports or it may be mounted so that it can be lifted clear after the rotation movement.

Description

1 2359318 P60883 GB IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO BARRIERS The present

invention relates to barriers and particularly to barriers intended to protect the doors or gates of industrial or commercial premises.

It is common for criminals to obtain illegal entry to industrial or commercial premises using a vehicle as a battering ram to break down gates or doors.

The present invention is intended to provide a barrier particularly for use in conjunction with a roller shutter door for industrial or commercial premises, though the barrier can be used for other types of doors such as are found in wholesale, retail and domestic premises, and also for gates.

The present invention provides a barrier comprising a pair of supports which are located on each side of an entrance, each support having means in which a crash bar device can be located, each support comprising a pair of arms which are pivotally attached to one another and means to brace the arms, at least one of the arms being secured in position.

In use, the arms are arranged to comprise an upright member and a generally horizontal member and either one or both of the - 2 members can be secured to a substrate, such as the wall and floor respectively of a building.

The bracing means can comprise a length adjustable strut extending between locations adjacent the free ends of the upright and generally horizontal arms.

The means to support the crash bar device can comprise a channel member attached to each support.

The crash bar device can comprise a main cross bar and at least one auxiliary bar extending parallel to and spaced from the main cross bar so that in use the auxiliary bar is located adjacent the f ace of a recessed door.

The crash bar device can be rotatably and/or pivotally mounted on the support means.

Also the crash bar device can be suspended by means of chains or wires so that it can be raised or lowered e.g. by hand or by the use of an electric motor.

The present invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

1 3 Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation of one form of barrier according to the present invention; and Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the barrier shown in Figure Referring to the drawings, a barrier comprises two support means (10) and a crash bar device (12).

Each support means (10) comprises two arms (14, 16) which are pivoted together about axis (18).

A brace or strut (20) extends between the ends of the arms and is attached to the arms at locations (22, 24).

The upright arm (14) is attached to a wall (26) of a building adjacent an opening (28) which is closed by a roller shutter door (30).

The horizontal arm (16) is attached to a floor of the building and because the wall and the floor of the building may not form a right-angle the brace (20) is adjusted in length to ensure that the horizontal arm (16) contacts the floor before the horizontal arm (16) is secured to the floor.

- 4 Each upright arm (14) supports and is attached to a channel section (32) in which the crash bar device (12) is located and each support means (10) is protected by a plate (34) to prevent injury to personnel and damage by vehicles.

The crash bar device (12) includes a main crash bar (12c) and a pair of auxiliary bars (12A, 12B) which extend parallel to the main bar (12C) but spaced from said bar (12C) by means of cross pieces (13).

The auxiliary bar (12A), as will be seen from Figure 2, is disposed in the opening (28) and is positioned closely adjacent the roller shutter door (30). In the event of criminals attempting to ram the door, the door will deflect upon impact but the impact will immediately be resisted by the auxiliary bar (12A) and the load will be taken by the pair of supports (10).

The crash bar device (12) can be pivotally and/or rotatably mounted in one of the channel sections (32) so that it can be moved into and out of position as required. For example, the main bar (12C) can be rotatably mounted so that as it moves through an angle of 90 degrees the auxiliary bars (12A, 12B) are moved from lying in a substantially horizontal plane with the main bar (12C) to being disposed one above and one below the main bar (12C). In this way the auxiliary bar (12M is brought out of its position in the door recess so that the bar device (12) as a whole can be raised. Thus, once rotated, the bar device (12) can be pivoted out of position so that f ree access can be obtained to the opening (28) and the door (30). In order to return the bar device (12) to the secure position shown in Figure 2 it is pivoted to a horizontal position and rotated through 90 degrees.

In another arrangement, the main crash bar (12C) can be mounted on cables or chains (not shown) so that after the device (12) has been rotated as described above it can be raised from the channel members (32) enabling the roller shutter door (30) to be used. It can be lowered again and then rotated 900 to its operative position (Fig. 2) once the roller shutter has been closed and security is required.

Either or both of the vertical and generally horizontal arms can be formed of hollow box sections reinforced by the insertion of a tube.

The crash bar device (12) can be fabricated from any appropriate section of, for example, steel material e.g. rectangular box section or circular hollow section steel members.

- 6 The foregoing is illustrated and not limitative of the scope of the invention. Many variations in the details of construction are possible in other embodiments of the invention.

The crash barrier of the invention can be mounted either inside or outside a door or gate to a premises. It may also be freestanding, mounted onto a secure base, at a spacing inside the gate of compound, for example. In such a case, each support may comprise a single upright member, and a pair of substantially horizontal members, pivotally connected thereto and disposed to extend at opposite sides of the upright member, each horizontal member being braced relative to the upright by a respective obliquely mounted strut.

7

Claims

A barrier comprising a pair of supports which are located on each side of an entrance, each support having means in which a crash bar device can be located, each support comprising a pair of arms which are pivotally attached to one another and means to brace the arms, at least one of the arms being secured in position to a substrate.

A barrier as claimed in claim 1 in which the arms comprise an upright member and a generally horizontal member and either one or both of the members is secured to the wall and/or floor respectively of a building.

3. A barrier as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the bracing means comprises a length adjustable strut attached to and extending between locations generally adjacent the free ends of the upright and horizontal arms.

4. A barrier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the means to support the crash bar device comprise a channel member attached to each support.

8 A barrier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the crash bar device comprises a main cross bar and at least one auxiliary bar extending parallel and spaced from the main cross bar.

A barrier as claimed in any preceding claim in which the crash bar device is rotatably and/or pivotally mounted on the support means.

A barrier as claimed in any preceding claim in which the crash bar device is supported by means of chains or wires enabling the crash bar device to be raised or lowered.

8. A barrier constructed and arranged for use and operation substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.