GB2392699A

GB2392699A - Retractable post assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2392699A
Application number: GB0218695A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Leo Hardman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-08-10
Filing date: 2002-08-10
Publication date: 2004-03-10
Anticipated expiration: 2022-08-10
Also published as: GB0218695D0; GB2392699B

Abstract

The retractable post assembly comprises a base 2 for removably mounting the post which is adapted to be set in the ground or other surface and comprises a housing 4 and spigot 18 slidably received in the housing so that it is movable between a retracted position and an extended position in which the spigot projects upwardly to receive and mount the post. The housing and spigot are formed with a part turn lock so that a user can raise the spigot to the extended position and, by turning the spigot, retain it in the extended position while the post is mounted thereon. The part turn lock preferably comprises an elbowed guideway 20 and a follower 22 receivable within the guideway and may comprise an L-shaped slot formed in the exterior of the spigot within which a follower on the housing is received. The assembly may also include an undercut recess 32 formed in an exposed face of the spigot which is designed to receive a key that can be rotated and then used to help raise the spigot. The assembly may also include a lock which is permanently attached to the post and which can be used to secure the post to the spigot in the extended position.

Description

DESCRIPTION

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO POSTS

The present invention relates to post assemblies and to post holders therefore and In particular to such assemblies whose posts may be removed to facilitate access.

It Is well known to provide permanent, fixed posts or bollards to deny or restrict access to a particular area. Such permanent arrangements are normally formed from concrete or metal and are set Into the ground. Since they are permanent they give no flexibility in permitting or restricting access to the area which they protect With a view to provide greater flexibility, a post assembly is known which comprises a base permanently set into the ground and a post which Is pivotally connected at its lower end to the base and pivotable between a horizontal position which affords access to the protected area and a vertical position in which the post may be locked by means of a padlock. Such post assemblies are commonly found in car parks, to prevent unauthorized parking and to reduce car theft.

The disadvantage of such assemblies Is that when the post is left in the horizontal position the assembly is prone to damage, which may result in the assembly being unusable. The horizontal post may also be a hazard to pedestrians and cyclists.

These problems are addressed in the nventor's GB2297781

which discloses a post assembly having a base portion which is to be permanently set Into the ground and which comprises a housing which Is mounted a retractable spigot. The spigot is movable upwardly/downwardly, an extended position and a retracted position. In the extended position the spigot projects above the level of the surrounding ground and can receive a post in the form of a tube The post's lower end Is slipped over the spigot and the post is thereby mounted in an upright orientation. The post can then be secured in place by means of a pin passed through both post and spigot, and by use of a padlock whose hasp Is passed through a radial bore in the pin the user can lock the post against removal by unauthorized persons When the padlock, pin and post are subsequently removed, the spigot can return to its retracted position in which its upper face is generally flush with the surrounding ground and so provides no obstacle to traffic, passers by ect While the assembly is effective, the inventor has identified d'ffculties in its operation.

In order to allow a user to raise the spigot to its extended position, the spigot has an inclined bore in its upper face for receipt of a lifting pin held by the user. The lifting pin is inserted into the inclined bore and grasped in one hand to raise the spigot In order to keep the spigot in position while the post is secured thereto, the user must then use his/her other hand to insert a locking pin into a radial bore in the spigot. The lifting pin Is then removed and the post slipped over the spigot and secured.

it Is desired to simplify the process of mounting the post the spigot.

With the known arrangement it is possible for unauthorized persons to raise the spigot to its extended position by inserting in the spigot s inclined bore an improvised tool (a screwdriver could be used). The extended spigot could form an obstacle to traffic or passers-by and it is thus desired to provide some security against such unauthorized interference.

The arrangement of pin and padlock used to lock the post in place is somewhat cumbersome in practice and parts can be lost. It is desired to overcome these disadvantages.

In accordance with the present nvenbon, there is a base for removably mounting a post, the base being adapted to be set into the ground or other surface and comprising a housing and a spigot slidably received in the housing and movable between a retracted position and an extended position in which the spigot projects upwardly to receive and mount the post, the housing and spigot being provided with means forming a part turn lock so that the user can raise the spigot to its extended position and, by turning the spigot, retain it in the extended position while the post is mounted thereon. Hence in a single, convenient and rapid operation the spigot can be moved to and retained in its extended position. The post can then be engaged with and secured to the spigot.

The part turn lock preferably comprises means defining an elbowed

guide way and follower receivable in the guide way. A particularly straightforward construction uses a guide way formed as a slot in which a projecting follower Is received.

In the currently preferred embodiment the slot is formed In the exterior of the spigot and the follower is formed as a screw projecting through a wall of the housing. However the slot could instead be formed In the housing with the follower being coupled to the spigot.

The guide way is preferably substantially "L" shaped.

In order to enable the user to raise the spigot, an undercut recess is preferably formed in an exposed face of the spigot to receive a key.

Preferably the shape of the recess is such that a key can be inserted therein and rotated through part of a turn to engage with the spigot enabling the spigot to be raised The recess can be shaped such that it is difficult for a tool other than the key to obtain any purchase, making it difficult for an unauthorized person, lacking the key, to raise the spigot.

Also in accordance with the present invention is a post assembly comprising the base and a post engageable with the spigot of the base, the post having a lock permanently attached thereto and the spigot being formed to receive a locking member of the lock such as to lock the post and base together The padlock and locking pin of the prior art described above is thus

dispensed with The lock, being permanently attached to the post in this

embodiment of the invention, cannot be lost. Preferably the lock is a shoot bolt lock.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in fig. 1 is a perspective illustration of a removable post assembly embodying the present invention showing the post itself mounted for use; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a base portion of the post assembly showing a spigot of the assembly In an extended position; and O-ring dust seal 38.

Fig. 3 is a perspective illustration of base portion showing the spigot in a retracted position with retainer plate 37 Fig.4 is a section view A - A of the lock embodiment 28 held in position by way of a circlip 39 and groove, and a retainer washer 40 and spring 41.

The base portion of the post assembly is labelled 2 in the drawings and is intended for permanent mounting in the ground, as in Fig. 1. It comprises a housing formed as a metal tube 4 having a stepped diameter An upper portion 6 is of smaller diameter with a face plate 37 which is held in place by screws 42 for retaining an O-ring dust seal 38, also a lower portion 8 of the housing and consequently there is a downwardly facing shoulder 10 within the housing and an upwardly facing shoulder 12 at its exterior. A mounting plate 14 having a through going opening is received on the upper portion of the housing, its lower surface contacting the upwardly facing shoulder 12.

To set the base portion 2 Into the ground, it is inserted into a pre-

prepared hole with the mounting plate 12 In position and concrete is then poured into the hole around the base portion, while ensuring that the

( upper face 16 of the retainer plate 37 comes generally flush with the surrounding surface of the concrete The mounting plate 14 ensures, due to its abutment with the shoulder 12, that the base portion cannot be subsequently withdrawn upwards from the concrete.

Ridably received by the housing 2 is a spigot 18 formed in the illustrated embodiment as a metal cylinder whose exterior diameter is such as to form a loose sliding fit in the upper portion 6 of the housing. Formed In the spigot 18 is a guide way for receipt of a follower. In the illustrated embodiment this takes the form of a slot 20, which may be milled in the spigot s exterior, for example. The slot 20 is generally "L" shaped The follower is formed as a screw 22 received in a radial threaded bore in the wall of the housing 2. During assembly the follower screw 22 is advanced until its end projects into and so engages with the slot 20.

The slot 20 and follower screw 22 together form a part turn lock enabling the spigot 18 to be located in either an advanced or a retracted position. Fig. 3 illustrates the latter. The spigot s upper face, labelled 24, is generally flush with the top of the retainer plate 37 upper face 16 (and hence with the surrounding ground, so that the spigot does not form an obstruction).

Further downward motion of the spigot may be prevented by virtue of the follower screw 22 reaching the upper end of the L" shaped slot 20.

When the post itself, seen at 26 in Fig. 1, is to be mounted upon the base portion, the spigot 18 is raised to its extended position. As the spigot

is raised the "L" shaped slot 20 moved upward relative to the follower screw 22 until the screw is located at the elbow in the slot, at which point further upward motion is prevented but by rotating the spigot through a part turn, so that the follower screw reaches the slot s horizontally extending portion, the spigot 18 can be retained in its extended position, engagement of the slot 20 and follower screw 22 preventing it from descending until the part turn of the spigot 18 is reversed.

Once the spigot 18 is thus retained in its extended position, the post 26 can be secured thereto. The post 26 itself is formed as an elongated tube, preferably of metal, whose downwardly open end is sized to be received on the spigot. The post is provided with a shoot bolt lock embodiment 28 and Fig 4 illustrated lock encapsulated with a circlip 39, retainer washer 40, and spring 41. which is welded to the post s exterior such that the bolt s travel Is generally radial with respect to the post. To receive the bolt of the lock 28, the spigot has a generally radial opening 30 positioned to align with the bolt.

Advancing the bolt into the opening 30 locks the post on the spigot and only by use of a key can the bolt subsequently be withdrawn in order to remove the post 26.

To enable the user to raise and rotate the spigot, an undercut recess 32 is formed in the upper face 24 of the spigot to receive a complementarily shaped key (not illustrated). The key Is inserted into the recess 32 and then rotated through roughly 90 degrees to lock therein, allowing the spigot to be raised by Fifing the key

An alterative to provision of the recess 32 is to leave the spigot s upper face 24 flat but to provide the user with a magnet which, when contacted with the face 24, magnetically couples to the spigot to enable it to be raised.

A pin 36 captively received in a radial bore at the lower end of the spigot provides security against withdrawal of the spigot from the housing It will be apparent to the skilled reader that numerous modifications could be made to the above described construction without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example the guide way of the part turn lock arrangement for the spigot could utilise a slot formed in the housing wall and a radially projecting follower coupled to the spigot.

Claims

q CLAIMS

1. A retractable post assembly comprising a base portion adapted to be permanently set into the ground or other surface and comprising a housing and a spigot slldably disposed within the housing between a first, retracted position and a second, extended position in which it projects from the upper end of the housing, the assembly further comprising a post which is releasably securable to the extended end of the movable spigot.

2. A retractable post assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the spigot is in its retracted position it does not project from the housing.

3. A retractable post assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein when the spigot is in its retracted position its upper end is substantially flush with the housing.

4. A retractable post assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the spigot is generally cylindrical and the housing is generally tubular.

5. A retractable post assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, comprising means for limiting the upward displacement of the spigot.

5. A retractable post assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the means for limiting the upward displacement of the spigot comprises a portion projecting from the generally cylindrical spigot and which is engageable with an abutment surface of the housing.

7. A retractable post assembly as claimed in claim 6,

( lo comprising an enlarged flange on the base of the spigot which is engageble with an internal shoulder of the housing. 8. A retractable post assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, further comprising means for 1lmlting the downward displacement of the spigot.

9. A retractable post assembly as claimed in claim 8, comprising an abutment on the housing which is engageable with the lower end of the spigot.

10. A retractable post assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the means for limiting the downward displacement comprises a pin secured to the spigot, slidably disposed in a groove in the housing.

11. A retractable post assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, comprising means for withdrawing the spigot from the retracted position into the extended position. 12. A retractable post assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the means for withdrawing the spigot comprises a socket located in the upper end of the spigot and a key releasably insertable into the socket.

13. A retractable post assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the socket comprises a blind bore reclined to the longitudinal and radial axes of the spigot and the key comprises a complementarily-shaped pin.

14. A retractable post assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the means for withdrawing the spigot comprises

( ll a pivotally-mounted pull ring.

15. A retractable post assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the pull ring is pivotable from a first position in which it IS substantially flush with the upper surface of the spigot to a second position in which it projects from the upper end of the spigot.

16. A retractable post assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the post is generally cylindrical and tubular.

17. A retractable post assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, further comprising locking means for securing the post to the base portion.

18. A retractable post assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein the locking means comprises diametrically opposed apertures in the walls of the post and an aperture through the spigot, the apertures being alignable with one another when the spigot is in its extended position, and further comprising a pin insertable through the aligned apertures. 19. A retractable post assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein the pin is provided with a through aperture for receipt of a locking member.

20. A retractable post assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, comprising means to bias the spigot towards its first, retracted position.

21. A retractable post assembly as claimed in claim 20, wherein the biassing means comprises a spring.

22. A retractable post assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, further comprising a Elate engageable with the exterior of the housing.

23. A retractable post assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein the plate is provided with an aperture adapted to receive the hocusing.

24. A retractable post assembly as claimed in claim 23, wherein the housing is provided with an external shoulder upon which the apertured plate is adapted to sit.

25. A retractable post assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, further comprising means for holding the spigot in Its extended position.

26. A retractable post assembly as claimed in claim 25, comprising a recess in the spigot and a pin releasably engageable with the recess.

27. A retractable post assembly as claimed in claim 26, wherein the recess is located above the upper end of the housing when the spigot is in its fully extended position. 28. A retractable post assembly as claimed in any of claims 23 to 27, wherein the lower end of the post is provided with a cut-out portion to prevent fouling on the means for holding the spigot in its extended position.

29. A post holder for a post assembly comprising a base portion adapted to be permanently set into the ground or other surface and comprising a housing and a spigot slidably disposed within the housing between a first,

( l3 retracted position and a second, extended position in which it projects from the upper end of the housing and comprising means for releasably securing the base portion to the extended end of the spigot.

30. A retractable post assembly substantially as herein described, with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

31. A base portion for a retractable post assembly substantially as herein described, with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.