GB2435669A

GB2435669A - Lock device for retractable security post

Info

Publication number: GB2435669A
Application number: GB0604161A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Charles Wright
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-03-02
Filing date: 2006-03-02
Publication date: 2007-09-05
Also published as: GB0604161D0

Abstract

A lock device comprises a lock body 10 formed with a through passage and an actuator in the form of a lock cylinder 14 which has a key actuable locking cam (18, Fig. 6). The cylinder is unlocked when a key (not shown) is inserted and turned to retract the cam, and in this condition the cylinder is axially slidable in the lock body (Fig. 8). Stop means (17, Fig. 3) in the body limits sliding movement of the lock cylinder in the passage and prevents its removal from the lock body. A spring-loaded latch 30 is mounted on the body such that the locking cam engages behind the latch in a locked position of the cylinder (Fig. 7). The lock device may be used to actuate a pivotable locking shaft 50 in a retractable security post (Fig. 11) such that a foot 54 of the locking shaft is extended from the post housing 40 and locks the post in place.

Description

RETRACTABLE SECURITY POST AND LOCK DEVICE

The present invention relates to a retractable security post and to a lock device which is particularly suitable for use as part of the post, but also has wider applicability.

Retractable posts which are lockable in a raised position are well known in situations where vehicular access to an area such as a drive or parking lot needs to be restricted to authorised persons only.

The present invention is concerned with that type of retractable post which is axially slidable from an inoperative, substantially vertical position below ground level to a raised position above ground level in which it can be locked. Typically, such a post is slidably mounted into a hollow sleeve which is installed below ground level. An example of such a post is described in EP 0380884. This post and other known commercially available posts of this type have a handle projecting from the top of the post which is used to lift the post and is turned manually once the post is raised in order to rotate engagement means within the post to hold the post, relative to the hollow sleeve, in its raised position.

A key actuated lock device which serves to secure the handle once it has been turned is also mounted into the top of the post. This arrangement of the handle and the lock device has disadvantages in that the upwardly projecting handle may be subject to damage when the post is retracted. Also, the lock device is particularly susceptible to accumulation of dirt and debris, and ingress of water leading to corrosion.

An object of the invention is to provide means of retaining and locking the post in its raised position which does not have the aforesaid disadvantages.

A further object is to provide a simple construction of lock device, based on a commercially available lock cylinder, which is suitable for use in such a post, but also

has wider applicability.

With the first mentioned object in view, a first aspect of the present invention provides a retractable security post comprising an elongate post housing having an upper end and a lower end and an elongate locking shaft which is mounted inside the housing and also has an upper end and a lower end as well as having a projecting foot at or near its lower end which is capable of extending through a side aperture in the vicinity of the lower end of the housing to lock the housing relative to an outer element, characterised in that the shaft is pivotably mounted in the housing and a lock device it is mounted into the side of the housing in the vicinity of the upper end of the housing, said lock device having an actuator which is movable between locked and unlocked positions and which in moving to its locked position serves to pivot the locking shaft into its locking position.

Preferably, the locking shaft is spring biased into its unlocked position.

With this arrangement of the invention, the post housing is able to have a flat closure plate fixedly mounted across its upper end which neatly closes off a below ground surface well or an outer sleeve into which the post is retracted in its lowered condition.

A handle mounted in the top of the post is no longer required. A hand hold for raising and lowering the post may be provided by an overhang region of the closure plate.

Additionally or alternatively, the post housing may be formed with at least one aperture below the closure plate providing a hand hold for raising and lowering the post.

With the second mentioned object in view, a second aspect of the invention provides a lock device comprising a lock body formed with a through passage, an actuator in the form of a lock cylinder which has a key actuable locking cam and which, when unlocked, is axially slidable in said passage, stop means provided in the body to limit sliding movement of the lock cylinder in said passage and prevent removal of the lock cylinder from the lock body, and spring-loaded latch means mounted on the body such that the locking cam engages behind said latch means in a locked position of the cylinder.

Such a locking device is employed in preferred embodiments of the post of the invention with the lock cylinder being axially movable in said passage to cause pivoting of the locking shaft by directly abutting the upper end of the locking shaft. The lock cylinder can be moved back into an unlocked condition of the lock device upon retraction of the cam by a key operated mechanism.

The first and second aspects of the invention will be described further, by way of example, by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a practical embodiment of a lock device in accordance with the second aspect of the invention from the front, at one side and above; Figure 2 is a reduced scale of view of the other side of a lock device which is only slightly modified compared to that shown in figure 1; Figures 3, 4 and 5 are, at respectively, a front view, a rear view and a view from below of the device shown in figure 2 but with the lock cylinder removed; Figure 6 is a reduced scale perspective view of a typical lock cylinder which could be mounted into the device shown in figures 3 to 5; Figures 7, 8 and 9 are diagrammatic sectional views of the same device depicting, and respectively, the locked position, and unlocking position and the unlocked position; Figure 10 it is a reduced scale longitudinal cross-section of a retractable post assembly including a post in accordance with the first aspect of the invention and incorporating a lock device as shown in figures 1 to 8, the post being shown here in its fully retracted "post down" position; and Figure 11 is a similar view to figure 10 showing the same assembly but with the post shown here in its raised and locked "post up" position.

With reference firstly to figures 1 to 6, a preferred embodiment of a lock device of the invention comprises a lock body in the form of a brass block 10 having a through passage 12 (see figures 3, 4 and 5) in which a lock cylinder 14, such as a commercially available Euro profile cylinder (figure 6), is mounted. The cylinder 14 has a locking sector cam 18 which is rotatable to a retracted position upon the key actuation (key not shown) as indicated diagrammatically in figures 7 to 9. Also, as shown in figure 6, below the cam 18 the cylinder 14 has a component formed with a transverse bore 15 with the internal threads. In its conventional manner of use, the cylinder 14 is secured in a fixed position in a door or shutter or other securable closure by a screw or bolt engaging into this bore 15. Thus, in conventional use, the lock cylinder 14 would be immobile and its cam 18 would be the means of locking.

The manner of use of the lock cylinder 14 in the lock device of the present invention is different because here the cylinder 14 itself is axially movable within the passage 14 of the lock body 10 in order to accomplish the locking action.

The passage 12 in the lock body 10 it is shaped to provide a snug sliding fit for the cylinder 14, but at the rear of the block 10 the passage 12 is reduced to a vertical slot 13 by provision of flanking ledges 17, as shown in figure 3. The slot 13 is also extended to the rear part of the underside of the block 10, as shown in figure 5. The lock device is obviously assembled by location of the cylinder 14 into the front end of the passage 12.

Openings 20, 22, 24 are provided in the block 10 between the passage 12 and the respective sides of the block 10. The first opening 20 is elongated from front to rear. A leaf spring 30 of steel, which is generally of U-shaped configuration, is mounted on the block 10 so as to have one of its limbs projecting through this opening 20, as shown in figure 1 and diagrammatically in figures 7 to 9. An upturned lip 31 at the end of said projecting limb lies in the opening 20 immediately adjacent the passage 12. The second opening 22 lies below the opening 20 and is also elongated, but it is not as long as the opening 20. The third opening 24 is a threaded bore at the other side of the passage 12 in alignment with a recess (not shown) in the wall of the passage 12 at the front end of the opening 22. A further elongate recess (not shown) in the wall of the passage 12 extended rearwardly from the location of the opening 24 in alignment with the opening 22 through the opposing wall.

In assembly of the lock device a grub screw (not shown) is threadedly inserted through the opening 24 to a sunken position in which it extends through the bore 15 in the cylinder 14 and into the recess adjacent the opening 22. The length of the grub screw is chosen so that when it is correctly installed it extends through the cylinder 14 and its respective ends rest in the recesses in each side of the passage 12, or partially into the opening 22. The grub screw therefore allows the cylinder 14 to slide axially within the passage 12 from a forward position where the front of the cylinder 14 projects from the front of the block 10 and the grub screw is in line with the opening 24 to a rearward position where the cylinder 14 is fully inside the block 10 and the grub screw is in line with the rear end of the opening 22.

The operation of the lock device is readily understood by reference to figures 7 to 9.

When the cylinder 14 is pushed into the block 10 to its rearmost position, the projecting sector cam 18 engages into a space at the rear of the opening 20 behind the lip 31 of the leaf spring 30. This is the locked position (figure 7).

When a key is inserted into the cylinder 14 and turned, the cam 18 is rotated and retracted thereby unlocking the cylinder, as shown in figure 8.

With the key still in this inserted and turned disposition it is used to physically pull the cylinder 14 forwards within the passage 12. At the forward end of this movement (when the grub screw abuts the forward end of the opposed recesses and is aligned with the opening 24) the key is turned back so that it can be removed from the cylinder 14. The cam 18 is thereby moved back to its projecting position. However, at this location it lies adjacent and abuts the spring 30 causing it to be deflected outwardly, as shown in figure 9. This is the unlocked position of the cylinder 14 and of the lock device as a whole.

A return to the locked position can be achieved without the use of the key by simply pushing the cylinder 14 back in at the front of the block 10. With the cam 18 held against the spring 30, the cylinder 14 slides back into its locked position shown in figure 7 where the cam 18 snaps back behind the rear edge of the spring 30 as the spring 30 returns to its unstressed condition.

The locking device shown in figures 2 to 5 only differs from that in figure 1 by having a narrow upfront margin defined by shoulders 19 cuts into each side.

The construction of the lock device in the manner just described allows access to the grub screw in the forward position of the cylinder 14 so that the cylinder can be quite easily removed and replaced by a locksmith.

The lock device just described is ideally used in the retractable post assembly shown in figures 10 and 11.

The assembly comprises an elongated, hollow, box section post housing 40. An elongate locking shaft 50 is pivotably mounted inside the housing 40 about a pivot pin 52 which extends across the housing 40 in a central region and thereof. An opening 42 is formed in the housing 40 near its lower end and the shaft 50 has a laterally projecting foot 54 at its lower end which extends through this opening 42.

The housing 40 is closed at its lower end by a base plate 41 and at its upper end by a fixed top plate 43 which extends laterally beyond the housing side walling to provide an overhanging hand hold.

The lock body 10 is mounted into a side of the housing 40 near the upper end of the housing 40 and at a location directly above the opening 42. The shaft 50 has a laterally projecting lug 56 at its upper end which extends into the rear of the lock body passage 12 to abut or at least closely approach the rear of the cylinder 14.

A helical spring 58 is provided inside the housing 40. It acts between the shaft 50 and an internal flange 44 of the housing 40 in the vicinity of the pivot pin 52 to bias the locking shaft 50 to its unlocked position as shown in figure 10. In the disposition shown in figure 10 the lock device 10 is also in an unlocked condition, i.e. the locking cylinder 14 is in its forward position as depicted in figure 9.

The post housing 40 is a loose sliding fit inside an outer sleeve 60 which is also a box section form but is closed at its base 62 and open at its upper end. In use, this sleeve is installed substantially vertically below ground level. At its open end, this sleeve 60 has an enlarged recess region 64 this includes an outwardly extending flange 66 to lie at or close to the ground surface. It also provides a shoulder 61 for mounting a support frame 63 for the overhanging region of the top plate 43. To allow for lifting of the post housing 40 by means of its overhanging top plate 43 at least one edge recess (not shown) is provided in the top are played 43 and the support frame 63 to allow insertion of a user's hand. The housing side walling below the top plate 43 may also be formed with one or more openings to provide a hand hold to facilitate the lifting of the housing 40.

At a short spacing down from the recess region 64, the outer sleeve 60 has an opening 68 in its side wall leading into an enclosed side chamber 69. This chamber 69 lies near to the position of the lock device 10 when the post housing 40 is fully lowered into the sleeve 60, as shown in figure 10.

The post housing 40 can only be lowered to its "inoperative" condition shown in figure 10 when the locking shaft 50 is held by the spring 58 in its unlocking position and the lug 56 is able to project sufficiently into the passage 12 in the lock body 10. This is only possible when the lock cylinder 14 is in its unlocked forward position projecting out of the front of the lock body 10, as depicted in figure 9.

Upon raising of the post housing 40, by manual lifting of the top plate 43 and/or other hand hold means, to the "post up" position shown in figure 11, the lock cylinder 14 is simply pushed inwards to its locked condition (figure 7) to lock the post 40. In this respect as the lock cylinder 14 is pushed inwards, the rear of the cylinder 14 pushes the lug 56 and thereby pivots the locking shaft 50 (against bias of the spring 58) so that the foot 54 swings further out of the opening 42 to engage into the chamber 69, as shown in figure 11.

A ledge 46 is provided externally of the post housing 40 a short spacing above the opening 42. The position of this ledge 46 is chosen to indicate the correct height of the post 40 to achieve locking in its raised conditions to the outer sleeve 60. When the post 40 is being raised, the ledge 46 is brought substantially level with the shoulder 61 and at this position the foot 54 of the shaft 50 is aligned with the chamber 69 so that locking can be accomplished by pushing the projecting cylinder 14 back into the lock body 10 as just described above.

The post 40 can only be lowered again by use of the key in the lock device. The key is inserted into the cylinder 14 and turned (figures 7 and 8) and then used to pull the cylinder 14 forwards again to the unlocked condition shown in figure 9. At this point the key can be turned to a position where it can be removed, as already explained earlier.

The post 40 should not automatically fall within this sleeve 60 as the foot 54 of the shaft 50 is wedged in the opening 68 by the weight of the post 40. However, if the post 40 is slightly lifted to release it, the shaft 50 will tilt back under the action of the spring 58 to its position shown in figure 10 whereupon the post 40 can be lowered back to the condition shown in figure 10.

The foregoing is illustrative and not limitative of the scope of the invention. Many variations in detail are possible in other embodiments. In particular, it should be noted that the material of the lock body 10 need not be brass and could be any other suitable metal, such as steel, aluminium or bronze. Also, the spring-loaded latch in the lock device could be provided in a different manner, for example using a pivotal latch or a mortise style latch. Indeed, the lock device used in the retractable post assembly could be quite different in form to that illustrated in figures 1 to 9, but the advantage of it being a block mounted lock cylinder, particularly a Euro profile Jock cylinder, is that such lock cylinders are widely accepted industry standards which are readily available at affordable prices and are known to be reliable and secure. Additionally, it would be possible to select a commercially available lock cylinder for use in the lock device of the retractable post to correspond with the lock cylinders already used by the owner/authorised user of the post in doors, shutters etc of a related property so that a common key might possibly be used for all of these. In any event, all the proportions and details of the construction of the lock device and the retractable post can vary within normal design criteria.

Features, integers and characteristics, described in conjunction with any particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A lock device comprising a lock body formed with a through passage, an actuator in the form of a lock cylinder which has a key actuable locking cam and which, when unlocked, is axially slidable in said passage, stop means provided in the body to limit sliding movement of the lock cylinder in said passage and prevent removal of the lock cylinder from the lock body, and spring-loaded latch means mounted on the body such that the locking cam engages behind said latch means in a locked position of the cylinder.

2. A lock device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spring-loaded latch means is mounted on the body such that the locking cam engages and deflects said latch means against spring bias in the unlocked position of the cylinder.

3. A lock device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the spring-loaded latch is in the form of a simple leaf spring which projects into the lock body.

4. A retractable security post comprising an elongate post housing having an upper end and a lower end and an elongate locking shaft which is mounted inside the housing and also has an upper end and a lower end as well as having a projecting foot at or near its lower end which is capable of extending through a side aperture in the vicinity of the lower end of the housing to lock the housing relative to an outer element, characterised in that the shaft is pivotably mounted in the housing and a lock device it is mounted into the side of the housing in the vicinity of the upper end of the housing, said lock device having an actuator which is movable between locked and unlocked positions and which in moving to its locked position serves to pivot the locking shaft into its locking position.

5. A security post as claimed in claim 4 wherein spring means are mounted inside the housing to act between the shaft and the housing and thereby bias the shaft to its unlocked position.

6. A security post as claimed in claim 4 or 5 wherein the post housing has a closure plate fixedly mounted across its upper end.

7. A security post as claimed in claim 6 wherein the closure plate includes an overhang region providing a hand hold for raising and lowering the post.

8. A security post as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein the post housing has at least one aperture below the closure plate providing a hand hold for raising and lowering the post.

9. A security post as claimed in any of claims 4 to 8 wherein the lock device comprises a lock body formed with a through passage and the actuator is in the form of a lock cylinder which is a close sliding fit in said passage and is axially movable in said passage to cause pivoting of the locking shaft.

10. A security post as claimed in claim 9 wherein the actuator directly abuts an upper end of the locking shaft to cause pivoting of the locking shaft.

11. A security post as claimed in claim 9 or 10 wherein the lock cylinder has a key actuable locking cam and the lock body has a spring-loaded latch behind which the locking cam engages in the locked position of the cylinder.

12. A security post as claimed in claim 11 wherein the spring-loaded latch is in the form of a simple leaf spring which projects into the lock body.

13. A retractable security post assembly comprising a post as claimed in any of claims 4 to 12 slidably accommodated inside an outer sleeve structure which is intended, in use, to be sunk wholly or substantially wholly below ground surface level.

14. An assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein the outer sleeve structure has an upper end and a lower end and in the vicinity of its upper end it is provided with means for engagement of the foot portion of the locking shaft in its locking position thereby to hold the post in a raised position relative to the outer sleeve structure.

15. A lock device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in figures 1 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A retractable security post substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in figures 10 or 11 of the accompanying drawings