Speed barrier

• US 20070183845A1
• Filed: 02/09/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christopher Lewis
• Original Assignee: Christopher Lewis
• Inventors: Lewis, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 7,581,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 404/6
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 13/048 with obstructing members moving in a translatory motion, e.g. vertical lift barriers, sliding gates E01F13/046, E01F13/105 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 13/08 by swinging into closed position about a transverse axis situated in the road surface, e.g. tiltable sections of the road surface, tiltable parking posts
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 13/12 for forcibly arresting or disabling vehicles, e.g. spiked mats

Abstract

A speed barrier includes a heavy lower barrier and a lighter upper gate. The barrier and gate may normally be positioned to allow or to restrict passing of vehicles. The barrier is configured to receive and survive the main impact of a vehicle attempting to ram through the speed barrier. The gate and barrier are coupled to allow an extension or a retraction of the gate and barrier in unison. The barrier and gate are supported by left and right columns, and an upper end of the gate is supported by the columns when the gate and barrier are extended.

Claims

1. A speed barrier comprising:

a left column;

a right column;

a barrier movable between a stowed barrier position and a deployed barrier position, wherein in the deployed barrier position, the barrier resides vertically at a lower column position and is supported by the columns; and

a gate movable between a stowed gate position and a deployed gate position, wherein in the deployed gate position the gate resides vertically at an upper column position and is supported by the-columns.

2. The speed barrier of claim 1, wherein the barrier moves vertically between the stowed barrier position and the deployed barrier position.

3. The speed barrier of claim 2, wherein a portion of the barrier remains below a driving surface when the barrier is in the deployed barrier position.

4. The speed barrier of claim 2, wherein:

the gate includes engaging bars proximal to an upper end of the gate;

the columns include mouths proximal to an upper end of each column; and

the engaging bars cooperate with the mouths to resist motion of the gate when a vehicle rams the gate.

5. The speed barrier of claim 2, wherein the gate resides substantially horizontally when the gate is in the stowed gate position.

6. The speed barrier of claim 2, wherein;

the gate includes mid rollers attached to the gate between an upper end of the gate and a lower end of the gate; and

the columns include vertical tracks,

wherein the mid rollers translate along the vertical tracks when the gate moves between the stowed gate position and the deployed gate position.

7. The speed barrier of claim 6, wherein:

the gate includes bottom rollers proximal to the lower end of the gate;

the columns further include diagonal tracks; and

the bottom rollers translate along the diagonal tracks when the gate moves between the stowed gate position and the deployed gate position.

8. The speed barrier of claim 7, wherein:

the barrier includes barrier pulleys proximal to a top end of the barrier;

cables are attached to the gate proximal to the mid rollers;

the cables extend downward and wrap around the barrier pulleys, and then extend upwards and attach to a fixed point on each column,

wherein vertical motion of the mid rollers results in the cable lifting the barrier one half the vertical distance the mid rollers move.

9. The speed barrier of claim 6, wherein:

the gate includes bottom rollers proximal to the lower end of the gate;

the columns further include “

L”

shaped tracks proximal to bases of the columns; and

the bottom rollers translate along the “

L”

shaped tracks when the gate moves between the stowed gate position and the deployed gate position.

10. The speed barrier of claim 9, wherein:

the gates include hooks proximal to the lower end of the gate; and

the barriers include barrier bars proximal to a top end of the barrier,

wherein the hooks catch the barrier bars to connect the barrier to the gate when the gate is rising to lift the barrier with the gate.

11. The speed barrier of claim 2, wherein linear actuators push the gate from the stowed gate position to the deployed gate position.

12. The speed barrier of claim 11, wherein:

the gate includes mid rollers attached to the gate between an upper end of the gate and a lower end of the gate; and

the columns include vertical tracks,

wherein the mid rollers translate along the vertical tracks when the gate moves between the stowed gate position and the deployed gate position and the linear actuators at attached to the gate proximal to the mid rollers.

13. The speed barrier of claim 11, wherein the gate pulls the barrier from the stowed barrier position to the barrier deployed position.

14. The speed barrier of claim 2, wherein the gate has approximately twice the vertical extent in the gate deployed position as the barrier has in the barrier deployed position.

15. A speed barrier comprising:

a left column;

a right column;

a gate movable between a stowed gate position and a deployed gate position, wherein in the deployed gate position the gate resides vertically at an upper column position and is supported by the columns;

a linear actuator attached to the gate for moving the gate from the stowed gate position to the deployed gate position; and

a barrier connected to the gate and movable between a stowed barrier position and a deployed barrier position, wherein in the deployed position, the barrier resides vertically at a lower column position and is supported by the columns, and wherein the gate pulls the barrier from the stowed barrier position to the deployed barrier position.

16. A speed barrier comprising:

a left column;

a right column;

a gate movable between a stowed gate position and a deployed gate position, wherein in the deployed gate position the gate resides vertically at an upper column position and is supported by the columns, and wherein the gate resides substantially horizontally when the gate is in the stowed gate position;

mid rollers attached to the gate between an upper end of the gate and a lower end of the gate;

vertical tracks attached to the columns, wherein the mid rollers translate along the vertical tracks when the gate moves between the stowed gate position and the deployed gate position;

a linear actuator attached to the gate proximal to the mid rollers for moving the gate from the stowed gate position to the deployed gate position; and

a barrier movable between a stowed barrier position and a deployed barrier position, wherein in the deployed position, the barrier resides vertically at a lower column position and is supported by the columns, and wherein the gate pulls the barrier from the stowed barrier position to the deployed barrier position.