Vehicle barrier system

• US 20070237577A1
• Filed: 04/10/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FutureNet Security Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: Smith & Wesson Security Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Jackson, Jon, Grubb, Brad, Gelfand, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 7,862,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 404/6
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 13/123 depressible or retractable below the traffic surface, e.g. one-way spike barriers, power-controlled prong barriers

Abstract

A vehicle barrier system. The vehicle barrier system includes a base, an arm hingably mechanically coupled to the base, a raising/lowering mechanism in mechanical communication with the arm, and a cable supported by the arm, the cable mechanically coupled to first and second anchors placed on opposite sides of an area through which a vehicle may pass, and the raising/lowering mechanism moves the arm and the cable between a first position and a second position.

Claims

1. A vehicle barrier system comprising:

a base;

an arm hingably mechanically coupled to the base;

a raising/lowering mechanism in mechanical communication with the arm; and

a cable in mechanical communication with the arm, the cable mechanically coupled to first and second anchors placed on opposite sides of an area through which a vehicle may pass,

wherein the raising/lowering mechanism moves the arm and the cable between a first position and a second position.

2. The vehicle barrier system of claim 1, wherein the first position is at or below ground level and the second position is above ground level.

3. The vehicle barrier system of claim 1, wherein the arm comprises a first portion frangibly mechanically coupled to a second portion, and the first and second portions are uncoupled upon application of at least a threshold force to one of the first and second portions.

4. The vehicle barrier system of claim 3, wherein the raising/lowering mechanism is in mechanical communication with the first portion of the arm.

5. The vehicle barrier system of claim 3, wherein the cable is supported by the second portion of the arm.

6. The vehicle barrier system of claim 1, wherein the arm further comprises:

a counterbalance post;

a counterbalance platform; and

one or more counterweights located on the counterbalance platform which facilitate raising and lowering the arm.

7. The vehicle barrier system of claim 3, wherein the second portion of the arm is formed of two or more mechanically coupled segments.

8. The vehicle barrier system of claim 1, further comprising:

a ramp over which a vehicle may pass when the arm and the cable are in the first position.

9. The vehicle barrier system of claim 1, wherein, when in the second position, at least portions of the arm and the cable are high enough to encounter a front of a vehicle.

10. The vehicle barrier system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the arm is hollow and stores at least a portion of the cable.

11. The vehicle barrier system of claim 10, wherein the hollow portion of the arm is accessible via a cover.

12. The vehicle barrier system of claim 1, wherein the raising/lowering mechanism includes a handle and a cam.

13. The vehicle barrier system of claim 1, wherein the raising/lowering mechanism includes an electric motor and a control system.

14. The vehicle barrier system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second arm hingably mechanically coupled to a second base; and

a second cable in mechanical communication with the second arm, the second cable mechanically coupled to the first and second anchors,

wherein the second arm and the second cable is moved between a first position and a second position, and

wherein the first base and first arm are arranged an opposite side of the area through which a vehicle may pass from the second base and second arm.

15. The vehicle barrier system of claim 14, wherein the second arm comprises a first portion frangibly mechanically coupled to a second portion, and the first and second portions are uncoupled upon application of at least a threshold force to one of the first and second portions.

16. The vehicle barrier system of claim 14, wherein the first arm is mechanically coupled to the second arm, and the raising/lowering device moves both the first and second arms.

17. The vehicle barrier system of claim 14, wherein the first and second arms extend at least partially across the area through which a vehicle may pass.

18. A vehicle barrier system comprising:

a first cable in mechanical communication with a first arm that is hingably mechanically coupled to a first base, which along with a first anchor, is located on a side of an area through which a vehicle may pass;

a second cable in mechanical communication with a second arm that is hingably mechanically coupled to a second base, which along with a second anchor, is located on another side of an area through which a vehicle may pass;

a first connecting arm mechanically coupled to each of the first and second arms; and

a raising/lowering mechanism in mechanical communication with at least one of the first arm and the second arm,

wherein the first and second cables are each mechanically coupled to each of the first and second anchors.

19. The vehicle barrier system of claim 18, wherein the raising/lowering mechanism moves at least a portion of the first and second arms, a portion of the first connecting arm, and at least a portion of the first and second cables between a first position and a second position, where the first position is at or below ground level and the second position is above ground level.

20. The vehicle barrier system of claim 18, further comprising:

a bottom connecting arm mechanically coupled to each of the first and second arms at a point along the first and second arms closer to the first and second bases.

21. The vehicle barrier system of claim 18, wherein the first arm comprises a first portion frangibly mechanically coupled to a second portion, and the first and second portions are uncoupled upon application of at least a threshold force to one of the first and second portions.

22. The vehicle barrier system of claim 21, wherein the second arm comprises a first portion frangibly mechanically coupled to a second portion, and the first and second portions are uncoupled upon application of at least a threshold force to one of the first and second portions.

23. The vehicle barrier system of claim 21, wherein the raising/lowering mechanism is in mechanical communication with the first portion of the first arm.

24. The vehicle barrier system of claim 21, wherein the first cable is in mechanical communication with the second portion of the first arm.

25. The vehicle barrier system of claim 18, wherein the first and second arms are formed of two or more separable segments.

26. The vehicle barrier system of claim 20, wherein the first and bottom connecting arms are formed of two or more separable segments.

27. The vehicle barrier system of claim 18, wherein, when in the second position, at least portions of the first and second arm extensions, at least portions of the first and second cables, and at least a portion of the first connecting arm are high enough to encounter a front of a vehicle.

28. The vehicle barrier system of claim 18, wherein the first and second anchors are placed substantially along a plane formed by the first and second bases.

29. The vehicle barrier system of claim 18, wherein the first and second anchors are placed at a predetermined angle to a plane formed by the first and second bases.

30. The vehicle barrier system of claim 18, wherein at least a portion of the first and second arm extensions are hollow and store at least a portion of the first and second cables, respectively.

31. The vehicle barrier system of claim 30, wherein the hollow portions of the first and second arm extension are accessible via a cover.

32. The vehicle barrier system of claim 18, wherein the first and second cables are mechanically coupled to one of a first anchor and a second anchor via an energy absorber.

33. The vehicle barrier system of claim 18, wherein the third cable is mechanically coupled to one of a first anchor and a second anchor via an energy absorber.

34. The vehicle barrier system of claim 32, wherein the energy absorber includes at least one of a dynamic braking system, shear pins, springs, foams, pneumatics, hydraulics, woven textile, friction bearings, breakable concrete, crushable metals, and counterbalance weights.

35. The vehicle barrier system of claim 18, further comprising,

a third cable mechanically coupled to the first and second anchors and in mechanical communication with the first connecting arm.

36. The vehicle barrier system of claim 20, further comprising,

a fourth cable mechanically coupled to the first and second anchors and in mechanical communication with the bottom connecting arm.

37. The vehicle barrier system of claim 18, wherein at least a portion of the first connecting arm is hollow and stores at least a portion of the third cable.

38. The vehicle barrier system of claim 37, wherein the hollow portion of the first connecting arm is accessible via a cover.

39. The vehicle barrier system of claim 20, wherein at least a portion of the bottom connecting arm is hollow and stores at least a portion of the fourth cable.

40. The vehicle barrier system of claim 39, wherein the hollow portion of the bottom connecting arm is accessible via a cover.

41. A vehicle barrier system comprising:

a first cable in mechanical communication with a first arm that is hingably mechanically coupled to a first base, which along with a first anchor, is located on a side of an area through which a vehicle may pass;

a second cable in mechanical communication with a second arm that is hingably mechanically coupled to a second base, which along with a second anchor, is located on another side of an area through which a vehicle may pass;

a top connecting arm mechanically coupled to each of the first and second arms;

a bottom connecting arm mechanically coupled to each of the first and second arms at a point along the first and second arms closer to the first and second bases;

a first side arm and a second side arm arranged on opposite sides of the area through which a vehicle may pass; and

a raising/lowering mechanism in mechanical communication with at least one of the first arm and the second arm,

wherein the first and second cables are each mechanically coupled to both the first and second anchors,

wherein the raising/lowering mechanism moves the first and second arms, the first and second cables, and the top and bottom connecting arms between first and second positions, and

wherein the first and second side arms are each in mechanical communication with the top and bottom connecting arms when in a second position.

42. The vehicle barrier system of claim 41, further comprising,

a third cable mechanically coupled to the first and second anchors and in mechanical communication with the first connecting arm;

and

a fourth cable mechanically coupled to the first and second anchors and in mechanical communication with the bottom connecting arm.