Vertically Actuated Vehicle Barrier System

• US 20100098486A1
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gary D. Miracle
• Original Assignee: Gary D. Miracle
• Inventors: Miracle, Gary D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,496,395 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 15/085 using metal

Abstract

A barrier system comprises a housing, substantially vertical members, and vertical guide tubes. The housing extends into the ground. The guide tubes are positioned in the housing and also extend into the ground below the housing. The substantially vertical members are translatable vertically within the guide tubes. At least one barrier member is secured to the substantially vertical members. The at least one barrier member may comprise at least one guardrail, a plurality of chains or cables, and/or a plurality of gate beams. A series of cables and pulleys form an actuation system that raises and lowers the substantially vertical members relative to the guide tubes to selectively extend and retract the at least one barrier member relative to the ground. A cover plate may selectively cover the top opening of the housing when the barrier member and substantially vertical members are retracted within the housing.

Claims

1. A vehicle barrier system, comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) a plurality of substantially vertical members;

(c) a plurality of substantially vertical guide tubes, wherein the substantially guide tubes are secured to the housing, wherein each substantially vertical member is translatable within a corresponding substantially vertical guide tube of the plurality of substantially vertical guide tubes;

(d) at least one barrier member coupled with the substantially vertical members, wherein the at least one barrier member is configured to stop a moving vehicle when the substantially vertical members are in a raised position relative to the housing; and

(e) an actuation assembly in communication with the substantially vertical members, wherein the actuation assembly is operable to selectively raise and lower the substantially vertical members relative to the housing to selectively deploy and retract the at least one barrier member relative to the housing, wherein the at least one barrier member is retracted within the housing when the vertical members are in a lowered position relative to the housing.

2. The vehicle barrier system of claim 1, wherein the actuation assembly comprises a first pulley secured to the housing and a first cable engaged with the first pulley.

3. The vehicle barrier system of claim 2, wherein the first cable is further engaged with a first substantially vertical member of the plurality of substantially vertical members to raise the first substantially vertical member relative to the housing.

4. The vehicle barrier system of claim 3, wherein the first substantially vertical member has a top end and a bottom end, the actuation assembly further comprising a second pulley secured to the bottom end of the first substantially vertical member, wherein the first cable is further engaged with the second pulley, wherein the first cable extends downwardly within the substantially vertical guide tube corresponding with the first substantially vertical member to engage the second pulley.

5. The vehicle barrier system of claim 4, wherein the first cable terminates at an end secured to the first substantially vertical member, wherein the end of the cable is secured between the top end and the bottom end of the first substantially vertical member.

6. The vehicle barrier system of claim 3, wherein the actuation assembly further comprises a second pulley secured to the housing and a second cable engaged with the second pulley, wherein the second cable is further secured relative to the first substantially vertical member to lower the first substantially vertical member relative to the housing.

7. The vehicle barrier system of claim 6, wherein the actuation assembly further comprises a winch, wherein the winch is operable to selectively pull the first cable relative to the winch while simultaneously releasing the second cable relative to the winch, wherein the winch is further operable to selectively pull the second cable relative to the winch while simultaneously releasing the first cable relative to the winch.

8. The vehicle barrier system of claim 2, wherein the actuation assembly further comprises a pair of arms pivotally coupled with each other, wherein the pair of arms comprises a first arm and a second arm, wherein the first and second arms are configured to pivot relative to each other from a folded position to a vertical position and further to a hyper-extended position, wherein the first and second arms are configured to hold the substantially vertical members in the raised position when the first and second arms are in the hyper-extended position.

9. The vehicle barrier system of claim 8, wherein the actuation assembly further comprises a second pulley, wherein the first and second arms are pivotally coupled at a joint, wherein the second pulley is located at the joint.

10. The vehicle barrier system of claim 9, wherein the first cable is further engaged with the second pulley, wherein the first cable is operable to move the first and second arms from the vertical position to the hyper-extended position.

11. The vehicle barrier system of claim 9, wherein the actuation assembly further comprises a second cable, wherein the second cable has first and second ends, wherein the first end of the second cable is secured to the first arm, wherein the second end of the second cable is secured to the second arm, wherein the second cable is engaged with the second pulley, wherein the second cable is resiliently biased to urge the first and second arms from the vertical position to the hyper-extended position.

12. The vehicle barrier system of claim 1, further comprising a substantially horizontal member, wherein each substantially vertical member of the plurality of substantially vertical members includes a respective top portion, wherein the substantially horizontal member is secured to the top portions of the substantially vertical members.

13. The vehicle barrier system of claim 12, wherein the substantially horizontal member comprises a metal beam.

14. The vehicle barrier system of claim 1, further comprising at least one cover plate coupled with the housing, wherein the at least one cover plate is rotatable relative to the housing to selectively enclose the substantially vertical members and the at least one barrier member within the housing when the substantially vertical members are in the lowered position.

15. The vehicle barrier system of claim 1, wherein the at least one barrier member comprises a guardrail.

16. The vehicle barrier system of claim 1, wherein the at least one barrier member comprises a plurality of horizontal chains.

17. The vehicle barrier system of claim 1, wherein the at least one barrier member comprises a plurality of horizontal cables.

18. The vehicle barrier system of claim 1, wherein the at least one barrier member comprises a plurality of horizontal gate beams.

19. A vehicle barrier system, comprising:

(a) a housing embedded within the ground;

(b) a plurality of substantially vertical members;

(c) a plurality of substantially vertical guide tubes, wherein the substantially guide tubes are secured to the housing, wherein each substantially vertical member is translatable within a corresponding substantially vertical guide tube of the plurality of substantially vertical guide tubes;

(d) at least one barrier member coupled with the substantially vertical members, wherein the at least one barrier member is configured to stop a moving vehicle when the substantially vertical members are in a raised position relative to the ground; and

(e) an actuation assembly in communication with the substantially vertical members, wherein the actuation assembly is operable to selectively raise and lower the substantially vertical members relative to the ground to selectively deploy and retract the at least one barrier member relative to the ground, wherein the at least one barrier member is retracted within the housing under the level of the ground when the vertical members are in a lowered position relative to the housing.

20. A vehicle barrier system, comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) a plurality of substantially vertical members;

(c) a plurality of substantially vertical guide tubes, wherein the substantially guide tubes are secured to the housing, wherein each substantially vertical member is translatable within a corresponding substantially vertical guide tube of the plurality of substantially vertical guide tubes;

(d) at least one barrier member coupled with the substantially vertical members, wherein the at least one barrier member is configured to stop a moving vehicle when the substantially vertical members are in a raised position relative to the housing; and

(e) a plurality of cables and pulleys, wherein the cables are coupled with at least one of the substantially vertical members, wherein a first cable of the plurality of cables is fed through a space defined between a first substantially vertical member of the plurality of vertical members and a first substantially vertical guide tube of the plurality of substantially vertical guide tubes, wherein the first cable is operable to selectively raise the first substantially vertical member relative to the housing, wherein the at least one barrier member is retracted within the housing when the vertical members are in a lowered position relative to the housing, wherein.