Automatic parking lot gate

• US 3,993,975 A
• Filed: 05/30/1975
• Issued: 11/23/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alvin W. Long Jr, Marvin R. Blumberg, Sami E. Totah
• Original Assignee: Alvin W. Long Jr, Marvin R. Blumberg, Sami E. Totah
• Inventors: Blumberg, Marvin R., Long, Alvin W. Jr., Totah, Sami E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Application Number:
  US05/582,390
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 340/51, 340/38 R, 340/38 L, 235/61.8 A, 235/61.6 R, 49/35, 49/49, 49/25-28
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/04 comprising devices to free a barrier, turnstile, or the like turnstiles with registering means G07C9/10; coin-freed aspects G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/24 for parking meters

Abstract

A parking lot gate control system having a pivoted normally horizontal gate bar which is automatically elevated to a raised non-obstructing position and then returned to its normal position by a mechanism driven by an electric motor under the control of a circuit including a clearance device at the entrance to the parking lot consisting of a switch unit operated by an identification card or coin and a car presence-sensing loop in the roadway beyond the clearance device. The circuit operates to raise the gate bar after a proper card or coin has been inserted in the clearance device; thereafter, the vehicle moves onto the loop. The gate bar descends after the vehicle leaves the loop. If another card or coin is inserted in the clearance device by the operator of a second car while the gate bar is descending, the gate bar reverses its downward movement and stays up until the second car has left the loop. If a vehicle obstructs the gate bar on its way down, the motor automatically reverses and returns the gate bar to upright position, and descends only after the vehicle has left the loop. If the entering vehicles are closely following each other, cancellation of the gate bar return signal takes place continuously until the last car leaves the loop.

Claims

1. For use in connection with a parking lot, a gate bar at the entrance to the lot, normally in an obstructing position, a clearance device ahead of said entrance adapted to receive an authorization means, means to move said gate bar to a non-obstructing position responsive to the reception of such authorization means by said clearance device, vehicle-sensing means in the roadway adjacent said gate bar, means to hold said gate bar in its non-obstructing position while a vehicle is over said sensing means, means to return said gate bar to said obstructing position responsive to the movement of the vehicle away from said sensing means wherein the moving and return means for the gate bar comprises:

1. electrically operated drive means provided with a first drive means energizing circuit including the contacts of normally deenergized first relay means,

2. normally open first cam switch means coupled to the gate bar and closing in response to the initial operation of the drive means,

3. second relay means controlled by said clearance device,

4. normally closed second cam switch means coupled to the gate bar,

5. a first circuit connected to said first relay means for momentarily energizing same and including the contacts of said second relay means and said normally closed second cam switch means, and

6. a second circuit connected to said first relay means for energizing same and including said first cam switch means.

2. The structural combination of claim 1, and wherein said first cam switch means is formed to open said second circuit when the gate bar reaches its non-obstructing position.

3. The structural combination of claim 2, and wherein said first cam switch means is formed to again close said second circuit during subsequent return movement of said gate bar.

4. The structural combination of claim 3, and second drive means energizing circuit connected to said drive means including additional relay means operating responsive to a vehicle moving away from the sensing means to initiate the return movement of said gate bar.

5. The structural combination of claim 4, and wherein the second drive means energizing circuit includes reversing relay means, and means to operate said reversing relay means responsive to the energization of said second relay means by the clearance device during the return movement of said gate bar.

6. The structural combination of claim 5, and slip clutch means coupling the drive means to the gate bar, slip-responsive switch means operated by said slip clutch means, and means to operate said reversing relay means responsive to the operation of said slip-responsive switch means when the gate bar encounters an obstacle in its return, whereby to reverse the movement of the gate bar.

7. The structural combination of claim 6, and cooperating stop means on the gate bar and the drive means being arranged to return said switch means to its original condition and deenergizing said reversing relay means when the gate bar is returned to its non-obstructing position.

8. A parking lot gate mechanism comprising:

a. a gate bar at the entrance of the lot,

b. a clearance device ahead of said entrance adapted to receive authorization means,

c. vehicle sensing means adjacent said gate bar,

d. gate control means for moving said gate from an obstructing position to a non-obstructing position in response to reception of authorization means by said clearance device,

e. said gate control means operable in response to said sensing means, upon movement of said vehicle away from said sensing means, for moving said gate bar back to an obstructing position,

f. said gate control means comprising;

1. motor means connected for moving said gate bar,

2. a first relay,

3. means for operating said first relay in response to said clearance device,

4. a first electrical path for energizing said motor means in response to operation of said first relay,

5. a second relay,

6. means for operating said second relay in response to movement of said vehicle away from said vehicle sensing means,

7. a second electrical path for energizing said motor means in response to operation of said second relay,

8. a third relay having contacts in said first and second electrical paths, said third relay contacts operable to reverse the direction of said motor means, thereby reversing the direction of movement of said gate bar,

9. means for operating said third relay in response to an obstruction while the gate bar is moving to an obstructing position, and

10. means for operating said third relay in response to reception of another authorization means by said clearance device.

9. A parking lot gate mechanism as recited in claim 8 wherein said means to operate said first relay comprises:

a. a start relay and a first cam switch for momentarily operating said first relay,

b. a second cam switch for subsequently operating said first relay, and

c. said first and second cam switches operably connected to said motor means.

10. A parking lot gate mechanism as recited in claim 8 wherein said means for operating said second relay comprises a third cam switch operably connected to said motor means.

11. A parking lot gate mechanism as recited in claim 10 wherein said means for operating said second relay further comprises an additional relay energized in a circuit path comprising said third cam switch.

12. A parking lot gate mechanism as recited in claim 8 wherein said means for operating said third relay in response to an obstruction comprises a microswitch attached to said gate and actuated by contact with said obstruction.

13. A parking lot gate mechanism as recited in claim 12 wherein said means for operating said third relay in response to an obstruction further comprises a reverse relay having contacts in circuit with said microswitch.

14. A parking lot gate mechanism as recited in claim 13 wherein said means for operating said third relay in response to an obstruction further comprises said second cam switch in circuit with said reverse relay and said microswitch.

15. A parking lot gate mechanism as recited in claim 14 wherein said means for operating said third relay in response to another authorization means comprises said reversing relay.

16. A parking lot gate mechanism as recited in claim 15 wherein said means for operating said third relay in response to another authorization means further comprises said first cam switch and a reverse cam switch operably connected to said motor means.

17. A parking lot gate mechanism as recited in claim 9 wherein said means for operating said third relay in response to another authorization means comprises a reversing relay, said first cam switch and a reverse cam switch operably connected to said motor means, said reversing relay having contacts in circuit with said first cam switch and said reverse cam switch.