Removable and lockable barrier assembly

• US 5,961,249 A
• Filed: 10/01/1998
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Board of Trustees of Michigan State University (Michigan State University)
• Original Assignee: The Board of Trustees of Michigan State University (Michigan State University)
• Inventors: Hansen, Dennis R., Hansen, Clarence M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Will, Thomas B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLORIO, KRISTINE
• Application Number:
  US09/164,669
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 49/35, 49/131, 49/49, 404/6, 404/9, 256/13.1, 256/1
• US Class Current: 404/9
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 13/026 Detachable barrier bollards or parking posts portable signs co-operating with permanent base E01F9/677

Abstract

A lockable and removable barrier assembly (10) includes a post (32) which is removably mounted in a sleeve (12). The bottom end (32B) of the post is mounted in the top end (12A) of the sleeve such that a securing opening (14) of the sleeve is aligned with a securing opening (35) of the post. A securing mechanism (42) is located in the inner chamber (32C) of the post. The securing mechanism includes a securing lever (52) which is pivotably mounted at the bottom end (52B) to a mounting bracket (44). The lever includes a securing lug (58) which extends through a securing opening in the post and sleeve to secure the post in position in the sleeve. The top end (52A) of the lever is held in the secured position by a lock (60) which extends through a hole in the end of the lever and through a hole in the locking bracket (48) mounted on the sidewall of the post in the inner chamber. The sleeve is permanently mounted in a ground surface (100) and when not in use, the top end of the sleeve is closed by a sleeve cover (28).

Claims

1. A barrier assembly which comprises:

(a) a sleeve adapted for mounting in a ground surface, the sleeve having opposed first and second ends with a sidewall extending therebetween forming an inner chamber, the sleeve having a first opening in the first end extending into the inner chamber and a second opening in the sidewall of the sleeve with a hollow cap mounted on the sidewall over the second opening and extending outward from the sidewall of the sleeve away from the inner chamber, the hollow cap having a closed end opposite the second opening such as to form an enclosed cavity within the cap;

(b) a post adapted to be removably mounted in the first opening in the first end of the sleeve and having first and second ends with a sidewall therebetween forming an inner chamber, the sidewall having a first opening extending into the inner chamber of the post;

(c) a securing means having opposed ends and pivotably mounted at one end to the sidewall of the post in the inner chamber of the post inside the inner chamber and adjacent to the sleeve, the securing means having a securing lug mounted between the ends and adjacent the first opening in the sidewall of the post, wherein the securing lug extends outward from the securing means and wherein when the post is mounted in the sleeve, the second opening in the sidewall of the sleeve is adjacent the first opening in the sidewall of the post so that in a secured position, the securing lug of the securing means extends through the first opening of the post into the second opening of the sleeve to secure the post in position in the sleeve and wherein once moved into an unsecured position, the securing means remains in the unsecured position to allow for removal of the post and;

(d) a lock inside the inner chamber of the post between the post and the securing means in the post which secures the securing means to the post with the securing lug in the second opening in the sleeve.

2. The post of claim 1 wherein the sleeve and the post have a square cross-section.

3. The post of claim 1 wherein the sleeve and the post have a round cross-section.

4. The post of claim 1 wherein a stop ring is mounted around an outside surface of the post to limit a depth of insertion of the post in the sleeve.

5. The post of claim 1 wherein the post has a top portion adjacent the first end and a bottom portion adjacent the second end and wherein the top portion has a size greater than the opening in the first end of the sleeve so that the top portion contacts the first end of the sleeve to limit a depth of insertion of the post in the sleeve.

6. The post of claim 1 wherein the sleeve is permanently mounted in the ground surface such that the first end of the sleeve is spaced below a top of the ground surface such as to allow a cover to be mounted on the first end of the sleeve with the cover substantially flush with the ground surface.

7. The post of claim 6 wherein the sleeve is mounted in concrete.

8. The post of claim 1 wherein the sleeve has a drainage hole in the second end.

9. The post of claim 1 wherein the sleeve has a drainage hole in the sidewall.

10. The post of claim 1 wherein a locking bracket with a locking hole is mounted on the sidewall of the post in the inner chamber spaced between the first opening in the sidewall of the post and the first end of the post wherein when the securing means is in the secured position, a locking hole in the one end of the securing means is adjacent the locking hole in the locking bracket and the lock is inserted through the locking holes in the securing means and locking bracket to secure the securing means to the locking bracket in the secured position.

11. The post of claim 10 wherein a second opening is provided in the sidewall of the post opposite the locking bracket.

12. The post of claim 11 wherein a movable cover is provided on an outside surface of the sidewall of the post to cover the second opening in the sidewall of the post wherein the cover is moved to allow access to the securing means in the inner chamber of the post.

13. The post of claim 1 wherein a sleeve cover is shaped to fit into the first opening of the sleeve without the post and configured to be able to be stored in the inner chamber of the sleeve between the second end of the sleeve and the second end of the post when the post is mounted on the sleeve and shaped to be positioned over the first opening in the first end of the sleeve when the post is removed from the sleeve, and the cover is removed from the inner chamber of the sleeve.

14. The post of claim 13 wherein the sleeve cover is permanently and movably mounted in the inner chamber of the sleeve.

15. The post of claim 1 wherein the securing means is a lever pivotably mounted at one end adjacent the second end of the post.

16. A method for installing a removable barrier assembly, which comprises the steps of:

(a) providing a barrier assembly having a sleeve adapted for mounting in a ground surface, the sleeve having opposed first and second ends with a sidewall extending therebetween forming an inner chamber, the sleeve having a first opening in the first end extending into the inner chamber and a second opening in the sidewall of the sleeve with a hollow cap mounted on the sidewall over the second opening and extending outward from the sidewall of the sleeve away from the inner chamber, the hollow cap having a closed end opposite the second opening such as to form an enclosed cavity within the cap;

a post adapted to be removably mounted in the first opening in the first end of the sleeve and having first and second ends with a sidewall therebetween forming an inner chamber, the sidewall having first and second openings extending into the inner chamber of the post; and

a securing means having opposed ends and pivotably mounted at one end to the sidewall of the post in the inner chamber of the post between the first opening in the sidewall of the post and the second end of the post, the securing means having a securing lug mounted between the ends and adjacent the first opening in the sidewall of the post wherein the securing lug extends outward from the securing means and wherein when the post is mounted in the sleeve, the second opening in the sidewall of the sleeve is adjacent the first opening in the sidewall of the post so that in a secured position, the securing lug of the securing means extends through the first opening of the post into the second opening of the sleeve to secure the post in position in the sleeve and wherein once moved into an unsecured position, the securing means remains in the unsecured position to allow for removal of the post;

(b) mounting the sleeve in the ground surface so that the first end of the sleeve is spaced below a top of the ground surface;

(c) inserting the second end of the post into the opening in the first end of the sleeve so that the first opening of the post is adjacent the second opening of the sleeve; and

(d) moving the securing means in the inner chamber into the secured position so that the securing lug extends through the second opening of the post and into the second opening of the sleeve.

17. The post of claim 16 wherein a locking bracket having a locking hole is mounted on the sidewall of the post in the inner chamber of the post and wherein to lock the securing means in the secured position, a lock is mounted through the locking hole of the locking bracket and through a locking hole in the securing means.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein to remove the post from the sleeve, the securing means is pivoted away from the first opening in the sidewall of the post so that the securing lug is removed from the hollow cap and second opening in the sidewall of the sleeve and the first opening in the sidewall of the post and the post is lifted out of the sleeve.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein a sleeve cover is positioned in the inner chamber of the sleeve between the second end of the sleeve and the second end of the post when the post is mounted on the sleeve and wherein after the post is removed, the sleeve cover is removed from the inner chamber of the sleeve and positioned over the first opening in the first end of the sleeve.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein a stop ring is mounted on an outside surface of the post and wherein in step (c) the second end of the post is inserted into the inner chamber of the sleeve such that the stop ring is adjacent and in contact with the first end of the sleeve.