Vehicle security gate apparatus and method of operating same

• US 5,975,791 A
• Filed: 03/04/1997
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mcculloch G. Wallace
• Original Assignee: Mcculloch G. Wallace
• Inventors: McCulloch, G. Wallace
• Primary Examiner(s): LISEHORA, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US08/807,257
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 49/33, 49/49, 49/60, 49/131, 404/6, 256/1, 256/13.1
• US Class Current: 404/6
• 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
• 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 security gate apparatus and methods are provided for inhibiting undesired access to a protected area. The vehicle security gate apparatus preferably has a barricade adapted to be positioned adjacent a roadway to thereby block vehicle passage along the roadway into an area desired to be protected. The apparatus also preferably has a barricade rotating mount connected to the barricade for rotating the barricade about a predetermined axis so that the barricade rotates about the predetermined axis between a vehicle passage position which allows a desired vehicle to readily pass along the roadway into the protected area, a vehicle blocking position which blocks the roadway so as to inhibit an undesired vehicle from readily entering into the protected area, and a vehicle arresting position which arrests an undesired vehicle responsive to an attempt by the undesired vehicle to ram the barricade when the barricade is positioned in the vehicle blocking position.

Claims

1. A vehicle security gate apparatus for inhibiting undesired access to a protected area, the apparatus comprising:

a barricade including at least a base having an elongate shape and adapted to be positioned adjacent a roadway so that at least portions of the base thereby block vehicle passage along the roadway into an area desired to be protected; and

barricade rotating means connected to a medial portion of the base of said barricade for rotating a portion of the base of said barricade which blocks vehicle passage about a predetermined axis so that the base of said barricade readily rotates 360 degrees in opposing directions about the predetermined axis between a vehicle passage position which allows a desired vehicle to readily pass along the roadway into the protected area, a vehicle blocking position which blocks the roadway so as to inhibit an undesired vehicle from readily entering into the protected area, and a vehicle arresting position which arrests an undesired vehicle responsive to an attempt by the undesired vehicle to ram said barricade when the base of said barricade is positioned in the vehicle blocking position, and wherein the predetermined axis extends generally parallel to the plane of the roadway which extends into the protected area and the connecting of said barricade to said barricade rotating means balances the base of said barricade in at least the vehicle passage and the vehicle blocking positions so as to enhance operation of said barricade during rotation of the base of said barricade between the vehicle blocking and vehicle passage positions.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said barricade includes vehicle arresting means connected to the base for arresting an undesired vehicle attempting to ram said barricade when the base of said barricade is positioned in the vehicle blocking position.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the base of said barricade comprises an elongate beam member having a first substantially flat surface and a second surface, said vehicle arresting means of said barricade having a triangular-shaped beam member which includes a pointed tip thereof, said triangular-shaped beam member being connected to the second surface of the elongate beam member and extending outwardly therefrom for arresting the undesired vehicle.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein a distal end of said elongate beam member rotates outwardly away from a vehicle during an attempt to ram said barricade when said elongate beam member of the base of said barricade is in the vehicle blocking position so that the proximal end of said elongate beam member having said vehicle arresting means connected thereto responsively rotates inwardly into contact with corresponding proximal portions of the undesired vehicle attempting to ram said barricade to thereby arrest the undesired vehicle.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said vehicle arresting means comprises a vehicle piercer for piercing through at least an outer surface of the undesired vehicle so as to stop the forward progression of the undesired vehicle through said barricade.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said barricade includes an elongate beam member, and the apparatus further comprises an opening defining a pit formed in the roadway into the protected area, said barricade rotating means being mounted to said pit so that at least portions of said elongate beam member readily rotate into and out of said pit, and wherein said pit and said elongate beam member are each at least relatively narrower than the lateral distance between each of the two pairs of tires of a compact vehicle so that each of the two pair of tires of the compact vehicle can readily pass over said pit and said elongate beam member when the elongate beam member of the base of said barricade is positioned in the vehicle passage position.

7. A vehicle security gate apparatus for inhibiting undesired access to a protected area, the apparatus comprising:

a barricade adapted to be positioned adjacent a roadway to thereby block vehicle passage along the roadway into an area desired to be protected, said barricade including a base extending lengthwise in a plane generally parallel to the roadway and vehicle arresting means connected to the base and extending outwardly from the base for arresting an undesired vehicle attempting entrance into the protected area;

barricade rotating means connected to said barricade for readily rotating said barricade 360 degrees in opposing directions about a predetermined axis so that said barricade rotates about the predetermined axis between a vehicle passage position which allows a desired vehicle to readily pass along the roadway into the protected area, a vehicle blocking position which blocks the roadway so as to inhibit an undesired vehicle from readily entering into the protected area, and a vehicle arresting position which arrests an undesired vehicle with said vehicle arresting means of said barricade responsive to an attempt by the undesired vehicle to ram said barricade when said barricade is positioned in the vehicle blocking position and so that a distal end of said barricade rotates outwardly away from a vehicle during an attempt to ram said barricade when said barricade is in the vehicle blocking position and the proximal end of said barricade responsively rotates inwardly into contact with the corresponding proximal portions of the undesired vehicle attempting to ram said barricade to thereby arrest the undesired vehicle; and

an opening defining a pit formed in the roadway entering into the protected area, said barricade rotating means being mounted to said pit so that at least portions of an elongate beam member defining the base of said barricade readily rotate into and out of said pit, and wherein said pit and said elongate beam member are each at least relatively narrower than the lateral distance between each of the two pairs of tires of a compact vehicle so that each of the two pair of tires of the compact vehicle can readily pass over said pit and said elongate beam member when said barricade is positioned in the vehicle passage position.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the predetermined axis extends generally parallel to the plane of the roadway which extends into the protected area.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said barricade rotating means is connected to a medial portion of said barricade for rotating said barricade 360 degrees in opposing directions about the predetermined axis.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the medial portion of the mounting of said barricade is a non-centered medial portion so that said barricade rotatingly rests in the vehicle blocking position, and wherein the connecting of said barricade to said barricade rotating means balances said barricade in at least the vehicle passage and the vehicle blocking positions so as to enhance manual operation of said barricade during rotation of said barricade between the vehicle blocking and vehicle passage positions.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said barricade comprises an elongate beam member having a first substantially flat surface and a second surface, said vehicle arresting means of said barricade being connected to the proximal end of the second surface and extending outwardly therefrom for arresting the undesired vehicle.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said vehicle arresting means comprises a vehicle piercer for piercing through at least an outer surface of the undesired vehicle so as to stop the forward progression of the undesired vehicle through said barricade.

13. A vehicle security gate apparatus for inhibiting undesired access to a protected area, the apparatus comprising:

a barricade adapted to be positioned adjacent a roadway to thereby block vehicle passage along the roadway into an area desired to be protected, said barricade including an elongate beam member defining a base and vehicle arresting means connected to and extending outwardly from said base for arresting an undesired vehicle attempting entrance into the protected area; and

barricade rotating means connected to said barricade for readily rotating a portion of said barricade which blocks vehicle passage 360 degrees in opposing directions about a predetermined axis so that said barricade rotates about the predetermined axis in a first rotational direction between a vehicle blocking position which blocks the roadway so as to inhibit an undesired vehicle from readily entering into the protected area and a different vehicle passage position which allows a desired vehicle to readily pass along the roadway into the protected area and in a second rotational direction between the vehicle blocking position and a different vehicle arresting position which arrests an undesired vehicle with said vehicle arresting means of said barricade responsive to an attempt by the undesired vehicle to ram said barricade when said barricade is positioned in the vehicle blocking position, the predetermined axis extending generally parallel to the plane of the roadway which extends into the protected area.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said barricade rotating means is connected to a medial portion of said barricade for rotating said barricade 360 degrees in opposing directions about the predetermined axis.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the medial portion of the mounting of said barricade is a non-centered medial portion so that said barricade rotatingly rests in the vehicle blocking position, and wherein the connecting of said barricade to said barricade rotating means balances said barricade in at least the vehicle passage and the vehicle blocking positions so as to enhance manual operation of said barricade during rotation of said barricade between the vehicle blocking and vehicle passage positions.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein a distal end of said barricade rotates in the second rotational direction outwardly away from a vehicle during an attempt to ram said barricade when said barricade is in the vehicle blocking position and the proximal end of said barricade responsively rotates inwardly into contact with corresponding proximal portions of the undesired vehicle attempting to ram said barricade to thereby arrest the undesired vehicle.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein said base of said barricade has a first substantially flat surface and a second surface, said vehicle arresting means of said barricade being connected to the proximal end of the second surface and extending outwardly therefrom for arresting the undesired vehicle.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein said vehicle arresting means comprises a vehicle piercer for piercing through at least an outer surface of the undesired vehicle so as to stop the forward progression of the undesired vehicle through said barricade.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, further comprising a pit formed in the roadway into the protected area, said barricade rotating means being mounted to said pit so that at least portions of said base of said barricade readily rotate into and out of said pit, and wherein said pit and said base are each at least relatively narrower than the lateral distance between each of the two pairs of tires of a compact vehicle so that each of the two pair of tires of the compact vehicle can readily pass over said pit and said base when said barricade is positioned in the vehicle passage position.

20. A vehicle security gate apparatus for inhibiting undesired access to a protected area, the apparatus comprising:

a barricade adapted to be positioned adjacent a roadway to thereby block vehicle passage along the roadway into an area desired to be protected; and

barricade rotating means connected to said barricade for rotating said barricade about a predetermined axis so that said barricade rotates about the predetermined axis between a vehicle passage position which allows a desired vehicle to readily pass along the roadway into the protected area, a vehicle blocking position which blocks the roadway so as to inhibit an undesired vehicle from readily entering into the protected area, and a vehicle arresting position which arrests an undesired vehicle responsive to an attempt by the undesired vehicle to ram said barricade when said barricade is positioned in the vehicle blocking position, said barricade rotating means being connected to a medial portion of said barricade for rotating said barricade 360 degrees in opposing directions about the predetermined axis, the medial portion of the mounting of said barricade being a non-centered medial portion so that said barricade rotatingly rests in the vehicle blocking position, and wherein the connecting of said barricade to said barricade rotating means balances said barricade in at least the vehicle passage and the vehicle blocking positions so as to enhance manual operation of said barricade during rotation of said barricade between the vehicle blocking and vehicle passage positions.

21. A vehicle security gate apparatus for inhibiting undesired access to a protected area, the apparatus comprising:

a barricade including at least a base having an elongate shape and adapted to be positioned adjacent a roadway so that at least portions of the base thereby block vehicle passage along the roadway into an area desired to be protected and vehicle arresting means connected to the base for arresting an undesired vehicle attempting to ram said barricade, the base of said barricade comprising an elongate beam member having a first substantially flat surface and a second surface, said vehicle arresting means of said barricade having a triangular-shaped beam member which includes a pointed tip thereof, said triangular-shaped beam member being connected to the second surface of the elongate beam member and extending outwardly therefrom for arresting the undesired vehicle; and

barricade rotating means connected to a medial portion of the base of said barricade for rotating a portion of the base of said barricade which blocks vehicle passage about a predetermined axis so that the base of said barricade readily rotates 360 degrees in opposing directions about the predetermined axis between a vehicle passage position which allows a desired vehicle to readily pass along the roadway into the protected area, a vehicle blocking position which blocks the roadway so as to inhibit an undesired vehicle from readily entering into the protected area, and a vehicle arresting position which arrests an undesired vehicle responsive to an attempt by the undesired vehicle to ram said barricade when the base of said barricade is positioned in the vehicle blocking position, and wherein the connecting of said barricade to said barricade rotating means balances the base of said barricade in at least the vehicle passage and the vehicle blocking positions so as to enhance operation of said barricade during rotation of the base of said barricade between the vehicle blocking and vehicle passage positions.

22. A vehicle security gate apparatus for inhibiting undesired access to a protected area, the apparatus comprising:

a barricade adapted to be positioned adjacent a roadway to thereby block vehicle passage along the roadway into an area desired to be protected, said barricade including an elongate beam member defining a base, said base having a substantially flat surface and a second surface, and vehicle arresting means connected to and extending outwardly from the second surface of said base for arresting an undesired vehicle attempting entrance into the protected area;

barricade rotating means connected to said barricade for readily rotating a portion of said barricade which blocks vehicle passage 360 degrees in opposing directions about a predetermined axis so that said barricade rotates about the predetermined axis in a first rotational direction between a vehicle blocking position which blocks the roadway so as to inhibit an undesired vehicle from readily entering into the protected area and a different vehicle passage position which allows a desired vehicle to readily pass along the roadway into the protected area and in a second rotational direction between the vehicle blocking position and a different vehicle arresting position which arrests an undesired vehicle with said vehicle arresting means of said barricade responsive to an attempt by the undesired vehicle to ram said barricade when said barricade is positioned in the vehicle blocking position, and

a pit formed in the roadway into the protected area, and wherein said barricade rotating means is mounted to said pit so that at least portions of said elongate beam member readily rotate into and out of said pit, and wherein said pit and said elongate beam member are each at least relatively narrower than the lateral distance between each of the two pairs of tires of a compact vehicle so that each of the two pairs of tires of the compact vehicle can readily pass over said pit and said elongate beam when said barricade is positioned in the vehicle passage position.