BARRIER

• US 20170159338A1
• Filed: 06/05/2015
• Published: 06/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A-Fax Limited
• Original Assignee: A-Fax Limited
• Inventors: SMITH, Luke
• Granted Patent: US 10,458,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/11 for industrial buildings
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 11/00 Means for allowing passage through fences, barriers or the like, e.g. stiles general features of doors E06B1/00 - E06B9/00; cattle grids A01K3/002; features peculiar to electrified wire fencing A01K3/005
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 11/02 Gates; Doors
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 11/022 characterised by the manner of movement
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 11/025 vertically

Abstract

There is provided a barrier and a method of opening and closing a barrier. The barrier including a first arm moveable about a first support, a second arm moveable about a second support and at least one coupling. The first and second supports are spaced across an opening and the barrier is arranged between an open and closed position, such that in the closed position, the arms are arranged in combination to traverse the opening. The barrier is further arranged in a locked position, such that the coupling is slidably coupled to the first and second arms. The barrier improves the safety of loading bay areas in order to allow the efficient transfer of goods on freight transportation vehicles.

Claims

1. A barrier comprising:

A first support;

A second support;

a first arm moveable about the first support;

a second arm moveable about the second support; and

at least one coupling mounted to one of the first or second arm and arranged to slide relative to said arm;

wherein the first and second supports are spaced across an opening and the barrier is arranged between an open position and a closed position, such that in the closed position, the arms are arranged in combination to traverse the opening; and

when in the closed position the coupling is arranged to slide relative to the arms from a first position wherein the coupling is mounted on one of the arms to a second position wherein the coupling is mounted on both arms.

2. The barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling is hollow and is disposed on the outside of the arms.

3. The barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arms comprise at least one hollow section to accommodate the coupling, wherein the coupling is disposed on the inside of the arms.

4. The barrier as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a first retaining means arranged to impede movement of each coupling when arranged in the second position.

5. The barrier as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second retaining means arranged to impede movement of each coupling when arranged in the first position.

6. The barrier as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one retaining means is located on each coupling.

7. The barrier as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first and second retaining means are located on the same arm.

8. The barrier as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first and second retaining means are located on different arms.

9. The barrier as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one retaining means is a projection.

10. The barrier as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a counterweight arranged on the first and second arm such that the counterweight is outside the opening when arranged in the closed position.

11. A method of opening and closing a barrier comprising the steps of:

moving a first arm about a first support from an open position;

moving a second arm about a second support from an open position;

moving the first and second arms into a closed position by arranging the arms in combination to traverse an opening, wherein the opening is spaced across the supports;

sliding at least one coupling from a first position mounted on one arm to a second position wherein the coupling is mounted on both arms.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising the step of impeding the coupling against a first retaining means.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising the step of retracting the coupling towards and abutting a second retaining means when moving from the second position to the first position.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein each coupling is retained by one arm when the barrier moves to and from an open position and closed position.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein a counterweight is arranged on the first arm to assist the movement of the first and second arms.