Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Description
Access Control Device For Sequential Displacement
Of A Plurality Of Barriers
Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to an improved gated entrance device
permitting
passage in one direction. This invention further relates to an access control
device having
a gate collapsing means for allowing unobstructed traversal of said gated
access control
device in either direction in case of an emergency. This invention further
relates to a
method of traversing a gated entrance device.
Background of Invention
This invention relates to the art of self-closing gates or barriers that
permit
passage in one direction, but not in the other direction.
For example U.S. Patent No. 5,615,520 granted to John D. McGuire provides for
a one-way gate for allowing passage in one direction whose internal mechanical
works
are concealed within an enclosure, those mechanical works including
independent means
to perform three function of, first, biasing the gate to return to a closed
position; second,
limiting the range of motion of the gate between a closed position and a fully
open stop;
and third, providing a damper to retard the motion of the gate.
Some prior art self-closing gates or barriers permit a person to gain passage
through said one-way gate in a direction opposite to said one direction by
displacing said
gate or barrier in said one direction and passing through the resulting
unobstructed
passageway. There is a need therefore for access control devices which prevent
the one-
way gate or barrier from being "tampered" in this way. For example, WO
93/23799
provides for at least one entrance gate, and a system for controlling entrance
through said
entrance gates comprising, first, entrance passageway defined by posts on
which gates are
pivotally mounted; second, a sonar sensor means which functions to detect the
presence
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of people and objects in the vicinity of the passageway and to deliver signals
to a control
means for controlling opening and closing of the gate; wherein said sonar
sensor means
includes at least one sonar which is mounted in or in the vicinity of the
passageway.
The prior art entrance device utilizing sonar is complicated in that said
entrance
device requires, first, a sonar emitting device; second, an electronic unit
for amplifying
sonar pulses; third, a microprocessor for sampling said sonar signals; fourth,
a
microprogram operably associated with said microprocessor for processing said
sonar
signals to a further microprocessor which controls opening and closing of the
gates.
Operation of said prior art entrance device utilizing sonar also requires
configuration of
said microprocessors to store input related to a defined external measuring
area within
which objects are detected by said sonar sensing means.
There is a need therefore for an access control device of simple construction
that
is easy and inexpensive to produce, that can be installed without difficulty,
and which is
easy to operate.
Summary of the Invention
An access control device having at least two barriers to permit passage in one
direction comprising at least one partition member defining a passageway;
first means for
barring passage manually displaceable from a closed position to a open
position; and
second means for barring passage manually displaceable from a closed position
to an
open position; wherein said first and second means for barring passage are
mounted in
sequence on said partition member and wherein said first and second means for
barring
passage are manually displaceable in sequence.
In another aspect of this invention, an access control device to permit
entrance in
one direction is provided, said access control device comprising: (a) at least
one partition
member defining a passageway; (b) means for barring passage mounted on said
partition
member, said first barrier arm assembly comprising, a first barrier arm, and
first barrier
arm rotor means connected to said first barrier arm and rotatably mounted on
said
partition member and adapted for manual rotation of said first barrier arm
between a first
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closed position and second open position; and second barrier arm assembly
mounted on
said partition member and spaced apart from said first barrier arm assembly,
said second
barrier assembly comprising, a second barrier arm; second barrier arm rotor
means
connected to said second barrier arm and rotatably mounted on said partition
member and
adapted for manual rotation of said second barrier arm between a first closed
position and
second open position; and sequential barrier arm rotor releasing means
comprising, a
stopping means comprising, a stopping member presented by said partition
member
adjacent to said second barrier arm rotor means; and stopping arm presented by
said
second barrier arm rotor means and operably associated with said stopping
member,
wherein said stopping means prevents rotation of said second barrier arm rotor
means
from said closed position toward said open position; and releasing means for
displacing
said stopping member, thereby releasing said stopping means when said first
barrier arm
rotor means is rotated from said closed position toward said open position,
and thereby
allowing rotation of said second barrier arm rotor means from said closed
position toward
said open position.
In a further aspect of the invention, one may additionally fmd a collapsing
means
for manually displacing said first and second barrier arms from said closed
position or
open position to achieve a collapsed position wherein said first and second
barrier arms
permit unobstructed passage through said passageway.
In a still further aspect of the invention, a method of traversing an access
control
device having at least a first and second manually operable barrier means
mounted in
sequence on at least one partition member comprising the steps of: manually
displacing
said first barrier arm so as to allow passage past said first barrier arm;
said first barrier
arm releasing a blocking means that prevents displacement of said second
barrier arm,
so as to allow passage past said second barrier arm by having displaced said
first barrier
arm; and manually displacing said second barrier arm so as to exit said access
control
device.
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Brief Description of Drawings
A detailed description of the preferred embodiments are provided herein below,
by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the access control
device with the casing on.
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the access control device shown in Figure 1
with
the casing removed.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of one side of Figure 1 with the casing off.
Figure 4 is a top plan view of the first barrier assembly.
Figure 5 is a top plan view of the first and second barrier assembly in a
closed
position.
Figure 6 is a top plan view of the first and second barrier assembly with the
first
barrier arm in an open position.
Figure 7 is a top plan view of the first, second and third barrier arm
assemblies.
Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the use of the access control device.
Figures 9a, 9b, 9c and 9d are views showing different stages of the second and
third barrier assemblies.
Figure 10 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the invention.
Figure 11 is a top plan view of yet another embodiment of the invention.
Figure 12 is a top plan view of a further embodiment of the invention.
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Figure 13 is a perspective view showing the access control device in a
collapsed
position.
Figure 14 is a partial vertical cross-section of the access control device.
Figure 15 is a partial perspective view of the access control device
illustrating
structure for collapsing the access control device.
Figures 16a and 16b are partial top plan views illustrating roller frames.
Figure 17 is a partial cross-sectional view of the access control device
illustrating
collapsing of the device.
Figure 18 illustrates the access control device with a detecting means.
In the drawings, preferred embodiments of the invention axe illustrated by way
of example. It is expressly understood that the description and the drawings
are only for
the purpose of illustration and as an aid to understanding and are not
intended as a
definition of the limits of the invention.
Best Mode for Carrying Out The Invention
In the description which follows, like parts are marked through the
specification
and the drawings with the same respective reference numerals. The drawings are
not
necessarily to scale, and in some instances proportions may have been
exaggerated in
order to more clearly depict certain features of the invention.
Referring to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a first preferred embodiment of the
access control
device 10 in which there are three means for barring passage which in this
embodiment are pairs
of barrier arms. In this first preferred embodiment of the invention, the
access control device
comprises a first partition member 12 and second partition member 14. Each of
said first and
second partition members 12, 14 further comprises a top member 16 and pair of
means for
supporting said top member or support posts 18 for supporting each of said top
members
16. Each of said first and second partition members 12, 14 further
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comprise a first barrier arm 20, second barrier arm 22 and third barrier arm
24 which
are mounted on said top members 16, in a manner made evident below.
Each of said top members 16 includes a casing 26 for enclosing the mechanism
as shown in the drawings corresponding to each of said first, second and third
barrier
arms 20, 22, 24 and described in detail below.
Each of said support posts 18 further comprises a base 28 for fixing each of
said
partition members 12, 14 to the floor or ground by means of an attachment
means, for
example, a flange 17 associated with said support posts 18, which flange
presents holes
for receiving screws which are secured into the ground or floor. Partition
members 12,
14 are fixed to the floor or ground spaced apart from each other so as to
delimit or define
a passageway, as shown in Fig. 1.
It should be understood that while a pair of support posts 18 are illustrated
herein
as means for supporting top member 16, this invention also contemplates
alternate means
for supporting top member 16, such as one support post for supporting each of
said top
members 16, attaching said top member 16 to a support wall extending all or
substantially
all the length of top member 16, or attaching said top member 16 to an
existing barrier
such as a wall, using an attachment means such as screws or the like.
Each of said first and second partition members 12, 14 present the same
mechanical structure when casing 26 is removed, as best illustrated by Fig. 2,
which
presents a top view of top member 16 of each of said first and second
partition members
12, 14 with casing 26 removed.
Now referring to Fig. 3, the various structural elements of each of said first
and
second partition members 12, 14 are illustrated. More specifically Fig. 3
shows the
complete third barrier arm assembly 36 including the rotor post reinforcing
bracket 43,
while the second barrier arm assembly 34 has the rotor post reinforcing
bracket 43
removed, and the first rotor arm assembly 32, drawn with phantom lines to
better
illustrate the first rotor post 37. Top member 16 presents main base plate 30,
first
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barrier arm assembly 32, second barrier assembly 34 and third barrier arm
assembly 36.
Main base plate 30 presents first, second and third rotor posts 37, 38 and 39.
Now referring to Fig. 4, the structure of said first barrier arm assembly 32
is
represented, which structure is also representative of said second and third
barrier arm
assemblies 34, 36, and also of the arm assemblies which are part of the
various
embodiments of the invention described below. Figs. 4 and 7 show rotor post
reinforcing
bracket 43 in partial cut away view.
Said first barrier arm assembly 32 comprises said first barrier arm 20 which
is connected
to first barrier arm pivot or rotor. Said first barrier arm pivot or rotor
comprises a rotor bottom
plate 42 (see Fig. 9a) spaced from a rotor top plate 48 (see Fig. 7). A rotor
bearing tube 44 is
disposed between the rotor bottom plate 42 and rotor top plate 48 and receives
and rotationally
engages rotor bearing 46. Said rotor bottom plate 42 and rotor bearing 46 are
received by said
rotor post 37 thereby permitting manual rotation of barrier arm 20 about said
rotor post 37. The
first, second and third barrier arm assemblies 32, 34 and 36 also present side
covers 31, 33 and
35.
As best shown in Fig. 3, each of said first, second and third barrier arm
assemblies 32, 34, 36 further includes a rotor post reinforcing bracket 43
which is placed
on top of barrier arm assemblies 32, 34, 36 so as to prevent them from being
removed
from said rotor posts 37, 38, 39 while permitting rotatable displacement of
said rotor
bottom plate 42 (as shown in Fig. 3). Said main base plate 30 further presents
main
support tube 49. Main support tube 49 presents fastening holes 50a, SOb which
communicate with corresponding holes presented by said rotor post reinforcing
bracket
43, whereby said rotor post reinforcing bracket 43 is secured to said main
support tube
49 using fastening means such as nuts and bolts, or the like. The rotor post
reinforcing
bracket 43 reinforces the rotor post in that it restricts deflection of the
barrier arm
assemblies 32, 34 and 36 when for example someone hangs from the barrier arms
20,
22 and 24.
In accordance with the above, said first barrier arm assembly 32 permits
manual
displacement of said first barrier arm 20 from a first closed position to a
second open
position. Referring to first barrier assembly 32, as illustrated in Fig. 5,
barrier arm 20
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is shown in said first closed position. Now referring to first barrier arm
assembly 32,
as illustrated in Fig. 6, barrier arm 20 is shown in said second open
position.
Now referring to Fig. 5, one provides means for resisting or inhibiting
movement
of said barrier arm 20 in a direction other than said one direction (said one
direction
being direction "A") when said barner arm 20 is in said closed position. In
the
embodiments of the present invention described herein, said means for
inhibiting
movement is presented by a base plate stop 52 which is presented by said main
base plate
30a and further by rotor stop block 54 which is presented by rotor bottom
plate 42. As
best shown in Fig. 5, said base plate stop 52 comes into contact with rotor
stop block 54
when an attempt is made to rotate said barrier arm 20 in a direction opposite
to said
direction A (direction B) when said barrier arm 20 is in said first closed
position.
As illustrated in Fig. 7, the various embodiments of the invention described
herein
also provide for a biasing means 41 for said barrier arms 20, 22, 24 to be
biased toward
said first closed position. Said biasing means 41 prevents passage through
said access
control device 10 in said direction B by ensuring that once a person has
passed through
said entrance device in direction A, said barrier arms 20, 22, 24 return to
said closed
position to obstruct passage through said access control device 10. In the
embodiments
of the invention described herein, said biasing means 41 is presented by a
rotor return
spring 56 which is preferably operably associated with each of said barrier
arm
assemblies 32, 34, 36. Said rotor return spring 56 is mounted between a spring
pin 58
presented by said rotor top plate 48, and spring post 60 presented by said
main support
tube 49.
In order to prevent said barrier arm assemblies 32, 34, 36 to return from said
second open position to said first open position with great force in
combination with said
rotor return spring 56, and thereby possibly causing injury to person
traversing said
access control device 10 soon after another person, it is desirable to
associate some form
of dampening means with said barrier arm assemblies 32, 34, 36. As best shown
in Fig.
7, in the embodiments of the invention described herein, said dampening means
is
presented by a dampening cylinder 62 which is also operably associated
preferably with
each of said barrier arm assemblies 32, 34, 36. Said dampening cylinder 62 is
mounted
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to said main support tube 49 and operably connected with said rotor top plate
48, again
as illustrated in Fig. 7.
Fig. 8 illustrates said access control device 10 in operation by reference to
the first
embodiment of the invention disclosed herein, and shows the passage of a
person between said
first and second partition members 12, 14. The acess control device 10
described herein restricts
passage therethrough into passage in said one direction only by operation of a
means for releasing
barier arm rotors sequentially or means for releasing barriers sequentially.
Said sequential
releasing means presents means for permitting displacement of second barrier
arm 22 only once
said first barrier arm 20 has been previously displaced; and of the third
barrier arm 24, in turn,
only once said second barrier arm 22 has been previously displaced.
Said mans for releasing barrier arm rotors sequentially or, said sequential
releasing
means can either be provided mechanically or electronically.
Again in reference to Fig. 7, preferred embodiment of said sequential
releasing
means is illustrated which more particularly operates as follows. When said
first barrier
arm 20 is displaced, said second barrier arm 22 is thereby mechanically
released by way
of said sequential releasing means, so long as said first barrier arm 20 has
not yet
returned to said first closed position. Similarly, manual displacement of said
second
barrier arm 22 in turn releases said third barrier arm 24 thereby permitting
said third
barrier arm 24 to be opened, but only so long as said second barrier arm 22
has not yet
returned to said first closed position.
The biasing means 41 and dampening cylinder 62 may be adjusted in a manner
well-
known to those skilled in the art, in order to provide for return of said
first and second
barrier arms 20, 22 to said first closed position more slowly than it would
take such
person to make its way from one barrier arm to the next barrier arm so as to
minimize
the chance of the first and second barrier arm 20, 22 returning to the first
closed position
too quickly and before the next barrier arm can be manually displaced.
Moreover, the
length of the arms 20, 22 and 24 tend to contact a user and then swing to the
closed
position once the user has passed through the appropriate position.
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Now referring to Fig. 9a, a preferred embodiment of a first mechanical
sequential
releasing means 64 is illustrated, which in this figure is operably associated
with said first
and second barrier arm assemblies 32, 34. Said first sequential releasing
means 64
comprises a rotor release rod 66, pivot cam arm 68, pivot bushing 70, and
pivot stop bar
72.
Said rotor release rod 66 is pivotably or rotatably connected to said first
rotor
bottom plate 42a by means of rotor release stud 74 presented by the top of
said first rotor
bottom plate 42a and rotor bushing 76. Connected to said rotor release rod 66
at the end
of said rotor release rod 66 opposite to said rotor release stud bushing 76 is
a rotor
release block 78.
Said main base plate 30 further presents a pivot assembly post 80. Said pivot
cam arm
68 and pivot stop bar 72 are rotatably mounted on said pivot assembly post 80
by means of said
pivot bushing 70, whereby said pivot stop bar 72 can be rotated from a first
blocking position in
which said pivot stop bar 72 blocks said rotor stop block 54, thereby
preventing rotation of said
second barrier arm 22 from said first closed position to said second open
position; to a second
releasing position wherein said rotor stop block 54 is released thereby
permitting manual
displacement of said second rotor bottom plate 42b. Said rotor stop block 54
and pivot sto bar
72 constitute the stopping member of the present invention.
In operation, as best shown in Fig. 9b, when said first barrier arm 20 is
manually
displaced, said rotor bottom plate 42a is rotated, and thereby said rotor
release rod 66
is displaced atop said main base plate 30 toward said first barrier arm
assembly 32. Said
displacement of said rotor release rod 66 causes said rotor release block 78
to displace
said pivot cam arm 68 thereby causing pivot stop bar 72 to rotate away from
said second
rotor bottom plate 42b. Rotor stop block 54 is consequently released, thereby
permitting
said second barrier arm 22 to be manually displaced from said first closed
position to said
second open position.
A pivot assembly return spring 71 biases said pivot stop bar 72 toward said
first
blocking position. Consequently, when said first rotor bottom plate 42a
returns to said
first closed position by means of said rotor return spring 56 and dampening
means 62,
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said pivot stop bar 72 again blocks said rotor stop block 54, thereby
preventing rotation of said
second rotor bottom plate 42b from said first closed position to said second
open position. Said
rotor bushing 76, the rotor release rod 66, pivot cam arm 68, rotor release
block 78, and return
spring 71 constitute the releasing member of the present invention.
Said third barrier arm assembly presents a second releasing means 77 identical
to said first
sequential releasing means 64 for releasing said third barrier arm 24 when
said second barrier arm
22 is manually displaced, as best shown in Fig. 9c, 9d.
Also as best shown in Fig. 9a, said first barrier arm assembly 32 may also be
provided
with a first rotor blocking means 79 or lock for preventing said first means
for barring passage
from being manually displaced for preventing said first rotor bottom plate 42a
from being rotated
from said first closed position to said first open position. Said first rotor
blocking means 79 is
presented by a first barrier stop bar 81 which is mounted on said main base
plate 30 by means
of a first barrier post 82, along with first barrier bushing 84 to provide for
rotatable displacement
of said first barrier stop bar 81 from a first blocking position in which said
first barrier stop bar
81 blocks said rotor stop block 54, thereby preventing rotation of said first
barrier arm 20 from
said first closed position to said second open position; to a second releasing
position wherein said
rotor stop block 54 is released thereby permitting manual displacement of said
first rotor bottom
plate 42a.
Further associated with said first barrier stop bar 81 is a rotating arm 85.
Said
rotatable displacement of said first barrier stop bar 81 can be obtained by
providing
various means for releasing said rock or engaging said first rotor blocking
means 85,
such as a turn-key release, or solenoid combined with an access card reader or
remote
activation, connection to fire alarm systems, proximity sensors or similar
devices.
In a second preferred embodiment of the access control device described
herein,
each of said first and second partition members comprises two barrier arm
assemblies 32,
34 comprising the constituent elements described above, as shown in Fig. 10.
In a third preferred embodiment of the acres control device described herein,
said
acres control device comprises only one partition member having two barrier
arm
assemblies 32, 34 wherein a passageway is defined by said partition member,
and an
external barrier such as a wall or barrier, or handrail mounted on a wall, as
shown in
Fig. 11.
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In a fourth preferred embodiment of the access control device described
herein,
said access control device also comprises only one partition member, but said
partition
member presents three barrier arm assemblies, as illustrated in Fig. 12.
In a fifth preferred embodiment of the entrance device described herein, said
access control device is provided with barner arm configurations of either of
said first,
second, third or fourth embodiments of the invention described herein, and an
electronic
sequential releasing means rather than the mechanical sequential releasing
means
described above. Said electronic sequential releasing means consists of a
solenoid
operably associated with said second barrier stop bar 72, and sensing means
for sensing
when said first barrier arm is displaced from said first closed position to
achieve said
second open position, wherein said sensor is activated when said first barrier
arm 20 is
displaced from said first closed position to achieve said second position so
as to engage
said pivot stop bar 72 thereby permitting manual displacement of said second
rotor
bottom plate 42b, as described above. Said sensing means may be provided, for
example, by a photo electric beam. Any subsequent barrier arm assemblies, if
any, are
similarly provided with a sensing means and solenoid.
In a modification to the fifth preferred embodiment sensing means such as a
photo
electric beam or the like could be placed in advance of any barrier arm 20,
22, 24 to
indicate the presence of a person attempting to traverse the access control
device in the
desired direction "A" , whereupon the signal from the beam would activate the
solenoid
operably associated with the barrier arm to which the person is attempting to
traverse.
In a sixth preferred embodiment of the invention described herein, said access
control device is further provided with a pivot member or collapsing means for
displacing
said barrier arms 20, 22, 24 presented by either of said first, second, third
or fourth
preferred embodiments of the invention described above, from said first closed
position
or second open position to achieve a third collapsed position wherein said
barrier arms
permit unobstructed passage through said passageway. Fig. 13 illustrates the
collapsed
position. The entrance device could be collapsed in the event of an emergency
so as to
prevent unobstructed passage through the device in both directions in the
event of a fire
or the like.
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As best shown in Fig. 14, the preferred embodiment of said collapsing means is
provided
by a hinge means 86, pivot lock or displaceable locking means 88, wherein said
hinge means 86
is presented by a pivot shaft 87 around which said top member 16 may be
pivoted.
In the preferred embodiment of said collapsing means described herein, said
hinge
means 86 is presented by each of said support posts 18, however said hinge
means 86
could be easily adapted to be presented by a single support post or alternate
means for
supporting top member 16 such as a support wall by fixing said hinge means 86
to the
top of such a support wall using a flange and screws, for example.
As illustrated in Fig. 15, said top member 16 and support posts 18 present
said
displaceable locking means 88 by providing a collapsing ramp 92 secured to
post 18.
The collapsing ramp 92 communicates with bottom opening 95 of said main base
plate
30. Said collapsing ramp 92 comprises a ramp edge 94 and locking notch 96.
Said top
member 16 provides a pivot release member or break away roller 98 which is
biased to
engage said locking notch 96 and thereby hold said hinge means 86 in place.
Now referring to Fig. 16a, the structure providing said displaceable locking
means
88 comprises a roller frame 97a and 97b corresponding to each of said
collapsing ramps
92 presented by said access control device 10, depending on the means used to
support
said top member 16, as provided above. As best shown in Fig. 15, said roller
frame 97a
and 97b each define an opening 99 for receiving a shaft about which break away
roller
98 rotates within said roller frame 97a and 97b.
Again referring to Fig. 16a, each of said roller frames 97a and 97b are
interconnected by means of a pair of rods 100, 102. Top member 16 is also
provided
with a collapsing means release handle 104 which is connected to the adjacent
roller
frame 97a and 97b for engaging said rods 100, 102 to consequently displace
said roller
frames 97, using for example a hinged handle in combination with a clevis 101
for
displacing said rods 100, 102.
Top member 16 also provides two spring mechanisms 106 opposite to said
collapsing means release handle 104 corresponding to each of said pair of rods
100, 102.
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Said spring mechanisms 106 present means for biasing said roller frames 97,
and
consequently said break away rollers 98, toward said breakaway ramp 92.
Referring to Figs. 15 and 14a, said barrier arms obstruct traversal through
said
passageway as said break away roller 98 engage said locking notch 96, thereby
preventing said top member 16 from being pivoted to achieve said collapsed
position.
As best shown in Fig. 16b, in operation, when said collapsing means release
handle 104 is engaged, said rods 100, 102 cause said roller frames 97a and 97b
to be
displaced, thereby removing said break away rollers 98 from said locking
notches 96,
thereby permitting top member 16 from being pivoted about hinge means 86 to
achieved
said collapsed position. The roller frames 97a and 97b generally move in
unison with
one another to remove the break away rollers 98 from the locking notches 96.
However,
the frames 97a and 97b can move independently of one another since rod 102 is
welded
to frame 97b but traverses through frame 97a (frame 97a has two holes
permitting rod
102 to move freely of frame 97a). In other words, by pulling handle 104 then
97b is
moved by rod 100 while frame 97a is moved by rod 100; but a self adjustment
means
(i.e. locking nuts 103) are provided to allow adjustment so that both frame
97a and 97b
move appropriately in unison.
In order to return top member 16 to said first position wherein said barrier
arms
20, 22, 24 obstruct traversal through said passageway, said top member 16 is
pivoted in
direction C, as shown in Fig. 17. As said break away rollers 98 are biased
toward said
collapsing ramp 92, said break away rollers 98 travel up ramp edge 94 to
locate said
locking notches 96 when said top member 16 has been pivoted in direction C so
as to
permit communication between said locking notches 96 and break away rollers
98,
thereby locking said top member 16 in place, as described above.
Other means can be provided to permit the barrier arm to swing out of operable
position in the event of an emergency. For example, the barrier arms 20, 22
and 24 may
be releasably secured to the upper and lower rotor plates 48 and 42 for
rotation as
described. In the event of an emergency the handle 104 could be pulled so as
to release
the arms 20, 22 and 24 for free pivotal movement with respect to the plates 42
and 48.
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In other words, the arms 20, 22 and 24 could freely horizontally swing in
either direction
A or B by manually pushing same. In this case, the handle 104 would release a
pin so
as to disengage the arms 20, 22 and 24 from plates 42 and 48.
An advantage of the present invention over turnstile-type access control
devices
is that the access control device disclosed herein can be negotiated by
persons using a
wheelchair, in which case said barrier arms are generally displaced by the
shoulders of
a person of average height, or by a person pushing a shopping cart or
stroller. Separate
entrances are required in these circumstances where an ordinary turnstile-type
access
control is used. Furthermore, the device may also be used in airports where
individuals
usually hold luggage in their arms. By utilizing the device herein there would
be no need
to lift the luggage over the device but rather to just walk through with the
luggage
dangling from the arms.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention described herein refer to use
of barrier arms as means of obstructing passage through said passageway, it
should also
be understood that alternate means for obstructing passage through said access
control
devices could be used such as a series of U-shaped gate assemblies, paddles or
the like.
Also, the preferred embodiments of the invention described herein, provide for
each of said partition member to have two or three barrier arms. However, it
is also
possible to provide for four, five or more barrier arms if need be.
Also, in order to achieve the benefits of the invention, said barrier arms
should
be spaced apart along said partition members at a distance that is sufficient
to make it
difficult for a person seeking passage through said entrance control device in
said
direction B by displacing the first barrier arm, and then subsequent barrier
arms
sequentially to gain passage through said last pair of barrier arms.
Said top member can be further provided with a detecting means operably
associated with at least one of said barrier arms for sensing when said
barrier arms are
displaced from said first closed position to said second open position, and
providing
signals to a microprocessor for generating data related to the traffic passing
through said
CA 02267394 2002-O1-23
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access control device, or to a security monitor or camera or other device
which monitors
traffic activity. As shown in Fig. 18, said detecting means may be provided,
for
example, by an ordinary solenoid switch 110, having a solenoid connection arm
112.
Said solenoid switch 110 is operably associated with said rotor bottom plate
42. Said
solenoid switch comprises a spring means (not shown) which biases said
solenoid
connection arm toward said rotor bottom plate 42. Said solenoid switch is
easily adjusted
to provide an electronic signal when said rotor bottom plate 42 is rotated, as
described
above, thereby engaging said solenoid connection arm 112. A counting means can
then
be operably associated with said detecting means for tracking traffic flowing
through said
access control device.
It will be understood from the above description, that if a person attempts to
traverse the preferred embodiments of said access control device presenting
said
mechanical sequential releasing means and it takes more time than was
anticipated for
such person to traverse said embodiment of the access control device when
adjusting said
biasing means and dampening cylinder, then it is possible that such person may
be
trapped between two sets of barrier means, if the previous barrier means has
returned to
said first closed position before the next barrier means is manually
displaced. While it
would be relatively simple to displace the previous barrier means to release
the next
barrier means, some persons traversing said access control device may not
realize this
fact, or perhaps may not be able to do so due to physical impediment, for
example. To
address this eventuality, said access control device may be easily equipped
with an alarm
means comprising, for example, a timer in combination with a solenoid switch
which
provide an alarm signal if a person has traversed, for example, said first
barrier means,
and a certain period of time has elapsed and said second barrier means has not
yet been
manually displaced. Said alarm signal could result in a siren being sounded,
for
example, either in the immediate vicinity of said access control device or at
an
administrative office, for example.
The working components of said access control device are readily available and
can be assembled in a manner well-known to those skilled in the art. Said main
base
plate 30, support posts and casing 26 may be fashioned from sheet metal, but
may also
comprise some other rigid material such as a rigid plastic polymer or wood.
CA 02267394 1999-03-26
-17-
Various embodiments of the invention have now been described in detail. Since
changes in and/or additions to the above-described best mode may be made
without
departing from the nature, spirit or scope of the invention, the invention is
not to be
limited to said details. Specifically, suggested components assembled in
suggested
mechanical relationships have been described herein to obtain the benefits of
the
invention, however, it should be understood that various different components
and
alternate modes of assembly may be used to achieve the benefits of the same
invention
without diverging from the invention disclosed herein.
