IE53403B1

IE53403B1 - A security upright

Info

Publication number: IE53403B1
Application number: IE192382A
Authority: IE
Original assignee: Gray Securities
Priority date: 1982-08-10
Filing date: 1982-08-10
Publication date: 1988-11-09
Also published as: GB2125084A; GB2125084B; IE821923L; GB8321408D0

Abstract

A security upright 1 comprises a male post 2 and a ground engaging female socket 3, with a locking mechanism for engagement between them provided by a tumbler lock 5, carried on a post 2 and operated through keyhole 10, and a keeper 15 provided in the socket 3 below ground level to receive the bolt which projects through slot 11. Solid bar 16 prevents the keeper 15 being damaged or tampered with from above: bar 17 projects through the socket to provide a stop for the post, and where it projects outside the socket, an anchorage; further anchorage is provided by bottom plates 18.

Description

The present invention relates to a construction of security upright and to security barriers. Generally speaking known security uprights comprise a male post and a female engaging socket adapted for reception of the post: usually the socket is buried in the ground. There is usually some form of locking means between the post and the socket for connecting the two together. One typical arrangement is to provide a hinged cover on the socket which hinged cover essentially provides a keeper for a latch on the post, a separate padlock being used to secure them together. The major problem with this is that the padlock is exposed and therefore can be easily tampered with. Such security barriers are commonly used for obstructing the movement of vehicles and, when removed, permit the vehicle or vehicles to move without obstruction.

The present invention is directed towards overcoming this problem.

According to the invention there is provided a security upright comprising a male post and a female groundengaging socket for reception of the post and a locking -3mechanism, having an actuator and a locking member for engagement between the post and the socket, the arrangement being such that, with the post in the socket the actuator is accessible from the post and the locking member is housed within the socket so as to be disposed below ground, the locking mechanism being a key-operated mortise lock accessible through a keyhole in the post and having a latch bolt which, when operative, projects into a receiver, in the socket, for reception of the bolt.

Further, the invention provides a barrier having a plurality of these security uprights.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a post and socket forming security upright according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a side view illustrating the socket set in the ground; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional side view of the upper part of the socket Fig. 2; -4Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a cap of the socket; Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective view illustrating a locking mechanism provided in a lower portion of the upright; Fig. 6 is a part-sectional side view showing the security upright mounted in the ground by its socket; Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view taken as indicated by the line VII-VII of Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is a front view illustrating an alternative construction of the security upright of the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 7, these figures illustrate a security upright, indicated generally by the reference numeral 1, comprising a male post 2 and a ground-engaging female socket 3. Generally speaking in use the socket 3 is set in the ground and the post 2 can be inserted into and taken out of the socket 3 as required. The post 2 is essentially a square sectioned tube having a removable cap 4. As illustrated in detail in Fig. 5, mounted in the post 2 is a locking mechanism comprising a conventional mortise tumbler lock 5, having a latch bolt 6, mounted -5within an extruded section 7 by bolts 8. It will be noted that there is a cutout in the extruded section 7 to allow access to a key hole 9. The section 7 is mounted in the male upright 2 by any suitable means such as rivets (not shown) and it will be noted that the male post 2 is provided with a key hole 10 corresponding to the key hole 9 and that it is also provided with a slot 11 through which the latch bolt 6 can project as illustrated in Fig. 1. The mounting of the extruded section 7 within the male post 2 can be seen from Figs. 6 and 7.

The socket 3 is of square sectioned tubing and is provided with a receiver 15 for reception of the latch bolt 6. A solid bar 16 is mounted above the receiver 15 to prevent it being damaged or tampered with from above.

An interior stop is provided by a bar 17. This ensures that the post 2 is inserted the correct depth into the socket 3. The bar 17, where it projects outside the socket 3, provides anchorage for the socket 3. Further anchorage is provided by bottom plates 18.

Fig. 4 illustrates a cap 20, having a central lifting hole 21, for the socket 3. The cap 20 may also be provided with a locking mechanism which, for example, could be a conventional tumbler lock similar to the tumbler lock 5. This would have the added advantage of ensuring that the socket 3 cannot be tampered with when not occupied by the -6post 2.

In use, the cap 20 is removed and the post 2 is placed in the socket 3 and the lock 5 is operated to cause the latch bolt 6 to enter the receiver 15. This can be seen from Fig. 6.

It will be appreciated that it is almost impossible to tamper with the lock. This is a much more secure fixing of a security upright than with the more conventional construction.

As will be understood from the above description, the upright uses a conventional look and the arrangement is such that when the post is in position in the socket, the actuator is accessible from the post and the locking member is housed within the socket below ground.

Fig. 8 illustrates a construction of security barrier, indicated generally by the reference numeral 30, having three posts, namely a pair of outer posts 31 are of essentially the same construction as the post 2 described above, while the intermediate post 32 does not incorporate any locking member. The barrier, illustrated in Fig. 8, may be placed in position in the same way as the post described with reference to Figs. 1 to 7 or alternatively may be mounted on some form of overhead pulley or may be incorporated in a gate which can be lowered into the -7ground for locking while being kept in the raised position for normal use.

When the security barrier according to the invention is mounted across an opening in a structure such, for example, as' a perimeter wall, a building entrance, or other security fencing, it is preferable that the security barrier be so arranged that the posts 31 are placed further apart than the opening thus preventing any possibility of the security barrier 30 being pushed inwards and down through the opening to allow an unauthorised person to gain access.

It will be appreciated that a barrier or security upright according to the present invention can be used in many places such as, though not exclusively, car parks, houses, entrances to all forms of buildings, garage forecourts and the like. It will be appreciated that the main advantage of the present invention over constructions heretofore used is that it allows locking to be carried out without any possibility of the lock being tampered with by third parties. 3 4 0 3

Claims

1. A security upright comprising a male post and a female ground engaging socket for reception of the post and a locking mechanism, having an actuator and a locking 5 member for engagement between the post and the socket, the arrangement being such that with the post in the socket, the actuator is accessible from the post and the locking member is housed within the socket so as to be disposed below ground, the locking mechanism being a key-operated 10 mortise lock accessible through a keyhole in the post and having a latch bolt which, when operative, projects into a receiver, in the socket, for reception of the bolt.

2. A security upright as claimed in claim 1 in which the receiver projects laterally from the socket. 15 3. A security upright as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which an additional plate is mounted above the receiver. 4. A security upright as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the socket includes laterally projecting 20 anchorage means for securing the socket in the ground.

3. 5. A security upright as claimed in any preceding claim in which an interior stop is provided in the socket for defining a depth of insertion of the post into the 5 3 4 0 3 -9socket.

4. 6. A security upright as claimed in any preceding claim in which a separate cap is provided for the socket.

5. 7. A security upright as claimed in claim 6 in 5 which the cap has a locking mechanism for engagement with the socket.

6. 8. A security upright substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings. 109. A security barrier including a security upright as claimed in any preceding claim.

7. 10. · A security barrier as claimed in claim 9 for mounting across an entrance in a structure having at least two outermost security uprights each of which are placed 15 laterally of the opening.

8. 11. A security barrier substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Fig, 8 of the accompanying drawings.