Post arrangement

Abstract

 A motor 84 is actuated to cause an arm 86 to move in a clockwise direction. This movement causes a bush 94 of the link 90 to move in an upwards direction, to the right. Rotation of the motor is continued until the position shown in Figure 10 is reached. The motor maintains the post in the raised position. Should the post be rammed a support member 34 will be raised and latched in position. A pin 100 is fractured and sacrificed when the pin is rammed as a result of shock loading to a bush 94.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a post arrangement and to a method of operating a post arrangement.

[0002] A known post arrangement will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: -

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a known post arrangement,

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line III-III of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a side view showing the post 10 in the upright position,

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 after the post has been rammed in a particular direction,

Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of the upper part of an alternative known post, and

Figures 7 and 8 are schematic side sectional views showing alternative embodiments for locking the known post in the upright position.

[0003] As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 the post 10 is mounted in a housing 12 with the post 10 and the housing 12 being arranged to be flush with the ground 14.

[0004] The housing 12 includes a peripheral flange 16 with the flange being recessed as shown at 18 to accommodate the post. The housing 12 includes an elongate well 20 in which part of the post 10 and the remainder of the components are located. If desired, the housing can be secured to the ground by passing bolts through the lower wall of the well 20.

[0005] The post is connected to the housing by a pivot 22. In order to raise the post to the position shown in Figure 4 an opening in the top of the post (when viewed in Figure 1) provides a handle 24 remote from the pivot 22. By pulling the handle upwardly the post rotates about the pivot 22 until the post reaches the position shown in Figure 4. In that position further anticlockwise movement of the post 10 about the pivot 22 is resisted by abutment of the post 10 with a support member, as described in more detail below. Return of the post 10 in a clockwise direction about the pivot 22 from the position shown in Figure 4 can be prevented by passing the hasp of a padlock through an opening 28 formed in a flange 30 of the post and a strut 32. The strut 32 is connected to the support member 34 at a pivot 36. The other end of the strut 32 is connected to a bar 38 that, in the absence of the padlock, is able to slide along an elongate slot 40 formed in the flange 30. That sliding movement occurs when the post is raised to the position shown in Figure 4. Although not shown in the drawings two parallel flanges 30 are provided each of which has a slot 40 and the bar 38 extends through both of those slots. In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the strut 32 is pivotally connected to one or both of the flanges 30 and is able to slide in a slot formed in the support member 34. In that instance the lock for the strut 32 can be provided by a yale lock mounted on the support member 34.

[0006] If the post 10 is hit by a car in the direction indicated by arrow 42 in Figure 4 then the post moves to the position shown in Figure 5 and the support member 34 will raise the front wheels of the vehicle off the ground. When the post 10 is hit the flat wall 44 of the post that connects the two flanges 30 of the post abuts the end wall 46 (shown in Figure 3) of the support member 34 to exert an anticlockwise moment on the support member 34 about the pivot 22. Once the force exerted on the support member 34 is sufficient to cause a locking plate 48 to bend or flex over a notch 50 protruding into the well 20 from the housing the support member 34 is then able to move in an anticlockwise direction about the pivot 22. The strut 32 may assist in exerting the moment on the support member 34. Alternatively or additionally the strut 32 may exert some or the whole of the moment on the support member 34.

[0007] As the post 10 and the support member 34 move in an anticlockwise direction a lever 52 that is connected to the support member 34 at a pivot 54 is caused to move, at the pivot, upwardly and to the left when viewed in Figure 5. The lower end of the lever 52 drags along the base of the well 20 and passes over a series of three notches 56 extending upwardly from the base of the well. When the weight of the vehicle is taken by the support member 34 at its upper end remote from the pivot 22 a substantial force is exerted on the member 34 to urge it in a clockwise direction about the pivot 22. As the support member 34 is moved downwardly from the position shown in Figure 5 an angled plate 58 at the lower end of the strut 52 slides towards and abuts the notches 56 to prevent further downwards movement of the support member 34. Thus the car that has rammed the post is retained at the post as it has had its wheels raised off the ground and the post maintains the function of preventing the vehicle from passing it. In order to reactivate the post the vehicle has to be raised and removed from the lifting portion. When a vehicle is removed significant further anticlockwise movement of the post 10 about the pivot 22 is resisted by abutment of the wall 44 of the post with the edge 26 of the housing that leads from the flange 16 into the well 20.

[0008] Figure 6 shows an alternative configuration for the top of the post 10. In this embodiment a cross bar 64 is welded to the top of the post 10. The cross bar is of a generally U cross-section, for strength and includes rounded ends 66. The wide post enables greater visibility of the post and ensures that a car will impact on the post to cause the support member 34 to be raised.

[0009] It will be appreciated that the shape of the well 20 will have to be modified to accommodate the cross bar 64. The end of the support member 34 remote from its pivot 36 also includes a cross bar corresponding to the profile of the cross bar 64 that normally sits within the well. When the post is impacted the cross bar of the support member will be raised. The increased width of the cross bar compared to that of the support member will ensure that the underside of a vehicle will be contacted at a lifting place of the vehicle and will reduce the risk of the support member without that bar unfortunately being lifted into a gap in the underside of the vehicle thereby failing to lift the vehicle either at all or sufficiently.

[0010] The locking plate 48, if it is damaged upon the post being rammed, can be removed by detaching the nut and bolt 60 and replaced by a new plate 48. Alternatively, if the plate 48 is merely flexed upon disengagement then the nut and bolt can be slackened, the plate 48 and the nut and bolt can be slid rearwardly in a slot 62 provided in the support member before the plate 48 is slid forward again to be located beneath the lug 50. The nut and bolt 60 are then tightened to again retain the locking plate in position.

[0011] The post 10 can be locked in the position shown in Figures 1 to 3 by having a lock extending from the post 10 to a cooperating portion of the support member 34.

[0012] Alternative methods for locking the post in the upright position are shown in Figures 7 and 8.

[0013] In Figure 7 the bar 38 includes a downwardly extending plate 68. That plate overlaps and obscures an internally threaded cylinder 70 that is welded to the post. A bolt 72 can be passed through an opening in the plate 68 and screwed into the threaded cylinder 70 to clamp the two parts together.

[0014] In Figure 8 two internally threaded cylinders are provided with the upper cylinder 74 being welded to the post and the lower cylinder 76 being welded to the plate 68. When the post is in the upright position a bolt 78 is screwed upwardly through the aligned cylinders to hold the parts together.

[0015] The bolts 72 and 78 are security bolts that require a specially modified head of a tool in order to engage and turn the bolts satisfactorily.

[0016] In a further alternative embodiment (not shown) two posts can be mounted in a single base with each of the posts being raisable towards each other to the position shown in Figure 4 with the flat walls 44 facing each other. In that position the posts may be spaced from each other to allow for each post to be able to take up the configuration shown in Figure 5 without the posts abutting each other. In this way the post arrangement is able to resist ramming in both directions.

[0017] With the known trailer it is necessary to raise the post, and to lower the post by hand by lifting and lowering the post 10. This can be inconvenient. Furthermore, considerable effort is required on behalf of the operator.

[0018] With such a known post it is necessary for an operator to manually lift and lower the post. The most may be heavy and thus it may be difficult for an operator to achieve this. Furthermore the operator has to be in the region of the post in order to raise and lower the post which is time consuming for the operator and may require the operator to be in an exposed, possibly dangerous location whilst operating the post. In addition, it is necessary for the operator to attach a lock if unauthorised operation of the post is to be avoided.

[0019] It is an object of the present invention to attempt to overcome at least some of the above or other disadvantages.

[0020] According to one aspect of the present invention a post arrangement includes a post arranged to be moved from a lowered position to a raised position by drive means, the drive means being located at a lower elevation than the post when the post is in the lower position.

[0021] The drive means may be arranged to maintain the post in the raised position.

[0022] The drive means may be connected to the post by a portion that is arranged to give way when the post is subject to a significant impact from one direction. The portion may be arranged to fracture when it gives way. The portion may be replaceable. The portion may comprise a pin member. The portion may comprise a threaded pin member.

[0023] The portion that is arranged to give way may be arranged to retain the drive means in connection with the post such that a connecting member is connected to the post by abutting a portion constrained to move with the post on one part of its peripheral surface and such that, when the portion gives way, another part of the peripheral surface is free to move away from the connection to the post. The connecting member may be constrained to be fast with the portion that is constrained to move with the post. The connecting member may provide a pivot mounting.

[0024] The portion that is arranged to give way may be arranged to extend into an opening that the connecting member is in communication with. That opening may comprise a slot. The opening may extend in an arcuate direction.

[0025] The drive means may be connected to the portion that is arranged to give way by at least one link member, and preferably by two link members. One of the link members may be directly connected to the drive means. The other link member may be connected between the first link member and the portion that is arranged to give way.

[0026] The drive means may be arranged to urge a connection between the post and the drive means to move in an upwards direction and a downwards direction when moving the post between the raised and lowered positions. Weight may be arranged to be transferred from the post to the portion that connects the post to the drive means having a force vector extending in a downwards direction or a downwards and inwards direction but not in an upwards direction or an upwards and outwards direction.

[0027] When the post is subject to a significant impact a lifting portion may be arranged to be raised from a lowered position to a raised position. The lifting portion may be caused to be so raised by engagement of the lifting portion with the post in the region of a pivot mounting of the post. Alternatively or additionally, the lifting portion may be arranged to be raised when the post is subject to a significant impact by engagement of a raising portion that is connected to the post and that is spaced from a pivot mounting of the post. The raising portion may be arranged to abut the lifting portion at a downwardly facing surface thereof. The raising portion may be disconnected from the drive means when raising the lifting portion, and may be so disconnected before starting to raise the lifting portion.

[0028] The drive means may be powered by battery means or mains means or a combination of both. The drive means may comprise an electric motor.

[0029] The drive means may be actuatable by a remote actuator which may have control means connected to the motor or which may be arranged to transmit signals to control means on the drive means to actuate the drive means.

[0030] According to another aspect of the present invention a method of operating a post arrangement comprises moving a post from a lowered position to a raised position with drive means located at a lower elevation than the post when the post is in the lower position.

[0031] The method may comprise causing a portion of the post arrangement that connects the drive means to the post to give way when the post is subject to a significant impact from one direction when the post is in the raised position. The method may comprise causing the portion to fracture. The method may comprise replacing a portion that has given way with another portion.

[0032] The method may comprise causing a lifting portion to be raised when the post is subject to a significant impact from a first direction. The method may comprise causing the lifting portion to be raised, at least partially by a portion that connects the drive means to the post engaging and raising the lifting portion.

[0033] The present invention includes any combination of the herein referred to features or limitations.

[0034] The present invention can be carried into practice in various ways but one embodiment will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 9 is a schematic side view of a post incorporating a power arrangement in the lower position;

Figure 10 is a view showing the post in a normal, raised position, and

Figure 11 is a view showing the post after it has been rammed.

[0035] The embodiments shown in Figures 9 to 11 include all of the features described in relation to Figures 1 to 10.

[0036] Accordingly, the details of those features including, for instance, the latching means and other portions, are not described again in detail. Like portions have been given the same reference numerals as previously.

[0037] The housing 12 as shown in Figures 9 to 11 is deeper than the previous housing and also wider, when measured going into the page, except for the forward most portion of the housing 12A which has the construction as previously described. Extending downwardly from the forward portion 12A are support arms 80 which diverge downwardly and terminate in feet 82. The feet 82 and the support arms 80 provide increased stability when the majority of the portion is buried beneath the ground.

[0038] The housing 12 incorporates a motor 84 having an operating arm 86 that is movable by the motor about a pivot 88. A link 90 is connected via a pivot 92 to the free end of the arm 86 with the link 90 being connected via a pivot bush 94 to a quadrant arm 96 at its other end. The bush does not rotate relative to the quadrant arm but it does provide the pivot for the link 90.

[0039] The bush 94 extends through an opening 98 in the quadrant arm and is maintained at the end position of the opening 98 via a retainer 100 that engages with a thread of the quadrant arm such that the bush 94 abuts the pin 100 to prevent movement of the bush along the opening.

[0040] The post 10 is moved from the position shown in Figure 9 to the position shown in Figure 10 by actuating the motor to cause the arm 86 to move in a clockwise direction. This causes the bush 94 of the link 90 to move in an upwards direction, to the right when viewed in the figures to urge the post upwardly. Rotation of the motor is continued until the position shown in Figure 10 is reached. The motor maintains the post in the raised position.

[0041] Should the post be rammed, in the direction shown by arrow 102 in Figure 11, then the support meter 34 will be raised, as previously described, and latched in position by means referred to in the previous drawings.

[0042] With the embodiment shown it may be that the force required to raise the support member from the position shown in Figure 10 to the position shown in Figure 11 may all be transferred by the abutment of the flat wall 44 with the lifting portion 34, without there necessarily being any need for a strut 32 connecting those portions.

[0043] Alternatively or additionally, the quadrant arm may include an abutment that is caused to engage with the underside of lifting portion 34 when the pin is fractured or just after the pin is fractured.

[0044] In order to prevent damage to the quadrant arm 96, the link 90, the arm 86 or the electric motor, the pin 100 is arranged to be fractured and thereby sacrificed when the post is rammed. The pin is fractured as a result of the shock loading to the bush when the post is rammed. Accordingly, the bush 94 moves downwardly relative to the quadrant arm 96, as the quadrant arm 96 is raised, to the position shown in Figure 11. In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the end of the opening 98 that the bush is located at in Figure 11 may be open. Alternatively the quadrant arm could be open and effectively end at a location just below where the pin 94 is inserted.

[0045] Lowering of the post from the position shown in Figure 9 is achieved by reversing the direction of rotation of the arm 86. If a pin has been sacrificed then the pin can be accessible when the post is in the position shown in Figure 11 with an operator manually engaging with the head of the pin to unscrew it from the quadrant arm with a new pin then being inserted, when the post is in the position shown in Figure 10, with the bush again at the top of the opening 98.

[0046] It can be seen that when the post is being raised or lowered between the positions shown in Figures 9 and 10, only that part of the bush that is in contact with the opening 98 actually has any force transferred from the quadrant to the bush. Thus the pin, in normal use, never experiences any force other than to stop the link arm from moving out of position under gravity or vibration, for instance. In Figure 9 the forces are transferred, when raising the post, at an upper right hand portion of the bush, when viewed in that figure. In Figure 10 the forces are transferred from a different portion of the bush this time, possibly, from an upwardly facing surface of the bush and possibly also at an upper right hand portion of the bush.

[0047] In use, the housing 12 and the housing 12A will be buried such that those portions are substantially flush with a surface. The lower portion of the housing can be located in aggregate up to the height of the line 104 shown in Figure 9 and down to a depth shown at the line 106 in order that any water that may accumulate in the housing 12 drains through openings 108 in the corners of the housing to avoid the harmful effects that water may have on the motor. If desired, the post 10, when in the lower position, could be raised slightly from the surrounding ground surface level in order that any water flowing towards the post 10 is able to be directed around the post thereby minimising the amount of any water that may enter the housing.

[0048] The motor can be serviced by accessing the motor when the lifting portion and the post are in the position shown in Figure 11.

[0049] The motor can be actuated either by a physical connection such as a control cable that extend from the motor to a remote location or, for instance, by control means that comprise transmission means such as an infra-red transmitter.

[0050] The motor can be powered by being connected to an external power source via a lead. Alternatively battery power means may be provided to power the motor. Alternatively both a remote power source and battery power means may be provided.

[0051] The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0052] All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

[0053] Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

[0054] The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A post arrangement including a post (10) arranged to be moved from a lowered position to a raised position by drive means (84), the drive means being located at a lower elevation than the post when the post is in the lower position.

2. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 1 in which the drive means (84) are arranged to maintain the post in the raised position.

3. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which the drive means are connected to the post by a portion (100) that is arranged to give way when the post is subject to a significant impact from one direction.

4. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 3 in which the portion that is arranged to give way is arranged to retain the drive means in connection with the post such that a connecting member is connected to the post by abutting a portion constrained to move with the post on one part of its peripheral surface and such that, when the portion gives way, another part of the peripheral surface is free to move away from the connection to the post.

5. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which the drive means are arranged to urge a connection between the post and the drive means to move in an upwards direction and a downwards direction when moving the post between the raised and lowered positions.

6. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 5 in which weight is arranged to be transferred from the post to the portion that connects the post to the drive means having a force vector extending in a downwards direction.

7. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which, when the post is subject to a significant impact, a lifting portion is arranged to be raised from a lowered position to a raised position.

8. A method of operating a post arrangement comprising moving a post (10) from a lowered position to a raised position with drive means (84) located at a lower elevation than the post when the post is in the lower position.

9. A method as claimed in Claim 8 comprising causing a portion of the post arrangement that connects the drive means to the post to give way when the post is subject to a significant impact from one direction when the post is in the raised position.

10. A method as claimed in Claim 8 or 9 comprising causing a lifting portion to be raised, when the post is subject to a significant impact from a first direction, at least partially by a portion that connects the drive means to the post engaging and raising the lifting portion.

Drawing