The present invention relates to container assemblies, including for example movable and stackable shipping containers, and to methods of restricting access to sites such as building sites.

There are many situations in which items of equipment need to be stored in a potentially poorly secured location. This might be, for example, during transit, such as at a holding area at a port or other waypoint, or if they are required for use at a temporary site, such as a building site.

In many such situations, items and equipment are transported in stackable shipping containers. However, these can be difficult and time consuming to secure. In addition, if items or equipment from the storage container are in regular use, it is inconvenient to need to return them to the storage container every time the site is going to be unattended, for example, overnight.

Accordingly, particularly in the case of building sites, it is conventional to erect a perimeter wall around the building site to provide security for the equipment within the site.

However, the erection of such a wall can be expensive and can delay the site being available for use while the wall is being erected. The present invention seeks to provide an improved container assembly and method of restricting access to a site.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a container assembly including a movable container and a barrier member, the barrier member being movable between a deployed position wherein the barrier member protrudes, projects or extends beyond an outer perimeter of the container to provide a barrier disposed adjacent to the container to obstruct passage of people and/or vehicles, and a retracted position; the container assembly further including a barrier holder affixed to the container and configured to hold the barrier member when in the deployed position.

Preferably, in the retracted position, the barrier member is disposed substantially within the outer perimeter of the container. This can provide protection to the barrier member from the weather and from damage from other objects passing or being stored near the container.

By the term 'movable container', it is meant that the container (and thereby the container assembly) may be transported from one location to another. The container preferably has no foundations and so the container assembly can provide a movable barrier or gateway. The term 'projects beyond an outer perimeter of the container' is intended also to mean projecting outside the container.

Preferred embodiments of the invention provide an improvement in security for sites at which equipment or products may be temporarily located, such as building sites. Providing a barrier member which can be operated to project beyond the container means that the container assembly can be used to provide a gate to the site without the need to erect a wall around the site. Containers themselves can for example be used to form a wall, with one or more barrier members used to selectively close gaps between the containers. This can provide rapid and efficient securing of sites which may contain valuable and/or dangerous equipment.

The fact that the barrier members are retractable means that authorised persons and/or vehicles can be admitted to the site easily. In embodiments of the invention, in the retracted position the barrier member does not project substantially beyond the outer perimeter of the container. Preferably, in the retracted position, the container assembly occupies substantially the same amount of space as a corresponding conventional container which does not have a barrier member. This can provide advantages for transportation because the barrier member does not provide an obstacle which might otherwise make arrangement and stacking of containers difficult.

In embodiments of the invention, in the retracted position the barrier member is substantially contained within the container. Preferably, the barrier member is disposed in the deployed position to block passage of people and/or vehicles. Preferably, blocking passage of people and/or vehicles substantially prevents people and or vehicles passing under, through, or over the barrier. The barrier member is preferably cuboidal.

In some embodiments, the barrier member includes a first elongate element and a second elongate element and an obstructive element between the first and second elongate elements. The first elongate element can be at a first height and the second elongate element can be at a second height.

In some embodiments, the barrier member includes a frame, preferably a rectangular frame, and an obstructive element obstructing an area bounded by the frame.

The barrier member can include a grill, which can for example include a plurality of bars such as parallel bars, to obstruct passage of people and/or vehicles. The grill can form the obstructive element described above. The bars are preferably separated by no more than 30cm, preferably no more than 20cm or no more than 10cm. The barrier member is preferably substantially rigid across its length and preferably its height. The barrier member can in some embodiments be unitary or singular. The container is preferably substantially cuboidal. Preferably, the barrier member has a height of at least 1 .5 metres, preferably at least two metres, in order effectively to block unauthorised passage of people and/or vehicles in the deployed position. Preferably, when a base of the container is placed upon the ground, a base of the barrier member when in the deployed position is adjacent to the ground. Preferably, the container also has a height of at least two metres.

However, in other embodiments, the barrier member has height of less than two metres. It can be for example an elongate bar to serve as a checkpoint rather than a gated entrance.

In some embodiments, in the deployed position, the barrier member projects beyond the outer perimeter of the container by at least one metre, preferably by at least two metres, and most preferably by at least five metres. In some embodiments, in the deployed position, the barrier member can be longer than the container. For example, the barrier member can extend beyond the outer perimeter of the container by more than the length of the container. This can be achieved by providing the barrier member with an extension section which is slidable between extension and non-extension positions. In some embodiments, in the deployed position, the extension section is in the extension position and in the retracted position the extension section is in the non-extension position. In other embodiments, the extension section can be moved between the extension and non-extension position independently of movement of the barrier member between the deployed and retracted positions. In embodiments of the invention, the container includes a storage area. This can allow goods, equipment or other items to be stored in the container.

Preferably, the barrier holder is a guide member and the guide member is configured to guide the barrier member between the retracted position and the deployed position, thereby providing a convenient means to retract and deploy the barrier member. This can make restricting access to the site efficient in terms of time and labour, and also mean that the barrier member can serve as a practical point of (preferably secured) entry and exit to a site.

In some embodiments, the guide member is elongate and the barrier member is configured to be slidable along the guide member between the retracted position and the deployed position. In some embodiments, the guide member is aligned substantially parallel to a first side of the container, wherein in the deployed position the barrier member projects beyond the outer perimeter of the container substantially parallel to the first side of the container.

Configuring the container assembly so that the barrier member is stored and moves parallel to a side of the container can mean that the barrier member takes up a minimal amount of space within the container, maximising the use of the container for other purposes. Those other purposes may include being used to store items or to provide an office or shelter for one or more persons who may be working at the site. Preferably, the guide member is aligned substantially parallel and adjacent to the first side of the container, wherein in the retracted position the barrier member is disposed substantially parallel and adjacent to the first side of the container. This can further minimise the impact of the space taken up by the guide member and retracted barrier member within the container. It can also mean that the container can be arranged with the first side facing outwards with respect to a site for which the barrier member is intended to serve as a barrier or gate. This can mean that the majority of the container is on an inner side of the barrier member with respect to the site, thereby maximising the ability of the barrier member to restrict access to or secure the container itself as well as the site. For example, the container preferably has a container opening to allow access to the inside of the container. By having this container opening within a secured perimeter provided by the barrier member, extra security is provided to the container opening.

Preferably, the container assembly further includes a locking mechanism operable to lock the barrier member in the deployed position.

Preferably, the container assembly includes a motor operable to move the barrier member from the retracted position to the deployed position and to move the barrier member from the deployed position to the retracted position. Preferably the motor is an electric motor. It can for example be powered by solar panels provided on the container. Preferably, the motor is disposed in the container, thereby protecting the motor from the weather and from damp. This protects and can extend the working life of the motor. It also means that a less expensive motor can be used since the motor does not have to be so resistant to weather and temperature.

In embodiments including an extension section the motor can be operable also to move the extension section between the extension and non-extension positions.

However, in other embodiments, the barrier member can be moved between the deployed and retracted positions by hand.

In some embodiments, the container includes a partition dividing the container into a main chamber and a barrier chamber, the barrier chamber substantially containing the barrier member when in the retracted position. The partition can conveniently separate a main chamber, for example for accommodating or sheltering people or for storing items, from a barrier chamber for containing the barrier. In some embodiments the barrier chamber can also contain associated elements such as the guide member and the motor. The partition also means that the main chamber can be provided with its own door, which can be selectively closed, thereby enclosing the main chamber while leaving a barrier chamber opening open to allow operation of the barrier member. This is particularly advantageous where the main chamber is to be used for accommodating or sheltering people, for example if it is to be used as a guard room or an office. It means that the people inside can be sheltered from the weather while still being able to operate the barrier member. The main chamber does not need to be larger than the barrier chamber; it can for example just provide toilets for example for guards operating the barrier member. Alternatively, the main chamber can be larger than the barrier chamber and the main chamber can be further subdivided for example to provide toilets. In some embodiments, the barrier member is a gate.

In some embodiments, the container is a stacking container such as a shipping container or intermodal freight container conforming to standard requirements. In some embodiments, the container includes a room for occupation by one or more people. This room may be provided by the main chamber described above. In some embodiments, the container may be provided with one or more windows.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of restricting access to a site, including:

arranging a movable container at a perimeter of the site;

deploying a barrier member to project from the container and obstruct an opening into the site. Restricting access to a site preferably includes securing the site. The container may have any of the features of the container assembly described above.

The method may include arranging a plurality of movable containers to form a wall at a perimeter of the site, wherein the opening into the site is formed by a gap between two containers.

There may be a plurality of openings into the site, each site opening formed by a gap between a first container and a second container, the method including, for each first container, deploying a barrier member to project from that container and obstruct the respective site opening.

Preferably, for each container from which a barrier member projects, the barrier member is arranged adjacent a side of the container which is outermost with respect to the site.

Embodiments of the invention are described below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of stacked container assemblies according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic drawing of a container assembly according to the embodiment of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is schematic sectional view of a container assembly according to the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of a site secured in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 5 is a schematic end view of a container assembly according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a container assembly according to an

embodiment of the invention;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the container assembly of the embodiment of Figure 7 with a container door open; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the container assembly of the embodiment of Figures 6 and 7, showing a close-up of part of the barrier member in a retracted position;

Figure 9 is a perspective view from inside the container assembly of the embodiment of Figures 6 to 8, with the barrier member in a retracted position;

Figures 10 and 1 1 are perspective views of the container assembly of the embodiment of Figures 6 to 9 with the barrier member in a deployed position; and Figure 12 is a perspective view of a close-up of the barrier member of the embodiment of Figures 6 to 1 1 in a deployed position.

In an embodiment of the invention, a container assembly 1 includes a container 10 which is a stackable shipping container, which is movable, for example by lorry or crane, between locations. However, in other embodiments of the invention, the container can be any container that can be moved intact from one location to another. It preferably has no foundations, to allow it to be easily moved. It preferably also has a sufficient height to allow it to contain a barrier member which is able to block passage of people and/or vehicles. In embodiments of the invention, the container has height of at least two metres. The height of the container is in the vertical direction when the container is disposed in a normal operating orientation such as would be used when accessing the inside of the container.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4, the container 10 has dimensions

corresponding to a standard shipping or intermodal freight container, with a height and length of at least two metres.

In the embodiment of Figure 1 , two containers 10 are stacked on top of each other. However, by providing a container 10 with dimensions corresponding to a standard intermodal freight container, a container 10 according to embodiments of the invention can also be stacked on conventional standard intermodal freight containers.

The container 10 includes a first side 12 and a second side 14, which are substantially parallel, which define the length of the container, and which are separated by the width of the container 10. In this embodiment, the length of the container is greater than the width, but this is not necessarily the case in all embodiments. The container may contain one or more windows, particularly if it is to serve as a shelter or office.

In normal use, when the container 10 is placed on the ground, the first and second sides 12, 14 provide substantially vertical side walls. In this embodiment, the container includes a solid roof 13. However, in other embodiments, the container can be provided with an open top, or can be covered by a flexible roofing such as canvas material. Other standard variations as are known for intermodal freight containers can be applied. At a first end of the container 10 are provided first and second doors 16, 18. The first door 16 is pivotably attached to the first side 12, in this case by a hinge, and the second door 18 is pivotably to the second side 14, in this case by a hinge. The first and second doors 16, 18 are pivotable about their respective hinges thereby to open and close a container opening at the first end of the container 10 to allow or restrict access to the interior of the container 10.

Although in this embodiment there are two doors 16, 18 at the container opening, there can be only one door, or there can be more than one door.

In other embodiments, the container opening is not at a first end of the container, but is located elsewhere in the container.

In other embodiments, there can be a plurality of container openings, each with its own set of doors. As shown in Figure 3, a barrier holder 20 in the form of a guide member is disposed within the container and substantially parallel to the first side 12 of the container. In this embodiment, the guide member 20 is a track or channel adjacent to and parallel to the first side 12. The container assembly 1 also includes a barrier member 22 disposed when in a retracted position substantially within the container 10. The barrier member 22 includes a co-operating element 23 configured to co-operate with the guide member 20 to allow the barrier member 22 to be slid along the guide member 20. The barrier member 22 can be any member which can obstruct passage of people and/or vehicles, preferably blocking their passage. In this embodiment it is a steel gate with a height of at least two metres, including a rectangular steel frame 24 containing steel bars 26 obstructing the area within the frame 24. However, in other embodiments the barrier member can be an elongate bar with a height less than two metres to serve more as a checkpoint barrier than as a security gate. In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4, the barrier member 22 is configured so that when a base of the container 10 is placed on the ground, the barrier member when in the deployed position has a base which is adjacent to the ground. A barrier support 25 is provided on the base of the barrier member 22 to contact the ground and support the barrier member in the deployed position. The barrier support can be provided anywhere on the base of the barrier member. In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4, the barrier support 25 is provided in the region of an end of the barrier member which in the deployed position is furthest from the container 10. In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4, the barrier support is

extendable and retractable in order to enable it to reach the ground in the deployed position, and be retracted for storage when the barrier member is in the retracted position. In some embodiments, the barrier support is foldable in order to enable it to be stored when the barrier member is in the retracted position. In other embodiments, the barrier support 25 can be omitted and the barrier member can act as a cantilever, supported by the container 10.

In some embodiments, the container opening is not at the first end of the container, and the guide member 20 is configured to be perpendicular to the container opening.

In other embodiments, instead of providing the barrier holder 20 within the container, it can be provided on the outside of the container. However, it is preferably configured so that in a retracted position of the barrier member, the barrier member does not project substantially beyond an outer perimeter of the container.

Within the container 10 there is provided a motor 28. The motor can be any motor which is operable to move the barrier member along the guide member. In this embodiment, it is an electric motor, which is powered by solar panels 30 disposed on the roof 13 of the container 10. The motor does not need to be within the container in all embodiments. However, by being contained within the container the motor is protected from weather and damp, thereby prolonging its life.

In some embodiments, no motor is provided and the barrier member is operable by hand.

In operation, the container 10 is arranged such that the container opening faces an opening 34 into a site 32, such as shown in Figure 4. In some embodiments, a plurality of container assemblies 1 can be arranged to form a wall with one or more site openings 34, with each site opening 34 being adjacent to a container opening of a container. However, containers which are not required to provide a barrier member can be replaced by conventional containers. When it is desired to allow access to the site 32, the motor 28 is operated which causes the barrier member 22 to be retracted along the guide member 20 until the barrier member 22 is in a retracted position, substantially contained within the container 10. The site opening 34 is then free of obstruction, allowing people and/or vehicles to pass in and out of the site 32.

When it is desired to obstruct the site opening 34 to prevent unauthorised access to the site 32, the motor 28 is operated to cause the barrier member 22 to advance along the guide member 20 to a deployed position so that it projects across the site opening 34 and closes off the site opening 34.

In this way, container assemblies according to embodiments of the invention are able to provide a rapid and efficient means of securing a site. In particular, they can mean that it is not necessary to erect a perimeter wall before the site is secured. Furthermore, tools, or equipment, or other items which are transported within containers, do not need to be returned to those containers when the site is unattended, because the site can be secured with barrier member 22. Additionally, easy operation of the motor 28 avoids the need for a time consuming and often difficult process of closing and locking the first and second doors 16, 18 on each container. The motor provides such ease of use, that the barrier member 22 can be used as an admission gate throughout the day, being retracted only to allow passage of authorised persons for vehicles, and then being redeployed to secure the site.

Figure 5 is a schematic view of a first end of a container 40 according to another embodiment of the invention. Except as otherwise described, features of this embodiment correspond to the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4.

In this embodiment, a partition 42 is provided along the length of the container, dividing the container 40 into a main chamber 44 and a barrier chamber 46. A main chamber opening is selectively closed by first and second doors 16, 18 as for the container opening in the embodiment described above. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first door 16 is not pivotably attached to the first side 12, but to the partition 42.

In other embodiments, the partition is not necessarily provided along the length of the container but can divide off any region of the container for the main chamber. The main chamber may be a small region such as a for a toilet for a guard.

In some embodiments the main chamber is further subdivided into rooms by one or more additional partitions. A barrier opening may or may not be selectively closed by a further door member. In the embodiment of Figure 5, the barrier member 22, the guide member 20 and the motor 28 are disposed within the barrier chamber 46.

This embodiment has the advantage that neither of the first or second door 16, 18 need to be open in order for the barrier member to operate. This can mean that the main chamber of the container can be kept enclosed, protecting the contents from the weather and temperature. This can be particularly advantageous where the container is to be used as a shelter for people, for example, for a guide room or an office. In such situations, one or more windows can be provided in the container.

Although in the embodiment of Figure 5 the barrier chamber is shown as having a height substantially equal to a height of the main chamber, this is not the case in all embodiments. In some embodiments, the partition 42 is an outer side of a standard container, and the barrier chamber is provided by a barrier enclosure which is provided on or retro-fitted to the outer side of the standard container as an extension to the container. The barrier enclosure at least includes the barrier chamber opening described above. It may have other openings as well, but is preferably configured to protect the barrier member in the retracted position from impacts with nearby objects. In this way, the barrier member in the retracted position is still retained substantially within an outer perimeter of the container for protection. In such embodiments, the barrier chamber may have a height different from the height of the main chamber. In some embodiments (not shown), the barrier member includes an extension section slidable into an extension or a non-extension position to respectively increase or decrease the length of the barrier member. The container assembly can be configured so that the extension section is in the extension position when the barrier member in in the deployed position and is in the non-extension position when the barrier member is in the retracted position. However, the extension section may also be operable independently of the movement of the barrier member as a whole. The motor can be operable to move the extension section between the extension and non-extension positions.

The extension section can allow the barrier member to extend to a length greater than the length of the container for example to project beyond the outer perimeter of the container by more than the length of the container, while still being able to be retracted completely within the container.

Figures 6 to 9 show perspective views of a container assembly according to an embodiment of the invention with the barrier member in a retracted position. In Figure 6, the first and second doors are in a closed position. Figures 10 to 12 show perspective views of the container assembly with the barrier member in a deployed position. All optional and preferred features and modifications of the described

embodiments and dependent claims are usable in all aspects of the invention taught herein. Furthermore, the individual features of the dependent claims, as well as all optional and preferred features and modifications of the described embodiments are combinable and interchangeable with one another.

The disclosures in United Kingdom patent application number 1308530.3, from which this application claims priority, and in the abstract accompanying this application are incorporated herein by reference.