Background of the Invention

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a spring and hydraulic damper for gate barricade, and more particularly to a spring and hydraulic damper to reduce impact force and shaking effect from the operational of a gate barricade.

Description of Related Arts

Typically, gate barricade is used at high occupancy freeway lane entrance, controlled parking lot entries and exits, toll booth lanes, airport entries and to control the flow traffic. The gate barricade nowdays is continuously operating to ensure smooth flow of the traffic way. Wear and tear within the gate barricade mechanism is a common problem which always leads to failure of the gate barricade. In order to reduce the wear and tear within the gate barricade mechanism, the design of the gate barricade should minimize the shaking effect and the impact force of the barrier arm while operating especially during the stopping of the barrier arm after opening and closing the barrier arm. Thus, by minimizing said impact force and shaking effect, it may prolong the lifetime of the gate barricade.

US patent no 7818920 B2 disclosed an apparatus for a barrier gate design which employs a barrier arm, a housing, a motor and transmission, a rotary encoder, and a torque limiter assembly comprises a hub, spindle, brake disk, rotor, and a gland nut. Basically this invention relates to barrier gate for roadways, over and above, it relates to an apparatus and method for preventing damage to the internal gears of the barrier gates by connecting a torque limiter between the control arm of the gate and the transmission of the motor. The torque limiter assembly is highlighted in this invention as it provides sufficient friction to rotate the barrier arm as well as protects the internal gears and linkages of the transmission and motor from unnecessary rotations which might lead to costly repair or replacement. The cited invention disclosed a standard barrier gate with an additional torque limiter assembly to protect the transmission and motor by banishing unwanted rotations. However, the presence of torque limiter does not reduce the shaking effect of the barrier arm during operating.

US patent no 5136810 disclosed a fluid-powered traffic control gate which employs a cylinder and piston for raising and lowering the gate arm, a means for adjusting the alignment of the traffic gate arm, and a means for reversing the movement of the piston and the gate once the obstruction has been sensed. The pneumatic cylinder and piston is acting as a damper as it can absorb impact from the barrier gate. Said method may reduce the impact of the barrier arm but inefficiently to reduce the shaking effect of the barrier arm due to the compressed air might bounce back the barrier arm when it stops moving. US patent no 4773632 disclosed a spring element with hydraulic damping which employs a rubber-elastic peripheral wall and two rigid end walls which form a chamber within, electroviscous fluid are introduced into the chamber, a stack of at least two metal plates are placed in the chamber, elastic rubber elements are placed between the metal plates to maintain a distance between metal plates, and the metal plate being alternately connected to a voltage source and to ground potential to provide voltage potential difference in the chamber. When forces are exerted from the above, the stack of metal plates are compressed, the fluid located within the metal plates are forces to displace into the annular outer space inside the peripheral wall, which bulges outward when compressed. When the spring elements relaxed, the fluid displaced back into the space within the metal places by the ambient air pressure as well as the restoring forces of the peripheral wall. The spacing between the metal plates and the viscosity of the fluid will determine the flow resistance of the fluid when it flows back and forth due to compression and relaxation. The cited invention disclosed a spring element with hydraulic damping which spring element and hydraulic chamber are placed together. However, the major weakness of the cited invention is that current source is required to provide voltage potential difference to the electroviscous fluid for better damping. The current source feature consumes additional cost to enable the invention to operate more effectively.

Summary of Invention

It is an objective of the present invention to provide a spring and a hydraulic damper for gate barricade.

It is also an objective of the present invention reduce impact force and shaking effect from the operation of a gate barricade.

It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide an adjustable hydraulic damper according to the shaft rotational speed.

Accordingly, these objectives may be achieved by following the teachings of the present invention. The present invention relates to a spring and hydraulic damper for gate barricade comprising: a base, a pair of bush bearings, a shaft including a sprocket; an actuator mechanically connected to the sprocket to drive rotational motion of the shaft; and characterized by: a pair of L-shaped brackets coupled to the shaft; a pair of adjustable dampers including a head and a threaded body, secured to both ends of each said L-shaped brackets; a pair of springs parallel to each other and mounted on the base adjacent to said shaft, wherein the pair of springs absorb force from the shaft when the pair of adjustable damper contacts with said pair of springs; a pair of hydraulic cylinders; wherein the pair of hydraulic cylinders mounted on the base adjacent to said shaft and reduces shaking effect at the shaft when said pair of adjustable dampers contact with said pair of hydraulic cylinders.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The features of the invention will be more readily understood and appreciated from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a drawing showing preferred embodiment of a spring and hydraulic damper for a gate barricade.

Figure 2 is a drawing showing the position of a pair of springs.

Figure 3 is a drawing showing the position of a pair of hydraulic cylinders.

Figure 4a is a plan view of the pair of hydraulic cylinders.

Figure 4a is a cross section view of the pair of hydraulic cylinders.

Figure 4c is isometric view of the pair of hydraulic cylinders.

Detailed Description of the Invention

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting but merely as a basis for claims. It should be understood that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modification, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. As used throughout this application, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words "include," "including," and "includes" mean including, but not limited to. Further, the words "a" or "an" mean "at least one" and the word "plurality" means one or more, unless otherwise mentioned. Where the abbreviations of technical terms are used, these indicate the commonly accepted meanings as known in the technical field. For ease of reference, common reference numerals will be used throughout the figures when referring to the same or similar features common to the figures. The present invention will now be described with reference to Figures 1 -4c.

The present invention relates to a spring and hydraulic damper for gate barricade comprising:

a base (10);

a pair of bush bearings (1 1 ) coupled to the base (10); a shaft (12) including a sprocket (13), secured to the pair of bush bearings (1 1 );

an actuator mechanically connected to the sprocket (13) to drive rotational motion of the shaft (12); and

characterized by:

a pair of L-shaped brackets (20) coupled to the shaft (12);

a pair of adjustable dampers (21 ) including a head (22) and a threaded body (23), secured to both ends of each said L-shaped brackets (20);

a pair of springs (24) parallel to each other and is mounted on the base (10) adjacent to said shaft (12), wherein the pair of springs (24) absorb force from the shaft (12) when the pair of adjustable damper (21 ) is in contact with said pair of springs (24);

a pair of hydraulic cylinders (40) including a pair of piston sleeves

(41 ) parallel and hydraulically connected to each other, a pair of pistons (42) received into the pair of piston sleeves (41 ), and a fluid control valve (43) positioned between the pair of piston sleeves (41 ) to control hydraulic fluid flow between the pair of piston sleeves (41 ), wherein when one of the pistons (42) is pushed downward, the hydraulic fluid within said one of the piston sleeves (41 ) is forced to flow to the other one of the piston sleeves (41 ) and forces the other one of the pistons (42) to move upward;

wherein the fluid control valve (43) controls the movement of the pair of pistons (42) by controlling the hydraulic fluid flow between the pair of piston sleeves (41 );

wherein the pair of hydraulic cylinders (40) is mounted on the base (10) adjacent to said shaft (12) and reduces shaking effect at the shaft (12) when said pair of adjustable dampers (21 ) is in contact with said pair of hydraulic cylinders (40).

In a preferred embodiment of the spring and hydraulic damper for gate barricade, the rotation of the shaft (12) is semi-circular.

In a preferred embodiment of the spring and hydraulic damper for gate barricade, the pair of L-shaped brackets (20) includes a pair of apertures (25), each at both ends of the pair of L-shaped brackets (20) to receive the pair of adjustable dampers (21 ).

In a preferred embodiment of the spring and hydraulic damper for gate barricade, the pair of adjustable dampers (21 ) can be adjusted by varying the depth of insertion of the pair of adjustable dampers (21 ) into the pair of apertures (25).

In a preferred embodiment of the spring and hydraulic damper for gate barricade, the hydraulic flow of the pair of hydraulic cylinders (40) is adjustable by adjusting the fluid control valve (43). In figure 1 , the base (10) is not limited to the preferred embodiment as long as the base (10) can accommodate to position the pair of springs (24) and the pair of hydraulic cylinders (40).

The pair of bush bearings (1 1 ), each includes a bush coupled to the base (10) and a bearing is fixed into the bush to receive the shaft (12).

The shaft (12) includes a sprocket (13) to receive rotational force form the actuator and transfer the rotational force to the shaft (12). The sprocket (13) can be replaced with other mechanical parts which can transfer rotational force such as a pulley and gears.

The pair of L-shaped brackets (20) is coupled to the shaft (12) by welding the two parts together to ensure a strong bond between said parts.

The pair of apertures (25) is preferably threaded to engage with the threaded body (23) to enable the pair of adjustable dampers (21) to be adjusted easily. At least a fastening means such as nut receives the threaded body (23) at the pair of apertures (25) to ensure the pair of dampers (21) is secured to the pair of L-shaped brackets (20). The adjustment is made by loosening the fastening means, then adjusting the depth of insertion of the pair of damper (21), then finally tighten the fastenings means to the pair of apertures (25).

In Figure 2, the pair of springs (24) is positioned where the pair of adjustable dampers (21 ) can contact the pair of springs (24) accurately. This is to ensure the pair of springs (24) absorb all the necessary force from the shaft (12) and hence reducing damage to the gate barricade.

Figure 4a to 4c are showing the pair of hydraulic cylinders (40) sharing the same foundation to enable the hydraulic fluid to flow from one of the piston sleeves (41 ) to the other one of the piston sleeve (41 ) when one of the pistons (42) is pushed downward. However, the connection between the pair of hydraulic cylinders (40) is not limited to said foundation. Other hydraulic connection such as hydraulic pipe is replaceable with said foundation.

The fluid control valve (43) controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid by adjusting the depth of insertion of the fluid control valve (43) at said foundation between the pair of hydraulic cylinder (40). Reducing the flow of hydraulic fluid causes the speed for upward and downward movement of the pair of pistons (42) to slow down. Thus, the shaft (12) is rotating slower when the pair of adjustable dampers (21 ) contacts with the pair of pistons (42). Referring to figure 3, the pair of hydraulic cylinders (40) is positioned where the pair of adjustable dampers (21 ) can contact the pair of hydraulic cylinders (40) accurately. This is to ensure the pair of hydraulic cylinders (40) to reduce the shaking effect from the shaft (12) while operating and hence reducing damage to the gate barricade.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, also shown in the appended figures, it will be apparent for those skilled in the art that many variations and modifications can be done within the scope of the invention as described in the specification and defined in the following claims. Description of the reference numerals used in the accompanying drawings according to the present invention:

Reference

Description

Numerals

10 Base

1 1 Bush bearings

12 Shaft

13 Sprocket

20 L-shaped bracket

21 Adjustable dampers

22 Head

23 Threaded body

24 Springs

25 Pair of apertures

40 Hydraulic cylinder

41 Piston sleeves

42 Pistons

43 Fluid control valve