Coupling apparatus for barrier assemblies and related methods
AssigneeHy-Security Gate, Inc.
InventorsJames Faulkner, Steven A. Carlsen, Keith A. Mullins, Brian G. Denault
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates generally to barrier assemblies, and more particularly, to the coupling of a barrier operator to the barrier that the operator is to move. In one embodiment, a barrier operator coupling includes a wedge member that is fixedly attached to an output shaft of the barrier operator. A housing is brought to bear against a wedge member, and an adjustment device is used to maintain the force between the wedge member and the housing.
Claims32
A barrier system comprising:
- a barrier operator having an output shaft;
- a journal coupled to the output shaft, wherein the journal includes an exterior surface having a generally frustoconical shape;
- a housing coupled to the journal, wherein the housing includes a bore portion that receives the journal and frictionally engages the exterior surface of the journal;
- a linkage having a first end portion opposite a second end portion, wherein the first end portion is coupled to the housing;
- a barrier coupled to the second end portion of the linkage, wherein the barrier is configured to move between a closed position and an open position.
A gate system comprising:
- a gate configured to move from a first position to a second position;
- a linkage coupled to the gate;
- a gate operator coupled to the linkage to drive the linkage and move the gate between the first and second positions, wherein the gate operator includes—
- a first torque transmitter coupled to an output of the gate operator, wherein the first torque transmitter has a generally cylindrical shape tapering from a lower portion to an upper portion of the first torque transmitter;
- and
- a second torque transmitter frictionally engaged with the first torque transmitter, wherein the second torque transmitter is coupled to the linkage.
A barrier operator for moving a barrier between an open position and a closed position via a barrier linkage, the barrier operator comprising:
- a torque multiplying device;
- an output shaft extending from the torque multiplying device;
- a first torque transmitting device attached to the output shaft, wherein the first torque transmitting device includes a first end portion opposite a second end portion, the first end portion having a first outer diameter and the second end portion having a second outer diameter that is less than the first outer diameter;
- and
- a second torque transmitting member operably coupled to the first torque transmitting member, wherein the second torque transmitting member includes a bore portion that at least partially receives the first torque transmitting device, and wherein the second torque member is configured to be coupled to the barrier linkage to move the barrier between the open and closed positions.
A barrier assembly comprising:
- a barrier operator configured to move a barrier between an open position and a closed position;
- a linkage coupling the barrier operator to the barrier, wherein the linkage comprises:
- a crank arm having a first end portion coupled to the barrier operator and a second end portion opposite the first end portion;
- and
- a barrier arm having a third end portion pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the crank arm and a fourth end portion coupled to the barrier;
- and
- a cover assembly coupled to at least one of the second end portion of the crank arm and the third end portion of the barrier arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.