Patent ID: 8806806
Filing Date: 2014-08-19
Classification: E05F,E05Y,E06B

Abstract:
1. An electric motor driven barrier operator with a manually operable drive for use in the event of a power failure, the operator comprising a gear box, the gear box being drive connectable with an electric motor of the operator, the gear box comprising an output for drive coupling with a barrier to effect opening and closing of the barrier by the motor, the gear box also comprising a shaft that rotates when the motor rotates, and the manually operable drive being useable in the event of power failure to effect manual drive rotation movement of the shaft to open and close the barrier via the gear box, the manually operable drive comprising a free wheeling manually rotatable drive wheel carried on the shaft and a clutch mechanism comprising a clutch activation member, a drive coupler keeper and at least one drive coupler, the clutch activation member being mounted for fixed rotation with the manually rotatable drive wheel, and including a stop, the drive coupler keeper being rotationally mounted on the shaft and having an extending tongue configured to engage with the stop of the clutch activation member to limit relative rotation between the clutch activation member and the drive coupler keeper to an engaged position where the tongue engages with the stop as the manually rotatable drive wheel is initially rotated, and where holding the manually rotatable drive wheel stationary in the engaged position or continued rotation of the manually rotatable drive wheel in the engaged position the engaged position to be maintained for fixed rotation of the drive coupler keeper with the manually rotatable drive wheel, the drive coupler keeper supporting the at least one drive coupler for fixed rotation with the drive coupler keeper and allowing movement of the at least one drive coupler in a radially extending direction relative to a central longitudinal axis of the shaft between a first position allowing rotation of the drive coupler and drive coupler keeper about the shaft, and a second position where the drive coupler engages with the shaft for fixed rotation therewith, the drive coupler being acted on by the clutch activation member to effect movement between the first position and the second position as the clutch activation member rotated relative to the drive coupler keeper to the engaged position due to manual rotation of the manually rotatable drive wheel to effect a drive coupling between the manually rotatable drive wheel and the shaft so continued rotation of the manually rotatable drive wheel will drive the shaft to permit manual opening and closing of the barrier via the gear box.