Abstract:
A security tower for preventing people and equipment from entering a restricted area, the security tower including a vertical post connected to a base, the post being constructed from a rigid material, the post having at least one hollow channel therethrough for receiving a flexible elongated barrier material, the post having at least one pair of shoulders extending horizontally from the sides of the post, each of the pair of shoulder having a pin extending vertically upward therefrom. In a second embodiment of the invention, a barricade beam is provide which is adapted to be cut into two pieces and fit on a pin of the security tower of the invention.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to security towers or posts for delineating or marking restricted areas in industrial plants, construction sites, roadways, and the like. More particularly, the present invention is related to vertical posts and optionally barricades to prevent personnel from entering a restricted area.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Various devices and implements are known in the art for delineating or marking restricted or dangerous areas in industrial plants, construction sites, roadways, and the like. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,998,520; 2,392,011; 2,613,463; 3,119,588; 3,950,873; 4,007,919; 4,050,401; 4,071,224; 4,109,910; 4,394,005; 4,890,952; 4,968,177; 5,123,773; 5,197,408; 5,484,225; 5,640,353; 6,014,941; and UK Patent Applications GB 2 287 735 A and GB 2 256 443 A.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a security tower for preventing people and equipment from entering a restricted area.  
           [0006]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a security tower which may have rigid barricades or flexible elongated barrier material connected thereto for restricting access to a designated area.  
           [0007]    It is an additional object of the invention to provide a novel rigid barricade for utilization with the security tower of the invention.  
           [0008]    In accordance with the present invention there is provided a security tower for preventing people and equipment from entering a restricted area, the security tower including a vertical post connected to a base, the post having at least one hollow channel therethrough for receiving a flexible elongated barrier material, the post having at least one pair of shoulders extending horizontally from the sides of the post, each of the pair of shoulders having a pin extending vertically upward therefrom for connecting a rigid horizontal beam thereto.  
           [0009]    In another embodiment of the invention there is provided a beam having a vertical hollow sleeve formed in each end thereof adapted to receive the pin on the shoulder therein, and preferably two vertical parallel hollow sleeves formed adjacent on a centerline formed on the barricade beam to enable the barricade beam to be cut into two equal length beams to provide more versatility in constructing barricades.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is shown an elevational plan view of the security tower of the invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is an elevational plan view of the security tower of the invention rotated 90 degrees about its vertical axis from the position shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is top view of the security tower of the invention shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a barricade beam of the invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the barricade beam of the invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  6 - 6  of FIG. 5;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 7 is a partly cut-away perspective view of the center portion of the barricade beam of the invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 8 is a partly cut-away perspective view of the top portion of the security tower of the invention showing the barricade beam of the invention aligned with a pin on a shoulder of the security tower prior to connecting the barricade beam to the security tower;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a plurality of security towers and barricade beams of the invention connected together to prevent people and equipment from entering a selected area;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the security tower of the invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  11 - 11  of FIG. 10;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  12 - 12  of FIG. 10;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 13 is a partly cut-away perspective view of the top portion of the security tower of the invention showing the a flexible elongated security tape placed through an opening in the security tower of the invention to restrict entry into an area; and  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 14 is a partly cut-away perspective view of the top portion of the security tower of the invention showing the a flexible elongated security chain placed through an opening in the security tower of the invention to restrict entry into an area; 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0024]    Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS.  1 - 3  and  10 - 12 , there is shown the security tower assembly of the invention generally indicated by the numeral  20 . Security tower assembly  20  has a vertical post generally indicated by the numeral  22  rigidly connected to a base generally indicated by the numeral  24 . Preferably, base  24  is hollow inside, having reservoir  24   a  therein as shown in FIG. 12 which can be filled with water or other weighting material through threaded filler opening  24   b  covered by threaded cap  24   c . Reservoir  24   a  can be filled with other weighting material such as liquids, concrete, or granular material such as sand, to add sufficient weight to base  24  to prevent security tower  20  from being easily tipped over by wind, ground vibration, or the like when security tower  20  is being used to restrict access to a selected area. Base  24  can be made of any desired volume to provide the desired weight to security tower  20 .  
         [0025]    Preferably, base  24  is generally rectangular in shape although if desired base  24  could be any desired shape such as circular, oval, or the like. As shown in FIGS.  1 - 3 ,  9 ,  10 , and  12 , base  24  has a generally rectangular top  24   d  and a generally rectangular bottom  24   e . Base  24  has two opposing rectangular sidewalls  24   f  and  24   g , and two opposing sidewalls  24   h  and  24   i . Preferably, sidewalls  24   h  and  24   i  each have two vertical spaced-apart parallel slots  26 - 26  and  28 - 28  therein for receipt of an anchoring peg, stake, or bolt (not shown) which could be placed in slots  26 - 26  or  28 - 28  to anchor security tower  20  to the surface upon which it is placed. Slots  26 - 26  and  2828  could be omitted if desired.  
         [0026]    Extending vertically upward from base  24  is post  22 . Post  22  is preferably generally rectangular in cross-section, although post  22  could have any desired cross-section such as circular, oval, or the like. Post  22  is preferably hollow inside as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. Post  22  has two opposing generally rectangular sides  22   a  and  22   b  which are rigidly connected to opposing generally rectangular sides  22   c  and  22   d.    
         [0027]    Opposing sides  22   a  and  22   b  of post  22  preferably have a plurality of hollow channels generally indicated by the numerals  30 ,  32  and  34  extending therebetween for receipt of a flexible elongated barrier material such as the warning ribbon generally indicated by the numeral  36  as shown in FIG. 13 or a chain generally indicated by the numeral  38  as shown in FIG. 14. If desired, a single channel such as channel  30  could be formed in post  22 , and channels  32  and  34  could be omitted. Hollow channels  30 ,  32 , and  34  are shown in the drawings to have a preferred rectangular cross-section; however, hollow channels  30 ,  32 , and  34  could have any desired cross-section such as circular, oval, or the like.  
         [0028]    Other flexible elongated barrier materials could be utilized instead of ribbon  36  or chain  38  if desired such as a rope, string, cable, or the like. Warning ribbon  36  or chain  38 , or other flexible elongated barrier materials, may be strung through channels  30  of a plurality of adjacent security towers  20  which have been placed around the border of a restricted area to prevent personnel and equipment from entering the restricted area. If desired, additional flexible elongated barrier materials may be strung through channels  32  and/or  34  of a plurality of adjacent security towers  20  which have been placed around the border of a restricted area to prevent personnel and equipment from entering the restricted area.  
         [0029]    Opposing sides  22   c  and  22   d  of post  22  preferably have a plurality of pairs of shoulders lying in a plane generally indicated by the numerals  40 - 40 ,  42 - 42 , and  44 - 44  extending horizontally outward therefrom, each one of the shoulders having a pin  40   a ,  42   a , and  44   a  respectively extending vertically upward therefrom. Preferably, pins  40   a ,  42   a , and  44   a  are cylindrical in shape as shown in the drawings; however, pins  40   a ,  42   a , and  44   a  could be of any desired cross-section such as oval, rectangular, or the like. Shoulders  40 - 40 ,  42 - 42 , and  44 - 44  and their associated pins  40   a ,  42   a , and  44   a  are adapted to connect to the barricade beam generally indicated by the numeral  46  in FIGS.  4 - 9 .  
         [0030]    If desired, a single set of shoulders such as shoulders  40 - 40  could be formed on post  22 , and shoulders  42 - 42  and  44 - 44  could be omitted. Also, if desired, two sets of shoulders such as shoulders  40 - 40  and  42 - 42  could be formed on post  22 , and shoulders  44 - 44  could be omitted. Shoulders  40 - 40 ,  42 - 42 ,  44 - 44  are shown in the drawings to have a preferred rectangular cross-section; however, shoulders  40 - 40 ,  42 - 42 ,  44 - 44  could have any desired cross-section such as circular, oval, or the like.  
         [0031]    Barricade beam  46  has a vertical hollow sleeve  48  formed in each end thereof adapted to receive pin  40   a ,  42   a , or  44   a  therein as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, and preferably two vertical parallel hollow sleeves  48   a - 48   a  formed adjacent the centerline  48   b  formed on barricade beam  46 . Preferably, hollow sleeves  48 - 48  and  48   a - 48   a  are cylindrical in shape. Hollow sleeves  48   a - 48   a  and centerline  48   b  are preferred to enable barricade beam to be cut into two equal length beams  52  shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and  9  which would be one-half the length of barricade beam  46  to provide more versatility in constructing barricades such as that shown in FIG. 9; however, if desired, hollow sleeves  48   a - 48   a  and centerline  48   b  could be omitted from barricade beam  46 . If desired, any elongated generally rectangular beam such as a common wooden or plastic beam could be used as a barricade beam between adjacent security towers  20 - 20  if the beam had vertical hollow channels drilled at the ends thereof similar to channels  48  which could receive pins  40   a ,  42   a , or  44   a.    
         [0032]    As shown in FIG. 8, to connect barricade beam  46  or  52  to security tower  20 , sleeve  48  of barricade beam  46  is aligned with pin  40   a  (or pin  42   a  or pin  44   a ), and sleeve  48  is moved vertically downward onto pin  40   a . Preferably, each of the pins  40   a ,  42   a , and  44   a  have a horizontal hollow cylindrical channel  40   b ,  42   b , and  44   b , respectively, therein for receipt of fastener pin  50 . Any desired fastener such as a nut and bolt, wire, or the like could be substituted for fastener pin  50 . If desired, horizontal channel  40   b ,  42   b , and  44   b  could be omitted. Hollow cylindrical channels  40   b ,  42   b , and  44   b  are shown in the drawings to have a preferred cylindrical shape with a circular cross-section; however, hollow channels  40   b ,  42   b , and  44   b could have any desired cross-section such as circular, oval, or the like, so long as pins  40   a ,  42   a , and  44   a  could be received therein.  
         [0033]    At the top of post  22  is preferably a generally rectangular bar or ridge generally indicated by the numeral  54  to enable a warning device such as the light generally indicated by the numeral  56  or the sign generally indicated by the numeral  58  as shown in FIG. 9 to be connected thereto. Preferably, bar or ridge  54  has horizontal hollow cylindrical channel  54   a  therein for receipt of fastener pin  54   b  shown in FIG. 9. Any desired fastener such as a nut and bolt, wire, or the like could be substituted for fastener pin  54   b . If desired, bar or ridge  54  or hollow cylindrical channel  54   a  could be omitted.  
         [0034]    In many applications, a flexible elongated barrier material such as warning ribbon  36  or chain  38  strung through one or more of the channels  30 ,  32 , and  34  of a plurality of adjacent security towers  20  which have been placed around the border of a restricted area is sufficient to comply with safety requirements of an industrial plant or other location for preventing personnel and equipment from entering the restricted area.  
         [0035]    Also, in many applications, rigid barricade beams similar to barricade beam  46  are desired or required rather than flexible elongated barrier material such as warning ribbon  36  or chain  38  to be attached to a plurality of adjacent security towers  20  which have been placed around the border of a restricted area is sufficient to comply with safety requirements of an industrial plant or other location for preventing personnel and equipment from entering the restricted area. In FIG. 9 is shown a barricade constructed with the security tower  20  of the invention and the barricade beams  46  and  52  of the invention. The security tower  20  of the invention is thus very versatile and enables entry into an area to be restricted by flexible elongated barrier material or by barricade beams connected to adjacent security towers  20 .  
         [0036]    Preferably the security tower  20  of the invention and the barricade beam  46  of the invention are molded from a plastic or polymeric material by injection molding or the like.  
         [0037]    Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail above, it should be understood that the invention is in no sense limited thereby, and its scope is to be determined by that of the following claims: