Fences – Miscellaneous
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-04
2004-01-27
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3679)
Fences
Miscellaneous
C256S059000, C248S129000, C248S519000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06682055
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to a support for a queue management or customer guidance system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is now well-known to provide queue management systems or customer guidance systems in post offices, banks, airport check-in desks, ski lift stations and like locations. These systems comprise plurality of upstanding posts or stanchions between which are supported either rigid rails, simple ropes or retractable webbing barriers. One such retractable webbing barrier queue management system comprises a plurality of upstanding posts with heavy bases or pedestals (normally in the form of heavy thick circular disks) which support several lengths of webbing. In the upper end of each post, a cassette is located which accommodates at least two meters of heavy duty webbing which can be withdrawn from the cassette against the bias of a spring, there being an end fitting on the free end of the webbing designed for engagement with a mating fitting on an adjacent post. Such a system is marketed by us under our TENSABARRIER trade mark.
While such queue management systems are perfectly satisfactory, they are cumbersome to move from place to place and take up a substantial amount of storage space due to the presence of the heavyweight bases or pedestals.
In FR-A-2312602, there is disclosed a crowd control barrier or queue management system comprising two upright support posts having two feet which project in opposite directions, these posts incorporating fittings to support a ladder-like barrier which can extend between two identical posts in a direction extending at right angles to the feet on the posts. This system works satisfactorily, but the component parts, especially the barriers, are bulky and heavy.
The present invention seeks to overcome the above disadvantages with known queue management systems and, in particular, to provide a much more portable and easily manageable support for such systems.
According to the present invention, we provide a support for a queue management system, the support having a base from which an upstanding post extends, the upper end portion of the post being adapted to support at least one barrier device, and wherein the support is constructed so that a plurality of identical supports can be stacked in a nesting arrangement with one another, and wherein at least one whee-like device is mounted on the base to enable the support or a plurality of stacked supports to be wheeled from one location to another.
Preferably, the base has a recess in a circumferential portion thereof to receive a lower portion of a post of another support.
Preferably, there is a projecting hook-like tongue in the bottom of the recess, and in the said lower portion, there is a groove with a profile matching that of the hook-like tongue for connection with the tongue of another support.
Preferably, the base is formed of cast-iron and is coated with a non-scuff textured paint, rubber or the like.
Preferably also, the wheel-like device is at least one roller mounted on the base diametrically opposite the recess, the location of which roller or rollers is such that, when the support is tilted, the support or a stack of supports can be pushed or pulled around.
In an alternative design, the base may be formed from tubular stock and be integral with the upstanding post.
In this construction, the base is preferably generally V-shaped in plan, and has a further limb upstanding from that end of one of its arms which is not connected to the other arm of the V, said upstanding limb being inclined at a first acute angle to the horizontal (and to the arm from which it extends) and extending inwardly towards a line bisecting the angle at the apex of the V, and at a second acute angle to said arm when viewed in plan.
Preferably, the angle at the apex of the V is about 60° and the first acute angle is about 50° and the second acute angle is about 35°.
Preferably, the upstanding post extends vertically from that end of the upstanding limb not connected to the arm of the V, and forms an obtuse angle therewith preferably, the obtuse angle is about 120°.
To give stability to the support, at least that portion thereof which is designed to sit on a support surface should be sufficiently heavy to prevent the support from toppling over. If it is formed of tubular stock, it may be filled with concrete, sand or some other suitably heavy material.
Preferably, this alternative design of post is fitted with a pair of spaced wheels so as to facilitate the movement of the supports from location to location. Preferably, one wheel is located on the free end of the other of the arms of the V, with its axis of rotation extending at right angles to the line bisecting the apex of the V, and the other wheel is mounted on the joint between the said one arm of the V and the upstanding limb, so that its axis of rotation is co-axial with that of the said one wheel.
In an alternative construction, the base may be formed separately, e.g. of cast iron, and then attached to a lower end of the upstanding post.
In this construction, the upstanding post preferably has a lower end part inclined to the upright portion at an angle of about 140°, and the bottom end thereof is secured to the foot at the apex of the V, which is preferably truncated.
Preferably, also in this construction, the support is fitted with one or more wheels, not at the free ends of the arms of the V but at the apex thereof. For this purpose, the apex is preferably formed by a short cross member from which each arm of the V extends at an angle of about 30°, and the wheel(s) is/are mounted on the cross member.
Preferably, in this construction, the supports are nested with an adjacent post by a foot of one support at least partly overlying a foot of the adjacent support.
Preferably, the wheel(s) only contact the ground when the upstanding post is tilted forwardly through about 20°-40°.
Preferably, this upstanding post is formed on front and rear faces thereof with co-operating male and female means for locking nested supports together in such a manner as to allow limited relative vertical movement between adjacent nested supports, to permit forward tilting of a set of nested supports, for transport purposes.
Preferably, at its upper end, the upstanding post is hollow so as to accept a cassette containing a spring loaded length of webbing which can be pulled out from the cassette against the load of the spring for connection to an anchorage point. Such a cassette is sold by us and forms part of our TENSABARRIER queue management system.
A plurality of supports my be marketed as a set, either fitted with cassettes containing pull-out webbing, or in conjunction with complimentary barrier devices, and means may be sold therewith to wrap around a plurality of nested posts to hold them together. Even when so held together, the set of supports may still be moved relatively easily from one location to another, due to the rollers or wheels on the supports. Said means may comprise one or more lengths of wrap around strapping, webbing or the like, for wrapping at least once around the upright portions of the nested supports.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3276786 (1966-10-01), Olander
patent: 3415475 (1968-12-01), Goodman
patent: 5050846 (1991-09-01), Goodman et al.
patent: 5220740 (1993-06-01), Brault
patent: 5490599 (1996-02-01), Tohidi
patent: 5722788 (1998-03-01), Bent et al.
patent: 6095503 (2000-08-01), Burley et al.
patent: 6102375 (2000-08-01), Colless et al.
patent: 2 312 602 (1976-12-01), None
Tomlinson Andrew John
Tuppin David John
Vine David Robert
Browne Lynne H.
Ferguson Michael P
Harter Secrest & Emery LLP
Salai Stephen B.
Shaw Brian B.
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