Access control system for a person on an elevated walkway

Abstract

The invention relates to a system (1) for controlling access to a person in an elevated walkway, said system comprising an access opening in said walkway, a rotating gate for locking said opening, an anchoring means (7) for said person, a latch (4) for locking said gate, a receiving piece (5) for said latch which is in the locked position when said gate is opened, and a receiving means (8) for said anchoring means, said latch being provided with an unlocking actuating zone (10), said zone being arranged to receive said anchoring means once received by said receiving means in order to unlock said latch. Figure 4a

Description

Title of the invention: Access control system for a person on an elevated walkway

[0001] The invention relates to a system for controlling access to a person in an elevated route.

[0002] It is known to implement a system for controlling access to a person in an elevated walkway, said system comprising: • an opening of access to said pathway, • a rotating locking gate for said opening, said gate being operable between a closed position and an open position, • a means of anchoring said person.

[0003] Various systems of varying complexity have been proposed to allow to enable the person to access such a route and to ensure that they are secured by the means of anchoring at the beginning of the route.

[0004] The invention aims to provide a simplified system for achieving these objectives.

[0005] To this end, the invention proposes a system for controlling access for a person in an elevated walkway, said system comprising: • an opening of access to said pathway, • a rotating locking gate for said opening, said gate being operable between a closed position and an open position, • a means of anchoring said person,

[0006] said system further comprising: • a locking latch for said gate in said closed position, said latch being operable between a locked position and an unlocked position, said latch being mounted on said gate and being returned to its locked position by a spring, • a receiving piece for said latch, which is placed in the locked position when said gate is opened, said piece being mounted securely to said opening, • a means for receiving said anchoring means, said receiving means being integral with said gate,

[0007] said latch being provided with an actuation zone for unlocking, said zone being arranged so as to receive said anchoring means against it once received by said receiving means in order to actuate said latch for unlocking.

[0008] With the proposed arrangement, we have a simple system allowing the person to access the elevated course while ensuring that they are secured by the anchoring means at the beginning of the course.

[0009] Once introduced into the course, the person is then led to remove the anchoring means from the gate and to anchor it to at least one receiving means - such as a hook or a cable - provided in said course.

[0010] To provide the person with optimal safety, it is necessary to provide, as will be seen later, that it is impossible for an anchoring means not to be anchored to a receiving means provided for in the course, for example by using anchoring means in the form of carabiners interconnected with each other so that they cannot be opened simultaneously, or an anchoring means in the form of a pulley.

[0011] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, made with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

[0012] [Fig. la],

[0013] [Fig.lb] and

[0014] [Fig. 1e] are schematic top views of a system according to one embodiment, the gate being in the position to receive a person ([Fig.la]), in the closed position to confine said person ([Fig.lb]) and in the open position to allow said person access to the route ([Fig. le]),

[0015] [Fig.2a] and

[0016] [Fig.2b] are partial schematic views of a system according to a first implementation, the latch being in the locked position ([Fig.2a]) and in the unlocked position once an anchoring means is secured to its receiving means ([Fig.2b]),

[0017] [Fig.3a],

[0018] [Fig.3b and

[0019] [Fig.3c] are partial schematic views of the system shown in Figures 2, said system being provided with two anchoring means, the latches being in the locked position and the gate in the closed position ([Fig.3a]), said latches being in the unlocked position by the anchoring means being attached to their receiving means ([Fig.3b]), and said latches being in the locked position and the receiving piece in the retracted position allowing the gate to return from its open position to its closed position ([Fig.3c]),

[0020] [Fig.4a],

[0021] [Fig.4b] and

[0022] [Fig.4c] are partial schematic views from two viewing angles of a system according to a second embodiment, the latch being in the locked position ([Fig.4a]), in unlocking position by attaching the anchoring means to its receiving means ([Fig.4b]), and in locking position allowing the anchoring means to be released from its receiving means so that the person can follow the path ([Fig.4c]).

[0023] With reference to the figures, a system 1 for controlling access for a person in an elevated walkway 20 is described, said system comprising: • a second access point to the audited route, • a rotating gate 3 for locking said opening, said gate being operable between a closed position and an open position, • an anchoring means 7 for said person,

[0024] said system further comprising: • a latch 4 for locking said gate in said closed position, said latch being actuable between a locked position and an unlocked position, said latch being mounted on said gate and being returned to its locked position by a spring 6, • a receiving piece 5 for said latch placed in the locked position when said gate is opened, said piece being mounted securely to said opening, • a receiving means 8 for said anchoring means, said receiving means being integral with said gate,

[0025] said latch being provided with an unlocking actuation zone 10, said zone being arranged so as to receive said anchoring means against it once received by said receiving means in order to actuate said latch in unlocking.

[0026] According to the embodiment shown, the receiving piece 5 is movably mounted on said opening between: • a deployed position allowing the latch 4 to be received when the gate 3 is opened in the absence of the anchoring means 7, said system further comprising an auxiliary spring 9 for actuating said part towards its deployed position, • and a retracted position allowing the return of said gate from its open position to its closed position, said retracted position being obtained by sliding said latch on a cam surface 19 disposed on said receiving piece.

[0027] According to an embodiment illustrated in figures 3a to 3c, the receiving piece 5 is mounted to rotate freely.

[0028] According to an unrepresented variant, the receiving piece 5 is mounted to move in translation.

[0029] According to the embodiments shown, the latch 4 is mounted to rotate around a secondary axis 17, said latch having on either side of said axis its unlocking actuation zone 10 and a locking part 18 intended to cooperate with the receiving part 5.

[0030] According to an unrepresented variant, the latch 4 is mounted in translation and provided with an inclined face allowing it to be put in the unlocking position by cam effect achieved by sliding the anchoring means 7 on said inclined face.

[0031] According to an embodiment partially illustrated in figures 1, the gate 3 comprises a main barrier 11, said barrier being provided with a locking block 12 on which the latch 4 and the spring 6 are mounted.

[0032] In particular, as partially illustrated in figures 1a to 1e, the gate 3 further comprises an auxiliary barrier 13 arranged upstream of the main barrier 11 in the direction of passage S of the path 20, said barriers being inscribed in a V shape when viewed from above, having a downstream branch 1a corresponding to said main barrier and an upstream branch 13a corresponding to said auxiliary barrier, said gate being mounted for rotation about a vertical axis 14 passing through the intersection between said branches, the locking block 12 being mounted at the free end of said downstream branch, said gate, when actuated for rotation in its opening direction, successively presenting: • a reception position for the person between said branches, in which said block is located at a distance from the reception room 5, • its closed position allowing confinement of said person between said branches, in which said block is located near said part so that the latch 4 cooperates with said part in the absence of anchoring means 7, the area extending between the free ends of said branches being provided with a fence 27 so as to prevent access by another person, • its open access position of said person in the path 20.

[0033] According to the embodiment shown in figures 2a to 3c, the anchoring means 7 is in the form of a carabiner, the receiving means 8 being in the form of a bar mounted at both ends on the locking block 12 and arranged so that the attachment of said carabiner to said bar provides support on the latch 4 to actuate it in unlocking.

[0034] In particular, as partially illustrated in figures 3a to 3c: • System 1 comprises two anchoring means 7 in the form of interconnected carabiners, such that they cannot both be opened simultaneously. • the locking block 12 is provided with two latches 4 allowing double locking of the gate 3, said latches each being provided with a respective return spring 6, said block being further provided with two receiving means 8 for each of said carabiners, said receiving means being in the form of bars,

[0035] so that the opening of said gate can only take place once the joint unlocking of said latches has been achieved.

[0036] Such an arrangement, providing for the use of two carabiners interconnected in such a way that they cannot be opened simultaneously, makes it possible to prevent a person from being in an unanchored situation in the course 20.

[0037] According to an embodiment not shown, the gate 3 is provided with a means of automatically returning from its open position to its reception position once the person has arrived in the path 20, said means of returning being for example in the form of a spring.

[0038] According to the embodiment shown in figures 4a to 4c, defining a principle of "continuous lifeline": • System 1 further comprises a cable 21 for securing the anchoring means 7 mounted in the path 20, said cable having an end 22 disposed near the opening 2, • The receiving means 8 is in the form of a finger extending from the locking block 12, • the anchoring means 7 is in the form of a pulley - or a hook according to an embodiment not shown - adapted to receive said finger, the engagement of said anchoring means on said finger providing support on the latch 4 to actuate it in unlocking, • it further includes an automatic locking device for said anchoring means on said finger in order to prevent its removal, • Placing gate 3 in the open position brings said finger into alignment with said cable end in such a way as to allow the passage of said anchoring means over said cable, • said locking device is provided with an unlocking means interacting with a reciprocal means disposed at said end, so as to allow the latch 4 to return to the locking position and the anchoring means of said finger to be withdrawn, in order to allow the anchoring means of said finger to pass through said cable.

[0039] According to the embodiment shown, the automatic locking device comprises: an annex latch 23 provided with an annex spring 24 which actuates it against the latch 4 once the anchoring means 7 is brought into cooperation with the receiving means 8, a projection 28 provided on said latch, said projection forming a blocking stop for the anchoring means 7.

[0040] According to the embodiment shown, the unlocking means is in the form of a support area 25 provided on the annex latch 23, said area interacting with a reciprocal means in the form of a stop 26 disposed at the end 22, said stop bearing on said area to allow the latch 4 to return to the locking position.

[0041] Not shown, in order to optimize the safety of the person, the system 1 may further include an automatic device to prevent the pulley or hook from being extracted once it has been put on the cable 21. Such a device may for example include an additional latch actuated to lock by an additional spring.

Claims

1.

2. Demands System (1) for controlling access to a person in an elevated walkway (20), said system comprising: • an opening (2) of access to said course, • a rotating gate (3) for locking said opening, said gate being operable between a closed position and an open position, • a means of anchoring (7) said person, said system being characterized in that it further comprises: • a latch (4) for locking said gate in said closed position, said latch being actuable between a locked position and an unlocked position, said latch being mounted on said gate and being returned to its locked position by a spring (6), • a receiving piece (5) for said latch placed in the locked position when said gate is opened, said piece being mounted securely to said opening, • a receiving means (8) for said anchoring means, said receiving means being integral with said gate, said latch being provided with an actuation zone in unlocking (10), said zone being arranged so as to receive said anchoring means in support once received by said receiving means in order to actuate said latch in unlocking. System (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving piece (5) is movably mounted on said opening between: • a deployed position allowing the latch (4) to be received when the gate (3) is opened in the absence of the anchoring means (7), said system further comprising an auxiliary spring (9) for actuating said part towards its deployed position, • and a retracted position allowing the return of said gate from its open position to its closed position, said retracted position being obtained by sliding said latch on a cam surface (19) disposed on said receiving piece.

3. System (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the receiving piece (5) is mounted to rotate freely.

4. System (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the latch (4) is mounted to rotate about a secondary axis (17), said latch having on either side of said axis its unlocking actuation zone (10) and a locking part (18) intended to cooperate with the receiving part (5).

5. System (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the gate (3) comprises a main barrier (11), said barrier being provided with a locking block (12) on which the latch (4) and the spring (6) are mounted.

6. System (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the gate (3) further comprises an auxiliary barrier (13) disposed upstream of the main barrier (11) along the direction of passage (S) of the path (20), said barriers being inscribed in a V shape when viewed from above, having a downstream arm (1a) corresponding to said main barrier and an upstream arm (13a) corresponding to said auxiliary barrier, said gate being mounted for rotation about a vertical axis (14) passing through the intersection between said arms, the locking block (12) being mounted at the free end of said downstream arm, said gate, when actuated for rotation in its opening direction, successively presenting: • a position for receiving the person between said arms, in which said block is located at a distance from the receiving part (5), • its closed position allowing confinement of said person between said arms,in which said block is located near said part so that the latch (4) cooperates with said part in the absence of an anchoring means (7), the area extending between the free ends of said branches being provided with a fence (27) so as to prevent access by another person, • its open position allowing access by said person in the path (20).

7. System (1) according to any one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that: • it comprises two anchoring means (7) in the form of interconnected carabiners so that they cannot be opened simultaneously, • the locking block (12) is provided with two latches (4) allowing double locking of the gate (3), said latches each being provided with a respective return spring (6), said block being further provided with two receiving means (8) for each of said carabiners, said receiving means being in the form of bars, so that the opening of said gate can only take place once the joint unlocking of said latches has been achieved.

8. System (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: • it further comprises a cable (21) for securing the anchoring means (7) mounted in the path (20), said cable having an end (22) disposed near the opening (2), • the receiving means (8) is in the form of a finger extending from the locking block (12), • the anchoring means (7) is in the form of a pulley or a hook adapted to receive said finger, the engagement of said anchoring means on said finger providing support on the latch (4) to actuate it in unlocking mode, • it further comprises an automatic locking device for said anchoring means on said finger to prevent its removal, • placing the gate (3) in the open position brings said finger into alignment with said cable end so as to allow the passage of said anchoring means over said cable,• said locking device is provided with an unlocking means interacting with a reciprocal means disposed at said end, so as to allow the latch (4) to return to the locked position and the anchoring means of said finger to be withdrawn, in order to allow the anchoring means of said finger to pass through said cable.

9. System (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the automatic locking device comprises: • an auxiliary latch (23) provided with an auxiliary spring (24) actuating it against the latch (4) once the anchoring means (7) has been brought into cooperation with the receiving means (8), • a projection (28) provided on said latch, said projection forming a locking stop for the anchoring means (7).

10. System (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the unlocking means is in the form of a support area (25) provided on the auxiliary latch (23), said area interacting with a reciprocal means in the form of a stop (26) disposed at the end (22), said stop bearing on said area to allow the latch (4) to return to the locking position.