Method and apparatus for security gate gearing

Abstract

A security gate drive mechanism is disclosed having a rotating shaft which rotates no more than a single rotation in order to provide through a linking mechanism, a driving force to move a security gate from a first position in which the security gate is essentially fully closed, to a second position in which the security gate is essentially fully open. A driving motor having a drive shaft rotating at much greater than one revolutions per minute, and a reduction gear contained in a reduction gear housing having an input shaft operatively connected to the drive shaft and an output shaft comprising or operatively connected to the rotating shaft, thus reducing the revolutions per minute of the drive shaft to a number of revolutions per minute suitable for operation of the security gate.

We claim:  
     
         1 . In a security gate drive mechanism having a rotating shaft which rotates at a relatively low rate of rotation in order to provide through a linking mechanism a driving force to move a security gate from a first position in which the security gate is essentially fully closed to a second position in which the security gate is essentially fully open, a driving motor having a drive shaft rotating at much greater than the desired rotation rate, and a reduction gear, contained in a reduction gear housing, having an input shaft operatively connected to the drive shaft and an output shaft comprising or operatively connected to the rotating shaft, for reducing the revolutions per minute of the drive shaft to a number of revolutions per minute suitable for operation of the security gate, a gearing mechanism comprising: 
 a drive shaft pulley fixedly attached to the drive shaft for rotation with the rotation of the drive shaft;    a reduction gear pulley having a larger diameter than the drive shaft pulley and extending outside of a projection of the reduction gear housing at least in a direction generally aligned with the axis of rotation of the reduction gear output shaft;    a reduction gear housing extension connected to the reduction gear housing and extending in the direction of the extension of the reduction gear output shaft from the reduction gear housing, and having an opening through which extends the reduction gear output shaft;    the reduction gear housing extension extending a sufficient distance to at least place the respective extension of the reduction gear pulley within the projection of the reduction gear housing extension.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the reduction gear housing extension has a bearing mounted in the opening adapted to rotationally support the reduction gear output shaft.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the reduction gear pulley together with the drive shaft pulley provide at least a two to one reduction in the revolutions per minute on the drive shaft to the revolutions per minute on the reduction gear input shaft.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the reduction gear pulley together with the drive shaft pulley provide at least a two to one reduction in the revolutions per minute on the drive shaft to the revolutions per minute on the reduction gear input shaft.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the reduction gear pulley together with the drive shaft pulley provide at least a four to one reduction in the revolutions per minute on the drive shaft to the revolutions per minute on the reduction gear input shaft.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the reduction gear pulley together with the drive shaft pulley provide at least a four to one reduction in the revolutions per minute on the drive shaft to the revolutions per minute on the reduction gear input shaft.  
     
     
         7 . In a security gate operating mechanism having a drive motor operatively connected to an operating shaft through a reduction gear contained in a reduction gear housing, wherein the operating shaft is positioned and operatively connected to the security gate through a linking mechanism to move the security gate from a first position to a second position through rotary motion of the operating shaft, and wherein the revolutions per minute of the drive motor, without reduction, would rotate the operating shaft between a first position and a second position of the operating shaft corresponding to the security gate first and second positions, in an unacceptably fast manner, and wherein the linking mechanism extends generally perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the operating shaft and generally parallel to a projection of the reduction gear housing in a first plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the operating shaft, a gearing mechanism comprising: 
 a reduction gear input pulley that is larger than a drive shaft pulley and operatively connected to the drive shaft pulley, and wherein the reduction gear input pulley extends beyond the projection of the reduction gear housing;    a reduction gear housing extension attached to the reduction gear housing in the vicinity of the operating shaft, whereby the linking mechanism extending generally parallel to a projection of the reduction gear housing extension is in a second plane perpendicular to the access of rotation of the operating shaft, and displaced from the first plane a distance sufficient to accommodate the increased size of the reduction gear input pulley.    
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the reduction gear housing extension has a bearing mounted in an opening through the reduction gear housing extension adapted to rotationally support the reduction gear output shaft.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the reduction gear pulley together with the drive shaft pulley provide at least a two to one reduction in the revolutions per minute on the drive shaft to the revolutions per minute on the reduction gear input shaft.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the reduction gear pulley together with the drive shaft pulley provide at least a two to one reduction in the revolutions per minute on the drive shaft to the revolutions per minute on the reduction gear input shaft.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the reduction gear pulley together with the drive shaft pulley provide at least a four to one reduction in the revolutions per minute on the drive shaft to the revolutions per minute on the reduction gear input shaft.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the reduction gear pulley together with the drive shaft pulley provide at least a four to one reduction in the revolutions per minute on the drive shaft to the revolutions per minute on the reduction gear input shaft.  
     
     
         13 . A method of operating a security gate having a drive motor operatively connected to an operating shaft through a reduction gear contained in a reduction gear housing, wherein the operating shaft is positioned and operatively connected to the security gate through a linking mechanism to move the security gate from a first position to a second position through rotary motion of the operating shaft, and wherein the revolutions per minute of the drive motor, without reduction, would rotate the operating shaft between a first position and a second position of the operating shaft, corresponding to the security gate first and second positions, in an unacceptably fast manner, and wherein the linking mechanism extends generally perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the operating shaft and generally parallel to a projection of the reduction gear housing in a first plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the operating shaft, comprising the steps of: 
 reducing the rotational speed of the motor drive shaft input to the reduction gear input shaft utilizing a reduction gear input pulley that is larger than a drive shaft pulley and operatively connected to the drive shaft pulley, and wherein the reduction gear input pulley extends beyond the projection of the reduction gear housing;    extending the reduction gear housing with an attached extension in the vicinity of the operating shaft, whereby the linking mechanism is enabled to clear the reduction gear input pulley in operation.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  including rotationally support the reduction gear output shaft with a bearing mounted in an opening through the attached extension.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  including provide at least a two to one reduction in the revolutions per minute on the drive shaft to the revolutions per minute on the reduction gear input shaft.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14  including providing at least a two to one reduction in the revolutions per minute on the drive shaft to the revolutions per minute on the reduction gear input shaft.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13  including providing at least a four to one reduction in the revolutions per minute on the drive shaft to the revolutions per minute on the reduction gear input shaft.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14  including providing at least a four to one reduction in the revolutions per minute on the drive shaft to the revolutions per minute on the reduction gear input shaft.  
     
     
         19 . In a security gate drive mechanism having a rotating shaft which rotates in order to provide through a linking mechanism a driving force to move a security gate from a first position in which the security gate is essentially fully closed to a second position in which the security gate is essentially fully open, a driving motor having a drive shaft rotating at much greater than one revolutions per minute, and a reduction gear, contained in a reduction gear housing, having an input shaft operatively connected to the drive shaft and an output shaft comprising or operatively connected to the rotating shaft, for reducing the revolutions per minute of the drive shaft to a number of revolutions per minute of the operating shaft suitable for operation of the security gate, a gearing mechanism comprising: 
 a drive shaft pulley fixedly attached to the drive shaft for rotation with the rotation of the drive shaft;    a reduction gear pulley having a larger diameter than the drive shaft pulley and extending outside of a projection of the reduction gear housing at least in a direction generally aligned with the axis of rotation of the reduction gear output shaft;    a reduction gear housing extension means for extending in the direction of the extension of the reduction gear output shaft from the reduction gear housing a sufficient distance to at least place the respective extension of the reduction gear pulley within a projection of the reduction gear housing extension.    
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the reduction gear housing extension means has a bearing mounted in the opening adapted to rotationally support the reduction gear output shaft.