Crowd control barrier post assembly

Abstract

A lockable post assembly includes a post member ( 12 ) having a vertical axis and an anchor portion ( 14 ) at a lower first end thereof. The anchor portion ( 14 ) has a head ( 16 ) and neck ( 18 ), the neck ( 18 ) defining a female constriction above the head ( 16 ). An anchor socket ( 22 ) secured within the ground is adapted to lockably receive the anchor portion ( 14 ) so as to hold the post member ( 12 ) upright. The anchor socket ( 22 ) has a keyed passageway ( 24 ) with an inward collar portion ( 26 ). The collar portion ( 26 ) defines a male constriction above a lower cavity ( 30 ). In use, the anchor socket ( 22 ) lockably receives the anchor portion ( 14 ) by the steps of inserting the anchor portion downwardly in a first orientation about the vertical axis so that the head ( 16 ) enters the lower cavity ( 30 ), and then rotating the anchor portion ( 14 ) to a second orientation about the vertical axis so that the head ( 16 ) is underneath or abuts a bottom surface of the collar portion ( 26 ). In this way, the post member ( 12 ) is held upright and cannot be lifted from the anchor socket ( 22 ) without counter-rotating the anchor portion ( 14 ) to the first orientation.

1 . A lockable post assembly comprising:
 (a) a post member having a vertical axis and an anchor portion at a lower first end thereof, the anchor portion comprising a head and neck, the neck defining a female constriction above the head,   (b) an anchor socket secured within the ground, the anchor socket being adapted to lockably receive the anchor portion of the post member so as to hold it upright, the anchor socket comprising a keyed passageway having a male constriction above a lower cavity of the passageway, the male constriction being so configured to allow the head to pass downwardly into the lower cavity when the anchor portion is in a first orientation about the vertical axis, but to disallow the head to pass upwardly out of the lower cavity when the anchor portion is in a second orientation about the vertical axis,
 wherein, in use, the anchor socket lockably receives the anchor portion by:
 (i) inserting the anchor portion downwardly in the first orientation into the anchor socket so that the head enters the lower cavity, and then 
 (ii) rotating the anchor portion to the second orientation so that the head lies underneath a bottom surface of the male constriction, 
 
   
       whereby the post member is held upright and cannot be lifted from the anchor socket. 
     
     
         2 . The lockable post assembly of  claim 1  wherein the head has one or more upper surface that is ramped downwardly so as to define a diverging mouth for receiving an edge of the male constriction when rotating the anchor portion to the second orientation. 
     
     
         3 . The barrier post assembly of  claim 1  wherein the anchor portion further comprises a shoulder above the neck, wherein the neck defines the female constriction between the head and the shoulder, so that when the head enters the lower cavity, a lower surface of the shoulder is above or abuts a top surface of the male constriction. 
     
     
         4 . The barrier post assembly of  claim 1  wherein the keyed passageway further comprises an upper cavity above the lower cavity, wherein the male constriction is between the upper and lower cavities. 
     
     
         5 . The lockable post assembly of  claim 3  wherein the shoulder has a compressible O-ring secured to and projecting from its lower surface so as to compressingly abut the top surface of the male constriction. 
     
     
         6 . The lockable post assembly of  claim 1  wherein the lower cavity includes a stop pin for preventing further rotating of the anchor portion beyond the second orientation. 
     
     
         7 . The lockable post assembly of  claim 1  wherein the post member includes spring means having a first end mounted to an inner surface of the post member and a second end connected to a respective guide cable that is adapted to retractably extend from the post member. 
     
     
         8 . The lockable post assembly of  claim 7  wherein the spring means are coil tension springs. 
     
     
         9 . The lockable post assembly of  claim 1  wherein the post member has a key recess formed axially at an upper end thereof, the key recess being adapted to engage a key spanner or other tool for use in rotating the anchor portion of the post member to the second orientation. 
     
     
         10 . The lockable post assembly of  claim 1  wherein the degree of rotation is 90°. 
     
     
         11 . The lockable post assembly of  claim 7  wherein the guide cable has a free end to which is connected a lockable latch assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The lockable post assembly of  claim 11  wherein the lockable latch assembly comprises a cable clamp and a latch rotatably connected thereto, the latch including a spring loaded lock pin and a swivel lock arm which is adapted to rotate between an open position and a closed position where the lock pin is extended with spring expansion and is received through a mating hole of the lock arm.