The device and principle of operation of automation for gates

Gate means a mechanical structure mounted in a wall to restrict and regulate access to a controlled area.

According to the device, they can be divided into:

• a mechanical enclosure attached to the building elements of a building or fence as part of a stationary and movable structure;

• a drive that performs the operation of opening or closing the gate leaves with fixing the executed position;

• automation that controls the operation of the main parts of the drive system.

Gate building elements

According to their technical performance, modern designs used for installation in a cottage, cottage, garage are mounted according to one of the following principles:

1. swing, performed, as a rule, by two shutters;

2. sliding, made by a single continuous door moving along the lower metal brand or other supporting profile and supported by the upper guide;

3. lifting, based on the rise, most often, with the rotation of a solid door;

4. sectional, consisting of separate sections assembled into a single movable system, moved along the guide traverses;

5. roller shutters, created from relatively narrow plates, which, while providing access, are folded into a roll located in the box above the entrance.

The general principle of operation of each of these systems is shown in the diagram.

Appearance and design of all types are demonstrated by photographs.

All moving elements should easily, without undue effort, move along their guides. They require periodic monitoring by the owner and cleaning, lubrication of moving parts if necessary.

If the flaps are difficult to move, then they will create an increased load on the drive and motor. As a result, system breakdowns occur.

Automatic gate drive

In all such constructions without exception, two sash control options are used:

1. manually due to the muscular strength of a person;

2. automatically using electrical energy.

The first method is the backup one and is used in exceptional cases in case of malfunctions with the supply of electricity, and the second - the main one.

The design of the drive necessarily includes:

• AC electric motor 220 or DC 24 volts;

• mechanical worm gear with bevel gears for the implementation of a self-braking system of blocking from turning from the outside;

• kinematic system for transmitting movement from an electric motor to moving sashes based on gear, chain or belt mechanisms.

For each type of gate its own individual drives are created, providing various types of movement of the actuator over individual distances.

According to the principle of work, they are divided into:

• linear, permanently fixed at one point and shifting its movable bracket in a straight line inside its own housing. For this purpose, rotation of the screw on a moving nut or a belt or chain transmission is often used;

• telescopic, consisting of two or more sectioned elements equipped with internal sliders, providing separation of the sections to move the final holder;

• lever assembled by a system of blocks with levers;

• hydraulic, used for the most critical structures with heavy flaps weighing about 900 kg or more and a width of 4.5 m, which are subjected to intensive work.

The drives, as well as the stationary part of the gate with a guide system, are rigidly mounted on the surface of building elements that are securely mounted in the foundation. Since the backlash and distortions of the mobile system during operation are unacceptable, the deepening of the foundations for the gate and drive must exceed the depth of freezing of the soil in winter.

This is a prerequisite to ensure the quality of the gate. You should pay attention to it before the installation and commissioning of automation. Otherwise, every spring will have to correct construction errors.

Gate automation system

The control of the shutter operation in automatic mode reliably occurs only when all the mechanisms are well debugged and checked manually. Therefore, they are engaged in it at the final stage of construction.

Automation can function:

1. from a stationary control panel located, for example, on the wall of a building;

2. remotely based on the transmission of radio commands from a mobile remote control to a receiver that controls the output signals of the electric motor and other elements;

3. from a combination of the first and second methods.

Management based on remote methods is based on the same principles as for a permanently installed remote control with the usual buttons for starting and disabling a simple electric motor. Only it is complicated by solving additional technical problems.

Automation work from a stationary control panel

The gate drive moves the leaves to open or close when voltage is applied to the electric motor and ceases to act immediately after it is turned off. This principle is embedded in the operation of the automation unit.

For timely and proper control of the drive, the following is taken into account:

• direction of rotation of the motor rotor (before applying voltage);

• moment of rotation stop upon the leaflets reaching the final starting position;

• safety of leaf movement with respect to objects appearing inside the zone of their movement by working photocells, for example, prevention of blows by leafs on the cab of a moving car;

• excess load on the drive mechanisms that can cause damage. For example, the removal of snow that has fallen by the drive force in front of the swing gates can deform the metal parts of the sash frame. Therefore, current sensors included in the motor load circuit will detect excessive force and remove the supply voltage.

Additional functions of a stationary console with an automation unit can be tasks:

• inclusion of artificial lighting sources in the area in front of the gates or inside the garage with poor visibility;

• giving signals about the beginning of manipulations with the leaves;

• other technical solutions.

For the practical implementation of these tasks on the simplest stationary console set:

• two buttons with self-locking voltage supply to the starter (relay) with make contacts, through which the engine is turned on to open or close the valves (one of direct polarity, and the other of the opposite);

• the Stop button, which creates an open circuit of the motor supply voltage to stop its rotation;

• starter or relay with closing power contacts through which the supply voltage is applied;

• output contacts of the sensors of the end positions of the shutters, photo relay, load control and others.

Pressing the open or close buttons allows you to start the specified operation, and the “Stop” buttons to interrupt its execution. Since the voltage is supplied to the circuit through the closing contacts of the starter, when the circuit of its supply is cut off by any of the series-connected control sensors, the process of movement of the valves immediately stops. In modern models of control units, security photocells are increasingly being used, gradually replacing contact mechanisms.

Similar schemes can be created on different elemental base, have slightly different algorithms.

Automation work from a remote control

In this case, a slight complication of the previous scheme is applied, which consists in connecting electronic keys in parallel with the control buttons. They work from the signals of the receiver, which receives radio commands from the transmitter of the remote control.

These devices are available in a very large assortment with various functions, appearance and controls, but similar operating principles.

The location of the control sensors and elements of the power system depends on the design of the gate and the specific terrain conditions. For example, for the use of swing structures, the following scheme may be adopted.

Safety photocells control the quality of the workspace from all sides. To do this, they are installed on the pillar of the rack mount, wall, support column and set up to clearly cover the entry area, to control the leafs reaching the final travel positions and to prevent them from hitting people, animals or vehicles that suddenly appear.

The electric drives of each leaf are mounted on the mounting supports. The circuit breaker key is located on the inside of the wall near the gate.

A signal light is installed for convenient lighting of the entrance. The receiver of signals from the transmitter, mounted in the control unit, together with a separate electric drive is mounted on one of the supports of the racks. Near it there is a closed junction box with electric cables connecting all of the above objects with a stationary remote control and an input electrical panel with protections.

Wiring is hidden in cable channels and protected against accidental mechanical damage.

The command transmitter, built into the small key fob, is controlled by pressing buttons on the case and broadcasts through its antenna a coded radio signal of a certain frequency, which is only received by a receiver mounted in a stationary control unit.

The received command after processing by the receiver arrives at one of the electronic keys and is accepted by it for execution. Further, the circuit works in the same way as from a stationary control unit.

To make it convenient to work with the key fob, it can be pre-configured for different algorithms. For example, you can open and close the gate wing with a single click on the control button or only double, performing repeated actions.

To do this, the receiver and transmitter are turned on and programmed by certain button manipulations on established equipment. Electronics remembers the resulting algorithm of actions and henceforth strictly fulfills it.

The system integrates the ability to turn off the automation to control the gate only in manual mode. For this purpose, a mechanical lock and a key lock are used, which are located in a convenient place for use, but closed from extraneous places.

If another sash opening system is used, for example, sliding gates, then the locations of the drive and automation undergo minor changes, and the principle of their interaction remains the same.

It is only necessary to take into account the specific conditions of the design, terrain and user requirements. For sliding flaps, only two photocells of safety are sufficient, and the drive can be stopped by mechanical limit switches.

All automation schemes provide for a system of duplication of individual work processes, which allows you to reserve protective functions. For example, in case of failure of the leaf stop limit switch, the motor overload protection should work, which will stop the drive and prevent breakage.

Automation of gates of industrial enterprises

Organizations that carry out a large volume of cargo transportation and restrict the access of extraneous vehicles to their territory can effectively use the schemes described above, combining them with a security and video surveillance system.

An example of such automation operating in the complex of an access control system is shown in the picture.

A few tens of meters before the entrance to the gate on the road, a control reinforced concrete slab equipped with a pressure sensor is installed. The latter is triggered by hitting a plate of a car and other heavier vehicles. The sensor does not respond to the weight of a passing person and animals.

Information on the activated contact of the sensor is transmitted to the gate control unit. A cable channel or a radio signal can be used for this. The first method is implemented more often.

The signal in the control unit is processed and sent to the guard station and the official of the enterprise administration with a sound siren or light panel. At the same time, a constantly working video camera of the surveillance system captures the actions of the driver. Information is available to the watchman and controlling person on computer monitors.

The driver of the vehicle, having approached the closed gate, applies his service document on the right of way to the windshield. The watchman visually checks the entry permit and opens the automatic gate by pressing the buttons on the stationary remote control or uses a key fob for this. After passing the car, the gate closes.

When the car leaves the territory of the enterprise, the watchman checks the documents for the cargo with the driver and releases him on the flight by opening the wings.

At any time, the administrator has the technical ability to intervene in the work of the watchman and open or close the gate with his remote control.

As a result of using automatic gates in the access control system, the following issues are resolved:

• operational verification of documents from visitors;

• fast passage of vehicles to the territory, which eliminates the formation of traffic jams;

• storing video information in computer memory about the passage of vehicles through the gate and the actions of the driver and security;

• the organization of the control of the guard on the part of the administration.

Features of model selection

There is no uniform terminology among manufacturers of equipment for automatic gates; there are disagreements in the technical terms of products. For marketing purposes, often the elements of power units, including electric drives, are referred to as automation systems.

This allows you to successfully sell ready-made sets of drives, remote controls and all kinds of sensors.

Manufacturers immediately release sectional automatic gates and rolling shutter models complete with drives and a customized automation system, which are quite easily mounted on a prepared building. All of their installation and configuration is carried out in a short time according to the developed instructions.

However, what control and automation functions are embedded in a specific model should be clarified in advance with the seller before purchase. This will allow optimal use of their capabilities without extra spending money.

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