This page is all about products Grants Automation has currently got on the development list. If you read through and have any idea's or features you'd like to see in any of these products please email or call.
Power Bolt - Our concept for an electrically powered drop bolt for residential double swing gates.
Ideally this device whould be compact enough so it would fit on a 50mm gate rail and would power a 12mm drop bolt or larger down 200mm to a flush mounting keeper in the ground. This would be neat and provide an ideal solution to locking residential double swing gates. The flush mounting keeper would be a bit fiddly to fit so there could perhaps be a surface mounting version too. Another option could be a longer stroke, perhaps 300mm.
The way this device would work is it would be powered by 12V or 24VDC, with cabling being run inside the gate frame and through a power transfer device to the gate post and to the gate operator. It would also have a connection to the lock output of the gate operator, which will tell it when to pull up to allow the gate operator to open the gate. The lock output of the gate operator would be a simple impulse for a second or two and so long as the gate has moved away from the keeper the power bolt will remain up. There will be a magnetic proximity sensor in the power bolt that senses a magnet in the keeper. The keeper will be round and can be rotated to adjust the exact point where the bolt will drop as the gate reaches the closed position. The gate operator must be running slowly as it approaches the close limit.
The power bolt will consist of a small high torque electric motor directly driving an acme screw attached to the bolt so will travel very quickly. There will be a simple electronic controller that powers the bolt in the correct direction for a second or two so there will be no limit switches to set up or other such things. Setting it up will be a matter of adjusting the magnet so the drop bolt comes down at precisely the correct time and locates its self in the hole in the keeper. The Keeper could perhaps be in two parts with the centre, where the hole is can be removed and cleaned, as the hole will fill up with dirt and to be able to remove it and tap it upside down to remove the dirt will be necessary. Because the powering of the bolt is time based the motor current will be regulated using a switch mode regulator so the motor doesn't over heat.
Wireless Transceiver for intercom systems.
This will basically be an improvement on what is currently available as a digital wireless device with voice quality audio and control inputs and outputs that are being transmitted and received digitally between two or more units at the same time (full duplex). The transceiver will be contained in a small weather proof box that can be connected directly to most off the shelf intercom systems available to replace cabling. The antenna will be either a short length of wire hanging down from the transceiver box for short range use or a coaxial cable run to a small roof top antenna for longer range use. A larger antenna at each end could give a range of up to 10km direct line of sight.
The transceiver would have a low powered receiver, which will be active all the time and will only transmit when activated by a call button or incoming signal so could be battery and/or solar powered. The transceiver would also have 6 call inputs/outputs and have DIP switch ID system so could be configured for use with housing complexes or rural properties that share a common gate. It could also have an input for a digital keypad so could be expanded for use with as many houses in a complex as needed with one transceiver required per block of six, seperate transceiver per house or what ever would save running cabling between buildings. One transceiver could also act as a repeater from one building/pole to the next allowing the signal to go around corners.
The addition of a video camera at a gate and small LCD monitor at each handset is also a possibility. The camera could be on 24/7 and be patched into a PC with a video capture card and software installed so would provide 24hour video surveillance too. All the tech for this has been developed for the mobile phone industry so could be manufactured at reasonably low cost. The most likely application would be installing intercom systems for Gates in rural properties and housing estates where the cost of cabling can run into the $1000 or even $10,000.
Continuously rated 24V Gate operator with Brushless DC Motor
The Brushless DC motor is the 24VDC motors equivilent to the industrial 3-Phase motor so far as durability and longevity goes as opposed to the current industrial quality "Brushed" motor used. The problem with brushed motors is the brushes do tent to wear out with a lot of use and they loose torque considerably if speed is reduced electronically. The brussless DC (BLDC) motor uses electronics to switch power in the motor rather than brushes and have accurate position sensors in the motor so speed and torque can be controller very precisely. This technology is ideal for gate operators that get a lot of use, because the only friction is that in the bearings so last considerably longer.
Accurate speed control means less wear and tear on the gate hinges and the operators mechanism, higher speed opening and very precise obstruction detection for safety. High speed opening is necessary for commerical gates so users don't get impatient and try to race the gate, which is very dangerous and can lead to the gate being hit by a car rendering it out of action.
A BLDC motor in a Linear Swing Gate operator can be controlled very accurately because the mechanical speed of the linear actuator is more consistant than the articulated arm type, which is the current preference for commerical swing gate operators. If the Linear actuator has a long stroke length (amount of linear travel), large acme screw and is the translating tube variety the mechanical design is better than the articulated arm variety and with a BLDC motor the speed will be much more precise so the operator can slow right down near the close limit for a very gentle stop against a lock plate. The set up will be done electronically so will be more accurate and much less fiddling about then the current crude limit switch system.
This technology could also be applied to Sliding Gate operators allowing gates to accelerate to 1m/s or faster while opening and eliminating the need for limits switch strike plates or magnets on the gate that can be vandalised or damaged by accident preventing the gate from working.