GB2232707A

GB2232707A - Gate apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2232707A
Application number: GB9013392A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Geraint Evans
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-06-16
Filing date: 1990-06-15
Publication date: 1990-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 2010-06-15
Also published as: GB2232707B; GB9013392D0; GB8913934D0

Abstract

Gate apparatus comprising a barrier (1) mounted on support means (4) so as to be displaceable by the action of a vehicle thereagainst from a closed position into an open position in opposite directions; biassing or other force-exerting or force-transmitting means (20) for urging said barrier into its closed position; latch means or securing means (8) biassed to retain said barrier in its closed position when it returns thereto from either of the open positions; and release means (16) for releasing said latch means or securing means and operable by engagement on either side of the barrier by a front portion of the vehicle which is to pass through said gate apparatus. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPRDVED GATE PPPPRATUS.

The present invention relates to an improved gate apparatus for use on farms where it is necessary to frequently pass through. Gates which have to be kept closed e.g. for use on sheep farms and especially where the farmer uses e three or four-Sheeled mOtor bike as are becoming increasingly popular.

Where a farmer has to visit fields frequently, such as at lambing time end uses a motor bike, he arrives at a gate, dismounts and opens the gate, remounts and drives through the gate, end again dismounts to close the gate and again remounts the bike. Such repeated operation is timeconsuming and tiring and is also experienced with other vehicles.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a gate which may be traversed without dismounting from a vehicle.

AccDrding to the present invention an improved gate apparatus comprises e barrier mounted on support means so as to be displaceable by the action of E vehicle thereon from a closed position into an open position in tiao opposite directions, biassing or other force-exerting or transmitting means for urging said barrier into its closed position, latch means or securing means biassed to retain said barrier in its closed position when it returns thereto from either of the open positions, and release means for releasing said latch means or securing means and operable by engagement on either side of the barrier by a front portion of the vehicle which is to pass through said gate apparatus.

Whilst a pair of barriers might be mounted spaced apart in E passage and inter-linked so that as one gate is opened the other closes behind the vehicle passing through the passage or be a saloon-type *wD-part barrier is primarily envisaged in apparatus of the present invention that a single barrier be utilized.

Furthermore, whilst a barrier,or barriers such as mentioned in the preceding paragraph might be mounted to pivot about an upright or vertical axis or axes, it is preferred in the present invention that the barrier pivot about a horizontal or generally horizontal axis and preferably from an upwardly extending closed position downwardly, into an open position with the barrier preferably supported in part on the ground.

The biassing or other force exerting or transmitting means may be weights and pulleys or a hydraulic-and/or pneumatic piston-cylinder arrangement of known type although will preferably comprise resilient means or spring means such as a coil spring preferably connected between the support means and the barrier and preferably connected approximately at the same level as the mounting of the barrier and being arranged to act, such as via an elongate member or rod, on the barrier at a distance from the mounting to achieve optimum leverage effect.

Where such an elongate member or rod is used, it will preferably be loosely held captive in a collar on the top corner of the barrier which permits the rod to move longitudinally and angularly relative thereto.

The latch or securing means will preferably comprise a spring biassed bolt or biassed into the closed position where it preferably engages in an aperture or recess in a side of the barrier or preferably in an upwardly extending member or post preferably forming part of the support means. Preferably guide surfaces will be provided to displace the latch or securing means against its returning action and ensure it can engage in its sealing recess or aperture. It will thus be appreciated that the latch or securing means might even be mounted on the support means and releaseable by release means on the support or barrier although preferably the latching or securing means and the release means therefore will be supported by the barrier.

Release means are provided for disengaging the latch means or securing means which may be manually operable by the driver whilst seated on or in the vehicle but will preferably be operable by engagement of part of the vehicle therewith. The release means will preferably be located at such a height and/or in such a position and/or be of such nature as not to be readily operable by cattle or sheep or other livestock. Preferably the release means will be mounted on the barrier and be such as to include a contact part which is to engage 8 front part of the vehicle e.g. a support frame or other body or frame part as exist on agricultural motor bikes end which preferably extends centrally of the bike and preferably forwardly of the front wheel or wheels.The contact part of the release means will normally be operable from both sides of the barrier and preferably comprises a generally triangular frame member of isosceles shape with the equal sides being disposed on opposite sides of the barrier and engageable by the vehicle end with the interconnecting side being uppermost and extending through a passage, preferably formed by cross bars of the barrier, in the barrier and with the apex being lowermost and pivotally mounted on the barrier e.g. by a tube pivotable on a cross bar of the barrier.The release means will preferably include a tractive means such as a linkage, wire or chain, connected to the latch means or securing means and which is acted upon by said contact means when engaged by a vehicle to pull on the latch or securing means and release such so that continued movement of the vehicle will act on the barrier and displace such into the open position to permit passage of the vehicle through the gate apparatus.

The barrier will preferably be mounted at its lower edge on the support means by means of hinges which enable it to pivot downwardly about a horizontal axis and preferably so the barrier is supported on the ground when the vehicle passes thereover. Protection plates or ramps may lead to and or over the hinges to protect such from wheel action. One or more track members, such as plates, may be provided along the gate bars for the vehicle wheels to run thereover.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a gate apparatus according to the invention and with the barrier thereof in the closed position; Fig. 2 is a perspective view, more from one side, of the apparatus of Fig. 1 with the barrier pivotted downwardly in the open position; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective detail view of securing means for the barrier: Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective detail view of release means for the securing means of the barrier, and Figs..5 to 9 show modifications of the spring rod and latch operation.

A gate apparatus is illustrated comprising a barrier 1 pivotally mounted via hinges 2, 3, on support means or frame 4 which in the embodiment is of H-shape when viewed in plan. The barrier 1 is mounted on the cross piece 4' of support frame 4 and is pivotal about a horizontal axis to and from a closed, upright position as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, - being pivotal downwardly into an open position as shown in Fig. 2.A gate jamb or upright 5 is provided having inclined extension members 6, 7 extending on opposite sides for displacing a spring biassed bolt B acting as securing means on the barrier 1 so that zs the barrier 1 returns towards the upright position, the free end of bolt B contacts the inclined face of a member 6, 7 and is gradually displaced against the action of its spring B' as it moves into the upright position where it aligns with an aperture 5' in the upright 5 and engages therein under the action of spring B'. The bolt B is mounted slidable in two apertures 9 in the shanks of 8 generally U-shaped mounting bracket 1D fixed to and extending from an upper corner of the barrier 1. The compression spring B' is secured to bolt B and abuts the right-hand shank of bracket 10 so as to urge bolt 6 towards upright 5.

An additional gate jamb or upright 11 is provided opposite upright 5 and fixed to support frame 4 although such frame 11 may be omitted.

The bolt B is generally L-shaped and is disengageable from aperture 5' in upright member 5 by the action of release means which comprise a tractive means in the form of a wire or cable 12 connected to the end of bolt B remote from upright 5 with said cable 12 running through a guide tube 13 which is secured to a counter weight 11 on the barrier 1 and also to a cross bar ?'# and said cable B being guided through an aperture in e lug 14 on cross bar 1" end through an aperture 15' in a cross-plate part 15 of a pivotally mounted contact means 16 to be secured in a lug 17 on cross bar 1". The contact means 16 comprises a generally triangular frame secured at its bottom corner to a tubular sleeve 1B which is mounted on and pivotal about a cross bar 19 which has a circular cross section. The cross plate part 15 extends between the upwardly extending sides of the contact means frame and has aperture 15' therein and through which wire 12 passes. The frame 16 thus extends on opposite sides of barrier 1 at 2 height and distance so as to be contactable and displaceable by the front part of a vehicle such as a threeor four-wheeled farm motor cycle. The frame 16 will preferably be mounted so as not to be readily operationally contacted by, for example, sheep e.g. by being of size, shape, location and the spring tensioning and slack in the cable. The action of spring B' moving the bolt B into the closed position located in the aperture 5' tensions the cable 12 such as to hold frame 16 in an upright position generally extending equally on opposite sides of barrier 1.

The barrier 1 is returned to its upright position (Fig. 1) by biassing means in this example comprising a resilient, strong metal cylindrical spring 20 fixed at its lower end to cross piece 4' and normally extending upwardly between upright 5 and the adjacent side of barrier 1. A lever bar or tube 21 is secured in spring 20 and extends from the top thereof to above the upper cross-bar of the barrier 1 and is loosely held captive in said region by a bracket or collar 22 secured at the back of bracket 1D for bolt B. The collar 22 forms a closed loop in that it is generally U-shaped but has been secured so that the free ends of its limbs or shanks have been welded to the corner of the barrier 1 and/or the bracket 10.The lever tube 21 enables the force of spring 20 to be effectively applied to return the barrier 1 from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 1 once the vehicle has passed over barrier 1. The loose fit of collar 22 is such as to permit the necessary axial relative movement between the gate and tube 21 and/or the necessary angling of tube 21 in collar 22 as can be seen in Fig. 2.

The apparatus may be made from tubular rectangular section with that supporting release means of circular section.

In operation from the closed position of the gete apparatus (Fig. 1), the front part of a farm motor cycle, for example, is slowly brought into contact with a side part of contact means 16 and displaces such so as to cause cross plate part 15 to act to pull cable 12 and thus draw bolt B out of upright 5 so that continued forward movement of the cycle will push on the barrier 1 and cause it to pivot downwardly into the position of Fig. 2 abutting the ground as the cycle passes over the cross bars of the barrier 1.

Once the cycle has cleared the barrier 1, the action of spring 2D applied via tube 21 to the corner of the barrier 1 remote from lugs 2, 3, causes the barrier 1 to move upward until bolt 8 strikes the inclined face of member 6 or 7 end is displaced thereby and slides on said surface and on the side face of upright 5 until it reaches hole 5' which it then engages therein under the action of spring B' which also centralizes contact means 16.

Various modifications may be made to the apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appendant claims. tor example, plates may be secured across the barrier 1 for the wheels of the vehicle topass over and ramps or inclined plates may lead to and/or over the hinges to protect such. Ground engaging members or portions may be provided to prevent the support means (e.g. frame 4) sliding along the ground if necessary.

It will be appreciated that the gate apparatus of Figs. 1 to 4 and that of Figs. 5 to 9 to be described (and which latter have the same support means 4 or similar) is portable as a result of the free-standing nature of the apparatus provided by the support means for resting on the surface of the ground so as to stably support the barrier 1 and posts 5, 11. Whilst an H-shaped support means (when viewed from above) any surface support means, preferably extending on opposite sides of the barrier, may be provided and this applies to all embodiments.

Fig. 5 is a schematic fragmentary front elevation of a modified embodiment of the force transmitting means similar to that of Figs. 1 and 2 but wherein the cylindrical coil spring 20 and lever bar or tube 21 are located at the end of the barrier 1 opposite to the release means or latch means (not shown in Fig. 5) and possibly between upright 11 (when provided) and barrier 1. In the embodiment of Fig. 5 the tube 21 is connected to barrier 1 via the intermediary of a link lever 23 pivotally connected via pivot pin 24 at its top end to a pivot mounting 25 at the top of tube 21 and via pivot pin 26 at its lower end in a pivot mounting aperture in the end upright frame 1' of the barrier 1. Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of Fig. 5. The arrangement of Figs. 5 and 6 with the freely pivotable interconnecting link lever 23 ensures that should the latch means fail to catch in its aperture the barrier will be returned to the upright position to enable the latch to catch. More importantly possibly by locating the force application point of the spring on the barrier away from the top of the barrier, the return action of the barrier is not as fast as possibly that in Fig. 1 although an effective and strong closing action is achieved.

An alternative construction for the latch means and release means is schematically illustrated in Fig. 7 to 9 in which Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevational detail of the modification, Fig. B is a section on A - A of Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is also a section on A - A of Fig. 7 but with the release means 27 being displaced from one side to release the latch means 28.

In Figs. 7 to 9, a V-shaped frame 29 is pivotally mounted at its bottom end (not shown) on a cross bar (not shown but similar to the mounting on cross bar 19 in Figs. 1, 2 and 4) with the two limbs of the "V" extending upwardly and on opposite sides of the barrier 1 and being connected at their upper ends to a control frame 30 which extends therebetween and has outwardly converging side portions 31 normally on opposite sides of the barrier 1. The frame 30 may be any suitable shape and is illustrated in the form of a diamond with truncated ends.

Other arrangements of inclined faces may be provided e.g. such as to push the stop away from the locating upright 5.

A rod like latch means 32 is slidably mounted in apertures in upright portions 11 of the barrier 1 with one end being releasably engageable in an aperture in upright 5 in the closed position of the gate and with its other end having an upstanding portion or pin 33 extending to within control frame 30 and the converging side portions 31 are slidable relative thereto upon displacement of frame 29 and frame 30 from a side of the barrier towards such when it is desired to open the barrier or gate (see Fig. 9).

A coil spring 34 is mounted on latch 28 and acts between an upright 1' and a stop 28' on the latch 28 to urge or bias the latch 28 into the closed position. A fixed upright projection or pin 35 is also mounted on cross bar 1t' and extends within control frame 30 and the converging sides 31 are slidable against pin 35 when the frame 29 is displaced from the normal closed position such that the converging sides 31 act on pin 33 on the latch 32 to displace such together with the latch 32 away from upright post 5 and out of the locating aperture therein against the force of spring 34 into the released position (Fig. 9) to permit the barrier to pivot downwards about its bottom horizontal axes into the open position of the gate similarly to Fig. 2.A more reliable and positive release action is achieved by this arrangement.

The arrangement of Figs.,7 to 9 may be substituted in any of the previously described embodiments as may such be incorporated with the present e.g. Figs. 5 to 9 are preferably incorporated in portable gate apparatus which is free standing as mentioned by virtue of the nature of the support means 4 which may, for example, be an H-shaped frame when viewed in plan.

The free standing nature of the gate and its size enables the gate apparatus to be readily portable or transportable and to be readily locatable as desired, e.g. in gate openings as a shorter gate or in fence or hedge gaps.

Fig. 10 is a schematic fragmentary detail similar to Fig. 5 but of a modification wherein two coil springs 20 are provided side by side to increase the spring action and the tube 21 is connected to both springs by two spaced apart connecting extensions (not shown).

Claims

1. Portable gate apparatus comprising support means for resting on the surface of the ground so as to be readily relocatable and such as to stably support a barrier mounted on said support means to provide a free-standing apparatus with said barrier being mounted so as to be displaceable by the action of a vehicle against said barrier from a closed position into an open position in opposite directions; biassing or other forceexerting or force-transmitting means for urging said barrier into its closed position; latch means or securing means biassed to retain said barrier in its closed position when it returns thereto from either of the open positions; and release means for releasing said latch means or securing means and operable by engagement on either side of the barrier by a front portion of the vehicle which is to pass through said gate apparatus.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which a single barrier is provided and mounted to pivot about a horizontal or generally horizontal axis from an upwardly extending closed position downwardly, into two open positions.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which at least a part of the barrier is supported on the ground in the open positions.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, in which the biassing or other force exerting or transmitting means are weights and pulleys or a hydraulic and/or pneumatic piston-cylinder arrangement of known type or, preferably, resilient means or spring means such as a coil spring preferably connected between the support means and the barrier.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 4, in which the biassing means is a spring connected approximately at the same level as the mounting of the barrier and being arranged to act on the barrier at a distance from the mounting to achieve optimum leverage effect.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which the spring is arranged to act via an elongate member or rod.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the elongate member or rod is loosely held captive in a collar on the normally top corner of the barrier which collar permits the rod to move longitudinally and angularly relative thereto.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, in which the latch or securing means comprise a spring biassed catch or bolt biassed into the closed position where it engages in an aperture or recess in a side of the barrier or in upwardly extending member or post.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, in which the upwardly extending member or post forms part of the support means.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claims 1, 8 or 9, in which guide surfaces are provided to displace the latch bolt or other securing means against its returning action and ensure it engages in its seating recess or aperture.

11. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10, in which the latching or securing means and the release means therefor are supported by the barrier.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11, in which the release means which are provided for disengaging the latch means or securing means, are operable by engagement of part of a vehicle therewith and are located at such a height and/or in such a position and/or are of such nature as not to be readily operable by cattle or sheep or other livestock.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 12, in which the release means are mounted on the barrier and include a contact part which is to engage a front part of a vehicle.

14. Apparatus as claimed in. claim 13, in which the contact part of the release means is normally operable from either side of the barrier.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, in which the contact part is generally triangular frame member of isosceles shape with the equal sides being disposed on opposite sides of the barrier and engageable by the vehicle and with the interconnecting side being uppermost and extending through a passage, preferably formed by cross bars of the barrier, in the barrier and with the apex being lowermost and pivotally mounted on the barrier.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claims 15 in which the contact part is pivotally mounted by a tube pivotable on a cross bar of the barrier.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, in which the release means includes a tractive means such as a linkage, wire or chain, connected to the latch means or securing means and which is acted upon by said contact means when engaged by a vehicle to pull on the latch or securing means and release such so that continued movement of the vehicle will act on the barrier and displace such into the open position to permit passage of the vehicle through the gate apparatus.

18. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 17, in which the barrier is mounted at is lower edge on the support means by means of hinges which enable it to pivot downwardly about a horizontal axis and, preferably so the barrier is supported at least in part, on the ground when the vehicle passed thereover.

19. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 18 in which protection plates or ramps lead to and/or over the hinges to protect such from wheel action.

20. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 19, in which one or more track members, such as plates are provided along the gate bars fox the vehicle wheels to run thereover.

21. Apparatus as claimed in claims 5 or 6 and in any of claims B to 20 when not dependent on claim 7, in which the biassing spring for the barrier is mounted at the end of the barrier remote from the latch or securing means and includes an intermediate link or lever pivotally connected at one end to the upper end of the spring or to the upper end of the elongate rod or tube when provided and pivotally connected at the other end to said barrier preferably intermediate the ends of the normally upright adjacent side member.

22. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 21, in which the support means for resting on the ground extends on opposite sides of the barrier to provide stability against tilting or toppling as the gate is opened from either side.

23. Apparatus as claimed in claim 22, in which the support means also extends from regions at opposite ends of the barrier

24. Apparatus as claimed in claim 23 in which the support means comprise elongate frame members extending from opposite ends of a cross piece extending under the barrier.

25. Apparatus as claimed in claim 24, in which the cross piece and elongate frame members when viewed from above form a H-shape or generally H-shape with the frame members extending sufficiently on either side of the crosspiece such as to enable the release means to be engaged by a vehicle and the latch or securing means be released and the barrier displaced downwardly against the spring action to open the gate and permit vehicle passage without tilting or toppling over of the gate.

26. Apparatus as claimed in claim 25, in which ground engaging members may be provided to prevent sliding of the support frame or means.

27. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 2D in which the support means for the barrier is an H-shaped frame when viewed in plan.

28. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 16 or any of claims 18 to 20 when not dependent on claim 17, in which the securing means or latch means comprises an elongate rigid rod mounted on said barrier and displaceable into and out of engagement with an upright on said support means and biassed into the securing position and having an engageable control projection remote from said upright and in which said release means includes inclined surfaces normally extending on opposite sides of the barrier and slidable engageable with said control projection so as to displace said rod in a direction away from and out of engagement with said upright when the release means is displaced by a vehicle.

29. Apparatus as claimed in claim 28, in which the release means comprises a generally V-shaped frame member pivotally mounted at the bottom of the V on the barrier with its sides extending on opposite sides of the barrier so as to be engageable by a vehicle and having a control frame portion extending normally substantially horizontally between the upper ends of the sides of the V-shape and having side surfaces inclined relative to the plane of the barrier on opposite sides and such as to act to displace the projection and release the latch means when the release means is displaced; projection means being provided to retain the control frame in relative position relative to the upright.

30. Gate apparatus constructed and arranged to operate substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.