GB2368088A

GB2368088A - Modular gate assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2368088A
Application number: GB0117609A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert James Yeoman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-08-08
Filing date: 2001-07-19
Publication date: 2002-04-24
Anticipated expiration: 2021-07-19
Also published as: GB0117609D0; GB0019484D0; GB2368088B

Abstract

A modular gate assembly 10 includes first and second upright members and a plurality of transverse members. Preferably the upright members consist of a hanging stile 12 and a slam stile 20. Advantageously, each transverse member is made of at least two sections. One or two of the sections may be integral sections 18, 22 to the upright members. Intermediate sections 26, 28 may also be used in any number to form a gate of the desired width. Preferably, each section of the transverse member is provided with a coupling insert 25. The aims of the invention are to reduce the need for gate suppliers to stock gates of many sizes, and to facilitate transport of the gate before assembly on site. A system for securing together two tubular members by means of a tubular insert using a force fit is also disclosed.

Description

GATE ASSEMBLY

The present invention relates to a gate assembly, to a method of assembling a gate and to a system for coupling tubular members together.

Gates, for example of the agricultural type, are generally manufactured in many different sizes, typically from about 2.5 metres to about 5.5 metres. A typical example of such a gate is shown in Figure 1.

The problem with such gates is that it is necessary for the supplier to stock many gates of different sizes, which takes up valuable storage space and, because of the length of time required to sell such a volume of gates, it is possible for the gates to be damaged in storage. Indeed, suppliers generally need to stock gates which are not frequently sold if they are to have the ability of immediate supply on demand. In addition, there can be problems in transporting such gates, in particular the larger size gates.

The present invention seems to provide an improved gate.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gate assembly comprising first and second upright members in use coupled to one another by a plurality of transverse members in modular form.

Advantageously, each transverse member is made of at least two sections, one or two of which are integral with respective upright members.

The upright members are preferably the hanging stile and the slam stile as in conventional gates.

The transverse sections can be provided in different lengths, such that a gate can be formed in any one of a series of different widths. In this manner, it is not necessary to store many different sizes of gate, merely the upright members which can be used for any gate size and bundles of additional transverse sections, which bundles can be of

different lengths. Moreover, transport is considerably facilitated as a gate can be transported in the disassembled form and assembled only on site.

Assembly can be carried out either before the gate is located on a gate post or can be progressively assembled by securing the hanging stile (upright member) to a gate post and the other parts of the gate assembly then assembled onto the hung stile.

In a preferred embodiment, at least some of the transverse sections are provided with a coupling member for coupling the transverse sections to one another. The coupling member is preferably an insert fitted to one end of a transverse section and which is insertable into the free end of an adjacent transverse section, the fitting preferably being a friction or force fit. The insert is preferably of tubular form and has an outer diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of a transverse section so as to provide a force fit thereon. It has been found that such a fitting enables easy assembly of the gate, requiring only a hammer, and can provide a gate of at least equivalent strength to prior art gates.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of assembling a gate, including the steps of providing first and second upright members having integral with at least one of said upright members a plurality of transverse sections, securing the transverse sections of one upright member to the other upright member or to the transverse sections of the other upright member or to a plurality of intermediate transverse sections to form transverse members securing the two upright members together in the configuration of a gate.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for securing together two tubular members, including a tubular insert secured in one or said two tubular members and extending out of said tubular section, the insert having an outer diameter slightly larger that the inner diameter of the other of said tubular sections so as to provide a force fit.

An embodiment of the present invention is described below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 is a perspective view in schematic form of a prior art gate; Figure 2 is a perspective view in schematic form of an embodiment of gate assembly; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of coupling member for coupling transverse sections to one another.

Referring to Figure 2, the preferred embodiment of gate assembly 10 includes a first upright member or hanging stile 12 provided with first and second hanging eyelets 14,16 which in use are hooked onto upright pins in a gate post. The hanging stile 12 is provided with a plurality of transverse sections 18 which form part of the transverse members of the gate. The sections 18 are of hollow or generally hollow tubular form, typically circular in transverse cross-section.

A slam stile 20 is also provided with transverse sections 22 similar to the transverse sections 18 on the hanging stile 12 and also of tubular form and circular in transverse cross-section. The slam stile 20 is also provided with a latch mechanism 24, not described in detail as any suitable latch mechanism could be provided.

The transverse sections 22 of the slam stile 20 are shown to include fixing inserts 25, described in more detail below in connection with Figure 3.

The embodiment of the assembly shown in Figure 2 is intended to have six transverse members, hence the six transverse sections 18,22 shown in the Figure. However, the actual number of transverse sections is to be chosen as desired and typically on the basis of the size of the gate, the particular materials used and so on.

Also shown in Figure 2 are two intermediate transverse sections 26,28. Figure 2 shows only one each of transverse sections 26,28 but there would typically be provided six

transverse sections 26 and/or six transverse sections 28, one for each of the transverse sections 18 and 22.

The intermediate transverse sections 26,28 are of tubular form and carry, in this embodiment, one coupling insert 25, preferably identical or substantially identical to the coupling inserts 25 in the transverse sections 22. The"free"end of each intermediate transverse section 26,28 is tubular so as to be able to receive the inserts 25 on assembly.

It is envisaged that different sets of intermediate transverse sections 26,28 would be provided, each set being of a specific length. In the preferred embodiment, the transverse sections 18 and 22 of the same length, for example being of three units, with one unit being around 30 cm (around one foot). The set of transverse sections 26 could be of three units also, with the set of transverse sections 28 being of four units in length.

There could also be provided transverse sections of two units in length. In such a manner, it would be possible to provide a gate having a total width of anything from six units, eight units or more by different combinations of intermediate transverse sections.

For example, a gate of eight units in width (in the preferred embodiment eight feet or around 2. 4m) would be provided by a set of intermediate transverse sections of two units in length. A gate of nine units in length would be provided by use of a set of the intermediate sections 26, and so on. Thus, a variety of different widths of gate can be provided from these basic assembly units.

Referring now to Figure 3, the preferred embodiment of coupling insert 25 is shown in connection with a transverse section 22,26, 28.

The coupling insert 25 is of tubular form, having a slit 30 along its length. Both ends of the insert 25 (one of which is visible in Figure 3) are angled so as to be pointed. In practice, it has been found that it is best to form the coupling member 25 from a piece of tubing of the same size as the tubing forming the sections 22,26, 28, with the slit 30 enabling compression of the coupling member 25 to such an extent that it can be inserted into a tubular section 22,26, 28.

The coupling insert 25 is inserted into a section 22, 26, 28 by deforming the insert 25 elastically, such that it can expand against the inner walls of the tubular section 22, 26, 28 so as to remain secure thereto. Such elastic deformation also enables the exposed end of the coupling insert 25 to deform outwardly, in practice to a diameter larger than the inner diameter of the section 22,26, 28 at its exposed end.

In order to couple two sections together, for example the sections 26 and 18, the point of the exposed end if the insert 25 is inserted into the section 18 and then the section 26 is hammered from the opposing end until the coupling insert 25 is fully inserted into the section 18. No welding, bolts, nails or other fixings are required as the coupling insert 25 provides a force fit of sufficient strength.

The slam stile 20 can similarly be fixed to the hanging stile 12 or to a set of intermediate transverse sections 26 or 28 in a similar manner.

In order to ensure that the coupling member 25 is not pushed into the section 22,26, 28 to which it is fitted on assembly to another section, it is preferably secured by additional means, which could be a pin, screw, or in a preferred embodiment, a spot weld. In the case of a spot weld, a bore is produced in the tubular section 22,26, 28 to expose a part of the insert 25 to enable the creation of a weld.

Assembly of the gate 10 can be carried out either before it is secured to a gate post or after the hanging stile 12 is secured to the post. This depends upon the nature of the hanging post and the wishes of the person assembling the gate.

In an alternative embodiment, the transverse sections 18,22, 26,28 could be provided in sets of different lengths to provide a greater variety of gate widths.

The upright members 12,20 need not be provided with transverse sections 18,22, in which case they should be provided with fixing means for fixing transverse sections thereto, such as an aperture or bore of suitable dimensions and/or coupling member 25.

It will be seen that the invention can provide a modular gate which can reduce or eliminate the problems of the prior art identified above.

Claims

1. A gate assembly including first and second upright members and a plurality of transverse members provided in modular form.

2. A gate assembly according to claim 1, wherein each transverse member is made of at least two sections, one or two of which are integral with a or a respective upright member.

3. A gate assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the upright members form a hanging stile and a slam stile of a gate.

4. A gate assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the transverse sections are provided in sets of different lengths.

5. A gate assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein at least some of the transverse sections are provided with a coupling member for coupling the transverse sections to one another.

6. A gate assembly according to claim 5, wherein the coupling member is an insert fitted to one end of a transverse section or upright member and which is insertable into the free end of an adjacent transverse section or upright member.

7. A gate assembly according to claim 6, wherein the fitting of the coupling member is a friction or force fit.

8. A gate assembly according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the insert is of tubular form and has an outer diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of a transverse section.

9. A method of assembling a gate, including the steps of providing first and second upright members having integral with at least one of said upright members a plurality of

transverse sections, securing the transverse sections of one upright member to the other upright member or to the transverse sections of the other upright member or to a plurality of intermediate transverse sections to form transverse members securing the two upright members together in the configuration of a gate.

10. A system for securing together two tubular members, including a tubular insert secured in one or said two tubular members and extending out of said tubular section, the insert having an outer diameter slightly larger that the inner diameter of the other of said tubular sections so as to provide a force fit.

11. A gate assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.