US1504992A - Gate latch - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 12, 1924.. m 1,504,9'92

E3. F. $K'EENART GATE LATCH Patented Aug 12, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICEQ.

BENJAMIN STEWART, OF TUIEF, TEXAS.

Application filed. JuIy 16,

To aZZ whom it may] concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. STEWART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tufi, in the county of Bandera and State of Texas have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate Latches of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in gate latches and more particularly to a gate latch adapted to co-act with asliding bar or bolt carried on the gate member.

The main object of the invention is to provide a gate latch comprising a carrying member having rotatively mounted thereon a keeper or retaining member formed of radially projecting wings or fingers and means to yieldingly permit rotation of said keeper or retaining member in one direction but prevent reverse movement thereof, together with suitable mechanism carried upon the gate member to cooperate with the keeper or re taining member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above character that is simple in construction, strong and durable and which it is believed may be manufactured at a reasonably low cost.

Various other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent during the continuance of the following description.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing the gate member partly broken away and illustrating my invention as in its preferred embodiment.

Figure 2 is a view in horizontal cross section taken on line- 22 of Figure 1, and,

Figure 3 is a view in vertical cross section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

In the drawings, 10 designates the gate member which in the present illustration is of conventional form and 11 designates the post which carries the improved keeper mechanism of my invention. Any particular form of sliding bolt or retaining member may be carried by the gate member 10 but for purposes of illustration I have shown, in the present embodiment, a gate member 10 provided with suitable bearing portions 12 through which is slidably mounted a bolt or retaining member 13. An expansion spring 14 is arranged about the shank of the bolt member 13 in order to normally maintain the same in its outermost position with respect to the gate member while means as shown at 15 are provided to earn Lancer.

1923. Seria1 No. 651,875.

limit the outward movement of the bolt member. A handle or operating member 16 is pivotally mounted on the gate member 10 as at 17 and has its lower end connected to the bolt member 13 as at 18 whereby the bolt member may be freely operated.

The post 11 is provided on one side near its upper end with a cutout portion 19 that receives a carrying plate 20 that is substantially L shaped when viewed in cross sec tion as in Figure 2. The retaining plate may be secured in position by such means as shown at 21 so as to be firmly held with respect to the post and it is provided at a central point with a bearing portion 22 hav ing an opening 23 formed therein for the purpose that will presently appear.

The keeper member proper consists of a body portion 24 that is pivotally mounted on a pin 25 which projects through the bearing portion 22 of the carrying plate 20 and is embedded in the post 11 as shown in Figure 2 whereby it will be free to rotate as will be hereinafter set forth. The body member 24 carries a series of radially extending retaining wings or fingers 26 which rotate therewith and which when in the position shown in Figure 3 serve to maintain the projecting end of the bolt member 13 against accidental dislodgment so that the gate member will be held stationary with respect to the post member 11.

Upon reference to Figure 3 it will be observed that the projecting end of the bolt member 13 of the gate member 10 operates in a plane just below the plane of pin 25 or the body portion 24 of the keeper or retaining member so that when the pin is moved flush with the post 11, the projecting end of the bolt member will engage one of the radially projecting wings or fingers 26 and impart a quarter turn to the keeper or retaining member until it finally reaches the position shown in Figure 3.

I also provide suitable means for yield ingly permitting rotation of the keeper or retaining member 24 in one direction but which will prevent reverse movement thereof so as to firmly hold the projecting end of the bolt 13 in place. With this in view, I provide a leaf spring 27 one end of which is secured to the carrying plate 20 as at 28 while the other end is curved as at 29 to provide a pawl portion. The pawl portion 29 is curved in the arc of a circle that is smaller than the circle about the extreme end of the wings or finger portions 26 of the latch member 24 so that when it assumes the position shown in Figure 3, it will prevent rotation of the keeper member in one direction and when the keeper member is rotated in an opposite direction the end of each succeeding wing or finger 26 will be yieldingly engaged thereby so as to prevent too free a movement.

In operation when the gate member 10 is closed, the projecting end of the bolt member 13 will seek a position behind the downwardly projecting wing or finger member 26 and by reason of the pawl 29, the keeper member 2 will be held against such rotation as would release the projecting end of bolt member. hen the gate member is to be opened, the operator grasps the projecting end of the handle or operating portion 16 and slides the bolt member rearwardly so that the gate member may be swung into an open position and the projecting end of the bolt member will swing free of the retaining member 24.

From the foregoing it is believed that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily understood and therefore further detailed description is deemed unnecessary.

lVhat is claimed is A keeper of the character described, comprising a body portion rotatively mounted on a gate post, radially projecting wings or fingers carried by said body portion a leaf spring mounted independent of said keeper, one end of said leaf spring being curved in the arc of a circle to provide a pawl, said pawl having its free end project ing between certain of said wings or fingers to prevent rotation of said keeper in one direction and said pawl being curved in the arc of a circle of smaller diameter than a circle embracing the outer ends of said wings or fingers whereby it will yieldingly permit rotation of said keeper in the other direction, substantially described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

BENJAMIN F. STEWART.

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