US2510520A

US2510520A - Gate lock

Info

Publication number: US2510520A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fred L Remmele
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-03-07
Filing date: 1947-03-07
Publication date: 1950-06-06
Anticipated expiration: 1967-06-06

Description

F. L. REMMELE June 6, 1950 GATE LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet l D11/enter Filed March 7, 1947 v Fred I .Remmele and June 6, 195o F. L. REMMELE 2,510,520

GATE LOCK Filed March '7, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r. /2 W I7 I r11/enter Fred L. Remmele` WWW Patented June 6, 1950 Y UNITED STATES PATENT UFF ICE 3 Claims.

'This invention relates to locks for gates or doors, and the primary object thereof is to provide a lock which will allow a'horizontally swinging gate or door to be swung .from either direction or side, to a closed position and completely vlocked in the closed position.

, Another object of the invention is to provide ya lock which will permit the `automatic engagement of the gate or door therewith 'when swung to a closed position inline with a gate post or door jamb, to which the lock is secured, from either side, and to provide means including a handle beneath the lock for releasing the latter from either side of the gate, Iso'that the gate or door may be free to 'open in either direction.

A still further object of theinvention is to provide a gate lock having a pair .of independently operating latches, which gives a progressive locking action with one latch operating in advance of the other from one side, and the latter latch operating in advanceoi 'the .first latch from'the opposite side, but .both `adapted to be simultaneously released or disengaged, to permit the door or gate'to be swung to an open position at either side.

A still further object of theinvention is to'provide a gate lock comprising a `few simple parts capable of economical vproduction and assembly and easy installation with but a single fastening means for attaching the same to agate post or the like.

Other objects and advantages `reside inthe details of construction Aandoperation as morefully hereinafter described and claimed, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals rrefer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View through a gate lock constructed in accordance with the invention, and showing the same applied to a gate or door, with the 'cooperating stationary part comprising a fence post cra door frame or jamb land free end of a hinge door swinging gate.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken Von the line 2-'2 of Figurel. Y fr Figure 3 is afragmentary vertical sectional view showing the latches. disengaged, 4as distinguished from the engaged position shown in Figure l.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a fork employed in connection with the lock, and

Figure 5 yis a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1, Awith the .fork in locking and released positions, in ysolid and .dotted linesJ respectively. Y

' "Referring to the Adrawings v'in detail, in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, It designates the free end of a swinging orhinged gate or door designed to cooperate with a fence post or door jamb II of a door :frame to span or close the 'opening for the gate or door. The lock `comprises a vertical channel member I2 'having shallow side anges I3, while the central 'bight or connecting portion of the channel forms a backing or Vbacking plate and has an upper slot 'I4 elongated vertically and a circularhole vI5 spaced below the same. An actuating bar IS is slidably mounted at the open side of the channel, lthe opposite side of which is disposed against .the stationaly post l1, and saidbar is provided with a vertically elongated slot II slightly shorter .than the slot I'Il and aligned or infregistry therewith but with the lower end of the slot il extending down below the bottom of the slot I4 slightly when the vlockisfin position to hold the door `or gate closed.' The bar rIt is further provided with an elongated vertical slot IB in alignment with Vthe hole I5 and receiving a spacer sleeve I9 having an outer annular `flange `2li and vbearing against the innerface of the bar I2. A lag screw or other suitable fastening means 2| is extended through thespacer I9 with its head engaging against the outer end or flange 2Q thereof and extending at its shank through the holeI5 4ofthe bar vI2 into the post I I Vasa convenient means of fastening the lockte the post and slidablysmounting-the bar I-S to theehannel. Obviously, instead'of agate post, the 'device may be secured to the jamb of a door. The vertically -slidin-g bar I6 is adapted to be actuated by a handle 22 having its shank riveted or otherwise secured to VVVthe'bar at an aperture therein, vas indicated at 23 and projecting inwardly horizontally at right angles tothe bar between the saine and the free edge of the .gate so as to be readily grasped --or lsliding the bar vertically to disengage the latches ortheflock as will be later Vdescribed so that the vgate may be opened :from either side.

Secured to the edges of the flanges I3 over the slots I4 and I1 is a supporting bracket 24 of right angular formation having parallel side gusscts .25 connecting the side yedges of avertical .wall

.2E and a horizontal .tcp wall 21. The bracket is ,secured to the edges of the flanges I3 as by welding, as indicated at 28 so as to lbe rigid with the backing and guide channel I2, and is further profvided with a, vertical slot29 in alignment with the slots I4 and II. A pair of spaced .angular llatches 3D "are pivotedrat 3| on a pin mounted transversely through the side gussets 25 of the bracket 24 at horizontally aligned apertures therein and retained in position at one end thereof by the head engaging the outer face of one side gusset and at the other end by suitable means, such as a cotter pin 32. The horizontal portions of the latches are offset toward each other and extend into the slots I4, I1 and 29 and the vertical inner portions thereof extend upwardly through openings 33 in the top wall 21 to project above the same. The bottom edges of the horizontal arm of the latches are recessed as indicated at 34 to take the ends 35 of a pair of spaced coils of a coil spring 36, the intermediate portion of which extends down from the inner portions of the coils encircling the pin 3| to form a loop or arm 31 which bears against the inner face of the wall 26 below the slot 29. In this way, the latches are held upwardly at their vertical engaging ends projecting through and above the top wall 21 at the openings 33.

A fork 38 is pivoted on a vertical axis for horizontal swinging movement on the wall 21 at the top of the bracket 24 through the medium of a pivot pin or rivet 39 extending through vertically aligned circular holes through the wall 21 and web portion 49 of the fork 38, with an interposed washer or wear plate 4I between one head of the pin 39 at its lower end, and the bottom surface of the top wall 21 of the bracket 24. The fork 38 has a surrounding outer flange 42 which serves to stiften the metallic sheet from which the same is formed, with the flange upstanding or extending upwardy at right angles to the web portion or plate 49 and terminating adjacent the convex ends 43 of the sides or tines of the fork. The inner edge of the fork is formed with a depending flange 44 produced on a compound curve circular at the bight or inner portion of the bifurcation as at 45 and each side formed on an ogee curve extending inwardly at the inner edges of the sides or legs as indicated at 46 to form a constricted or narrower entrance portion merging into the rounded ends 43 around which the depending flange 44 extends to the extremities of the upstanding ilange 42. The web or plate portion 4G of the fork 38 is wider at the center than at the sides, and is provided with a pair of spaced parallel slots 41 each adapted to receive a latch 30 at its projecting upper end, as well as through the slots 33 in the top plate or wall 21 of the bracket 24 and in such a manner that when the Y fork is centralized in locking position, the latches 30 are spaced apart a greater distance from the outer edges of the elongated openings or slots 41 than the inner edges thereof, so that the latches operate independently and give a progressive locking action by reason of the spacing of the

slots

33 and 41 to engage therein successively or progressively one ahead of the other while being simultaneously disengaged therefrom by the upward movement of the bar I6 by grasping the handle 22 and sliding the bar upwardly so that the bottom edge of the slot I1 in the bar will simultaneously disengage the latches 30 by moving the outer ends or arms thereof upwardly and the inner upwardly exteding arms or ends downwardly to disengage from the slots of the fork 38. In order to permit this, the latches 30 are formed or bent to extend inwardly at the outer side of the pivot 3| at right angles to the spaced parallel inner portions to a point substantially in contact with each other at their outer ends in parallel relation and to the inner portions, as shown more particularly in Figure of the drawings and to also decrease the thickness where they engage the slots I4, I1 and 29.

In the operation of the lock, with the door in engaged position, as shown in Figures 1 and 5 when closed, in order to open the gate or door at either side, it is only necessary to grip the handle 22 and slide the bar I6 upwardly to actuate the latches to released position by moving the bottom edges of the slot I1 against the outwardly extending arms of the latches so as to swing the engaging ends thereof downwardly on the pivot 3l against the tension of the spring 31, when the fork may freely move to either side as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5 of the drawings to release the gate or door. The actuating bar I6 will automatically return to its lowered position assisted by the spring 31 which normally tends to bias or force the latches through the slots or

openings

33 and 41 in the bracket wall 21. When the fork is released and swung to either side, the spring 31 will also force the latches against the underside of the web or plate portion 43 of the fork 33 to exert a braking effect against the bottom surface of the fork when it is in open position, thus holding it in said position. However, when the gate or door is slammed closed from either side, and in either direction, the fork will be engaged thereby and swung to a centralized position while traveling over the upper ends of the latches, to permit the latter to successively engage and protrude through the slots 41 successively in the locking action. This progressive action of the latches is a very desirable feature, and serves to hold the fork when one latch is engaged with a slot thereof, until the fork is engaged by the other latch, when it is rrnly held at the inner edges of the slots against moving in either direction on the vertical axis or pivot 39 on which it swings horizontally. The location of the slots 41 relative to the latches 3! when the fork is swung to either side, is clearly shown in dotted lines in Figure 5 of the drawings, from which it will be seen that the distance between the same and the distance between the latches are different. In other words, regardless of the direction in which the gate or door is swung in closing, one latch will engage its slot 41 before the gate or door is entirely closed and before the other latch engages its slot 41, thereby making it impossible for the gate or door to freely reopen if it should not be quite fully closed, said other latch engaging its slot 41 when the gate or door is fully closed to lock it in the fully closed position. '.The latches when protruded through the slots in the fork in locked position, are held in said position by the spring 31, which also exerts a braking effect against the bottom surface of the fork when it is in open position, so as to hold the gate or door against closing once released, and the fork in receiving position to be engaged by the free end of the gate or door when swung to a closed position held by the spring in readiness to receive the door. The latches are held engaged and in locked position by the spring, but may be readily raised by the handle. 'Ihe spacer I9 in the form of a flanged sleeve asshown and described, slidably retains the actuating bai` I6 in position by reason oi the inner end of the spacer bearing against the web portion of the channel I2 and slidably receiving the actuating bar I6 at the slot I 8, thus retaining the actuating bar in position for sliding movement vertically against the channel or backing plate I2 between the flanges I3, in addition to serving as well, as aV mounting ,and securing means for the entire assembly to the gate post or door jamb by means of the leg screw or other fastening means 2| and permitting of the use of a single lag screw for such purpose. By reason of the latches being so arranged that they will engage the slots as described so that one will engage its slot in the fork before the other latch engages its slot, or 4before the gate or door is entirely closed, it is impossible for the gate or door to open again or reopen until the latch or latches have been released, thereby producing an additional safety factor.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A gate or door lock including a vertical channel member adapted to be secured to a fence post or door jamb, a bracket having a vertical wall secured to and bridging the side ilanges of said channel member and a horizontal wall having an opening, a horizontally swingable gate or door engaging fork pivoted on said horizontal Wall and having a slot registrable with said opening when the gate or door is closed, a latch pivoted on the bracket and having an end portion movable upwardly into the registered opening and slot to hold the fork in position to lock the door closed, a spring acting to swing the latch so as to move said end thereof into the registered opening and slot, and a manually operable releasing bar ior the'latch slidably mounted in said channel member and operatively connected to the other end of said latch.

2. A gate or door lock including a vertical channel member adapted to be secured to a fence post or door jamb, a bracket having a vertical wall secured to and bridging the side iianges of said channel member and a horizontal wall having spaced openings, a horizontally swingable gate or door engaging fork pivoted on said horizontal wall and having spaced slots registrable with said openings when the gate or door is substantially closed, a pair of independently movable latches pivoted on the bracket and having end portions movable upwardly into the registered openings and slots to hold the fork in position to lock the door substantially closed, a spring acting to swing the latches so as to move said ends thereof into the registered openings and slots, and a manually operable releasing bar for the latches slidably mounted in said channel member and operatively connected to the other endsof said latches, said slots of the fork being arranged so that one latch will engage its slot before the gate or door is entirely closed and so that the other latch will engage its slot when the door is entirely closed.

3. A gate or door lock comprising a vertical channel member adapted to be secured to a fence post or door jamb, a bracket having a vertical wall secured to and bridging the side flanges of said channel member near the top of the latter and having a projecting horizontal wall provided with spaced openings, said bracket further including spaced gussets connecting said vertical and horizontal Walls, said Vertical Wall having a vertical elongated slot, a pair of independently movable angular latches Y pivotally mounted between and supported by said gussets, a gate or door engaging fork pivoted intermediate its ends upon said horizontal wall for horizontal swinging movement and having spaced slots registrable with said spaced openings when the gate or door is substantially closed, said latches including upwardly projecting portions movable upwardly into and downwardly out of said spaced slots to respectively lock the fork in position to hold the gate or door closed and to release the fork and permit opening of the gate or door, spring means acting to swing the latches to move the upwardly projecting portions thereof upwardly, and a manually operable releasing bar for the latches slidably mounted in said channel member and having an opening near its upper end, said latches including portions projecting through the slot in the vertical wall of the bracket and into the opening of the operating bar, said slots oi' the fork being arranged so that when the gate or door is swung towards closed position in either direction, one latch will engage in one of said slots before the gate or door is entirely closed and the other latch will engage in the other slot when the door is entirely closed.

FRED L. REMMELE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,112,715 Miller Oct. 6, 1914 1,141,080 Swank May 25, 1915 1,227,863 Winnega May 29, 191'7 1,253,822 Henkle Jan. 15, 1918 1,280,653 Brady Oct. 8, 1918