US3040457A - Gate construction - Google Patents

Description

June 26, 1962 H. ROTHVOSS 3,040,457

GATE CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 29, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F Qa IN VEN TOI. A zmey film/pas June 26, 1962 H. ROTHVOSS GATE CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed Sept. 29, 1960 United States 3,040,457 GATE CONSTRUCTION Henry Rothvoss, Ancrarndale, N.Y. Filed Sept. 29, 1961?, Ser. No. 59,422 2 Claims. (Cl. 39-43) An additional object of the invention is the provision of a gate of this character which is spring biased by means of an over-center arrangement to both its upper and lower positions, in such manner that when the gate is past center, it will efiectively remain in the position in which it is set.

Anzadditional object of the invention is the provision of such a gate provided with slats, which extend transversely of the gate when the gate is in closed posit on, and which are alternately mounted on offset pivots, so that when the gate is raised the slots will collapse towards one another to reduce the gate width to a minimum when in vertical position. I

An additional object of the invention is the provisoin of such a gate which may be readily transported from place to place, and which may be opened and closed with a minimum of effort and diificulty.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a gate construction of this character which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and efiicient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out .as the description of the invention proceeds and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one form of gate construction embodying elements of the instant inventive concept shown in partially raised position, the closed atent 3,940,457 Patented June 26, 19 52 ice The gate construction comprises a top bar 18, which is pivoted as by means of a pivot 19 to the upper portion of the post 11, and at its other end by means of a pivot 20 to the movable end post 17. A second slat 21 is pivoted as by means of a pivot 22 to the post 11, and

the pivot 23 to the post 17, it being noted that the pivot 29 is offset relative to the pivot 23, as is the pivot 19 relative to the pivot 22. A third slat 24 is similarly pivoted as at 25 and 26 to the posts 11 and 17, respectively, while a fourth slat 27 is pivotally connected as at 28 and 29 to'the posts 11 and 17. It is to be noted that the pivot 25 is in alignment with the pin 19 and the pivot 28 is in alignment with the pivot 22, thus providing an oifset staggered relation in the pivot points. This combined with a similar offset relation due to the fact that pivot 26 is aligned with pivot 2d and pivot 23 is aligned with pivot 29, provides a staggeredrelationship which permits the gate when tilted upwardly to vertical position to enable the slats 18, 21, 24, 27 to engage each other relatively closely, so as to provide a minimum impedance when the gate is in closed position.

A central post 39 is pivoted to each of the slats 18,

21, 24, and 27 by means of pivots 31, 32, 33, and 34,

position, and the full opened position of the gate being 1 indicated in dotted lines.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the construction of FIG. 1, partially broken away, showing the gate in closed position.

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view of the construction of FIG. 2, parts thereof being omitted.

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the gate in closed position taken substantially on the line 44 of FIG. 2, parts thereof being broken away.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 of FIG. 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view showing the mounting and the spring construction as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the gate construction of the instant invention is generally indicated at 10,

and comprises a vertical post 11, which is preferably mounted on a transverse axle 12, at the ends of which are suitably mounted rubber tired Wheels 13, any suitable bearing means being provided for facilitating the respectively. The pivots 31 and 33 are aligned in staggered relation to the aligned pivots 32 .and 34, it being poitned out-that all of the pivots of single cross bar are offset relatively to all the pivots of its adjacent bar.

The arrangement is thus such that when the gate is swung upwardly, as indicated in FIG. 1, the post 30 in its central position remains relatively vertical, and as the gate continues to move, extends in substantial parallelism to the post 11, and the post 17 at the top of the gate structure, this being efi'ccted by the offset relationship of the various pivots as previously described.

It is to be noted that all of the members 18, 21, 24, and 27 are preferably constructed of channel iron, as best shown in FIG. 6. The pivots, of which the pivot 21, is illustrative, take the form of bolts having tapered heads, which fit in suitable counter sunk openings 35 in the respective members 11, 17, and 30.

Each bolt 35 passes through a suitable flanged bushing 36 formed of Nylatron or similar material which is seated in an opening in its associated channel iron member. An interiorly positioned concentric aluminum sleeve 36:: extends beyond the end of bushing 36 and is surrounded by a fiber washer 36b and an aluminum washer 360. A steel nut 37 engages the washer 36c and clamps the assembly, but without binding.

The members 18 and 19, it is to be noted, are mounted on one side of the posts 11, 17, and 30, while the members 24 and 27 are mounted on the opposite side, thus permitting a still further compacting of the device when in raised position.

Pivot 19 connecting the uppermost transversebar 18 to the main post 11 may be considered the main pivot point,.and, as best shown in FIG. 5, is considerably elongated to extend through the channel-shaped member 18, and an oppositely disposed channel-shaped member 41), which members are held apart by a spaced wooden block 41 which is provided .with a bore 42 within which is positioned a bearing 43, through which the elongated pivot bolt extends. An offset portion 44 of the base of channel member 18 accommodates a washer 45, while a bearing plate 46 is positioned over the other-end of points.

The end 50 of channel member 18 extends a substantial distance beyond the far edge of the post 11, as best shown in FIG. 2, and has mounted thereon a sector plate 51, which includes an arcuate top channel member 52, a vertical member 53, and a horizontal member 54 which is secured in any desired manner, as by welding, to the top of channel member 18 adjacent its end. A transverse reinforcing bar 55 extends across the sector member 51 for reinforcement purposes. A link chain 56 has one end fixedly secured as at 57 to a pin 58 which extends beneath the upper end of the arcuate portion 52 seating in a slot 59 in channel-shaped portion 52. The other end of the chain 56 is secured to a pin 69, which extends transversely across the clamping bracket 61, which is provided on its opposite ends with projection 62, to which are anchored the eyes 63 of a spring securing member 64. The member 64-as best shown in FIG. 7 includes threaded body portions 65, which threadedly engage the uppermost coils of springs 66, there being two springs 66 provided of substantially equal strength. The lower portions of springs 66 engage threaded bosses 67, which form portions of plugs 68, which are provided with central threaded bores 69 in which are positioned bolts 7%. The bolts 70 extend through suitable openings in a bracket plate 71, which is suitably secured as at 72 to the lower extremity of the post 11.

It is to be noted that the upright portion 53 of the sector shaped member 51 is substantially aligned with the main pivot 19. The arrangement is thus such that when the gate is in the closed position, as shown in FIG. 2, the weight of the gate is sufficient to maintain the same in this position, although if desired suitable latch means, not shown, may be positioned for interengagement on the posts 16 and 17.

As the gate is raised from the dotted line lower position of FIG. 1 to the full line position, the centered relation of vertical upright 53 and pivot 19 is upset, and the upper end of the member 53 of the sector shaped member 51 is tilted toward the outer side of the post 11. At this point the springs 66 become effective to add their pull to moving the gate to its full upright position as shown in the vertical dotted lines in FIG. 1.

Conversely, as the gate is pulled down and moved toward its lowered position and the upright 53 approaches its centered position, the pressure exerted by the springs 4 is lessened, as the direct line of tension exerted thereby is disturbed, until when in the lower position with the upright 53 centered directly over the pivot 59, the gate will remain in lower position by itself.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided a wheel vertically movable gate, which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a vertical lift gate, the combination of a main supporting post, a transverse top bar pivoted to said gate, an end post, a pivotal connection between said top bar and said end post, intermediate bars pivotally connected at their opposite ends to said main post and said end post, and a bottom bar pivoted at its ends to said main and end posts, the pivots of adjacent bars on each post being offset relative to each other, said top bar having an end extending beyond said main post, and spring means secured to said extending end biasing said gate toward raised position, said spring means including a sector shaped member mounted on the top of said bar, said sector-shaped member including a vertical arm and a horizontal arm, said vertical arm being secured in substantial alignment with said pivotal connection of said top bar to said main post, said sector shaped member having .an arcuate section, a chain extending over said arcuate section, said chain terminating at the end of said extending end of said top bar, and said spring means comprising a pair of coiled springs connected between the base of said post and said chain.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the lower end of said main post is provided with a transverse axle, and wheels are mounted on the ends of said axles, said end post being unsecured except to the ends of said transverse bars.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Schloer June 24, 1958

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