US3638710A

US3638710A - Lifting gate

Info

Publication number: US3638710A
Application number: US32023A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry L Sundermann
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-04-27
Filing date: 1970-04-27
Publication date: 1972-02-01
Anticipated expiration: 1989-02-01

Abstract

A farm gate adapted to be opened by collapsing vertically. Ropes fastened to the gate and runover pulleys to posts adjacent the track entering and leaving the gate provide means for raising the gate. An over-the-center arrangement holds the gate open until another pull on the rope triggers a release mechanism to close the gate.

Description

{J1me 11;. States atet 1151 amafiw Sundermann Feb. 1, 1972 [54] LIFTING GATE 611,608 10/1898 Ccmpher ..l60/ 150 E [72] Inventor: Henry L. Sunder-menu, Box 79, Rte. 4, 2 59 l Sioux Falls 5. Dak. 57107 5 X 1,253,742 1/1918 Stedman ..l60/l45 [22] Filed: Apr. 27, 1970 Primary Examiner-J. Karl Bell [211 32023 AttorneyLuc% J. De Koster [52] US. Cl. ..160/144, 49/288, 160/150 [57] ABSTRACT Field of Search 160,13 6450 A farm gate adapted to be opened by collapsing vertically. 297 Ropes fastened to the gate and runover pulleys to posts adjacent the track entering and leaving the gate provide means [56] Regemnm (mad for raising the gate. An over-the-center arrangement holds the gate open until another pull on the rope triggers a release UNITED STATES PATENTS mechanism to close the gate.

66,668 7/1867 Ackerson et al ..l60/ 150 5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENIED FEB H972 3,638,710

sum 1 OF 2 mvamoa Henry Sundermon BY Aim $24:

is Afl'y.

PATENTEDFEB 1m 1638.710

SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTOR. Henry Sundermon wi /M LIFIING GATE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to farm gates particularly, but may also be used for other types of gate. Specifically this invention has to do with a gate adapted to be opened and closed in a vertical plane and which may be opened and closed by alternately pulling on one rope system.

Previously most gates have been of the type which opens and closes by swinging about a vertical pivot. Such gates are customarily sturdy, inexpensive and somewhat difficult to open and close. The difficulty in opening and closing is much greater when there is snow on the ground adjacent the gate to interfere with its operation. Such gates also ordinarily must be hand operated, and automatic operation is difficult to arrange.

My invention makes possible a gate which can be operated easily and conveniently from the seat of a tractor merely by pulling a rope. The gate lifts vertically, so that all obstacles to swinging and the like are avoided. Furthermore, by my invention it is possible by mechanical means to open the gate by pulling on a first rope and close it again either by a successive puil on the same rope or a similar pull on another rope connected to the same mechanism on the gate. This is accomplished by a simple over-the-center" mechanism and without requiring any motor or the like.

FIGURES FIG. 1 is an elevational view of my gate in a closed or lowered position,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view ofthe gate as in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the gate latch post apart from the gate,

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the gate in an open or raised position with part of the gate broken away,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the spring mechanism,

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail view of the pulley mechanism, and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail view of the operating arm mechanism in an engaged position.

DESCRIPTION Briefly my device comprises a gate composed of longitudinal members pivotally mounted to a post for upward pivotal motion, and mechanism for pulling the members upward to an over-the-center position in which the gate will normally rest, and further mechanism whereby the gate can be pushed back simply and again be closed.

More particularly, and with reference to the drawings, 1 provide that my gate be mounted on a post or a framework 10 which can be attached to a post. One leg 11 of the framework extends substantially above the gate for purposes to be made clear hereinafter.

The main slats 12 of the gate are longitudinal members hinged to a bracket 13 on the framework. This bracket is sloped away from the gate at its upper end. Crossmembers 14 may be provided at intervals along the slats, and an end member 15 defines the outer edge of the gate. These crossmernbers and end members are pivoted to the slats always in arrangement to provide for a parallelogram pattern so that the gate can collapse to the position shown in FIG. 4.

The gate is adapted to close against a post 16 adjacent the end member 15. Latching means are provided on this post. These means include V-shaped troughlike brackets on the post. The lower bracket 17 simply provides a socket into which the lower part of the end member 15 may slide. The upper bracket 18 is also V-shaped but includes a sloping catch 19 which slopes downward and away from the post 16.

The top slat 12 carries a cylinder 20 adjacent the catch 19. A sliding latch member 21 slides through the cylinder 20 and normally engages the catch 19. This member 21 is preferably biassed to a latched position in any manner well known in the art. Thus when the gate is down in the position of FIG. 1, the latch member 21 engages the catch 19 to latch the gate.

The mechanism for unlatching the gate is an integral part of the lifting mechanism also. This includes a rope 23, cable or chain or the like attached to the sliding member 21. This rope extends from the point of attachment to the operating arm 24, and from there over pulleys 25 mounted on top of the leg 11. In order to operate the gate from both sides, it is necessary that there be two ropes. Therefore, I preferably provide a single strand from the member 20 to the end 26 of the arm 24. At that point, I either attach an additional strand of rope, divide the rope, or otherwise continue with separated strands.

The attachment of the rope to the arm 24 may also be made by various means. Since the latch member should be released before the gate is lifted, there must be a small amount of free play here. This can be accomplished by allowing some slippage of the rope 23 through a loop or the like at the end 26 of the arm 24, or by allowing some play in the arm itself.

The arm 24 is pivoted in a mounting bracket 27 on the framework 10 and is connected to the lowermost slat 12 by means of a rod 28. The rod 28 is pivoted to the arm 24 and is loosely connected to the slat 12. This latter connection may take the form of an car 29 on the slat through which the rod 28 passes, and bracketing which may be a couple of threaded nuts 30. The bracketing may be loose enough to allow the play in the movement of the arm 24 as previously mentioned.

To counterbalance the weight of the gate, both to assist in lifting and to avoid damage in dropping it, I provide a damping arrangement. This includes a tension spring 32 fixed to the upper end of the leg 11. At its other end, the spring carries a plate 33. A chain 34 is attached to the gate at the uppermost rail 12 by means ofa finned bracket 35. A series of openings in the bracket 35 provide for adjustment of the location of connection between the gate and the chain. The chain 34 then passes through an opening in the plate 33 which includes means, well known in the art, to allow the plate to be fixed to the chain at any particular link. By this means, the position of connection on the chain, and therefore the maximum extension of the spring can be adjusted.

The chain 34 extends within the spring 33 and attaches to the plunger of a hydraulic damping cylinder 36. An extending rod 37 may well provide the means of connection. Thus, particularly as the gate is lowered, the chain will pull the cylinder out, and the damping effect will prevent a sudden slamming down of the gate, and instead allows steady drop until the gate is latched.

The means for control of the gate is built into the arm 24 and is best shown in FIG. 7. Without this means, the gate is principally a lifting gate with no particular advantages over other lifting gates except perhaps the ease of latching and the careful closing provided by the damping mechanism. However, with the control mechanism, the gate becomes very advantageous since it can be opened by a pull on a rope at one side of the gate, and be closed by a similar pull on a rope on the other side of the gate.

As shown in FIG. 7, the arm 24 consists, in fact, of two segments, an outer portion 39 and an inner part 40. The outer part 39 is provided with a channel-shaped housing 41 at one end. This housing is closed on the top and two sides, but is open at the bottom. The two parts are pivoted together by means of a pivot pin 42 extending through the housing 41 and the inner part 40. The pivot pin 42 may be a part of the rod 28 so that the pivotal axis between the two

parts

39 and 40 may be the same as that between the arm 24 and the rod 28 although this is not a requirement.

The articulated arm 24 composed of the two

parts

39 and 40 is normally held in a straight line relationship by a latch member 43 pivoted in the housing and engaging a jaw 44 attached to the end 45 of the part 40. The member 43 is pivoted at 46 to the housing 41. The latch point 47 forms one leg of the member 43 and is adapted to engage the jaw 44 when the member 43 is in the position shown in FIG. 7.

The member 43 also has a weighted arm 48 which extends from the pivot axis 46. This arm is bent as shown so that it will bias the point 47 to the position shown in FIG. '7 when the arm 24 is horizontal or approaches that position. However, as the arm 24 is raised, the weight of the latch member arm 48 will cause the member 43 to move to an alternate or unlatched position shown in broken lines in FIG. 7. A dashpot mechanism 50 engaged by a plate 51 on the member 43 will delay the movement somewhat so as to prevent accidental operation of the release. Further, it should be pointed out that while pressure exists between the point 47 and the jaw 44, no movement of the arm 43 would be likely to take place.

in operation, then, to lift the gate, one of the ropes 23 is pulled from one side of the gate. The first action is to release the sliding member 21 from the catch 19. Additional pulling raises the arm 24 which is held in its straight or unbroken position by engagement of the point 47 with the jaw 44. As this arm is raised, it pulls the gate up through action of the rod 28 and with the assistance of the counterbalancing spring 32. As the gate rises, the pressure between the point 47 and jaw 44 keeps them engaged so that the gate can be fully opened. This pressure continues until the rod 28 moves past the pivot point between the inner part 40 and the bracket 27. At this point the gate tends to pull the inner part 40 in the open direction so that it holds the gate open. Therefore, all tension in the rod 28 is released and all pressure between the point 47 and jaw 44 is gone.

At this point the weight of the arm 48 causes the slow unlatching of the latch mechanism against the dashpot and shortly the latch is completely released. The gate, however, remains open, resting against a stop 53 near the top of the leg 11 since it is beyond center.

The outer part 39 of the arm 24 also rests substantially adjacent to a fulcrum member 54 on the leg 11. Thus, an additional pull on either rope 23 will cause the arm 24 to break the pivot 42 and the outer part 39 to act as a lever over the fulcrum 54. This lever action moves the inner part 40 of the arm 24 back past the pivot point to a position in which the force of gravity pulls the gate downward. The spring 32 and clamping mechanism operating through the cylinder 36 slows, but does not stop the movement until the sliding member 21 is again latched behind the catch 19. Then as the outer part 39 of the arm drops to horizontal, the latch mechanism in the articulated arm again becomes engaged and the process can be repeated.

Thus, I have provided a lifting gate which can be readily opened and closed without dismounting from tractor or horse, and therefore can save much time and effort for the operator.

1 claim:

1. A gate mechanism comprising post means, slat means pivoted to said post means, said slat means being adapted to move from a lower or closed position to an upper or open position, said open position being such that the weight of the gate tends to hold it in an open position, arm means for said gate attached to said slat means, said arm means including an articulated arm, operating means in said arm means adapted to hold said arm substantially straight in a pulling relationship to said slat means as said gate is raised to its open position, pulling means attached to said arm means to move said arm means to its open position, said operating means being releasable as said slat means reaches its open position whereby sequential pulling on said pulling means causes said articulated arm to break to reverse the movement of said slat means across the center whereby said gate is returned to a closed position.

2. The device of claim 1 in which said arm comprises two parts pivoted together and said operating means includes a latch member engageable between said two parts.

3. The device of claim 2 in which said latch member includes a weighted arm arranged so that gravity will cause said member to latch said part of said arms in the substantially straight relationship when said arm is nearly horizontal, but will release said member as said arm approaches the vertical.

4. The device of claim 3 in which dashpot means engages said latch member to delay movement thereof.

5. The device of claim 1 in which one part of said arm engages a fulcrum on said post when said gate is in its open position whereby a subsequent pull on said pulling member causes the breaking of the arm at the pivot between said parts and causes said gate to return past center to fall to its closed position.