US3653701A

US3653701A - Gate latch locking device

Info

Publication number: US3653701A
Application number: US86741A
Authority: US
Inventors: Louis A Harvey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-11-04
Filing date: 1970-11-04
Publication date: 1972-04-04
Anticipated expiration: 1989-04-04

Abstract

A wedge-shaped channel member with tapered flanges has aligned holes near the smaller ends of the flanges for the reception of the hasp of a conventional padlock. The web of the channel member also has a central hole near the smaller end of the channel member for the same purpose. The holes near the smaller end of the channel member are preferably duplicated at a different distance from the smaller end for the same purpose of receiving the padlock hasp in order to adapt the device to gate latches of different dimensions. Outwardly projecting wings are preferably provided at the larger end corners where they serve not only as handles facilitating withdrawal of the device but also as stops for widening the device when installed in the gate.

Description

Unite States Patent swear Harvey Apr. 4, 1972 GATE LATCH LOCKING DEVIQE 2,793,893 5/1957 Black ..292/76 [72] Inventor: Louis A. Harvey, 15107 Ilene, Detroit, Primary Examiner Robert L Wolfe 48238 Attorney-Barthel & Bugbee [22] Filed: Nov. 4, 1970 [57] ABSTRACT [2]] Appl. No; 86,741

A wedge-shaped channel member with tapered flanges has aligned holes near the smaller ends of the flanges for the [52] US Cl ..292/87, 292/343 reception of the hasp of a conventional padlock. The web of [51] Int. Cl. .E05c 19/06 the channel member also has a central hole near the smaller [58] Field of Search ..292/80, 87, 88, 205, 288, 327, end of the channel member for the same purpose. The holes 292/342, DIG. 32; 70/14 near the smaller end of the channel member are preferably duplicated at a different distance from the smaller end for the 5 References Cited same purpose of receiving the padlock hasp in order to adapt the device to gate latches of different dimensions. Outwardly UNITED STATES PATENTS projecting wings are preferably provided at the larger end corners where they serve not only as handles facilitatin AU-Mlllel' withdrawal of the device but also as stops for widening g 2,455,772 12/1948 Jackle ..292/88 device when installed in the gate. 2,928,688 3/1960 Johnson ..292/87 2,797,1 18 6/1957 Yoder ..292/87 9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 4 I972 3.653.701

mvsmon LOUIS E. HARVEY YBY 6W) ATTORNEYS GATE LATCH LOCKING DEVICE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This wedge-shaped body is installed in the space between the gate frame and the leaf spring latch and its tapered form enables it to fit varying widths of that space. It wedges the latch away from the gate frame into non-retractable engagement with the latch keeper on the adjacent gate post. The body is locked in its wedging position by the hasp of a conventional padlock passing through a hole or holes in the body near its smaller end. The body can be installed either vertically (FIGS. 3 and 4) or horizontally (FIGS. and 6).

In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, looking from the front, of a gate latch locking device, according to one form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the device when installed, in a vertical position, in a gate latch;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section taken along the line 44 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of a gate installation similar to FIG. 3, but with the gate latch locking device installed horizontally;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section taken along the line 66 in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of a modification of the gate latch locking device of FIGS. 1 to 6 inclusive.

Referring to the drawing in detail, FIG. 3 shows the upper portion of a fence gate installation, generally designated 10, including a fence l4 equipped with a horizontally swinging gate 14 provided with a conventional latch 16 mounted on the gate frame 18 movable into and out of engagement with a notched keeper 20 mounted on the gate fence post 40. The latch 16 is provided with a wedge-shaped gate latch locking device 24 having large and

small ends

23 and 25 respectively, according to one form of the invention, and used with a conventional padlock 26, having a body 27 and a hasp 28, the latter being inserted through the locking device 24 in such a manner as to prevent the withdrawal of the latch 16 from the keeper 20.

The latch 16 is conventional and is in the form of a leaf spring consisting of an approximately Z-shaped strip 30 of spring steel having its lower end portion 32 parallel to its upper end portion 34 to which it is connected by an integral intermediate portion 36. The lower end portion 32 is secured, as by rivets 38, to the vertical member 22 of the gate frame 18. Extending from the top of the upper end portion 24 toward and past the vertical gate frame member 40 are parallel guide wings 42 which guide the latch 16 as. it is swung toward and away from the notch 44 (FIG. 4) in its keeper 20. The latter is L-shaped in side elevation (FIGS. 3 and 5) with a vertical arm 46 secured as by rivets 48 to the gate fence post 40 and with a horizontal arm 50 containing the notch 44. The bent guide wing ends 49 form handles.

The gate latch locking device 24 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is, as previously stated, a wedge-shaped channel member with tapered flanges 52 projecting in spaced parallel relationship from a web 54. The web 54 is of elongated rectangular shape whereas the flanges 52 are of trapezoidal shape in that their front edges 56 converge relatively to their rearward edges 58 from their larger upper ends 60 toward their smaller lower ends 62. The flanges 52 near their smaller ends 62 are provided with at least one pair of aligned holes 64 for receiving the padlock hasp 28 and preferably also are provided with a second pair of aligned holes 66 to fit varying dimensions of gate latches. Near its upper end 68 the web 54 optionally is provided with a hole 70 for the attachment of one end of a chain (not shown), the other end of which is secured to the fence post 22 to prevent loss of the device 24. Near its lower end 72 (FIG. 2) the web 54 is provided with a hole 74 and preferably also with a hole 76 immediately above it for the same purpose of adapting the device 24 to different dimensions of gate latches. Near their upper ends 60 the flanges 52 are provided with outwardly bent ears 78 which serve not only as stops for preventing the device 24 from sliding between the guide wings 42 of the latch 16 but also serve as handles or finger grips by which the device 24 is more easily inserted and removed from its position adjacent the vertical member 40 of the gate frame 18.

The modified gate latch locking device, generally designated 80 (FIG. 7), is generally similar to the gate latch locking device 24 of FIGS. 1 to 6 inclusive, hence corresponding parts are designated with the same reference numerals. In the modified device 80, however, the larger end corner ears 78 of FIGS. 1 and 2 are omitted for purposes of simplification and are replaced by straight corner portions 82 which are coplanar with their respective sides or flanges 52.

In the use of the gate latch locking device 24, when the gate 14 has been closed and the upper portion 34 of its latch 16 has been seated in the notch 44 of its keeper 20, the small end 25 of the device 24 is pushed downward, from above, between the wings 42 until it wedges itself firmly between the vertical member 22 of the gate frame 18 and the upper portion 34 of the latch 16. The hasp 28 of the unlocked padlock 26 is then inserted through either the lower or upper pairs of aligned

holes

64 or 66 and then pushed into locked position within the padlock body 27. When wedged and locked in this manner by the locking device 24 and padlock 26, the latch 16 cannot be moved sufficiently far enough to permit its withdrawal from the notch 44 in the keeper 20. Attempts to unlock the latch 16 are prevented by the padlock 26 and the large end 23 of the device 24 from passing in either direction between the parallel guide wings 24 on the upper end portion 34 of the latch 16.

As an optional alternative (FIGS. 5 and 6) the gate latch locking device 24 may be inserted horizontally, with its small end 26 foremost, between the upper end portion 34 of the latch 16 and the vertical member 40 of the gate frame 18 with its flanges 52 disposed above and below the horizontal portion 50 of the keeper 20. When so installed, and with the hasp 28 of the padlock 26 inserted through one of the web holes 74 or 76 (FIG. 6), the locking device 24 cannot then be withdrawn for the same reasons set forth immediately above.

The use of the modified gate latch locking device 80 of FIG. 7 is in all respects similar to that, of the locking device 24 of FIGS. 1 to 6 inclusive and follows a similar procedure, hence needs no repetition thereof. Since, however, it lacks the corner ears 78 of the locking device 24 of FIGS. 1 and 2, it is not as easily grasped.

I claim:

1. A gate latch locking device adapted to receive the hasp of a conventional padlock for locking the leaf spring latch on the frame of a conventional swinging gate into non-retractable engagement with the latch keeper on the adjacent gate post, said device comprising an elongated wedge-shaped hollow body having laterally spaced opposite side walls tapered between one end of said body and the opposite end thereof and having a connecting wall extending between said side walls,

said body near said opposite end having hole means therein adapted to receive the padlock hasp,

and said tapered side walls cooperatively wedging the leaf spring latch away from the gate frame into nonretractable engagement with the latch keeper on the adjacent gate post.

2. A gate latch locking device, according to claim I, wherein said hollow body consists of a channel member with said connecting wall constituting the web of said channel member and the tapered side walls constituting the flanges thereof.

3. A gate latch locking device, according to claim 2, wherein said hole means comprises aligned holes in said flanges near said opposite end of said body.

4. A gate latch locking device, according to claim 2, wherein said hole means comprises a hole in said web near said opposite end of said body.

cludes a hole in said web near said opposite end of said body,

8. A gate latch locking device, according to claim 2, wherein said flanges at said one end of said body have outwardly extending ears thereon.

9. A gate latch locking device, according to claim 2, wherein said flange near said one end also has a hole therein adapted for the connection of an elongated flexible retaining member,

Claims

1. A gate latch locking device adapted to receive the hasp of a Conventional padlock for locking the leaf spring latch on the frame of a conventional swinging gate into non-retractable engagement with the latch keeper on the adjacent gate post, said device comprising an elongated wedge-shaped hollow body having laterally spaced opposite side walls tapered between one end of said body and the opposite end thereof and having a connecting wall extending between said side walls, said body near said opposite end having hole means therein adapted to receive the padlock hasp, and said tapered side walls cooperatively wedging the leaf spring latch away from the gate frame into non-retractable engagement with the latch keeper on the adjacent gate post.

2. A gate latch locking device, according to claim 1, wherein said hollow body consists of a channel member with said connecting wall constituting the web of said channel member and the tapered side walls constituting the flanges thereof.

5. A gate latch locking device, according to claim 2, wherein said hole means comprises a plurality of pairs of aligned holes in said flanges disposed at different distances from said opposite end of said body.

6. A gate latch locking device, according to claim 2, wherein said hole means comprises a plurality of holes in said web disposed at different distances from said opposite end.

7. A gate latch locking device, according to claim 2, wherein said hole means comprises a pair of aligned holes in said flanges near said opposite end of said body and also includes a hole in said web near said opposite end of said body.

9. A gate latch locking device, according to claim 2, wherein said flange near said one end also has a hole therein adapted for the connection of an elongated flexible retaining member.