US3854243A

US3854243A - Vehicle gate mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3854243A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Walker
Original assignee: Stang Hydronics Inc
Current assignee: Stang Hydronics Inc
Priority date: 1973-08-28
Filing date: 1973-08-28
Publication date: 1974-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 1991-12-17

Abstract

A vehicle gate is mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis which is generally coincident with the surface of the roadway, and spring means are provided to normally maintain the gate in an upright position. A crank is nonrotatably associated with the pivot shaft for the gate, and has a notch therein adapted to receive a latch bar. A lock and operating mechanism is so located that it is adjacent the passenger compartment of the vehicle when the vehicle is stopped on an approach side of the gate. Mechanism is provided for maintaining the latch bar in elevated condition and out of the notch, after unlocking and operation of the lock and operating mechanism, without the necessity of driving the vehicle against the gate. Thus, the operator (driver) may both unlock and lock the lock mechanism without moving the vehicle at all, yet the gate will relatch, after driving of the vehicle thereover and therethrough, without the necessity of any further action on the part of the operator. The spring means and the mechanisms are all located above ground, thus eliminating the necessity for making substantial excavations when the vehicle gate is constructed, and preventing the possibility of malfunction caused by freezing of water in excavated regions.

Description

United States Patent [191 Walker [111 3,854,243 [451 Dec. 17,1974

[ VEHICLE GATE MECHANISM Raymond Andre Walker, Orange, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Stang Hydronics Inc., Orange, Calif.

[22] Filed: Aug. 28, 1973 [21] App]. No.: 392,205

[75] Inventor:

3,775,912 l2/l973 Walls 49/131 Primary Examiner-Kenneth Downey Attorney, Agent, or FirmRichard L. Gausewitz [57] ABSTRACT A vehicle gate is mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis which is generally coincident with the surface of the roadway, and spring means are provided to normally maintain the gate in an upright position. A crank is nonrotatably associated with the pivot shaft for the gate, and has a notch therein adapted to receive a latch bar. A lock and operating mechanism is so located that it is adjacent the passenger compartment of the vehicle when the vehicle is stopped on an approach side of the gate. Mechanism is provided for maintaining the latch bar in elevated condition and out of the notch, after unlocking and operation of the lock and operating mechanism, without the necessity of driving the vehicle against the gate. Thus, the operator (driver) may both unlock and lock the lock mechanism without moving the vehicle at all, yet the gate will relatch, after driving of the vehicle thereover and therethrough, without the necessity of any further action on the part of the operator. The spring means and the mechanisms are all located above ground, thus eliminating the necessity for making substantial excavations when the vehicle gate is constructed, and preventing the possibility of malfunction caused by freezing of water in excavated regions.

16 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures RT Nb R N TW PAIENTEU m1 11914 3.854.243

sum 30F 4 MHIHIHM VEHICLE GATE MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I. Field of the Invention This invention relates to the field of latching-type vehicle gates which are provided in fences or walls, and which are adapted to be pushed and driven through by automobiles or trucks. The invention is particularly related to horizontal-axis vehicle gates having selectivelyoperable lock mechanisms.

2. Description of Prior Art Prior-art reference is hereby made to copending patent application Ser. No. 233,471, for a Horizontal- Axis Vehicle Gate Incorporating Locking Mechanism, inventor John H. Walls, and is also made to the patents cited on page 2 of said patent application.

Although the vehicle gate described and claimed in said patent application Ser. No. 233,471 is a major advance in the art, there remainded two major additional advances to be made in order to make the gate suitable for use without stopping the vehicle more than once on either side of the gate and for economical installation and long use in all types of climates.

Stated more specifically, the gate specifically described and illustrated in said patent application required that the operator (driver) stop his vehicle adjacent the lock station, then unlock the gate, then move his vehicle forward against the gate to pivot the same a distance sufficient to cause the latch bar to remain out of the associated notch, then reach back and relock the gate, and then continue driving the vehicle over and through the gate. The mechanism described herein eliminates the necessity of thus driving the vehicle against the gate and then reaching back and relocking the padlock or other locking means.

Furthermore, the mechanism specifically described and illustrated in said patent application necessitated the making of substantial excavations in order to receive the counterweights and also the relatively largediameter disc which (when pivoted) maintained the latch bar in elevated condition. In accordance with the present construction, no substantial excavations are necessary. This not only minimizes the expense of installation of the gate, but also eliminates the possibility that water will enter the excavated regions, freeze, and thereby impede movement of the counterweight and other means.

In addition to the above, the mechanism specifically shown and described in said patent application required that a shaft extend through the large pivot shaft for the gate, in order to operate the latch mechanism from one of the lock stations. In the present mechanism, this shaft is replaced by a simple and economical cable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In its preferred form, the vehicle gate is mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis which is adjacent the roadway.

A crank on the pivot shaft of the gate has a notch which receives a vertically-movable latch element, whereby the gate is normally latched. A first latchactuating means is remote-operated, from either of two locking stations, and lifts the latch element a first predetermined amount to a first predetermined elevation. Furthermore, means are provided to interrelate the first latch-actuating means and the latch element in such manner that the latch element remains at said first predetermined elevation despite the fact that the operator (driver), at the locking station, effects relocking of the lock means at such station. Second latch-actuating means are provided to lift the latch element a second predetermined amount to a second and higher elevation, in response to pushing of the vehicle against the gate, thereby releasing the first latch-actuating means for return to its initial position.

Means are provided to maintain the latch element at or near such second predetermined elevation while the vehicle passes through the gate. The last-mentioned means is a special mechanism which is mounted, and always remains, above ground level.

It is a feature of the invention that the first latchactuating means is remote-operated in a simple manner, from either lock station, by cables one of which extends through the pivot shaft of the gate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing a vehicle gate incorporating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged isometric view showing one of the two identical locking and operating stations for the gate;

FIG. 3 is a schematic isometric view showing various critical parts of the latching, latch-actuating and springbias means of the gate mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally of the gate at the left end thereof as viewed in FIG. 1, showing in elevation the parts within the verticallyelongated housing;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 77 of FIG. 4 and showing the crank and certain associated mechanism, in the positions assumed when the gate is in vertical or closed condition;

FIG. 8 corresponds to FIG. 7 but shows the positions of the parts when the gate is pivoted ninety degrees in one direction; and

FIG. 9 corresponds to FIG. 7 but shows the positions of the parts when the gate is pivoted ninety degrees in the opposite direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The vehicle gate is illustrated at 10 in FIG. 1, and incorporates means, not shown, to prevent damage thereto when a vehicle is driven thereover. The main body of the gate is a crank about a main horizontal pivot shaft 1 l which is disposed adjacent the surface of the roadway. The pivot shaft 11 is journaled in bearings 12 shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, which bearings are anchored (through a floorplate) to a concrete slab indicated at 13 in FIG. 1.

The bearings 12 shown in FIG. 4 are disposed at the lower end of a vertically-elongated housing 14 which is located at one end of gate 10. A second and smaller housing 16 contains additional bearings, not shown, and also contains a pulley for a cable from a lock station. Since the contents of the second and smaller housing 16 consist only of such pulley and the bearings, only the housing 14 and its contents are shown and described in detail.

Gate 10, and the vertically-elongated housing 14, are interposed in a fence which is represented in phantom at 17. In order to pass over the gate and thus through the fence, a vehicle is driven up to one of two lock and operating stations 18 which substitute for those described in detail in the above-cited copending patent application Ser. No. 223,471. Only one of the stations 18 is shown, it being understood that the other is located on the opposite side of the roadway and on the opposite side of the gate as described in the cited patent application. The positions of the lock and operating stations are such that they are conveniently reached by the operator while sitting in the passenger compartment (drivers seat) of a vehicle, which vehicle is disposed on the roadway and facing the gate.

The vertically-elongated housing 14 is removably mounted over a floor plate 20 which, in turn, is anchored to the concrete slab 13 of FIG. 1. A vertical mounting plate 21, having an opening 22 therein through which the shaft 11 extends, is rigidly anchored to floor plate 20. Means, not shown, are provided to lock the housing 14 in position, so that the mechanism contained therein cannot be tampered with.

The upper edge of mounting plate 21 is notched at 23 to receive the lower horizontal edge of a verticallymovable. latch element or bar 24. Latch element 24, in turn, extends upwardly through openings in a guide bracket 26 which is fixedly mounted on a support frame 27. Bracket 26 is so constructed that element 24 can only move vertically. The frame 27 extends upwardly, far above latch 24, for the purpose of supporting spring and snubbing means described below.

To hold the gate in closed (vertical) condition, a lower edge of latch element 24 rests not only in notch 23 but also in a notch 28 in an upwardly-extending crank 29 which is welded to the end of gate shaft 11. The guide bracket 26 and the mounting plate 21 cooperate to hold latch element 24 in position despite any pressure exerted on gate 10, so that the crank 29 can-' not move and, therefore, the gate is prevented from opening in either direction.

A first latch-actuating means 31 is slidably mounted on mounting plate 21, being adapted when actuated to move upwardly at an incline. Stated more specifically, the first latch-actuating means 31 is an elongated inclined bar (FIGS. 3 and 6) having longitudinal slots 32 therein to receive mounting bolts 33 which extend into the plate 21. Thus, the mounting bolts 33 not only guide the bar 31 but can also limit the extent of travel thereof. The latch-actuating bar 31 tends to move downwardly and to the left, as viewed in FIG. 6, not only because of the effects of gravity but also because a tension spring 34 is connected thereto from mounting plate 21.

To shift the latch-actuating bar 31 upwardly at an incline, two

flexible cables

36 and 37 are connected thereto. Cable 36 is connected to the upper end of bar 31, and extends outwardly through housing 14, being enclosed in a pipe 38 which extends to one of the lock and operating stations 18. The other cable, number 37, is connected to the lower end of bar 31, and extends around a pulley 39 and then passes through the full length of pivot shaft 11, which is hollow. When it reaches the interior of small housing 16 (FIG. 1), the cable 37 passes around a second pulley (not shown) which corresponds to pulley 39, following which it passes through a second pipe 38a (FIG. 1) to the remaining lock and operating station.

Pulling on either of

cables

36 or 37, by an operator (vehicle driver) at one of the lock and operating stations 18, on either side ofthe gate 10, effects upward sliding of the first latch-actuator means 31. This effects lifting of latch element 24 a first predetermined distance to a first predetermined elevation. Such lifting is effected by a cam portion 41 on the upper edge of bar 31, the cam portion having an upper horizontal edge in engagement with the lower edge of latch element 24 whereby to lift the latch element as the bar 31 is slid upwardly.

Means are provided to maintain the first latch- I actuating means 31 at its upwardly-shifted position even after tension on the associated

cable

36 or 37 is released by the operator, so that the operator can, without re-latching the gate, re-lock the lock means at either of stations 18. Such means is illustrated to comprise a vertical shoulder 42 formed in the upper edge of cam portion 41 and adapted to engage a vertical face of latch element 24 (the right face thereof, as shown in FIG. 6) after the bar 31 has been shifted a sufficient distance-to the right, as viewed in FIG. 6.

Thus, either

cable

36 or 37 is pulled until shoulder 42 shifts past the right face (FIG. 6) of latch element 24, following which the cable is released. Upon release of the cable, a combination of the force of gravity and operation of return spring 34 shifts the bar 31 a short distance to the left in FIG. 6, causing shoulder 42 to engage the right face of latch element 24 and thereby prevent additional downward shifting of bar 31. Since bar 31 cannot move downwardly through an additional distance, it follows that the latch element 24 is still maintained elevated in a position at which the lower edge thereof rests on the upper edge of cam portion 41 at a region to the left of shoulder 42. Such upper edge region of cam portion 41 is only a short distance below the edge region to the right of shoulder 42 (as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 6).

In order to be sure that he has shifted bar 31 sufficiently far that the shoulder 42 will pass beneath and past latch element 24, the operator may either shift the bar 31 until the lower ends of slots 32 engage bolts 33, or he may listen for the sounding of a bell 43 or other signal. For example, and referring to FIG. 6, bell 43' is shown as mounted on the frame means 27, being operated or sounded by a leaf spring 44 which extends upwardly from the upper end of bar 31. As soon as the leaf spring snaps beneath the lower edge of the bell 43, the bell sounds and the operator knows that the bar 31 has been shifted sufficiently far that he may release the cable and effect re-locking of the lock element at station 18.

Because the cable is flexible, it has a lost-motion characteristic permitting re-locking of the locking element despite the continuance of bar 31 in elevated condition.

Because there is only a very slight difference in elevation between the upper edge regions of cam portion 41 on opposite sides of shoulder 42, the assumption may be made that the latch element 24 is lifted the first predetermined distance to the first predetermined elevation regardless of which of the regions is being employed to support the latch element.

The operator (driver of the vehicle) having re-locked the lock means at either lock station 18, he is then ready to drive the vehicle over in through the gate. Second latch-actuating means are provided to cause the first increment of pivotal movement of the gate 10, caused by initial engagement between the front end of the vehicle and the gate, to effect additional upward shifting of latch element 24 a second predetermined distance to a second predetermined elevation. Such second predetermined lifting of the latch element 24 is sufficient to lift the lower edge of latch 24 above shoulder 42, and thereby permit the first latch-actuator 31 to shift downwardly (due to gravity, and spring bias) to its initial position.

The second latch-actuating means referred to in the preceding paragraph are, in the present embodiment, cam surfaces 46 which are best shown in FIGS. 79. Referring particularly to FIG. 7, the latch element 24 is shown in its lowermost (latching) position which completely prevents pivotal movement of crank 29 and thus of gate 10. However, after the latch element 24 has been lifted to the first predetermined elevation, which elevation is such that the lower edge of latch element 24 is then at or near the elevation indicated at E" in phantom lines, the cam surfaces 46 become operative to further lift the latch element 24 in response to pushing on the gate and consequent rotation of crank 29. Such lifting continues until the lower edge of latch element 24 is completely out of the notch and is supported on one of the

upper edge regions

47 or 48 shown in FIG. 7-9.

To amplify upon the above, it is pointed out that (as shown in FIG. 7) the side walls of notch 28 in crank 29 are vertical, parallel to the walls of latch element 24, and do not permit any pivotal movement of crank 29 or of the crank or the gate. However, such side walls'of the notch merge with upwardly and outwardly inclined cam surfaces 46 which constitute upward extensions of the side walls of the notch and are so inclined that pressing on the gate creates a cam action whereby the latch 24 is further lifted until the lower edge thereof rests on either of

regions

47 or 48.

If the element 29 were a disc (as in the specific construction described and illustrated in the cited patent application) instead of a crank, the peripheral edge of the disc would maintain the latch element 24 elevated during the entire pivotal movement of the latch to fully open condition in either direction. However, it is greatly preferred that the element 29 not be a disc since such a disc would necessitate excavation of the ground beneath the housing 14 with resultant disadvantages as stated at the beginning of this specification. Accordingly, an improved mechanism is provided, in place of such a disc, for maintaining the latch element 24 in upwardly supported or lifted condition (at or near the second predetermined elevation") during the entire period when crank 29 is shifted away from the latch bar (for example, to the fully open positions of FIGS. 8 or 9).

The improved mechanism comprises a movable supporting means 49, the upper edge of which is generally semicircular, and which is pivotally mounted on a pivot support 51 connected to mounting plate 21. A notch 52 is provided centrally in the upper semicircular edge region of supporting element 49, such notch having upwardly-divergent inclined side walls as best shown in FIGS. 7-9.

To pivot the movable supporting element 49 to desired positions at which the semicircular edge portions thereof engage and support the lower edge of latch 24, a link 53 is pivotally connected between the supporting element 49 and the crank 29. As shown in FIG. 7, the lower end of link 53 is pivoted to a crank region 50 which is laterally offset, when the gate is in closed condition, from the vertical plane containing latch element (bar or plate) 24. Also, when the gate is in closed condition, as shown in FIG. 7, link 53 extends upwardly and to the right from pivot connection 50, beneath the latch element 24, and to support element 49 for pivotal connection thereto by means of a pin 55. The pin extends through an elongated slot 54 in link 53, thus forming a lost-motion connection from the link to support element 49.

The length of link 53, the positions of the pivots, the length of slot 54, etc., are so correlated to each other and to the other elements that one of the arcuate edge regions of support element 49 will be in supporting relationship beneath latch element 24 at all times when such latch element is not being supported on one of the

regions

47 or 48 of crank 29. Thus, for example, FIG. 8 shows the supporting of latch element 29 when the gate is pivoted ninety degrees in one direction from vertical, whereas FIG. 9 shows the supporting relationship when the gate is pivoted ninety degrees in the opposite direction.

The only time latch element 24 is permitted to drop downwardly to its latching position is when the gate is swung to the vertical (closed) position, due to the operation of spring-bias means next to be described, so that the notch 28 and the notch 52 are both directly beneath the lower edge of the latch element 24 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7. Then, and since the first latchactuating bar has dropped to its initial position as stated above, the gate will automatically latch.

CENTERING SPRING AND DAMPER MEANS The present apparatus incorporates centering spring means which are highly effective to bias the gate toward its upright position, yet are economical and rugged in manufacture and use. The centering spring means comprises two tension springs 56 which diverge upwardly at equal angles on opposite sides of a vertical plane containing the latch element 24 (which plane also contains the gate when in its closed condition).

The lower ends of both springs 56 are connected to a crank 57 on gate shaft 11. The upper ends of the springs are connected to support bars 58 which extend between portions of the support frame 27. The springs 56 tend to assume the positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, at which the crank 57 and thus the gate 10 are vertically arranged.

When the gate is pivoted to open position in either direction, one of the springs 56 stretches more than the other and therefore exerts a greater return force than the other. The result is that, after the vehicle passes over the gate, it pivots upwardly to an accuratelydetermined vertical position at which relatching of the gate by latch element 24 is readily effected.

When the vehicle is passing over the gate, it is undesirable to permit the springs 56 to pivot the gate 10 upwardly rapidly, so that it drags on the underside of the vehicle after the front wheels have passed over the gate. For this and other reasons (one of which is to facilitate re-latching of the gate), a hydraulic damper or snubbing means is provided in the form of a hydraulic cylinder indicated at 59. The upper end of the hydraulic cylinder is pivotally connected to support frame 27, whereas the lower end is pivotally connected to a vertical crank 60 on gate shaft 11.

THE LOCK AND OPERATING STATIONS Referring next to FIG. 2, each of the lock and operating stations 18 is identical to the other, and comprises a support frame 62 which is fixedly mounted on a post 63 set in concrete 13. The support frame is generally angle-shaped and has two bearing portions 64 which slidably receive a rod 65, the latter being pivotally connected to one of the cables 36 or 37 (depending on which lock station 18 is being described). An angle bar 66 is welded at one end to a bearing 64, and has a tube 67 slidably mounted thereon. The tube is welded on a leaf 68, the latter in turn being welded to the end of rod 65.

A leaf 69, having a hole therethrough for a padlock, is welded adjacent the bend in angle bar 66. Four tubes 71, 72, 73 and 74 are slidably mounted on bar 66, and each has connected thereto a leaf 76 the ends of which are provided with holes for padlocks. The leaves 76 alternate with each other, the arrangement being such that when padlocks are provided through all of the registered pairs of holes in the various leaves 69 and 76, no longitudinal shifting of rod 65 is permitted, this being because the left-most leaf 76 in FIG. 2 is locked to a leaf 77 on tube 67. When, on the other hand, any one of the padlocks is removed, the chain is broken and the rod 65 is permitted to shift leftward to thereby tension the associated

cable

36 or 37 for purposes described above.

To shift the rod 65 to the left as viewed in FIG. 2, a bell crank lever 78 is pivotally mounted at 79 to an arm 81 on support frame 62. The end of the bell crank lever is pivotally connected to the rod 65. The bell crank lever 78 is one form of operating means for shifting the cable.

With the described locking and operating construction, when the vehicle is parked adjacent either station 18, the operator (driver) merely removes one of the padlocks (not shown) and then pulls on the long arm of bell crank 78. This causes pivoting of the bell crank about pivot 79 to shift rod 65 to the left, thereby tensioning the associated

cable

36 or 37 as desired. Thereafter, the operator pushes the bell crank lever arm backwardly to the position shown in FIG. 2, reinserts and relocks the padlock, and then drives through the gate.

SUMMARY OF OPERATION It will first be assumed that the vehicle is approaching gate from the right, as viewed in FIG. 1. The operator then parks so that, while sitting in the drivers seat, he can reach the bell crank 78 of lock station 18. He then removes one of the padlocks from the registered openings of FIG. 2, and pulls on the bell crank 78 to shift rod 65 and cable 36 to the left (FIG. 2) until he hears the sound of bell 43 (FIG. 6). When the bell is sounded, the operator knows that he may re-pivot the bell crank 78 back to its initial position and then reinsert and relock the padlock. This permits the cable 36 to go slack, but tensioning of the cable 36 is effected as soon as the latch-actuating bar 31 shifts downwardly as described below.

When the bell 43 rings, it is known that the latchactuating bar 31 has been shifted upwardly sufficiently so that shoulder 42 is past the right surface (FIG. 6) of latch element 24. Then, when the bell crank 78 and thus cable 36 are released by the operator, spring 34 and gravity shift the bar 31 to the left until shoulder 42 engages the right surface (FIG. 6) of element 24. Latch element 24 is thus held at a first predetermined elevation, which may correspond to one at which the lower surface of element 24 is at the elevation indicated in phantom line at E in FIG. 7.

The operator then slowly drives his vehicle against gate 10, causing the crank 29 to pivot until the right cam surface 46 (FIG. 7) engages the lower edge of element 24 and earns it upwardly a second predetermined distance to a second predetermined elevation. Thereafter, but temporarily, the lower edge of element 24 rests on the region 47 of crank 29.

The operator then continues to drive his vehicle over the gate, forcing it to pivot through a ninety degree angle until crank 29 is in the position shown in FIG. 8. This operates through link 53 to pivot the support element 49 until it is in supporting relationship under the lower edge of latch element 24, so that element 49 replaces the region 47 in supporting the latch element.

After the vehicle has passed completely over the gate, the return springs 56 lift the crank 57 and thus gate 10 upwardly to vertical position at a rate determined by the damper (hydraulic cylinder) 59. During the first part of this return movement, the element 49 is operative to maintain latch 24 elevated, and during the latter part of the return operation the region 47 is operative to maintain the latch elevated.

As soon as the crank 29 is in its vertical position (FIG. 7), the

notches

28 and 52 are registered with each other and are disposed beneath the lower edge of latch element 24. This permits the latch element to drop downwardly to the latching position of FIG. 7, since such downward movement is not impeded or prevented by the first latch-actuating bar 31. Such bar 31 is by then in its initial position, shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, since the spring 34 and gravity cooperate with each other to shift the bar 31 downwardly to that position as soon as the latch element 24 is lifted by the cam surface 46. Such lifting lifts the bar 24 out of the way of shoulder 42, thereby permitting the downward movement of bar 31.

When the vehicle returns through the gate, from a position to the left of gate 10 as viewed in FIG. 1, the operation is similar to that described above, except that the other locking and operating station is employed. The remaining cable 37 (which extends through pipe 38a) then replaces the cable 36 in effecting initial upward shifting of latch-actuating element 31. Furthermore, since the gate 10 is pushed in the opposite direction, the holding (supporting) mechanism operates as shown in FIG. 9 instead of in FIG. 8.

Reference is hereby made to my copending application Ser. No. 392,206, filed on even date herewith, for a Damper and Spring-Bias Mechanism for Vehicle Gates. Said application is hereby incorporated by reference into the present one, as though set forth in full.

The foregoing detailed description is to be clearly understood as given by way of illustration and example only, the spirit and scope of this invention being limited solely by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A vehicle gate mechanism, which comprises:

a. a vehicle gate element mounted in a roadway for pivotal movement about a predetermined axis, said gate element being adapted, except when in latched condition, to pivot to open condition when the front end of a motor vehicle pushes thereagainst,

b. a latch element,

0. means to movably mount said latch element for shifting between a latching position which latches said gate element against pivotal movement and a releasing position which permits pivotal movement of said gate element about said axis, said latch element being adapted to shift back to said latching position unless held in another position,

d. mechanical operating means disposed on one side of said gate element in a position such that the driver in the drivers seat of said vehicle can, while said vehicle is positioned on said roadway and facing said gate element, reach and move said operating means,

e. latch-actuating means adapted, when shifted from an initial location to another location, to move said latch element to a releasing position such that pushing on said gate by said vehicle will effect opening of said gate,

said latch-actuating means being adapted to shift back to said initial location unless held in another location,

mechanical means to connect said operating means to said latchactuating means,

whereby movement of said operating means causes shifting of said latch-actuating means to said other location permitting opening of said gate, g. means to maintain said latch-actuating means in said other location to thus cause said latchactuating means to maintain said latch element at said releasing position,

whereby said operating means may be moved back to the initial position thereof, without causing movement of said latch element to a latching position,

h. means responsive to pushing on said gate by said vehicle to release said latch-actuating means and permit shifting thereof back to said initial location, and

i. means to pivot said gate element to closed condition after said vehicle passes therethrough.

2. The invention as claimed in claim 1, in which said maintaining means recited in clause (g) is provided on said latch-actuating means recited in clause (e).

3. The invention as claimed in claim 2, in which said latch-actuating means comprises a latch-actuating element adapted to move upwardly at an incline when shifted by said connector means upon movement of said operating means, in which said latch element is supported on said latch-actuating element, and in which said maintaining means comprises a stop on said latch-actuating element, said stop bearing against said latch element to prevent downward shifting of said latch-actuating element to the initial location thereof.

4. The invention as claimed in claim 3, in which said means recited in clause (h) comprises means to lift said latch element until said stop no longer bears thereagainst, whereby to permit downward shifting of said latch-actuating element to the initial location thereof.

5. The invention as claimed in claim 1, in which additional means are provided to maintain said latch element in a releasing position after said vehicle pushes on said gate to open the same.

6. The invention as claimed in claim 1, in which said connector means recited in clause (f) comprises a flexible cable.

7. The invention as claimed in claim 6, in which said operating means recited in clause (d) comprises a lever connected to said cable.

8. The invention as claimed in claim 1, in which selectively-operated locking means are provided at said operating means to lock the same against movement, said locking means being adapted to be unlocked by an authorized driver of said vehicle.

9. A vehicle gate mechanism, which comprises:

a. a vehicle gate mounted on a pivot shaft for pivotal movement about a predetermined horizontal axis,

b. an upwardly extending crank on said shaft, said crank having a locking notch therein,

c. a latch element movably mounted above said crank for upward and downward movement along a predetermined path, said latch element having a lower position at which it is seated in said locking notch, thus preventing pivoting of said crank and of said gate,

(1. mechanical operating means disposed on one side of said gate element in a position such that the driver in the drivers seat of a motor vehicle can, while said vehicle is positioned on the roadway and facing said gate element, reach and move said operating means,

e. first latch-actuating means operated in response to movement of said operating means to lift said latch element to a first predetermined elevation at which said latch element is out of said locking notch, means to interrelate said latch element and said first latch-actuating means to cause the latter to remain at said predetermined elevation despite re turn movement of said operating means to the initial position thereof,

said interrelating means being adapted to release said first latch-actuating means in response to lifting of said latch element to a second predetermined elevation higher than said first predetermined elevation,

g. second latch-actuating means, responsive to pivotal movement of said gate caused by pushing of said vehicle thereagainst, to lift said latch element to said second predetermined elevation, and

h. means to pivot said gate to closed condition after said vehicle passes therethrough.

10. The invention as claimed in claim 9, in which additional means are provided to maintain said latch element at or near said second predetermined elevation while said gate is pivoted to a fully open position, said additional means releasing said latch element to permit the same to move downwardly into said locking notch as soon as said gate pivots to closed condition.

11. The invention as claimed in claim 10, in which said means recited in clause (h) is a spring means mounted above the surface of the roadway, and in which said additional means is a mechanism mounted above the surface of the roadway.

12. The invention as claimed in claim 11, in which said mechanism comprises a pivotally-mounted plate having edge regions adapted to support said latch element, and in which link means are provided to connect said plate to said crank to cause pivoting of said plate when said shaft and crank pivot.

13. The invention as claimed in claim 9, in which said first latch-actuating means is a bar mounted for upward shifting along an incline in response to movement of said operating means, in which said interrelating means is a stop on said latch-actuating bar and adapted to bear against said latch element to prevent downward shifting of said latch-actuating bar until said latch element is lifted to said second predetermined elevation.

crank.

Claims

1. A vehicle gate mechanism, which comprises: a. a vehicle gate element mounted in a roadway for pivotal movement about a predetermined axis, said gate element being adapted, except when in latched condition, to pivot to open condition when the front end of a motor vehicle pushes thereagainst, b. a latch element, c. means to movably mount said latch element for shifting between a latching position which latches said gate element against pivotal movement and a releasing position which permits pivotal movement of said gate element about said axis, said latch element being adapted to shift back to said latching position unless held in another position, d. mechanical operating means disposed on one side of said gate element in a position such that the driver in the driver''s seat of said vehicle can, while said vehicle is positioned on said roadway and facing said gate element, reach and move said operating means, e. latch-actuating means adapted, when shifted from an initial location to another location, to move said latch element to a releasing position such that pushing on said gate by said vehicle will effect opening of said gate, said latch-actuating means being adapted to shift back to said initial location unless held in another location, f. mechanical means to connect said operating means to said latch-actuating means, whereby movement of said operating means causes shifting of said latch-actuating means to said other location permitting opening of said gate, g. means to maintain said latch-actuating means in said other location to thus cause said latch-actuating means to maintain said latch element at said releasing position, whereby said operating means may be moved back to the initial position thereof, without causing movement of said latch element to a latching position, h. means responsive to pushing on said gate by said vehicle to release said latch-actuating means and permit shifting thereof back to said initial location, and i. means to pivot said gate element to closed condition after said vehicle passes therethrough.

9. A vehicle gate mechanism, which comprises: a. a vehicle gate mounted on a pivot shaft for pivotal movement about a predetermined horizontal axis, b. an upwardly extending crank on said shaft, said crank having a locking notch therein, c. a latch element movably mounted above said crank for upward and downward movement along a predetermined path, said latch element having a lower position at which it is seated in said locking notch, thus preventing pivoting of said crank and of said gate, d. mechanical operating means disposed on one side of said gate element in a position such that the driver in the driver''s seat of a motor vehicle can, while said vehicle is positioned on the roadway and facing said gate element, reach and move said operating means, e. first latch-actuating means operated in response to movement of said operating means to lift said latch element to a first predetermined elevation at which said latch element is out of said locking notch, f. means to interrelate said latch element and said first latch-actuating means to cause the latter to remain at said predetermined elevation despite return movement of said operating means to the initial position thereof, said interrelating means being adapted to release said first latch-actuating means in response to lifting of said latch element to a second predetermined elevation higher than said first predetermined elevation, g. second latch-actuating means, responsive to pivotal movement of said gate caused by pushing of said vehicle thereagainst, to lift said latch element to said second predetermined elevation, and h. means to pivot said gate to closed condition after said vehicle passes therethrough.

14. The invention as claimed in claim 13, in which said second latch-actuating means comprises cam means on said crank.

15. The invention as claimed in claim 14, in which said cam means on said crank comprises extensions of the walls of said locking notch.

16. The invention as claimed in claim 9, in which said second latch-actuating means is provided on said crank.