US466186A - Gate-latch - Google Patents

Description

( o- Model.)

G. ROHRB'ACH.

GATE LATCH.

No.4661186. I Patented Dec. .29, 1891.

' Fly. 1. A 1 fill INVENTOR A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GABRIEL ROHRBACH, OF DEL RIO, TEXAS.

GATE-LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 466,186, dated December 29, 1891.

Application filed June 29,1891. Serial No. 397,842- (No model.)

.To coil whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GABRIEL ROHRBACH, of Del Rio, in the county of Val Verde and State of Texas,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Latches for Gates, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in fastenings for gates, and has for its object to provide a convenient and simple device of the character named which may be readily operated to fasten or release the gate, a further object being to provide a novel latchingcatch that may be adjusted toward or from a gate on a post to be engaged by the latch proper and enable compensation to be made for spreading of the posts upon which the gate is supported and to which it is secured by the latching device.

To these ends my invention consists in the peculiar construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gate having the improvements applied and in closed and locked position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of a gate and an adjacent latching-post in part with the improvement thereon, the parts being also shown in locked adjustment. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of part of the upper portion of a gate, showing the improved latching device thereon. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of a portion of a fence-post, an improved latchplate being shown secured thereon and engaged by the improved latching device on a gate, shown broken away and in section on the line 4 a in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a broken perspective view of a post toward which the gate swings and an improved catch-plate in place on it; and Fig. 6 is a transverse section of parts of the latching device, taken on the broken line 6 6 in Fig. 2.

The improvement herein shown maybe ap plied to any swinging gate, and is especially well adapted for use in connection with gates for yards and large inclosures.

A indicates a gate of moderate dimensions, and B and C the posts between which the gate is designed to swing. the post 0 by two hinges G and G, that may be of any well -approved form. Preferably said hinges are constructed to pitch the gate sufficiently so as to cause it to swing shut when free to do so.

On the upright frame-bar A of the gate A, which represents the free vertical edge of said gate, a latching device is located, which is connected to a bracket-plate a, that is attached to the inner face of the gate-bar named, which device is constructed essentially as follows: At a proper point, vertically considered, the plate a is perforated for the sliding engagement of a bolt b, that is loosely located in an enveloping case b, the latter being firmly embedded transversely in the frame-bar A at such a point as will allow the end portion of the slide-bolt b to pass through the perforation in the plate a. The bolt b is provided The gate A is hung on with a locking-lug 12 that may slide in a longitudinal slot 19 formed in the case b, or, if rotatably moved away from said slot, prevent the retraction of the bolt by its impinge on the end of the case b. A rocking arm E is provided which is perforated to have a loose engagement with the inwardly-projecting end of the slide-bolt I), having contact with a radial collar b on the said bolt. (Shown in Figs. 2 and 4E.) The portion of the bolt that extends inwardly through thearm E has a finger-piece b or other similar device secured on it to facilitate the manipulation of the slide-bolt when this is desired. The rocking arm E is connected with the frame-bar A of the gate byits pivotal attachment on the bracket-plate a, the latter named having two cars cl formed on its lower portion, which project therefrom in vertical parallel planes and are transversely perforated to receive a fulcrum-pin e, which also passes through similar perforated ears g, that areprojected from the side edges of the rocking arm E and loosely embrace the ears (1, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6.

Between the cars (l on the pin 6 a coiled spring 7L is located, which has its free ends engaged with the bracket-plate a and arm E, so as to normally project the lower portion of said arm outward. Below the pivot-pin e a tripping limb 13 is formed on the rocking arm E, which limb projects outward and upward for convenient manipulation, affording means to draw the bolt when the limb is rocked downward, and above the slide-bolt an outwardlyinclined portion m is formed on the rocking arm E to receive the impinge of another piece, which will be described.

On the top cross-bar A of the gate A, in the corner formed by the junction of the side bar A and top cross-bar A a knee-plate n is fastened, and a "ertical perforation is formed therein that is extended through the top bar A in which perforation a slide-bar F is located and supported for longitudinal adjustment by the spiral spring 0, which has one end secured to the bar F and encircles it, resting upon a perforated bracket-block 0, through which the slide-bar passes.

Upon the lower end of the slide-barb a laterally-projected toe r is formed, the outer edge of which rests upon the inclined portion m of the rocking arm E,aknobson the upper end of the bar F affording means to depress said bar, rock the arm E, and withdraw the slide-bolt b from its latched connection with the latching-plate D.

As it is desirable that the gate be secured to the post 13 if swung in either direetion,the latching-plate D is formed with a central stoppiece If and two latch-hooks t and 6 formed integrally and sloping oppositely, said plate D having opposite and parallel side plates u u formedon it, that extend from the outer corners of the sloping latch-hooks t and t and are each perforated to afford two rows of holes '0 for screws. The said plates at being so spaced apart that they willembrace the opposite sides of the gate-post B are adjusted thereon and secured thereto at such a point of lateral projection as will allow the end of the slide-bolt Z) to latch fast to either of the hooks t and 25 if the gate is opened and then swung to close it. If there should be a necessity for a change of position to compensate for spreading or closing between the posts 13 and 0, this can be readily effected, as the latch-plate D can be moved in or out on the post 13 and be thereto secured by utilizing different screw-holes o in the side plates 20.

In operation, the gate being hung on hinges that will permit it to be swung in either (lirection and engage the latch-bolt with the catch-plate on the post 13, it will be apparent that the depression of the knob s will move the slide-bolt Z) and detachit from the catchplate D, and also that the vibration of the rockin g arm E may be effected by a downward manipulation of the tripping limb ithereon, so as to disengage the bolt I) from the latch-plate.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent In a gate-latch, the combination, with a slide-bolt and a spring-pressed rocking arm engaging the bolt, having an outwardly-inclined upper end, of a spring-pressed sliding bar having a toe adapted to engage the inner face of the inclined end of the rocking arm, substantially as shown and described.

GABRIEL ROIIRBAUII.

\Vitnesses:

RoB'r. (J. GALLAHEH, PETER GEIBE.

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