US760792A - Automatic gate opening or closing apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

. w. H.- HOUDLETTB. AUTOMATIC GATE OPENING 0R cnosme APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAB. 22.190}.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I0 10mm.

PATBNTED MAY 24, 1904."

PATENTBUMAMA, 1904.

W. H. HOUDLETTE. ,AUTO'MA'I'IG GATE OPENING O-R CLOSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MARIN. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H0 MODEL.

WITIJEE. 5 2E C Patented May 24, 1904.

1 -UN1 TE D "STATES PAT- N -1 WILLIAM H. tene -Em, or? WAREHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

. AUTOMATIC GATE OPENING QR cLosjme. AQPPIAJR'ATUS- fS- PEGIFICATION forming a of L ettel s Patent No. 760,792, dated May 24, 1904.

Application filed Mareh 22, 1904,

To all whjonft it may} concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. HOUDLETTE, f

*a c tizenof the United States, residing in Wareham, in the county of Plymouth and State,

of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new andnseful Improvements in Automatic Gate;

. 'Openingor Closing Apparatus, of which the;

- following a specification. I This invention relates to that class of 'appa-E ratus in which the gates are opened by mech-.

anism which is set in operation by the weight of the horseor vehicle, or both, approaching;

the gates and in which the gates are closed by the returning of said mechanism to i'ts'nor, mal position; and the-invention relates particularly toj apparatus comprised in said class" in which'the gates are swung up vertically, and apart forthe purpose of providing a clear and open driveway.

The nature ofjthe invention is fully described below and illustrated in the-accompafl 'nying drawings, which? I Figure 1 is a plan view of my gate opening and closing apparatus. Fig. 2 is a central; longitudinal vertical sction'of the same. Fig. '3 is an-enlargedldetail, in side elevation, of a, portion'of thesame Fig. 4 is a cross vertical section taken on line 4, Fig. 2. Fig-5 is a similar section showing the gatesraised ori opened. In Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the gates are shown in their-normal closed position.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts. 5 Q

The frame of the device-that is, the-portion which supports the mechanism which sustains and operates the gatescomprises abase, juprights, and preferably top rails The base comprises thep'arallel longitudinal side bars 5 A, each of which is'provided with an inwardly-extending flange A, end bars B, and a pair of central parallel cross-bars ,0, set a short distance apart, as illustrated in Fig. 2/ The entire base is supported by and preferably set in the ground so that its upper edge is substantially flush with the surface. Supported by the base are the four corner-posts D and the approximately centrally-located pairs of posts E, one pair being supported by each sidebar A. In .order to produce sufiicicnt stability and rigidity in the frame, I

the side bar.

Serialll'o. 199,455. No model l) i prefer to provide horizontal top rails F, which are supported by the posts D and E, and the end rails H, which-are supported by the pairs of posts D.

The entire frame above described is to be located in most instances at the entrance of a driveway, the said frame extending into and out from the said entrance, so that the central portion of the frame is-at the gateway.

Supportedby the base of this frame are the two parts of a platform or gang-plank. The

part L of this platform is hinged at its outer,

end at Z to one of the end rails B, and the opposite end thereof is hinged 'at m to the part L, the two parts being inclosed by the sides and ends of the base. Theseparts L L are provided on their under sides with binders N and P, the binders N being next the side edges 2 and the binders-P-being longitudinally and centrally disposed. The binders N are nearly of the thickness of the portions of the side bars A which extend above-the flanges A and are adapted to rest-upon said flanges when the parts LL are level, the bindersP resting on the cross-bars (J. N ear" the outer end and on the under sidetof each of one of the pair of binders N, secured'to the under side of the'portion or platform L, is a roller or wheel S, which rests atall times on the flange A of At each side'of the platform L thereis'pivoted at a to the post E which is nearest that platform a lever b, said pivot extending from said post E across a slot or recess (see dotted lines 0 in Fig. 2) into the bracket or housing 03, whereby the pivot is protected from the weather. The outer end of this lever extends into the space f between the post D at that side and an upright e, the downward movement of said lever being limited by the stop g. This lever, which is provided with a suitably-adjustable weight ll), has its inner end pivotally connected at z' to a link it, whose lower end is pivotally connected at n to a suitable bracket q, secured to the upperside of the platform L near its inner edge.-. From each side edge of this platform L, near the bracket q, there extends outward horizontally a bar 7", to which is pivotally secured the lower end of a link t, the upper end of said link being pivotally secured ,to the knuckle u of a plate 4),, which. is sec r d to. the upper side o a shaft w, Said shaft being preferably but not necessarily rectangular in section and being supported at its opposite ends by the ends of the pin y, (see dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3,)

WllOSB. central portion is squared, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, to fit into the said shaft w. This pin is supported by and turns in the pair of posts Eon that side of the apparatus.

It will be understood that all the parts 6, d, e, g, h, is, g, r, t, u, e, w, and y are duplicated on opposite sides of the device.

Rigidly secured to and supported by the two shafts w are the inwardly-extending gates R. Directly under the bars 7 the side bars A are provided with notches T of size and shape to receive said bars. I

The normal position of the device is that indicated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, in which the two platforms L and L are inclined upward from their outer ends, so that their inner ends are lifted above the base, being held in such position by the counterbalances or weights it, which hold down the long arms of the levers b. When a horse or vehicle moves onto either of the platforms, his or itsweight presses down that platform and by means of the pivotal connection on the. other platform, the wheels S rolling on the flanges A until the platforms are lowered into a horizontal line and are supported practically throughout their entire length by said flanges A and the crossbars C. When the weight of the vehicle or horse thus forces down the platforms, the

v link k lowers the short arms of the levers b,

and their long arms leave the. rests g and swing up between the inner sides of the posts D and the uprights 0. At the same time the downwardly-moving platform L carries the bars 1* down with-it into the recesses or notches T, and the descending bars, by means of the links 6, ope'rateon the knuckles a (which project outward from the shafts w) to produce a quarter-rotation in an outward direction of said shafts, with the effect of swinging the two gates R from the normal horizontal position upward and outward into the vertical position.. (Illustrated inFig. 5.) As the horse or vehicle passes between these upturned gates onto and off the farther platform the counterbalances h, which are of course lighter than any ordinary Vehicle or horse, operate to return the gates and the parts intermediate thereof and the platforms to their normal position.

It will be noticed by reference to Figs. 1 and 2 that thereis a space V between the outer end of the platform L and the bar B at that end, thus making provision for the spreading of the platforms as they descend.

The horizontal bars F H may be made lighter, if desired, than is illustrated in the drawings or may be omitted altogether, although their employment is deemed desirable.

The entire frame, including the base, posts, and top bars. may be constructed either of wood or metal. and this is also the case as regards the shafts w, the brackets d, and the levers 1). Any method of strengthening the inclined platforms may be employed in place of the parts N and P.

While this device is perhaps especially adapted to entrances of the driveways of suburban, country, and some city residences, it can be employed in the place of ordinary farm-gates and entrances to courtyards and other inclosures of various kinds.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a gate opening and closing apparatus of the character described, a base adapted to be-supported by the ground; a pair of platforms hinged together at their adjacent ends and supported by and within said base; a frame comprising a number of uprights sustained by the base; a pair of shafts supported by the frame on opposite sides of the platforms next the inner hinged ends of said platforms; a pair of gates each rigidly connected with one of said shafts; a pair of levers provided with suitable counterbalances or weights;- and mechanism intermediate of said levers and said shafts, whereby the inner or connected ends of the two platforms are held normally in a raised position, and said platforms are inclined from their outer ends upward to their inner ends, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a gate opening and closing apparatus of the character described, the base, comprising the side bars A provided with inwardlyextending flanges A, and the end bars B; the platforms L, L within said base and above the flanges, said platforms being hinged together at their adjacent ends, and the platform L being hinged at its outer end to one of the said end bars; a pair of uprights supported by the side bars on opposite sides of the platforms near their inner hinged edges; the horizontal shafts w each sustained by and between a pair of said uprights; a pair of gates each rigidly connected with one of said shafts; weighted mechanisms connected with the platforms whereby their inner connected ends are held normally in a raised position; and mechanisms intermediate of the shafts and platforms whereby the downward movement of the connected ends of the said platforms imparts a quarter-rotation to each of the shafts, and thereby swings the gates from a normally horizontal and closed position upward and outward into a vertical and opened position, substantially as described.

3.v In a gateopening and closing apparatus of the character described, the base, comprising the side bars A provided with the inwardly-extending flanges A, and the end bars B; the platforms L, L within said base and above thetfl anges, said platforms being hinged together at their adjacent ends, and the platform L being hinged at its outer end to one of said end bars; a pair of uprights supported by the side bars on opposite-sides of the platforms, near their inner hinged edges; the horizontal shafts w each sustained by and between a pair of said uprights; a pair ofv gates each rigidly connected with one of the said shafts; weighted mechanisms connected with the platformswhereby their inner connected ends are held normally in a raised position; and mechanisms intermediateof the outer edges of the shafts and the platforms whereby the downward'movement of the connected ends of the said platforms imparts a quarter-rotation in an outward direction to each of the shafts, and

thereby swings the gates from a normally horizontal and closed position upward and 011i]? ward into a'vertical and openedposition, substantially as set forth. r v 4. In a gate opening and closing apparatus of the character described, the base, comprising the side bars A provided with the inwardly-extending flanges A, and the end bars B; the platforms L, L within said base and above the flanges, said platforms being hinged together at their adjacent ends, and the platform L being hinged at its outer end to one of shafts and the platforms whereby the downward movement of the connected ends of the said platforms imparts a'quarter-rotation in an outward direction to each of the shafts, and

thereby swings the gates from a normally horizontal and closed position upward and outward into a vertical and opened position, the

inside length of the base being suiiicient to.

allow the two platforms L and L to be pressed downward by the weight of a vehicle or horse,

and extended into line in a horizontal position within the base, substantially as described.

5. In a gate opening and closing apparatus of the character described, the base A, B; the

platforms L, L within said base and hinged together at their inner adjacent ends, the platform L being hinged at its outer end to the base; pairs of uprights E centrally located on v and supported by the base on opposite sides of the connected platforms; the horizontal shafts each supported by and between the two uprights constituting a pair, and each supporting an inwardly-extending gate; the plates 4) on said shafts provided with knuckles M which extend outward from the outer sides of the shafts; bars 1' extending outward from one of the platforms near its inner edge; links connecting said knuckles-and the bars 1"; the

weighted levers I) each pivotally sustained by one of a pair of said uprights E; and links connecting the short arms of said levers with one of the platforms, forthe purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' WILLIAM H. HOUDLETTE. Witnesses:

HENRY W. WILLIAMS, A. K. Hoon.

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