US991119A - Gate-latch. - Google Patents

Description

J. LT, WARNS.

GATE LATCH. APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 13, 1910.

991,1 1 9 Patented. May 2,1911.

5mm/dce@ UNITE JOHN' J'. .WARN-1S, 0F WENTWORTH, SOUTH DAKOTA.

earn-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'May 2, 191.1.

Application filed September 13, 1910. Serial No. 581,882.

To lall wh-om it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. Wenns, citiv of which the following is a specification.

` 'ihepresent invention comprehends cer- -tain newand useful improvementsin gate.

-latchesfand the `invention has for its object .an 4improved device vof this character which is quite simple, durable and eiiicient in construction and, which is designed particu 7...larly for'usein vconnection with a doubleswinging gate and is arranged to hold the gate'securely in closed position, the latch', being .susceptible of being conveniently operated from either desired side of the gate so astto permit the gate to be pushed open from sai-d side thereof.

WA further object of the invention is. a

J'gate latch which retains the gate in closed position when the same is slammed to, andthus prevents 'the gate from swinging tion proceeds, the invention consists in c'er-t through the gateway or from rebounding.

With these and other objects in view that will more fully .appear as the descrip-f1` tain constructions and arrangements of the parts thatI shall hereinafter fully describe 4,

and then point out .the novel features of inf' the appended claims.

' For a full understanding of the invention 4and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details ofconstruction, referenceis to be had to the following descri-ption and accompanying drawing, in

ich:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the application of my improved gate latch; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the latch, the keeper being shown in section in position between the detents; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the gate and latch-post showing thelatch in top plan View; and, Fig. 4 is a fraglmentary perspective view of one end of the base plate illustrating in det-ail the form of the stop.

yCorresponding and like parts are referred tov in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the My improved gate' latch includes an elongated base plate l which is formed with a plurality of apertures 2 for the` reception of screws or other suitable fastening devices by means of which it is att-ached in a substantially horizontal position to the innerv normally assume substantially horizontal positions so as to lie in longitudinal alinenient.

The forward or adjacent end portions of the latch bars lie side by side or lap each other, and are formed with terminal detent teeth 5. The teeth depend from the latch bars,l as shown. The forward end portion of the' latch bar his offset laterally just be, hind its detentl tooth, as indicated at 6, in order to support' said tooth in spaced relation to the base plate and in a plane substantially parallel thereto. The forward end portion' ofthe latch bar la is oiset laterally, as indicated at 7,' away from/j the base plate and 'at a point in proximity/to its pivot so fas to entend outside of the' offset terminali of the latch bar 4. The detent tooth 5 the latch 'bar 4a is offset toward the latch bar i 'at a point opposite the offset portion 6, as indicated at 8. The latch bar 4C is thus bowed outwardly to accommodate the offset terminal of the latch bar 4, and the detent teeth 5 are caused to operate in the `saine plane.

It is to be particularly observed that in the normal positions of the latch bars, thedetent teeth are spaced apart longitudinally, the detent tooth of each latch bar occupying a position between the tooth of the other latch bar and the pivotal point of the lastnamed latch bar. The adjacent'or opposingedges of the teeth are substantially abrupt and constitute abutments, while the remotesanie reference characters.

ably relatively wide and project beyond the respective' ends of the base plate and beyond the latch bars are considerably li`c`a'v-iei-Qt-lian the'handles and tend to swing downwiaidly by gravity. In order to limit the pivotal movement of vthe latch bars the stops 1l are extended outwardly from theL base i plate aboveI the pivotal points of the respective bars. Each stop is of angular formation and has its vertex disposed substantially in vertical alinement with the adjacent pivot. One portion of the stop is disposed substantially horizontally and is arranged to bear against the upper edge of the tail portions of the latch bar in order to limit the dropping movement of the latch bar by gravity and to normally maintain the latch bar in a substantially horizontal position. The other portion of the stop extends Obliquely upwardly and provides an abutment for the forward end portion of the latch bar to limit the upward movement thereof.

The keeper is carried by a double-swinging gate B, and consists essentially of a pin 12 which projects from the latch-style of the gate at a suitable point so as to be engaged by the latch on the post A. The pin is formed with a laterally enlarged base 13 which has an extended bearing on the latch-style in order to brace the pin and prevent its accidental displacement. A threaded stem 14 is extended inwardly from the base and passes through the latch-style and is engaged by a' nut 15, whereby to Secure the keeper to the gate. The inner face of the base is preferably concave in order to fit snugly to the tubular latch-style of the met-al gate. l/Vhen the keeper is employed on a wooden latch-style having a flat face, the side edge portions of the base are embedded in said latch-style upon the tightening of the nut 15 and thus assist in securing the device in place. Thekeeper is, therefore, capable of .being applied to both metal or woodenl gates.

In practice, the keeper pin 12 is confined between the detentteeth 5, whereby to effectually retain the gate in closed position against any swinging movement in either direction. To open the gate, the operator 'depresses the handle 10 on one side of the fence and thus rocks the corresponding latch bar to lift its detent tooth 5 sulliciently to clear the pin 1Q, of the keeper. The gate may then be pushed open from the aforesaid side of the'fence. As soon as the handle is released *the latch-bar is, automatically returned to its normal position by gravity. It

4is not necessary to carefully close the\ gateafter the operator has passed through the gateway, but'the gate may be slz'nnmed to.y

adjacent detent tooth 5 and rocks the latchbar to lift said tooth out of its path?. However, the pin' is caught bythe other detent. tooth and the gate thus prevented from swinging entirely through the gateway. The lifted tooth falls immediately by gravity and engages the pin to insure against the possible rebounding of the gate. A s the teeth are directly opposite each other in their normal positions they engage the pin quite effectively, and haveno tendency'to bend the pin. The advantage of having the detent teeth operate in a plane spaced from the base plate, resides in the fact that the teeth are rendered capable of embracing pins of slightly different-lengths, and hence the positive action of the latch is insured.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be apparent that I have provided an improved gate latch which is thoroughly practical and reliable in operation, which may be operated from either side `of the gate, and which permits the gate to be pushed open from the side from whichit is operated, thereby obviating the necessity of pulling the gate open as is required with seine of the devices heretofore employed for this purpose. The latch consists of comparatively few parts and is adapted to be easily and cheaply manufactured.

rlhe base plate 1 preferably comprises upper and lower attaching Heiliges-16 and an intermediate raised portion 17 to which the latch bars are pivotally connected. The de tent teeth 5 normally depend below the raised portionso as to engage the keeper pin that is movable thereunder. By he, lng the central portion of the base plate raised, the detent teeth are rendered capable of engaging the pin in closer proximity to the base 13 thereto, whereby to obviate the liability of the pin slipping by the latch in levent of the sagging of the gate or alike contingency. 'lhe stops 1l are struck from the raised portion, as shown.`

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A device of the character-described in- 'with an angular-ly disposed detent, the second latch being bowed laterally between -its pivot and' its detent to receive the offset terminal of the lirst latch, the latches normally. lapping each other withl each detent 4positioned between the other detent and the pivj otal point of theother latch.

2. A device of the character described in- I cluding a b ase, latch-pivoted at an intermediate point to the base, the latch being rse formed at one end with a detent and being ln testimony whereof, l my signature provlded at lts other end' Wlth a handle, and 1n presence Ot' two Wltnesses.

of the latch, the stop being in the form oli' 5 an obtuse angle With its vertex cllspesed in i Witnesses:

substantially transverse alnement with the E J. D. MULLANEY, pivot` of the latch. hasta Il TV

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