ZA201001549B - Gate assembly - Google Patents

Description

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION oo

THIS invention relates to a gate assembly, and more particularly but not ~ exclusively, to a securing arrangement for use in a sliding gate assembly, and to a gate assembly incorporating such securing arrangement. © Various types of gate assemblies are commonly found in many applications where there is a need to prevent access through a passage. Of particular relevance are security gates, and more particularly sliding security gates © frequently used for access control to properties. | -

A sliding security gate comprises a gate having a set of rollers, which rollers engage a rail provided on a surface on which the gate is to be used.

The gate is driven by an electric motor, and a pinion on the motor typically drives an elongate rack secured to the gate. The rack and pinion engagement also defines a locking arrangement of the gate, as the gate cannot be displaced when the pinion is not free to rotate — i.e. when the electric motor is inoperative. When a manual gate is used, a locking arrangement is generally provided in the form of a padlock for securing an end of the gate to a support structure of the gate.

A major concern pertaining to the above sliding security gates is that the : gate can be forced open by lifting the gate from the rail, in so doing - disengaging the pinion from the rack, and thus allowing the gate to be

. | 2. displaced. To counter this, retaining brackets are sometimes provided to prevent upward displacement of the gate. However, existing retaining brackets are typically of a cantilevered configuration, and when an _excessive upward force is applied onto the gate, the brackets tend to bend due to the large moment induced about the bracket. Existing retaining brackets are furthermore located above the gate, which allows for the bottom of the gate to be somewhat displaceable relative to the retaining bracket, and this limited displacement is often sufficient to lift the rollers from the rail.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a gate assembly, and in : particular a gate assembly having an improved securing arrangement that will, at least partially, overcome the above disadvantages.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a gate assembly, and in . : particular a gate assembly having an improved securing arrangement, which will be a useful alternative to existing gate assemblies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a gate assembly including: ) a gate having rollers extending therefrom; a rail structure for in use receiving the rollers, in order for the gate to be displaceable relative to the rail structure between open and © closed positions; and a securing arrangement in the form of a bracket and a spigot, wherein one of the bracket or the spigot is secured to the gate, and the other of the bracket or the spigot is secured to the rail structure, the bracket including a retaining formation for retaining the spigot ‘when the gate is in the closed position, so as to prevent the spigot and the bracket to be normally displaceable relative to one another, : and therefore to prevent the gate from being normally displaceable relative to the rail structure. oo

The securing arrangement may furthermore be characterized therein that - the bracket is orientated in a parallel plane relative to the gate, and that the : spigot extends transversely relative to the gate, in order for the bracket to : be loaded substantially in tension when the gate is forced away from the

Cok rail structure.

In a preferred embodiment the bracket extends from the rail structure, and ; the spigot extends from the gate. Co Co

The bracket may be substantially planar, and may extend upwardly from the rail structure.

The retaining formation provided in the bracket is preferably in the form of a slot, a longitudinal axis of which is parallel to a direction of movement of the ~ gate.

At least one wall of the slot may be of tapered configuration in order to - assist in guiding the spigot into the slot.

The spigot may be in the form of a rod extending sideways from the gate.

In a preferred embodiment the spigot is located immediately below the gate, and protrudes sideways beyond a periphery of the gate in order to be able to engage the retaining formation in the bracket.

The bracket preferably comprises two opposing parallel sections, so as to render the bracket substantially U-shaped in cross-section. There is provided for both sections to include retaining formations.

There is also provided for opposite ends of the spigot to protrude from opposite sides of the gate, so as to engage the retaining formations in the opposing bracket sections.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

‘An embodiment of the invention is described by way of a non-limiting example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one end of the gate assembly, with the gate being in a partially open position; * Figure 2 shows the gate assembly of figure 1 with the gate in a closed position;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an opposite end of the gate assembly, with the gate being in a partially open position;

Figure 4 shows the gate assembly of figure 1 with the gate in a closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

- Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like features, a : “non-limiting example of a gate assembly in accordance with the invention is : generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The gate assembly 10 includes a gate 20 which is displaceably located on a rail structure 30. .

Referring to figures 1 and 2, one end of the gate assembly 10 is shown in more detail. This is typically the end of the gate proximate rack and pinion interface (which is omitted for the sake of clarity). The gate 20 is a typical gate as is known in the art, and includes a roller 21 depending therefrom.

An additional bracket 22 is located towards an end of the gate, and is positioned immediately below the gate. A spigot 23, in the form of a suitably configured and dimensioned rod, extends transversely, and in this :

embodiment substantially perpendicularly, from the bracket 22. Ends of the spigot 23 protrude beyond the periphery of the gate 20 on both sides of the gate. :

A rail structure 30 is provided on a surface on which the gate 20 is to be used, and includes a base 31 on top of which a rail 32 is located. The rail 32 and the roller 21 are complementary configured to allow the roller to roll . along a longitudinal axis of the rail 32, but to be secured against relative lateral movement. A bracket 33 extends upwardly from the base 31 of the rail structure 30, and includes a transverse slot 34 for receiving the spigot 23 when the gate is in a closed position, as seen in Figure 2. The slot 34 has at least one tapered side 35 that aids in guiding the spigot 32 into the : oo slot 34. The bracket 33 is substantially U-shaped in cross-section so as to define a channel for receiving a bottom part of the gate therein. Slots are provided in both the opposing sides of the U-shape bracket so as to receive : opposite ends of the spigot protruding from the gate.

When the gate 20 is in the closed position (as shown in Figure 2) the spigot h 23 has engaged the slot 34, and upward movement of the spigot 23 relative to the bracket 33, and therefore of the gate 20 relative to the rail structure - 30, is prevented. It is an important feature of the invention that the bracket . 33 is substantially parallel relative to the gate, and that the bracket is also immediately adjacent the gate. This means that an upward force imparted by the spigot on the bracket induces a very small moment on the bracket, and that the bracket is loaded substantially only in tension, i.e. in the vertical direction. This configuration renders the securing arrangement much stronger than cantilevered type retaining brackets known in the art.

An opposite end of the gate assembly 10 is shown in figures 3 and 4. In this embodiment the opposite end has a different securing bracket to that shown in figures 1 and 2, although it will be appreciated that the securing arrangement of figure 1 and 2 can also be applied at this end of the gate assembly. The securing arrangement of this particular embodiment however includes a lug 24 extending horizontally from the gate 20, and an end bracket 36 extending vertically upward from the rail structure 30, or alternatively from an end support of the gate assembly. The end bracket 36 includes a slot 37 for receiving the lug 25 (as is shown in figure 4), and : again a minimal moment will be induced on the end-bracket 36 when the gate 20, and thus the lug 25, is upwardly displaced. The lug may also oo include an aperture for receiving a lock, such as for example a padlock, ) when the gate is in a closed position.

The inventor believes that the gate assembly described above, and in - particular the securing arrangement of the gate assembly, will be stronger and more reliable that other functionally similar arrangements known in the art.

It will be appreciated that the above is only one embodiment of the

So invention and that there may be many variations without departing from the . spirit and/or the scope of the invention.

Claims (11)

1. SR 11 cL CLAIMS: em TTT . 1. A gate assembly including: a gate having rollers extending therefrom; . a rail structure for in use receiving the rollers in order for the : gate to be displaceable relative to the rail structure between © open and closed positions; and : : a securing arrangement in the form of a bracket and a spigot, wherein one of the bracket or the spigot is secured to the gate, and the other of the bracket or the spigot is secured to the rail structure; oo the bracket: including a retaining formation for retaining the spigot when the gate is in the closed position, so as to prevent the spigot and the bracket to be normally displaceable relative to one another, and therefore to prevent the gate from being normally displaceable relative to the rail structure.
2. 2. The gate assembly of claim 1 wherein the securing arrangement is characterized therein that the bracket is orientated in a parallel plane relative to the gate, and that the spigot extends transversely relative to the gate, in order for the bracket to be loaded substantially in tension when the gate is forced away from the rail structure.
3. ~ 3. The gate assembly of clam 1 or ‘claim 2 wherein the bracket extends from the rail structure, and the spigot extends from the gate.
4. 4. The gate assembly of claim 3 wherein the bracket is substantially planar, and extends upwardly from the rail structure.
5. 5. The gate assembly of any one of the preceding claims wherein the retaining formation provided in the bracket is in the form of a slot, a

   ; | | i" longitudinal axis of which is parallel to a direction of movement of B the gate.
6. 6. The gate assembly of claim 5 wherein at least one wall of the slot is of tapered configuration in order to assist in guiding the spigot into the slot. | oo :
7. 7. The gate assembly of any one of the preceding claims wherein the spigot is in the form of a rod extending laterally from the gate.
8. 8. The gate ‘assembly of claim 7 wherein the spigot is located immediately below the gate, and protrudes sideways beyond a periphery of the gate in order to be able to engage the retaining formation provided in the bracket.
9. 9. The gate assembly of any one of the preceding claims wherein the bracket comprises two opposing parallel! sections, so as to render the bracket substantially U-shaped in cross-section.
10. 10. The gate assembly of claim 9 wherein both parallel sections include © retaining formations. ©
11. 11. The gate assembly of claim 1 substantially as. herein described, and : as described with reference to the accompanying figures. Dated this 3" Day of March 2010 : Spoor & Fisher Applicant's Patent Attorneys