US902438A - Gate. - Google Patents

Description

F. M. NEE-F.

GATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 190B.

Patented Oct. 27, 1908. Z'SHEBTS-SHEET 1.

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. F. M. NEFP.

. GATE.

. APPLIOATION FILED my 2, 190a. 7 902,438; Patented 0ct.27, 1908. 2 SHEBTSSHEET 2..

UNITED STATES "PATENT oFFioE.

FRANCIS M. NEFF, OF MILFORD, INDIANA.

GATE

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. NEFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milford, in the county of Kosciusko and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in gates, and particularly to swinging and folding gates for general farm and driveway use, the invention residing in the use of a double gate structure adapted to be folded flat to extend in opposite directions beyond the hinging post and parallel with the gateway.

The objects of the invention are, first, to provide a gate of this character which is staunch and rigid and adapted to effectually withstand the pressure of wind or animals without liability of being forced open, and which, when opened, allows the full space of the gateway for passage of horses and vehicles and is held firmly against closing to any extent, thus preventing the possible liability of accidents or damages incident to the use of swinging gates which tend to swing backward; second, to provide a gate which is adjustable relative to the ground surface; and, third, to provide novel operating mechanism for opening and closing the gate, which mechanism may be actuated by a rider or driver without the necessity of such rider or driver descending from the saddle or seat of the vehicle.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a gate which is simple of construction, easily operated and adapted to be economically manufactured, and to provide novel means for automatically locking the gate in open and closed positions and unlocking the same when the operating mech anism is actuated to swing the gate from one position to another.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the gate closed. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the inner adjustable side or plate of the hinging post and the latch mechanism carried thereby. Fig. 4 is a view of one of the keepers on the latch post. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the gate in its open position. Fig. 6 is a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 2, 1908.

' front and rear portions 5 and 6.

Patented Oct. 27, 1908 Serial No. 430,543.

rear elevation of the hinging post and parts of the gate operating mechanism. Fig. 7 is a view of the locking means for holding the gate closed. Fig. 8 is a view of the means for raising and lowering the gate.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numerals 1 and 2 respectively represent the latch and hinging post arranged at opposite sides of the gateway, the post 1 being provided with one or more U- shaped keepers 3 of the form shown in Fig. 4, having screw-threaded shanks to enter the face of the post. In accordance with my invention, the hinging post 2 is hollow from a point above the ground surface and has stationary side portions 4 and adjustable The portions 5 and 6 are in the form of boards or plates provided with grooved guideways 7 to receive guide flanges 8 on the portions 4:, by which said portions 4 and 5, which directly carry the gate, are adjustable in a vertical plane to regulate the distance of the lower edge of the gate from the ground surface.

The gate comprises an inner or rear pair of panels or sections 9 and 9 and an outer or front pair of corresponding sections 10 and 10 The sections 9 and 9 are hinged or pivoted to the adjustable portion 5 of the post, preferably by providing such sections at their inner or rear ends with angle brackets 11 formed with eyes or knuckles 12 to engage pintles 13 on the plate 5. The respective sections 9 and 10 and 9 and 10 of the gate are pivotally connected at their inner ends by pintle rods 13 engaging the perforated ears of bracket plates 14 on such I gate sections, while the forward or free ends of the sections 10 and 10 are similarly connected by a pintle rod 15 engaging the apertured ears of bracket plates 16 thereon. This rod 15 is adapted when the gate is in closed position to engage and fit within the keepers 3 to connect the free end of the gate with the latch post 1. By this construction it will be observed that a type of double gate is provided in which the opposing sets of sections thereof lie when extended in a slightly bowed outward or angular position, so that the closed gate will be staunch and rigid to efiectually withstand the pressure of the wind as well as the pressure of animals, the latch mechanism hereinafter described serving in connection with the pintle 15 engaging the keepers 3 to prevent collapse or swinging movement of the gate, so that it cannot be opened under either of such pressures or until positively actuated by the operating mechanism. Also it will be seen by reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 5, in which latter the gate is shown in an open position, that the gate in opening is both swung outwardly in opposite directions and folded, the outer ends of the sections 9 and 9 swinging in re verse directions beyond opposite sides of the hinging post and parallel with the gate way, while the inner ends of the sections 10 and 10 swing outward therewith and the pivoted free ends of said sections swing inward, so that when the gate is fully open the sections 10 and 10 will lie respectively parallel with the sections 9 and 9. As the gate is adapted to be securely locked in such open position, it will be apparent that it will leave the full space of the gateway open for the passage of pedestrians, equestrians and vehicles and cannot partially move back, like some types of ordinary swinging gates, to constrict the gateway and to come in contact with and cause injury to horses and vehicles.

In order to prevent spreading of the gate sections when the gate is closed, the sections 9 and 9 are provided with inwardly extending bars 17 adapted to abut at their free ends, one of said bars being provided. with a lipped keeper 18 and the other with a pivoted bell crank latch 19 having a hooked end to engage the keeper, the outer face of the lip of the keeper being beveled to per mit the hook of the latch to ride over and move into engagement therewith by gravity when the gatesections close to a prescribed extent. This latch device is automatically operated to release the gate sections when the operating mechanism is actuated, as hereinafter described to open the gate.

A tubular bearing sleeve 20 extends through the adjustable portions 5 and 6 of the hinging post and projects in rear of the portion 6, and journaled to rotate in said sleeve is a rod 21 projecting beyond both ends of the sleeve, which latter is reinforced within the post by a brace 22 carried by the section 5. An operating lever 23 is intermediately pivoted to the rear end of the sleeve 20 and is provided on its rear side with a brace rod 24 which is intermediately fixed to the outer end of the rod 21. The lever normally stands in the position shown in Fig. 6 at a slight angle to the horizontal and is connected at its ends to the rear ends of the inner gate sections 9 so as to impart the opening and closing movements to said gate sections when the lever is swung to an arc of 180 in reverse directions. As shown, the bracket 11 at the upper rear end of each 7 of said gate sections is provided with a right angular arm 25 extending rearwardly in a plane parallel with the gate sections when the latter is closed. Contractile springs 26 and 27 are respectively connected at one end with the rear end of the lever 25 and the rear side of the lever 28 and are connected at their opposite ends to each other through the medium of a pivotal connection member 28 on the outer end of the lever, said member 28 being in the form of a short supplemental rod or lever pivoted to swing in a plane at right angles to the operating lever. Each gate section 9 and 9 is thus connected in a similar manner to the opposite ends of the lever 23 so as to communicate the corresponding motion to said respective gate sections when the lever is swung in reverse directions, the crank arms 25 being adapted in the opening movement of the gate to fold or swing against the rear side of the outer adjustable post section (3. It will be observed that each set of springs 26 and 27 is connected with the lever 23 in such manner as to be expanded and placed under tension when the lever is operated to open the gate, so as to compensate for and permit of the required are of movement of said lever and at the same time pull upon the associated crank arm 25 to communicate an opening movement to the associated gate section connected therewith. l/Vhen the lever swings backwardly to close the gate, the springs contract and simultaneously draw upon the crank arms, their resistance to expansion being sufficient to insure a positive transmission of motion from the lever to the gate section without the exercise of an unreasonable degree of power or force.

A transverse rockshaft 29 is ournaled in a bearing 30 on the rear side of the post section 6 and extends beyond the sides of the post and is provided at its ends with crank arms 31 connected with the gate sections 9 and 9 at a point in advance of the brackets 11 by links 32. hen the gate is closed the crank arms have an upward and forward inclination, as shown in Fig. 1, and in the opening movement of the gate such arms are adapted to swing upwardly and rearwardly, as will be readily understood.

Arranged upon the post section 5 is a pivoted latch having a hooked free end to engage the inner pivoted end of the gate section 10 when the gate is folded. The

latch is adapted to drop by gravity to a horizontal or engaging position and is limited in downward movement by a stop 34 carried thereby to engage the face of said post section 5. A latch controlling device 35 comprising a bell crank lever is carried by the front end of the rod 21 and has connected at one of its arms a cord or cable 36 passing over suitable guide pulleys 37 on the gate section 9 and connected with the latch 19, which is normally released and lies in engaging position when said lever is in the normal position shown in Fig. 3.

The other arm of the lever constitutes a striker to engage and retract the latch 33, said striker having a pivoted section 38 adapted to swing in one direction against the resistance of a spring 39 and provided with a stop shoulder 40 to engage the striker arm, whereby its movement in the reverse direction upon pressure of the spring is limited. The striker rotates in one direction or the other with the rod 21 as the operating lever 23 is manipulated to simultaneously control the action of both latches 19 and 33.

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, it will be understood that when the lever 23 is rotated a half revolution to the left the elastic connections formed by the springs 26 and 27 will be expanded and placed under tension, thus permitting the lever to have its intended arc of motion while at the same time drawing inwardly in reverse directions on the two crank arms 25 to impart outward swinging motion to the gate sections 9 and 9. Before such motion is communicated to the gate sections, the rotation of the rod 21 will cause the striker 35 to turn to the right in Fig. 3, whereby the arm of said striker connected with the cord 36 will elevate and retract the latch 33 and simultaneously draw upon the cord 36 to retract the latch 19, thus freeing the gate sections for the opening movement just prior to the time the springs 26 begin to exert their pull on the crank arms 25. At the limit of movement of the striker, the cord operating arm will have passed beyond the latch and the pivoted section 38 of said. latch. brought into engagement with the latch 33 to hold the latter elevated. As soon as out ard swinging motion is communicated in the manner described to the gate sections 9 and 9, the gate sections 10 and 10 will begin to swing outwardly and rearwardly therewith, thus withdrawing the rod 15 from engagement with the keepers 3, and at the same time the motion of the gate sections will be transmitted through the links 32 and crank arms 31 to the rock shaft 29. which will thus equalize the pulling strain upon the two gate sections 9 and 9 and cause them to move at the same rate of speed in unison, thus overcoming any in.- equalities which may exist in thestrength and pulling powers of the sets of springs 26 and 27. As the swinging motion of the gate sections is continued, the free ends of the gate sections 10 and 10 will be caused to move across the gateway toward the post 2, until, when the gate is fully opened, the sections 9 and 9 will extend in opposite directions beyond said posts with the sections 10 and 10 folded in a position parallel therewith, as shown in Fig. 5. Just prior to the cessation of the opening movement of the gate, the free end of the gate section 10 will engage and elevate the latch 33 which will then drop into engagement with said gate section and thus lock the gate in open position.

Upon the movement of the lever 23 in the reverse direction, or back to normal position, the elastic connections 26 and 27 will begin to contract and finally draw upon the crank arms 25 to swing the gate sections 9 and 9 inwardly. As soon as the lever 23 commences its movement, the striker 35 rotates in the reverse direction, and, its pivoted section 38 being held rigid in such direction of movement, engages and elevates the latch 33, thus freeing the gate for the closing operation. In this direction of motion of the parts the gate sections return to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and the striker to the position shown in Fig. 3, so that just after the rod 15 moves into engagement with the keepers 3 the latch 19 will ride into engagement with the keeper 18 and thus lock the gate in closed position.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the construction described provides a gate which may be easily operated and embodies the advantages hereinbefore set forth.

Sets of cables or their equivalents 41 and t1 and 42 and 42 are respectively connected with the opposite arms of the lever 23 for operating the same from either side of the gateway to open or close the gate. These cables may extend any suitable distance beyond the hinging post and be provided with any suitable connections for operation so that they may be manipulated by a pedestrian, equestrian or driver of a vehicle without the necessity of such equestrian or driver leaving his saddle or seat.

It is desirable under some conditions to bodily raise or lower the gate on account of inequalities of ground surface, the accumulation of snow or other interfering conditions to permit the gate to have free swinging movement. To this end the gate and its operating parts are mounted solely upon the adjustable post sections 5 and (S, and for conveniently raising and lowering the same the section 5 is provided as shown in Fig. 8 with rack teeth 4t3 engaged by a pinion 44 mounted on one of the sides 4 of the hinging post. The shaft on which the pinion is mounted extends to the exterior and has an angular end for the application of a crank to rotate the same. On the shaft is a ratchet wheel 45 adapted to be engaged by a pawl 16 to maintain the parts in adjusted position.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is 2- 1. In a gate structure, the combination of a supporting post, a gate composed of pivotally connectedv sections adapted to fold parallel with the gateway, crank arms upon the gate, a swinging lever upon the supporting post, elastic connections between said lever and the crank arms through which the motion of the lever is transmitted to the gate, and an equalizing connection between the parts of the gate for securing a uniform motion thereof.

2. In a gate structure, the combination of a supporting post, a gate formed of pivotally connected sections and adapted to fold to an open position parallel with the gateway, crank arms upon the gate, a lever pivotally mounted upon the post for movement in reverse directions to open and close the gate, and elastic connections between said lever and the respective crank arms for transmitting the motion of the lever to the gate sections.

3. In a gate structure, the combination of a supporting post, a gate formed of pivotally connected sections and adapted to fold to an open position parallel with the gateway, crank arms upon the gate, a pivotally mounted lever on the post movable in reverse directions to open and close the gate, elastic connections between the crank arms and arms of the lever, and latch mechanism operated by the movements of the lever for locking the gate in open and closed positions.

a. In a gate structure, the combination of a supporting post, a gate composed of pivotally connected sections adapted to fold parallel. with the gateway, crank arms upon the gate, a swinging lever upon the supporting post, springs connected with the crank arms, springs connected with the arms of the lever, and connections between the sets of springs.

5. In a gate structure, the combination of a supporting post, a gate composed of pivotally connected sections adapted to fold parallel with the gateway, crank arms upon the gate, a swinging lever upon the supporting post, elastic connections between said crank arms and the arms of the lever, a rock shaft upon the post provided with crank arms, and equalizing links connecting said crank arms of the rock shaft with the gate in advance of the first-named crank arm.

6. In a gate structure, the combination of a supporting post, a gate composed of pivotally connected sections adapted to fold parallel with the gateway, crank arms upon the gate, a swinging lever upon the supporting post, a latch for holding the gate in open position, latch mechanism for connecting the portions of the gate in closed position, connections between the crank arms and arms of the lever and means operated by the lever for automatically controlling the latch devices.

7. In a gate structure, the combination of a supporting post, a gate composed of pivotally connected sections adapted to fold parallel with the gateway, crank arms upon the gate, a swinging lever upon the supporting post, elastic connections between said crank arms and the arms of the lever, equalizing means supported by the post and connected with the oppositely swinging parts of the gate, latch devices for holding the gate opened and closed, a rod operated by the le ver, a striker operated by the rod for directly controlling one of said latch devices, and a connection between said striker and the other latch device.

8. In a gate structure, the combination of a supporting post having an adjustable portion, a gate carried by said adjustable portion and composed of pivotally connected sections adapted to fold parallel with the gateway, crank arms upon the gate, a swinging lever upon the adjustable portion of the post, elastic connections between said crank arms and the arms of the lever, and means for adjusting the adjustable portion of the post to raise or lower the gate and its operating mechanism.

9. In a gate structure, the combination of a supporting post, a gate composed of pivotally connected sections adapted to fold parallel. with the gateway, a swinging lever upon the post, operating connections be-; tween the post and the oppositely swinging parts of the gate, said connections including contractible and expansible means, and equalizing connections between said portions of the gate to effect a regular and uniform trans mission of the power of the lever thereto.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FRANCIS M. NEFF.

Witnesses PETER IVILLARD PATTERSON, EARL STARNER.

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