US761983A - Gate-latch. - Google Patents

Description

V PATENTED JUNE 7, 1904. A. MURRAY. GATE LATCH.

APPLIOATIOH FILED FEB. 23 1904..

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES ALEXANDER MURRAY,

Patented June 7, 1904.

OF GOLSPIE, CANADA.

GATE-LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 761,983, dated June 7, 1904.

Application filed February 23, 1904. Serial ITO-194,689. (No model.)

T0 at whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER MURRAY, a subjectof the King of Great Britain, residing at Golspie, county of Oxford, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-Latches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear, and exact description of theinvention, art to 1 such as will enable others skilled in the which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in gate-latches; and it has for its objects, among others, to provide a applicable to gates of that class which are adapted to swing open from either side, and embodying a spring-bar designed to automatically engage with the keeper as the gate is swung into its closed position.

A further object in View is to so construct and arrange the parts that the strain will be taken oif of the hinges of the gate, as when a person sits on the gate, and also to prevent the raising of the gate by a pig or other animal getting its nose under the same. For this purpose the spring latch-bar is held within elongated loops in bolts or the like held to the end post of the gate, and these eyes are so dis-' posed that the keeper engages the bar between said eyes. Hence the weight upon the gate will not sag it far, because the upper eye will engage the keeper and take the strain from the gate and its hinges, and if an animal gets his nose under the gate and tries to raise it the lower eye will engage the under side of the keeper, and thus prevent the gate from being raised to any appreciable extent.

Another object is to provide for ready vertical adjustment of the keeper when necessary by the shifting of the latch-post by frost or otherwise. For thispurpose the keeper is provided with vertical wings having elongated openings through which pass its securing means affixing it to the latch-post, and

loosening of these securing means permits of adjustment up or down of the keeper to accommodate it to the variations in position of the latch-post. The keeper may also be adjusted outward from the latch-post if necessary.

simple and cheap and yet efficient gate-latch Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, andthe novel features thereof will be specifically defined by the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, with portions broken away and parts in section, showing the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a face View of the keeper removed. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the keeper.

' Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in the different views.

Referring now to the details of the drawings, 1 designates the latch-post set in the ground, and 2 is the keeper, which is adapted to be secured to the said latch-post upon the face nearest the end of the gate. This keeper is of novel construction and comprises in a single casting or element the upper and lower extensions or wings 3 and 4, each of whiclris provided with a vertically-elongated opening 5," and the latch-bar-receiving notch 6, which is formed in the lateral rib or projection 7 on the body of the keeper. The outer face of this rib' or projection is beveled or inclined in opposite directions from the said notch for a purpose which will be evident. The bottom wall of this notch is by preference rounded, as seen best in Fig. 3.

" The keeper is secured to the inner face of the latch-post 1 by suitable means, as the bolts 8, which pass through the elongated openings 5 and through the post, receiving upon their outer ends suitable nuts 9, as seen clearly in Fig. 1. It will thus be seen that when it is desired .to adjust the keeper, as may be necessary by the heaving or shifting of the latch-post, all thatit is necessary to do is to loosen the bolts 8 and shift the keeper up or down, as occasion may require, and then tighten the bolts. 'If it should become necessary to throw the keeper out farther from the face of the post, the bolts are loosened and a piece of wood or other material placed between the post and the back of the keeper and the bolts again tightened.

. 10 represents a portion of the gate which is designed to be hinged in the usual manner, and to the end post 11 thereof the spring latch-bar is fastened. In this instance the said spring latch-bar12 is secured at its lower end to the said end post of the gate, as by the bolts 13, as seen in Fig. 1. This latchbar is offset, as at 14:, a short distance above its point of fastening to the gate-post and its upper or free end is designed to engage in the notch of the keeper to hold the gate locked in its closed position, the said bar riding upon the rib 7, the inclines thereof aiding in the necessary movement and the spring of the bar forcing it into the notch when coincident therewith, as will be readily understood.

The upper end of the latch-bar is confined within the loops or eyes 15 of the bolts 16, which pass through the end post 11 of the gate, near the upper end thereof. These loops or eyes permit of the necessary movement of the latch-bar and yet limit its movement. They serve a further function which is of importance. They are so disposed that the latch-barengages the keeper at a point between these two loops or eyes, as will be readily understood from Fig. 1, and by reason of this should a person sit on the gate the upper loop will engage the upper face of the rib of the keeper, and thus prevent downward movement of the gate, while, on the other hand, should a pig or other animal get his nose beneath the gate and try to raise it the lower loop or eye would contact with the under side of the rib on the keeper and the gate could not be raised to any appreciable extent.

From the above it will be seen that I have. devised a simple and cheap yet eiiicient and durable gate-latch, and while the structural embodiment of the invention, as herein disclosed, is what I at the present time consider preferable it is evident that the same is subject to changes, variations, and modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages. 1 therefore do not wish to be restricted to the details of construction herein illustrated, but reserve the right to make such changes, variations, and n'iodilications as come properly within the scope of the protection prayed.

\Vhat is claimed as new is" The combination with a gate and a spring latch-bar secured to the end post thereof at its lower end, and bolts held in the said end post near its upper end and having horizontal elongated loops loosely receiving thefree end of the latch-bar, of a latch-post and a keeper secured to the face thereof adjacent the end post of the gate and having elongated vertical openings and a rib with notch disposed in a plane between said loops, as and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

ALEXAN DER M U R RA Y.

W' itn csses:

A. E. BALL, 1. J. MCKAY.

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