Information
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Patent Grant
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6679530
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Patent Number
6,679,530
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Date Filed
Friday, June 14, 200222 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, January 20, 200420 years ago
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Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
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CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 292 337
- 292 136
- 292 304
- 292 57
- 292 58
- 292 238
- 292 210
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International Classifications
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Abstract
This application reveals a gate latch assembly in which a pivoting bolt permits substantial misalignment occur between the bolt and latch members and yet permit successful latching of the assembly.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In modern contemporary fencing installations it is not unusual to include a swinging gate or door to provide access to the area being enclosed. Usually the swinging gate is provided with a “bolt” which engages and locks into a thumb latch which is mounted on the stationary adjoining wall or post. These closure installations work acceptably well until some misalignment occurs between the bolt and the latch. The misalignment can be severe in instances where the length of the gate exceeds a few feet. Misalignment frequently occurs in areas subject to frost heaving of the gate and/or the fence or post on which the thumb latch (keeper) is mounted. The frost heaving can be embarrassing because it may cause the gate to “stick” in the closed position due to the force transmitted to the latch by the misaligned bolt. The same situation occurs in hurried installations where the gate post upon which the gate is hinged settles due to improper packing of the earth about the post during construction.
Upon forcing a gate to open once misalignment has occurred, it is difficult if not impossible to close the gate and engage the bolt with the thumb latch due to the lack of registration of the bolt and latch.
It is usually necessary to remove and re-mount the latch assembly (or the bolt) to permit the gate to be closed and latched in the secure position after the misalignment of the latch and bolt has occurred. This invention will compensate for the misalignment which occurs due to faulty installation or during heaving resulting from frost penetration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention allows for substantial vertical misalignment of the bolt and latch assembly of a garden gate type lock and will permit latching and unlatching of the bolt despite reasonable relative vertical misalignment of the gate and latching post.
This latch assembly comprises a standard thumb latch keeper which is permanently mounted on a stationary post or wall and wherein a latch bolt is arranged to pivot about the end of the bolt remote from the keeper so as to engage the latch keeper.
The latch assembly thus comprises a bolt which will be found to be somewhat longer than a standard latch bolt, but the end of the bolt remote from the latch is pivoted to allow the bolt to pivot in a vertical plane, and the bolt will be maintained within a guide having a slot which confines the pivoting motion of the bolt to that in a vertical plane.
The bolt will pivot in a vertical plane within the guide which will compensate for a substantial amount of misalignment between the gate and the stationary post or wall.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a pivoting bolt gate latch of this invention mounted on a gate and post.
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of the latch of this invention.
FIG. 3
is a development of the base of the latch of this invention.
FIG. 4
is a close-up perspective view of the gate latch of this invention.
FIG. 5
shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of this invention.
FIG. 6
shows yet another embodiment of this invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1
shows gate
10
and a stationary post member
12
on which the latch bar assembly
14
and the keeper
16
are mounted. Latch bar assembly
14
shows a pivoting latch bar
18
mounted on pivot
20
. The latch bar
18
is held in keeper
16
by a thumb release member
22
. In this Figure, the post
12
is shown in a somewhat sunken position.
FIG. 2
shows the latch bar member
14
in greater detail. Member
14
comprises a one piece base
24
having mounting holes
26
. Base
14
also comprises an integral upstanding guide portion
28
having a slot
30
formed therein to receive pivoting latch bar
18
therein. A base return lip
32
is formed by bending the upstanding guide portion
28
at
34
to form a large flat surface to provide an enhanced bearing surface for pivoting latch
18
. The large flat exposed surface
32
is provided also for the safety of persons using the gate latch device.
Base
14
is provided with a raised dimple
36
on which pivot
20
is mounted.
FIG. 1
shows a gate installation in which for reason unknown, the post
12
has sunk somewhat. The pivoting latch
18
is able to engage keeper
16
by its ability to drop in slot
30
to accommodate the sunken position of keeper
16
on post
12
. This position is represented by the position of latch bar
18
shown in solid lines in FIG.
2
.
FIG. 3
shows the latch assembly having the keeper
16
engaging the pivoting latch bar
18
. Keeper
16
comprises a base
40
having an upstanding flange
42
upon which thumb latch
44
is pivoted about pivot
46
.
Flange
42
is provided with a “V” shaped notch to guide pivoting latch bar
18
into engagement with thumb latch
44
. Screws
48
secure the latch and keeper to their respective support members
10
and
12
.
FIG. 4
shows an alternative quick mounted for the latch member on a tubular gate member having a square cross section. Here gate post member
50
is engaged by a two piece base plate combination assembly
54
and
56
. In this installation the base
54
is engaged by clasp
56
. Base
54
is provided with slot
58
through which tongue
60
of clasp
56
is captured. Clasp
56
is shaped to surround post
50
and lip
58
is provided for attachment of bolts
60
of base
54
through clasp
56
to secure the member
52
to post
50
. This method of attachment is quick, easy and robust.
Pivoting latch bar
18
is guided by slot
30
of base
54
. Return lip
62
provides additional bearing surface for latch bolt
18
and a safety reinforcement as well. The presence of the lip
62
presents a flat surface parallel to the base
54
which avoids the narrow projecting lip present in most prior art devices. Besides strengthening the base of the latch assembly, this lip is designed to eliminate injuries to persons using the latch of this invention.
FIG. 5
shows a modification of the gate latch
72
of this invention to accommodate mounting on a round post
70
. Base
74
of latch
72
is shaped in a similar manner of the latch
52
of FIG.
4
. Base
74
is provided with a slight concavity at
76
to give more surface contact with gate post
70
. Clasp
78
is made to have tongue
80
pass through slot
82
of base
74
of latch
72
. Bolts
84
serve to close clasp
78
on post
70
to complete the mounting of latch
72
on post
70
.
A pivot
86
provides the center of rotation for latch
88
. Latch
88
is guided in slot
90
of base
74
. Lip
92
functions to eliminate any sharp projections protruding from latch
72
and increase the strength of the base member
74
.
In summary, the latch of this invention provides a base which is produced to have three integral cooperating flat surfaces to produce a strong base having a smoothly operating movement which is capable of compensating for settling of gate or latching posts. The latch is so produced so it can compensate for large misalignments of latch and keeper due to frost and settlement of gate and post members.
Claims
- 1. A latching device comprising a pivoting latch bar assembly and a latch bar keeper assembly wherein:said pivoting latch bar assembly comprises: an elongated base plate having first and second ends and a mounting surface located between said ends of said plate suitable for mounting said latch bar assembly on a gate post; a latch bar pivotably attached to a flat surface of said base plate at said first end of said base plate, said base plate being bent at a first fold line at the second end of said base plate to provide a flat guide member extending orthogonally to said base plate, said guide member having an elongated slot formed therein through which, said pivoting latch bar protrudes, said slot defining the extent of the pivoting motion provided to said latching bar by said guide member, said flat guide member also being bent orthogonally at a second fold line coinciding with and extending along said slot in said guide to produce a third flat surface which folds back over said base plate and forms a bearing surface for said pivoting latch bar which presses said pivoting latch bar toward said base plate.
- 2. A gate latching device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base is provided with a slot therein for receiving a base engaging clasp member which when engaged with said base combines to secure said base to a rectangular post.
- 3. A gate latching device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base is provided with a slot therein for receiving a base engaging clasp member which combines with said base to secure said base to a circular post.
- 4. A base plate for mounting a pivoting gate latch bar thereon comprising:a flat elongated plate having a base portion having a raised dimple near a first end of said member, and a series of mounting holes produced in said base portion, a first fold line remote from said first end, a second fold line extending parallel to and spaced somewhat from said first fold line, to produce a second portion extending from said base portion; an elongated slot formed in said second portion and having one edge of said slot fall on said second fold line; a third portion of said plate extending a short distance beyond said second fold line to enjoy a parallel relationship with said base portion.
- 5. A base plate as claimed in claim 4 wherein said plate is folded at each fold line through an angle of about 90° to produce a plate having three surfaces, wherein said third portion overlies and extends parallel to said base portion.
- 6. A base plate as claimed in claim 5 wherein a pivot bar is mounted on said base plate so that one end of said bar extends through said slot, and the opposite end is pivotally mounted on said raised dimple.
US Referenced Citations (10)