Patent Application
20230228119
The present invention relates to latch systems for gates, and more particularly to a universal wrap-around gate latch.
Gate latches installed on gate posts are used for securing a gate. A double-sided gate latch can be operated from two sides by opening and locking the latch from either side of the gate. Typically, a gate latch comprises a self-latching mechanism along with a manual release mechanism to lock and unlock the latch respectively. The self-latching mechanism automatically closes the gate and prevents the gate from being opened from the other side, unless the manual release mechanism is used to unlock the latch and open the gate. Such gate latches require drilling in to the gate posts to make a through-hole so that the required latching components could go through the post and desired connections could be made. This allows front and back components of the gate latch to communicate for opening and locking purposes.
Also, once installed, a conventional gate latch is designed such that its direction of installation cannot be changed without removing its fasteners/screws that are fixed on the gate posts. For example, a user may want to install a gate latch on a particular type of gate posts, i.e., either on a right-sided or on a left-sided gate post. In case of an incorrect installation or error, the user may want to change the direction of installation for the correct type of gate post. In such a scenario, it becomes a challenging task for the user to change the direction of the latch assemblies from a right sided gate post to the left sided gate post or vice-versa, as this involves unfastening and then fixing all fasteners/screws back on the gate post to reinstall the latch correctly.
In view of the above, the present subject matter as disclosed herein, aims to provide a novel wrap around gate latch that can be installed on the gate post without any drilling through the post, and that is a universal gate latch that can be installed on any type of gate post.
The present invention provides a wrap-around gate latch assembly comprising: a base frame formed by attaching together a front frame, a central frame, and a back frame; a front part mounted on the front frame; a back part mounted on the back frame; a first push button operably mounted on the front part; a second push button operably mounted on the back part; a movable hook provided in the front part, the movable hook engages or disengages with a striker bar in a latched position or an unlatched position respectively; wherein a moving plate is provided in parallel to the central frame, the moving plate having a first end attached to the back part and a second end going into the front part; the base frame is capable of being wrapped around a gate post to thereby allow installation of the front part, the central frame and the back part without drilling through the gate post, the first push button is operated to disengage the hook from the striker bar, and the second push button is operated to push the moving plate towards the front part thereby triggering the movable hook to disengage itself from the striker bar.
According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, the front part is perpendicularly attached to one end of the central frame and the back part is perpendicularly attached to another end of the central frame to form the base frame
According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, wherein the back part comprises: a back frame to be fixed on the gate post; the second push button having a sleeve structure; a protruded element provided on outer surface of the sleeve structure; and the moving plate having a slit on the first end; wherein the slit on the first end accommodates the protruded element to thereby attach the moving plate to the second push button, and the sleeve structure with the attached moving plate is inserted into the back frame to attach the moving plate to the back part, and to thereby allow the push button, upon being operated, to push the moving plate towards the front part.
According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, the front part is further having a through-hole for using a padlock.
According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, the front part, the central frame, and the back part are together installed around the gate post to form a double-sided gate latch.
According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, without the central frame and the back part, the front part is installed around the gate post to form a single-sided gate latch.
According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, the moving plate is capable of communicating between the front part and the back part while moving in parallel to the central frame, by having the first end attached to the back part and the second end going into the front part.
According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, each of the first push button and the second push button is a key operated push button.
According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, each of the first push button and the second push button is a keyless push button.
According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, the front part is adapted to be installed on any type of the gate post, including a right-sided gate post and a left sided gate post.
According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, the front part is adapted to be detached from the base frame and thereafter to be turned upside down for changing installation position of the front part based on type of the gate post.
According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, the back part is adapted to be installed on any type of the gate post, including a right-sided gate post and a left sided gate post.
According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, the back part is adapted to be detached from the base frame and thereafter to be turned upside down for changing installation position of the front part based on type of the gate post.
According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, the striker bar is a horizontal rod protruding outside of a striker assembly, the striker assembly adapted to be mounted on a gate to be latched.
Other objects and advantages of the embodiments herein will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the description of several views of the drawings.
10 Back Frame
12 Back Part
14 Base Frame
16 Central Frame
18 Double-Sided Gate Latch
20 First End of the Moving Plate
22 First Push Button
24 Front Frame
28 Front Part
30 Gate Latch Assembly
34 Movable Hook
36 Moving Plate
38 Protruded Element
40 Fasteners or Screws
42 Second End of the Moving Plate
44 Second Push Button
46 Single Sided Gate Latch
48 Sleeve Structure
50 Slit
52 Striker Assembly
54 Striker Bar
56 Through-Hole
This section is intended to provide explanation and description of various possible embodiments of the present invention. The embodiments used herein, and various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to non-limiting embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. The examples used herein are intended only to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable the person skilled in the art to practice the embodiments used herein. Also, the examples/embodiments described herein should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein. Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to
A first push button 22 is operably mounted on the front part 28 which can be operated by a user to release the latch. A second push button 44 is also provided to allow the gate latch to function as a double-sided gate latch 18. The second push button 44 is operably mounted on the back part 12. Further, a movable hook 34 is provided in the front part 28. The movable hook 34 engages or disengages itself with a striker bar 54 in a latched position or an unlatched position respectively. The movable hook 34 is capable of self-engaging with the striker bar 54, as and when the striker bar 54 comes in parallel contact with the movable hook 34 while closing the gate. The movable hook 34 is provided in a striker assembly 52 or striker housing. The striker bar 54 is a horizontal rod protruding outside of the striker assembly 52, the striker assembly 52 adapted to be mounted or fixed on a gate to be latched.
According to the embodiments of the present invention, a single moving plate 36 is provided in parallel to the central frame 16. The moving plate 36 is an elongated plate having two ends. A first end 20 of the moving plate 36 is attached to the back part 12 and a second end 42 is allowed to go into the front part 28. As mentioned earlier, while closing the gate, the movable hook 34 self-engages with the striker bar 54, as and when the striker bar 54 strikes the movable hook 34 to latch the gate. The movable hook 34 is said to be in a latched position when it is holding the striker bar 54. The movable hook 34 can be moved in upward direction to disengage it with the striker bar 54 by operating the either of the two push buttons. The first push button 22 can be operated by pushing it to disengage the hook 34 from the striker bar 54. The second push button 44 is operated to push the moving plate 36 towards the front part 28 thereby triggering the movable hook 34 to disengage itself from the striker bar 54.
In addition to the first push button 22 and the movable hook 34, the front part 28 is also provided a through-hole 56 for using a padlock. The padlock may be used with the latch assembly to lock the gate.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present subject matter, the base frame 14 having the front part 28 and the back part 12 are together installed around the gate post to form a double-sided gate latch 18. In one embodiment, the wrap-around gate latch can be used as a single-sided gate latch 46 wherein the front part 28 and the striker assembly 52 are installed on the gate post and the gate respectively. The wrap-around gate latch, when installed only with the front part 28, i.e., without the central frame 16 and the back part 12, forms a single-sided gate latch 46. The single-sided gate latch 46 allows the user to save cost as it involves lesser components.
Referring to the above FIGs., the back part 12 can be mounted on the back frame 10 that can be fixed on the gate post. The back part 12 comprises the second push button 44 having a sleeve structure 48. A protruded element 38 is provided on outer surface of the sleeve structure 48 and the moving plate 36 is provided with a slit 50 on its first end 20. The slit 50 on the first end 20 accommodates the protruded element 38 to thereby attach the moving plate 36 to the second push button 44. The sleeve structure 48 with the attached moving plate 36 is inserted into the back frame 10 to attach the moving plate 36 to the back part 12. This allows the push button, upon being operated, to push the moving plate 36 towards the front part 28. According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, the moving plate 36 is capable of communicating between the front part 28 and the back part 12 while moving in parallel to the central frame 16, by having the first end 20 attached to the back part 12 and the second end 42 going into the front part 28.
According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, each of the first push button 22 and the second push button 44 is a key operated push button. In another embodiment, each of the first push button 22 and the second push button 44 is a keyless push button.
The embodiments of the present invention thus provide a durable, light-weight, universal latch that can be used as a double-sided 18 as well as a single-sided gate latch 46, and which is designed to be installed on the gate post without any drilling through the post, while connecting the front and back parts 28, 12 of the latch assembly together.
The gate latch as disclosed herein overcomes the limitation of conventional latches that are complicated in design and are bulky. Such gate latches are also complicated in their installation, and the users find difficulty in changing the installation direction from left to right-sided gate post or vice versa. The conventional double sided gate latches as known prior to the present invention, require drilling in to the post to make a hole so that required connections could go through the post and the latch components could thereby communicate for opening and locking purposes. The latching components of the present invention however, do not require any drilling through the post due to its ‘C’ shaped base frame 14 that can be easily wrapped around the gate post and all the latch components can be mounted on said base frame 14. Further, the front part 28 and back part 12 of the present latch communicate via one single moving plate 36 that is in shape of a flat rod, that wraps on the side of the gate post and need not be drilled through the gate post.
The term exemplary is used herein to mean serving as an example. Any embodiment or implementation described as exemplary is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or implementations. Further, the use of terms such as including, comprising, having, containing and variations thereof, is meant to encompass the items/components/process listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items/components/process.
Although the subject matter is described in language specific to structural features and/or acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or process as described above. In fact, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as mere examples of implementing the claims and other equivalent features and processes which are intended to be within the scope of the claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022200357 | Jan 2022 | AU | national |
