Abstract:
This application reveals a gate latch assembly in which a pivoting bolt permits substantial misalignment to occur between the bolt and latch members and yet permit successful latching of the assembly.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    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.  
           [0002]    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.  
           [0003]    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  
         [0004]    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.  
           [0005]    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.  
           [0006]    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.  
           [0007]    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  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pivoting bolt gate latch of this invention mounted on a gate and post.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the latch of this invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a development of the base of the latch of this invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a close-up perspective view of the gate latch of this invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of this invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 shows yet another embodiment of this invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0014]    [0014]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.  
         [0015]    [0015]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.  
         [0016]    Base  14  is provided with a raised dimple  36  on which pivot  20  is mounted.  
         [0017]    [0017]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.  
         [0018]    [0018]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 .  
         [0019]    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 .  
         [0020]    [0020]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.  
         [0021]    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.  
         [0022]    [0022]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 .  
         [0023]    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 .  
         [0024]    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.