Gate latching system

The present invention is a gate latching system for use in securing a pair of cooperating stock gates together. A preferred embodiment of the invention employs a pair of latching devices for securing a pair of overlapping stock gates together in a closed position. An alternate embodiment of the invention is designed with an extended arm for securing a pair of stock gates closed when the stock gates do not overlap. Both pairs of latching devices are designed so that one of the latching devices is bolted to one gate and the other latching device is bolted to the other gate. Each latching device has a u-shaped receiver for receiving a horizontal member of the opposite gate. The horizontal members enter the u-shaped receivers by lifting one of the gates as the gates are being closed and are secure therein by a lid that closes over one receiver.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is a gate latching system for use in securing a pair of stock gates together. More specifically, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is a system employing a pair of latching devices for securing a pair of overlapping stock gates together in a closed position. An alternate embodiment of the invention is designed for securing a pair of stock gates closed when the stock gates either do not overlap each other sufficiently when closed to allow usage of the preferred embodiment or when the pair of stock gates do not overlap each other at all and there is a gap existing between the pair of stock gates when they are closed.

2. Description of the Related Art

Large gate openings to fields or pasture are desirable as they allow vehicles and farm equipment to pass through more easily. When a gate opening is too large to be spanned by a single stock gate, then a pair of opposing stock gates is employed as a means of securing the gate opening against passage of vehicles and farm animals.

One of the gates of the pair is generally hinged to a post on one side of the gate opening and the other gate of the pair is hinged to a post on the opposite side of the gate opening. With the pair of gates thus hinged, they can be opened to allow full access through the entire width of the gate opening.

Because the gate openings are often non-standard widths, pairs of gates either overlap each other when they are closed or have a gap between them when they are closed. This makes securing the pair of gates closed and making sure that livestock cannot pass between the gates somewhat problematic.

Traditionally, opposing pairs of gates have been chained together and the ends of the chain held together by a fastener or padlock or the gates have been wired together with metal wire. There are several problems associated with these two systems for securing opposing gates together.

Both of these two systems for securing opposing gates together are time consuming when securing the gates together and are time consuming when opening the gates when once they are secured together.

Also, once the chain or wire has been loosened from the gates, the chain or wire tends to fall off the gates and onto the ground. When the chain or wire falls to the ground, it is susceptible to being run over by vehicles as they pass through the gate opening and can cause damage to the tires of the vehicles. Once the chain or wire falls on the ground, it can become lost in the grass, or it can become muddy or dirty with animal excrement making it messy and unpleasant to retrieve for reuse

Another problem with the two traditional systems for securing opposing gates together is that the chain or wire used to hold the gates together often allows some play or movement in the gates and does not hold the gates together rigidly. Depending on whether the gates overlap each other when closed, the play in the gates can allow livestock to push against the gates and open them sufficiently to allow smaller animals, such as calves, to pass through the enlarged gap created between non-overlapping opposing gates.

Still a further weakness with the two traditional systems for securing opposing gates together is that the wire or chain can easily be removed using wire cutters or bolt cutters, permitting enter through the gate opening by cattle thieves or other unauthorized persons. With the current high price of cattle, there is a need for a more secure system for securing opposing stock gates.

The present invention addresses these problems by providing a system for securing opposing gates together that employ a pair of latching devices that secure to the gates and do not fall off when the gates are opened. The present invention is easy to operate when opening or closing the gates, is capable of being locked with a padlock when the gates need to be secured against unauthorized entry, is designed to hold the gates rigidly together when locked, and is made in two different embodiments for use on overlapping and non-overlapping pairs of gates.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a gate latching system for use in securing a pair of stock gates together. More specifically, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is a system employing a pair of latching devices for securing a pair of overlapping stock gates together in a closed position. An alternate embodiment of the invention is designed for securing a pair of stock gates closed when the stock gates either do not overlap each other sufficiently when closed to allow usage of the preferred embodiment or when the pair of stock gates do not overlap each other at all and there is a gap existing between the pair of stock gates when they are closed.

The preferred embodiment employs a pair of latching devices where the two latching devices are constructed different from each other and with each of the latching devices of the pair being designed for attachment to a separate gate of an overlapping pair of gates.

The first latching device of the pair of latching devices secures via first u-bolts around a vertical member of a first gate of the pair of gates and is provided with a first u-shaped receiver oriented at a right angle to the first u-bolts so the first u-shaped receiver faces or opens downward and is able to rest over a horizontal member of the opposite overlapping second gate when the gates are closed.

The second latching device of the pair of latching devices secures via second u-bolts around a vertical member of the second gate of the pair of gates and is provided with a second u-shaped receiver oriented at a right angle to the second u-bolts so the second u-shaped receiver faces or opens upward and is able to receive a horizontal member of the opposite overlapping first gate when the gates are closed.

The second latching device is also provided with a hinged lid attached to the second u-shaped receiver that can be pivoted open to admit the horizontal member of the first gate into the second u-shaped receiver and can be pivoted closed to secure the horizontal member of the first gate within the second u-shaped receiver. The second u-shaped receiver and the hinged lid are each provided with an eye located so that the eyes align when the hinged lid is closed and are capable of receiving therein a padlock as a means of locking the gates against unauthorized entry.

When the pair of gates does not overlap, an alternate embodiment gate latching system is employed. The alternate embodiment employs a pair of alternate latching devices where the two alternate latching devices are constructed different from each other and with each of the alternate latching devices of the pair being designed for attachment to a separate gate of a non-overlapping pair of gates.

The alternate first latching device of the pair of alternate latching devices secures via alternate first u-bolts around a horizontal member of a first gate of the pair of gates and is provided with a first arm that extends several inches to an alternate first u-shaped receiver. The alternate first u-shaped receiver is aligned with the alternate first u-bolts so the alternate first u-shaped receiver faces or opens downward and is able to rest over a horizontal member of the opposite non-overlapping second gate when the gates are closed.

The second alternate latching device of the pair of alternate latching devices secures via alternate second u-bolts around a horizontal member of the second gate of the pair of gates and is provided with a second arm that extends several inches to an alternate second u-shaped receiver. The alternate second u-shaped receiver is aligned with the alternate second u-bolts so the alternate second u-shaped receiver faces or opens upward and is able to receive a horizontal member of the opposite non-overlapping first gate when the gates are closed.

The alternate second latching device is also provided with an alternate hinged lid attached to the alternate second u-shaped receiver that can be pivoted open to admit the horizontal member of the first gate into the alternate second u-shaped receiver and can be pivoted closed to secure the horizontal member of the first gate within the alternate second u-shaped receiver. The alternate second u-shaped receiver and the alternate hinged lid are each provided with an alternate eye located so that the alternate eyes align when the alternate hinged lid is closed and are capable of receiving therein a padlock as a means of locking the gates against unauthorized entry.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, and initially toFIGS. 1 and 2there is shown a prior art gate opening100that is spanned by a pair of cooperating stock gates102A and102B. The two gates102A and102B are hinged to posts104A and104B located on either side of the gate opening100with the gates102A and102B swinging away from each other as they are opened, as illustrated inFIG. 1, and swinging together so that they overlap each other when closed, as illustrated inFIG. 2.

As illustrated inFIGS. 4 and 5, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is a gate latching system employing a pair of latching devices10A and10B for securing a pair of cooperating overlapping stock gates102A and102B together in a closed position.

Referring now also toFIGS. 8 and 9, the preferred embodiment employs a pair of latching devices10A and10B where the two latching devices10A and10B are constructed different from each other and with each of the latching devices10A and10B of the pair being designed for attachment to a separate gate102A or102B of an overlapping pair of gates102A and102B.

The first latching device10A of the pair of latching devices10A and10B secures via first u-bolts12A around a vertical member106A of a first gate102A of the pair of gates102A and102B and is provided with a first u-shaped receiver14A oriented at approximately a right angle to the first u-bolts12A so the first u-shaped receiver14A faces or opens downward and is able to rest over a horizontal member108B of the opposite overlapping second gate102B when the gates102A and102B are closed.

The second latching device10B of the pair of latching devices10A and10B secures via second u-bolts12B around a vertical member106B of the second gate102B of the pair of gates102A and102B and is provided with a second u-shaped receiver14B oriented at approximately a right angle to the second u-bolts12B so the second u-shaped receiver14B faces or opens upward and is able to receive a horizontal member108A of the opposite overlapping first gate102A when the gates102A and102B are closed.

The second latching device10B is also provided with a hinged lid16attached to the second u-shaped receiver14B that can be pivoted open to admit the horizontal member108A of the first gate102A into the second u-shaped receiver14B and can be pivoted closed to secure the horizontal member108A of the first gate102A within the second u-shaped receiver14B. The second u-shaped receiver14B and the hinged lid16are each provided with an eye18located so that the eyes18align when the hinged lid16is closed and are capable of receiving therein a padlock (not illustrated) as a means of locking the gates102A and102B against unauthorized entry.

In use, the hinged lid16is pivoted open and the pair of gates102A and102B is swung shut. As the gates102A and102B are being closed, the first gate102A is raised sufficiently to simultaneously allow the first u-shaped receiver14A to rest over the horizontal member108B of the second gate102B and the second u-shaped receiver14B to cradle the horizontal member108A of the first gate102A. Next, the hinged lid16is pivoted closed over the second u-shaped receiver14B, capturing the horizontal member108A of the first gate102A within the second u-shaped receiver14B and thereby securing the gates102A and102B together by preventing the first gate102A from being lifted upward to disengage from the second gate102B. If desired, a locking device (not illustrated), such as a padlock or other similar device can be inserted through the aligned eyes18provided on the second latching device10B as a means of locking the gates102A and102B more securely.

In order to opening the gates102A and102B, the padlock or other similar device is removed from the aligned eyes18on the second latching device10B, the hinged lid16is pivoted open, the first gate102A is raised upward, and the gates102A and102B swung apart.

As illustrated inFIG. 3, when the gate opening100is larger than the combined lengths of the gates102A and102B, they will not overlap as they swing together and there will be a gap110between the two closed non-overlapping gates102A and102B.

As illustrated inFIGS. 6 and 7, an alternate embodiment of the invention is designed for securing a pair of stock gates102A and102B closed when the stock gates102A and102B either do not overlap each other sufficiently when closed to allow usage of the preferred embodiment gate latching system or when the pair of stock gates102A and102B do not overlap each other at all and there is the gap110existing between the pair of stock gates102A and102B when they are closed.

When the gates102A and102B do not overlap, an alternate embodiment gate latching system is employed. The alternate embodiment employs a pair of alternate latching devices10A′ and10B′ where the two alternate latching devices10A′ and10B′ are constructed different from each other and with each of the alternate latching devices10A′ and10B′ of the pair being designed for attachment to a separate gate102A or102B of a non-overlapping pair of gates102A and102B.

Referring now also toFIGS. 10 and 11, the alternate first latching device10A′ of the pair of alternate latching devices10A′ and10B′ secures via alternate first u-bolts12A′ around a horizontal member108A of a first gate102A of the pair of gates102A and102B and is provided with a first arm20A that extends several inches to an alternate first u-shaped receiver14A′. One or both of the alternate first u-bolts12A′ are adjustable along the length of the first arm20A. The alternate first u-shaped receiver14A′ is approximately aligned with the alternate first u-bolts12A′ so the alternate first u-shaped receiver14A′ faces or opens downward and is able to rest over a horizontal member108B of the opposite non-overlapping second gate102B when the gates102A and102B are closed.

The alternate second latching device10B′ of the pair of alternate latching devices10A′ and10B′ secures via alternate second u-bolts12B′ around a horizontal108B of the second gate102B of the pair of gates102A and102B and is provided with a second arm20B that extends several inches to an alternate second u-shaped receiver14B′. The alternate second u-shaped receiver14B′ is aligned with the alternate second u-bolts12B′ so the alternate second u-shaped receiver14B′ faces or opens upward and is able to receive a horizontal member108A of the opposite non-overlapping first gate102A when the gates102A and102B are closed. One or both of the alternate second u-bolts12B′ are adjustable along the length of the second arm20B.

The alternate second latching device10B′ is also provided with an alternate hinged lid16′ attached to the alternate second u-shaped receiver14B′ that can be pivoted open to admit the horizontal member108A of the first gate102A into the alternate second u-shaped receiver14B′ and can be pivoted closed to secure the horizontal member108A of the first gate102A within the alternate second u-shaped receiver14B′. The alternate second u-shaped receiver14B′ and the alternate hinged lid16′ are each provided with an alternate eye18′ located so that the alternate eyes18′ align when the alternate hinged lid16′ is closed and are capable of receiving therein a padlock (not illustrated) as a means of locking the gates102A and102B against unauthorized entry.