Gate latch

A gate latch is described for maintaining a wire gate in a closed position between a pair of gate posts embedded in the ground. The gate latch comprises a support which is nailed to the upper end of one of the gate posts and which has one end of a lever pivotally secured thereto. A U-shaped connector is pivotally secured to the lever and is adapted to be extended over the upper end of the end post member of the gate. The lower end of the end post member is inserted into the U-shaped connector secured to the lower end of the associated gate post. Pivotal movement of the lever causes the upper end of the end post member to be drawn or pulled towards the gate post. When the lever is in its locked position, an "over-center" condition is achieved to maintain the gate in its closed position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a gate latch and more particularly to a gate 
latch for closing a post and wire gate. 
Conventional wire gates are normally used to close the space between a pair 
of gate posts which are embedded in the ground. The wire gates are 
normally comprised of a plurality of wires, usually barbed wires, which 
are secured at one end to one of the gate posts and which have a post 
member secured to the other end thereof. When it is desired to close the 
gate, the lower end of the post member is normally positioned in a wire 
loop secured to the other gate post. The upper end of the post member is 
then forced into a position adjacent the gate post so that another loop 
may be passed over the upper ends of the post member and the gate post. 
The opening and closing of such gates is extremely difficult since the 
movement of the post member towards the gate post is resisted by the 
tension in the gate wires. The opening and closing of the gate is further 
complicated by the fact that the wires on the gate are normally of the 
barbed type and the person opening or closing the gate frequently tears 
his clothing or cuts himself. 
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved 
gate latch for a wire gate. 
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved gate latch 
which facilitates the opening and closing of long wire gates. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a gate latch which prevents 
injury to the person opening or closing the gate. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a gate latch which prevents 
the person opening or closing the gate from tearing his clothing. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide a gate latch which 
positively maintains the gate in a closed position. 
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A gate latch is described adapted for use in closing a wire gate which 
extends between a pair of gate posts embedded in the ground. The gate 
latch of this invention comprises a support plate which is secured to the 
upper end of one of the gate posts and which has an elongated lever 
pivotally secured thereto. A U-shaped connector is pivotally secured to 
the lever and is adapted to be extended over the upper end of the end post 
member of the gate. The lower end of the post member is inserted into a 
U-shaped loop member which is secured to the lower end of the gate post. 
The U-shaped member is positioned over the upper end of the post member 
and downward pivotal movement of the lever causes the loop member to pull 
the post member towards the gate post. The lever is pivoted downwardly 
into an "over-center" position so that the gate will be securely 
maintained in its closed position. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 refers to a conventional wire 
gate which is adapted to be extended between a pair of gate posts 12 and 
14 which are embedded in the ground 16. Conventional wires usually of the 
barbed type extend from the gate posts 12 and 14 in conventional fashion. 
Gate 10 comprises a plurality of wire members 18 which are secured to gate 
post 12 and which extend therefrom. Normally, one or more intermediate 
post members 20 are secured to the wire members 18. An end post member 22 
is secured to the "free" ends of the wire members 18 as illustrated in the 
drawings and normally has a length greater than the intermediate post 
members 20. 
The gate latch of this invention is referred to generally by the reference 
numeral 24 and is designed to pull the post member 22 towards the gate 
post 14 and to maintain the post member 22 in the position illustrated in 
FIG. 1 so that the space between the gate posts 12 and 14 will be closed 
by the gate 10. 
The numeral 26 refers to a lower connection means which is secured to the 
lower end of gate post 14 which is substantially U-shaped so that it may 
receive the lower end of the post member 22 as illustrated in the 
drawings. Although the drawings illustrate the connection means 26 to be 
of the "strap" type, the connection means 26 could be formed by wrapping 
wire around the lower end of the gate post 14 wherein a substantially 
U-shaped member is provided which can receive the lower end of the post 
member 22. 
Gate latch 24 comprises a support 28 which is secured to the upper end of 
the gate post 14 as illustrated in FIG. 5. Support 28 comprises a flat 
plate 30 which is positioned on the upper end of the gate post 14 and 
which is secured thereto by a plurality of nails 32 extending downwardly 
through openings 34 formed in the plate 30. A pair of spaced-apart ears 36 
and 38 extend upwardly from plate 30 and have one end of lever 40 
pivotally secured thereto by means of pin or bolt 43. 
A connection means 42 which is generally U-shaped in configuration is 
pivotally secured to lever 40 above the lower end thereof by means of bolt 
or pin 44 as seen in the drawings. 
When it is desired to close the gate 10, the lower end of post member 22 is 
inserted into the connector 26 as illustrated in FIG. 2. Lever 40 is then 
pivotally moved in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2 so that the 
connector 42 is positioned over the upper end of the post member 22. 
Connector 42 is then pivotally moved downwardly so that the upper end of 
the post member 22 is received between the legs 46 and 48 of the connector 
42 as illustrated in FIG. 3. 
Lever 40 is then pivotally moved in a counterclockwise direction as viewed 
in FIG. 3 so that the connector 42 pulls the upper end of post member 22 
towards gate post 14. Lever 40 is pivotally moved from the position 
illustrated by solid lines in FIG. 5 to the position illustrated by broken 
lines in FIG. 5 which corresponds to the position illustrated in FIG. 1. 
When lever 40 has been pivotally moved to the position of FIG. 1, the 
pivotal connection defined by bolt 44 is located below the pivotal 
connection defined by bolt 43 or "over-center" so that lever 40 is 
positioned in a locked position to maintain the gate 10 in its closed 
position. 
When it is desired to open the gate, the lever 40 is moved from the 
position of FIG. 1 upwardly until connector 42 may be disengaged from the 
upper end of the post member 22. The lower end of post member 22 is then 
removed from the connector 26 and the gate may be swung into its open 
position. It can therefore be seen that a novel gate latch has been 
described which enables a wire gate to be easily opened and closed in a 
manner so that all of the stated objectives are achieved.