Abstract:
A gate assembly for enclosures and the like which rigidly holds the gate in an open or closed position without the use of a cane bolt. Which uses a thrust washer and hinge bolt to control gate swing momentum. Which allows easy replacement of damaged panels with bolting assembly.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates generally to gates for access to enclosed areas and more particularly to a gate latching assembly for gates and the like.  
           [0003]    2. Discussion of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    It will become evident as the description proceeds that the improved gate assembly of this invention may be used for a variety of purposes. The gate assembly is primarily intended for use as a trash enclosure assembly, however, and will be described in the context of this use.  
           [0005]    Broadly defined, a gate is an access opening through which persons and/or equipment and/or vehicles may pass to and from an enclosed area. This area is opened and closed by what is commonly referred to as a gate. Perhaps the most familiar type of gate is a rectangular frame attached to a gate post by two or more hinges and held in place by a cane bolt which drops into a hole in the ground. The gate assembly of this invention is intended primarily for use as a gate for opening and closing a trash enclosure in service station locations, restaurant locations, parking lots and the like.  
           [0006]    Canes bolts of this kind can be easily bent and their corresponding hole can be filled with debris, which renders them inoperable. Once this occurs, the gates are free to be swung open or closed by wind forces, which can cause severe damage or even destruction of the gates. In many instances these gates are in a heavy traffic area and can be easily damaged by automobile impact Accordingly there is a definite need for an improved gate assembly for trash enclosures and other similar enclosures with gates, which is not subject to the above referenced difficulties.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    This invention provides such an improved gate assembly of the class described. The gate assembly includes a gate which is attached to a gate post and the gate swings on the post between an open and closed position. There is a sector plate that is attached to the gate post which has two holes and there is a corresponding sector rod which is attached to the gate. When the gate is in the closed position the sector rod engages the hole in the sector plate and the gate is held secure. When the gate is moved to the open position the sector rod engages the opposing hole in the sector plate and the gate is held secure. By manually raising the gate handle the sector rod is disengaged from the sector plate allowing the gate to move between the open and closed position. Once the gate handle is released the sector rod is free to engage either of the open or closed holes.  
           [0008]    This invention also provides an improved gate assembly for controlling the momentum of the gate swing. By placing a thrust washer in between the gate plate and the post plate and tightening or loosening the hinge bolt an adjustable drag is created. This allows for controlled movement of the gate in windy environments.  
           [0009]    This invention also provides an improved gate assembly for replacement of damaged components. Due to the heavy traffic around these types of enclosures, damage occurs frequently. The most vulnerable part is the panels that cover the gates. By making this a bolt-on panel it can be easily removed and replaced when damaged. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a rear view of a presently preferred gate assembly according to the invention;  
         [0011]    FIG. A is a top view of the sector plate showing the holes for open and closed positions and the thrust washer;  
         [0012]    FIG. B is a top view of the gate plate showing the hinge bolt and the sector rod alignment hole;  
         [0013]    FIG. C is a top view of the gate and post showing the gate in a closed position with solid lines and showing the gate in an open position with dotted lines;  
         [0014]    FIG. D is a side view of a typical bolt assembly to hold panel in place;  
         [0015]    FIG. E is a side view of the linkage between horizontal rod and the sector rod. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]    Turning now to these drawings, the illustrated gate post  10  includes a top plate  12  and a sector plate  14 . The top plate  12  has a hinge bolt hole  16  and the sector plate has a hinge bolt hole  18 . The illustrated gate  20  has a top plate  22  and a bottom plate  24 . The top plate  22  has a hinge bolt hole  26  and the bottom plate  24  has a hinge bolt hole  28 . By placing a top hinge bolt  30  through the top post plate hole  16  and the top gate plate hole  26  it creates the top hinge. By placing a bottom hinge bolt  32  through the bottom gate plate hole  28  and the sector plate hole  18  it creates the bottom hinge. This allows gate  20  to swing about gate post  10  from an open to closed position FIG. C. By placing a thrust washer  34  on bottom hinge bolt  32  in between sector plate  14  and the bottom gate plate  24 . Then an adjustable drag is created by tightening or loosening bottom hinge bolt  32 . The sector plate  14  has multiple holes  36 - 38  in a radius about the hinge hole  18 . These holes  36 - 38  are tapered to allow engagement even at high gate speeds. These holes are placed in an open  38  position and a closed  36  position. The bottom gate plate  24  also has a hole  40  placed at the same radius as the holes  36 - 38  on the sector plate  14 , which contains the sector rod  42 .  
         [0017]    The linkage assembly is composed of a handle  44  attached to a horizontal rod  46 . Two offset plates  48  hold the horizontal rod  46  in place and allow only rotational movement. On the end of the horizontal rod  46  is a bracket  50  which attaches to the linkage bar  52 . The linkage bar  52  is attached to the sector rod  42 . The sector rod  42  is held in place by an offset bracket  54  and the hole  40  in the bottom gate plate  24  which only allows vertical movement of the sector rod  42 . By moving the handle  44  the sector rod  42  is raised and lowered. When the sector rod  42  is in its lowest position the end of the rod will engage the holes  36 - 38  in the sector plate  14 . By lifting the handle  44  the horizontal rod  46  is rotated which through linkage bar  52  raises sector rod  42 . Once the sector rod  42  is raised the gate  20  is free to move from an open to closed position. When the handle  44  is released the sector rod will engage one of the holes  36 - 38  which will hold the gate in a fixed position. The end of the sector rod  42  is tapered to allow engagement of holes  36 - 38  at high gate speeds.  
         [0018]    Turning to the illustrated view D there is a framework tee  54  and on back is a keeper angle  56 . This framework sits inside the gate frame  58  and is held in place by a finger bolt  60 . The finger bolt  60  is secured by means of a bracket  62 , which is rigidly attached to gate frame  58  and hooks over the keeper angle  56 . By tightening the finger bolt  60  the panel  64  is held rigidly in place and by loosening the bolts the panel  64  can be removed in case of damage.