Patent Abstract:
A barrier that is pressurized after being assembled from multiple pieces. The barrier include a first end frame, a second end frame, and a gate engaged between the end frames. The first and second end frames are engaged at their lower members such that the first end frame and second end frame are not integral and not one-piece with each other, and such that the first and second end frames still provide for a pressurized barrier, that is a barrier that is resiliently mounted between two locations so as to be self-supporting between two locations even if spaced from the floor. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first end frame, second end frame, and gate have generally the same length so as to minimize the storage area needed to store the barrier prior to assembly.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to a gated barrier for the inside of a home, more particularly to a pressurized gated barrier, and more specifically to a pressurized gated barrier that is not integral and not one-piece. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A pressurized gate apparatus for the inside of a home is engaged between two locations, such as between two door jambs of a doorway. With the internal pressure of the pressurized gate apparatus, the apparatus can support itself off the floor and the swinging gate can be handled relatively roughly as it is opened and closed throughout the day. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A feature of the present invention is the provision in a gated pressurized barrier, of the frame surrounding the gate of the pressurized barrier being assembled from multiple pieces. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in a gated pressurized barrier, of the frame surrounding the gate of the pressurized barrier being assembled with pins from more than one piece. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in a gated pressurized barrier, of the frame surrounding the gate of the pressurized barrier not being integral and not being one-piece. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in a gated pressurized barrier, of the frame surrounding the gate of the pressurized barrier having a two-piece lower member, and of the two pieces being engagable and disengagable to and from each other. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in a gated pressurized barrier, of a pressurized configuration and a nonpressurized configuration, of the barrier having a pair of gate confronting standards, where in the pressurized configuration upper ends of the gate confronting standards are set apart at a first distance and lower ends of the gate confronting standards are set apart at a second distance, where in the nonpressurized configuration the upper ends of the gate confronting standards are set apart at a third distance and the lower ends of the gate confronting standards are set apart at substantially the second distance, and where the first distance is less than the third distance. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in a gated pressurized barrier, of the barrier having first and second end frames, of the first and second end frames having lower members, and of the lower members being engagable to and disengagable from the barrier while maintaining the structural integrity of said barrier. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in a gated pressurized barrier, of the lower members of the first and second end frames being directly engagable to each other. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in a gated pressurized barrier, of the barrier having a gate confronting tie, and of the lower members of the first and second end frames being engaged to each other via the gate confronting tie. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in a gated pressurized barrier, of one of the lower members including an inverted U-shaped elongate piece that is engaged to the barrier, and of the inverted U-shaped elongate piece being elongate in the length direction. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in a gated pressurized barrier, of each of the lower members of the first and second end frames having an inner ends, and of one of the inner ends being set in the other of the inner ends. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in a gated pressurized barrier, of the lower members of the first and second end frames being engagable and disengagable from the barrier by pins. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in a gated pressurized barrier, of the first end frame having two endmost portions, with each of said endmost portions defining a point on a respective parallel axis, with a distance between said parallel axes being a fourth distance, and where the first end frame is wholly contained within such parallel axes; of the second end frame having two endmost portions, with each of said endmost portions defining a point on a respective parallel axis, with a distance between said parallel axes being substantially said same fourth distance, and where the second end frame is wholly contained within such parallel axes; and of the gate having two endmost portions, with each of said endmost portions defining a point on a respective parallel axis, with a distance between said parallel axes being substantially said same fourth distance, and where the gate is wholly contained within such parallel axes; such that a storage size of the gated pressurized barrier is minimized. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in a gated pressurized barrier, of a lock pin between the gate and the end frame to which the gate pivots, of the pin having a shaft and a spring biased button slideable into and out of the shaft on an axis perpendicular to the axis of the shaft, with one of the gate and said end frame having a first opening for said shaft and a second opening for said button, with said second opening including two ends, with one said end being open to receive said button and with the other said end being closed to maximize difficulty in depressing said button and thereby maximize difficulty in removing said pin and disassembling said gated pressurized barrier. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in a gated pressurized barrier, of each of the first and second end frames having a gate confronting standard extending in the height direction and an end member extending in the height direction such that said gate confronting standard and end members extend to and between upper and lower members of the end frames, of each of the gate confronting standard and end member having a length, and of the length of the gate confronting standard being greater that the length of the end member such that the barrier may withstand a relatively great amount of internal pressure while minimizing a weight of the barrier. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in a gated pressurized barrier, of the gate confronting standard of the first end frame being integral and one-piece with the lower member of the first end frame and of the gate confronting standard of the second end frame being integral and one-piece with the lower member of the second end frame. 
     An advantage of the present invention is size. The present gated pressurized barrier has a relatively small size when in a stored configuration and a relatively great size when in an operating configuration. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is pressure. The present gated pressurized barrier can withstand a great amount of internal pressure and, at the same time, have gate confronting standards that are not integral with each other and that are not one-piece with each other. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is weight. The present gated pressurized barrier is relatively lightweight and, at the same time, is strong and can withstand a great amount of internal pressure. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is cost. The present gated pressurized barrier is inexpensive to manufacture. For example, the barrier has relatively few parts. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is simplicity. The present gated pressurized barrier is simple to assemble and simple to operate. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is safety. The present gated pressurized barrier is slowly pressurized and slowly depressurized via a set of turnable arms. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is an exploded front slightly perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present multiple piece gated pressurized barrier where lower members directly engage each other. 
         FIG. 1B  is a front slightly perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1A  where the multiple pieces of the barrier have been assembled. 
         FIG. 2  is a disassembled perspective view of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  and a carton for receiving and shipping or storing the disassembled embodiment therein. 
         FIG. 3A  is an exploded front slightly perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the present multiple piece gated pressurized barrier where lower members are engaged to each other via a gate confronting tie. 
         FIG. 3B  is a front slightly perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 3A  where the multiple pieces of the barrier have been assembled. 
         FIG. 4  is a disassembled perspective view of the embodiment of  FIGS. 3A and 3B  and a carton for receiving and shipping or storing the disassembled embodiment therein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in  FIG. 1A , the preferred embodiment of the present multiple piece gated pressurized barrier is indicated in general by the reference numeral  10 . Barrier  10  generally includes a first end frame  12 , a second end frame  14 , and a gate  16  engagable between the end frames  12 ,  14 . Barrier  10  includes a height direction, a length direction defined, for example, by the direction between two door jambs between which the barrier  10  is engaged, and a width or thickness direction. The height, length and width (or thickness) directions extend perpendicular to each other. 
     First end frame  12  includes a gate confronting standard  18 , an upper member  20 , a lower member  22 , and an end member  24 . Standard or upright member  18  confronts the gate  16 , is elongate in the height direction, and extends between the upper and lower members  22  with which standard  18  is integral and one-piece. Such an integral and one-piece connection is formed, for example, by welding. Standard  18  is tubular, may be formed of a metal such as steel or aluminum, and is generally rectangular in section. Standard  18  includes an axis extending in the height direction, gate confronting portion  52  of lower member  22  includes an axis extending inwardly from standard  18  in the length direction, and such two axes are oblique relative to each other. In other words, such two axes are slightly greater than ninety degrees, with a range of such two axes being between 90.5 and 100 degrees, more preferably between 90.5 and 95 degrees. An upper end portion  26  and/or an inner end portion  28  of upper member  20  can receive a catch  30  of a latch  32  of the gate  16 . 
     Upper member  20  is elongate in the length direction and extends outwardly from the upper end portion  26  of the standard  18 . Upper member  20  is tubular, may be formed of a metal such as steel or aluminum, and is generally square in section. Upper member  20  includes an outer end  34  that includes an opening  36 , shown in  FIG. 2 , for slidingly receiving a pressurizing turnable arm  38 . Arm  38  includes a threaded shaft  40  that engages opening  36  in a sliding fashion. Spinnable on the threaded shaft  40  is a hand or finger knob or hand wheel  42  that is threaded and engages the threads of the shaft  40 . Fixed to the end of the threaded shaft  40  is a disk  44  for making contact with and bringing pressure to bear upon a location or surface such as a door jamb. In use, the inner end of hand or finger knob  42  makes contact with the end  34  and, as the knob  42  is rotated into the end  34 , such rotation draws the threaded shaft  40  in the outward direction and draws the disk  44  outwardly to apply pressure against the door jamb. If desired, disk  44  may be set in a cup or receptacle, having a recess about the size of the disk  44 , where such cup or receptacle is screwed to the door jamb. Such cup or receptacle minimizes transverse or up or down movement of the disk  44  relative to the door jamb. 
     Lower member  22  is elongate in the length direction, runs generally parallel to the upper member  20 , and extends inwardly and outwardly relative to a lower end portion  46  of standard  18 . Lower member  22  is tubular, may be formed of a metal such as steel or aluminum, and is generally rectangular in section. The dimensions of the rectangular section of lower member  22  may be identical with the dimensions of the rectangular section of standard  18 . In other words, the height and width of the rectangular section of lower member  22  may be identical to the length and width of the rectangular section of standard  18 . Lower member  22  includes an outer end portion or end  48  having an opening  50 , shown in  FIG. 2 . Opening  50  extends inwardly along an upper edge of upper member  20  and extends in the length direction. Opening  50  slidingly receives another turnable arm  38 . Lower member  22  includes gate confronting inwardly extending portion  52  having an inner end portion  54 . Inner end portion  54  includes a pair of threaded openings  56 , opening downwardly from an upper face of the lower member  22 . 
     End member  24  of first end frame  12  includes a tubular post or upright member  58  engaged to and between upper member  20  and the outer end portion  48  of lower member  22 . Post  58  is integral and one-piece with upper member  20  and outer end portion  48 . Tubular post  58  is tubular, may be formed of a metal such as steel or aluminum, and is circular in section. Extending outwardly off the tubular post  58  is a C-shaped upright member  60  having a downwardly and outwardly oblique member portion  62 , a medial upright member portion  64 , and an upwardly and outwardly oblique member portion  66 . C-shaped member  62  is integral and one-piece with post  58 . Member portions  62  and  66  engages post  58  at junctions terminating short of the upper member  20  and lower member  22 , respectively. C-shaped upright member  60  is a cylindrical member and is preferably formed of a metal such as aluminum or steel. Each of standard  18 , post  58 , and member portion  64  includes an axis, and such axes are equidistant from each other. Standard  18  has a greater length than either the length of post  58  or the length of post  64  (where the length direction is defined as the direction between the two locations between which the barrier  10  is engaged) because, for example, standard  18  along with lower member  22  provides the pressure for engagement between the two locations. First end frame  12  as a whole, including standard  18 , upper member  20 , lower member  22 , post  58 , and C-shaped section  62 , are integral and one-piece with each other and are set in a common plane. 
     Second end frame  14  is identical to first end frame  12  with the following exceptions: 
     1) A first exception is that second end frame  14  includes, and first end frame  12  does not include, an inwardly extending elongate relatively narrow plate mount  68  for the gate  16 . Mount  68  includes a distal end having an opening  69  for a pivot lock pin  70  that engages an opening  72  in gate  16 . Mount  68  is preferably formed of a metal such as steel or aluminum. Mount  68  is rigidly affixed, such as by welding, to the upper member  20  of second end frame  14  and extends in the same common plane as second end frame  14 . Pin  70  is engaged between the gate  16  and the end frame  14  to which the gate  16  pivots. Pin  70  is on the axis on which the gate  16  pivots. Pin  70  includes a shaft that has an axis coaxial with the axis on which gate  16  pivots. Pin  70  includes a spring biased button  71  slideable into and out of the shaft on an axis perpendicular to the axis of the shaft. Spring biased button  71  is normally biased outwardly. The gate  16 , namely member  92 , includes a first opening  72  for the shaft and a second opening for the button  71 . The second opening is recessed in member  92  and is spaced from first opening  72 . The second opening includes two ends, with one of the ends being open to receive button  71  and with the other of the ends being closed to maximize difficulty in depressing the button  71  and thereby maximize difficulty in removing lock pin  70  and disassembling the gated pressurized barrier  10 . 
     2) A second exception is that second end frame  14  includes, and first end frame  12  does not include, an opening  74  extending downwardly from an upper face of lower member  22  of second end frame  14 . Opening  74  receives a pin  76  rigidly affixed to gate  16 . Opening  69 , pin  70 , opening  72 , opening  74  and pin  76  are coaxial with each other when the barrier  10  is assembled. 
     3) A third exception is that gate confronting portion  52  is foreshortened such that, on second end frame  14 , gate confronting portion  52  includes a terminal end  78  as shown in phantom. 
     4) A fourth exception is that gate confronting portion  52  of lower member  22  of second end frame  14  includes an inverted U-shaped channel piece  80 . Piece  80  is rigidly affixed, such as by welding, to an end portion of gate confronting portion  52  such that piece  80  is integral and one-piece with lower member  22  of the second end frame  14 . Piece  80  is preferably formed of a metal such as steel or aluminum and is elongate in the length direction. Piece  80  includes a pair of holes  82  formed in the upper plate section of piece  80 . Holes  82  align with holes  56  when the lower members  22  are engaged to each other via the piece  80 . Holes  56  preferably include threaded inserts to receive threaded pins  84 , preferably screws. Holes  82  are preferably not threaded and the heads of the pins  84  engage the material, preferably metal, about the openings  82 . Side plate sections of piece  80  are spaced apart in the width direction so as to snugly receive and frictionally fit inner end portion  54  of lower member  22  of end frame  12 . An absolute end of inner end portion  54  of end frame  12  confronts and abuts the terminal end  78  of gate confronting portion  52  of second end frame  14  when the inner end portion  54  has been fully received and engaged in piece  80  and when holes  82  are aligned with holes  56 . 
     5) A fifth exception is that there is substantially a right angle between the axis of standard  18  and the axis of gate confronting portion  52  of second end frame  14 . While an angle of slightly more than ninety degrees can be provided here, such is not required. The angle of slightly more than ninety degrees, as found between the standard  18  and gate confronting portion  52  of the first end frame  12 , contributes to the resilient structure for pressurizing the barrier  10  as a whole. 
     Gate  16  includes a frame  86 . Frame  86  is preferably formed of a metal such as steel or aluminum. Frame  86  includes an upper member  88 , lower member  90 , end member  92  and end member  94 . Upper members  88 ,  90  are engaged to and between the end members  92 ,  94 . Members  88 ,  90 ,  92 ,  94  are tubular and square in section. End member  92  includes the axis on which gate  16  swings. End member  92  depends slightly below and beyond lower member  90  such that lower member  90  and gate  16  as a whole is spaced slightly above the lower members  22  of end frames  12 ,  14 , including U-shaped piece  80 . Pin  76  depends from the lower end of end member  92 . Gate  16  rides on the lower end of end member  92 . Frame  86  further includes a pair of tubular cylindrical posts  96 ,  98  engaged to and between upper and lower members  88 ,  90 . Frame  86  further includes a tubular cylindrical member  100  running in the length direction and engaged between posts  96 ,  98 . Frame  86  further includes upright members or tubular cylindrical posts  99 ,  101  running to and between member  100  and upper member  88 . Frame  86  further includes a hinged pet door  102  hingedly engaged between member  100  and member  90  and extending between posts  96  and  98 . Pet door  102  includes four spaced apart upright posts extending between an upper member and a lower member. Pet door  102  further includes a spring biased latch  104  engaging post  98 . Pet door  102  can swing out of either of the faces of the gate  16 . Frame  86  further includes a stop  106  that prevents the gate  16  from swinging through the barrier  10 . Instead, gate  16 , because of the stop  106 , swings only out of one face of the barrier  10 . Stop  106  confronts and makes contact with the outer side of gate confronting portion  52  of end frame  12  when the gate  16  is closed. 
     Gate  16  further includes latch  32 . Latch  32  includes a sliding lock  108  that locks down a pivoting lever handle  110  that swings on a pivot  112  engaged to a latch body  114 . When the lock  108  is slid back, the handle  110  may be swung up so as to draw the catch  30  in and disengage the catch  30  relative to the upper end portion  26  or upper member  20  such that the gate  16  may be opened. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , barrier  10  can be stored or shipped in a box  116  of minimum size. One feature that provides for this advantage is the engagement and disengagement of the lower members  22  via the U-shaped piece  80 . Another feature that provides for this advantage is that the first end frame  12 , the second end frame  14  and the gate  16  have lengths that are substantially the same. In other words, the first end frame  12  has two endmost portions, namely medial member portion  64  and the absolute inner end  118  of inner end portion  54 , where each of portion  64  and end  118  includes a point on a respective parallel axis, where a distance between such parallel axes is a fourth distance, and where first end frame  12  is wholly contained within such parallel axes. The second end frame  14  has two endmost portions, namely medial member portion  64  and an absolute end  120  of U-shaped piece  80 , where each of portion  64  and end  120  includes a point on a respective parallel axis, where a distance between such parallel axes being substantially the fourth distance, and where second end frame  14  is wholly contained within such parallel axes. The gate  16  has two endmost portions, namely an absolute end  122  of catch  30  and end member  92 , where each of end  122  and end member  92  includes a point on a respective parallel axis, where a distance between such parallel axes being substantially the fourth distance, and where gate  16  is wholly contained within such parallel axes. Therefore, since the length of first end frame  12 , second end frame  14 , and gate  16  is substantially the same as defined by the fourth distance, a storage size of the gated pressurized barrier  10  is minimized. 
     To assemble the barrier  10 , the first end frame  12 , the second end frame  14 , and the gate  16  are removed from the box  116 . First, gate  16  is engaged to second end frame  14 . Specifically, pin  76  is engaged in hole  74  and pin  70  is engaged in openings  69  and  72  such that button  71  locks pin  70  into member  92 . Then the first end frame  12  and second end frame  14  are engaged to each other by sliding the inner end portion  54  into the U-shaped piece  80  and screwing in the pins  84 . In the assembled configuration, prior to be placed in an operating and pressurized configuration, barrier  10  is in a nonpressurized configuration. 
     Then, to engage the barrier  10  between two locations such as between two door jambs, the shafts  40  of the upper turnable arms  36  are slid into ends  34  of the first and second end frames  12 ,  14  and the shafts  40  of the lower turnable arms  36  are slid into outer end portions  48  of the first and second end frames  12 ,  14 . Then the barrier  10  is placed between such two locations and the knobs or hand wheels  42  are spun against ends  34  and  48  so as to draw the disks  44  outwardly. As the disks  44  are drawn outwardly, the disks  44  bring pressure to bear on the two spaced apart locations such as door jambs. In turn, the standards  18  begin to resiliently swing from an oblique relationship with gate confronting portions  52  toward a right angle relationship with gate confronting portions  52 . In other words, the upper end portions  26  of the standards  18  are resiliently drawn or resiliently pushed relatively toward each other as the upper disks  44  are drawn outwardly and, at the same time, the standards  18  move from a nonparallel relationship with each other toward or to a parallel relationship with each other. As the disks  44  continue to be drawn outwardly, catch  30  engages upper end portion  26  or inner end portion  28 . When catch  30  is so engaged, the gate  16  and the barrier  10  as a whole is in an operating configuration or a pressurized configuration. When lower disks  44  are drawn outwardly, such an action fixes a lower portion of the barrier  10  between the two locations and compresses the lower members  22  only to a slight degree. 
     It should be noted that the gated pressurized barrier  10  includes a pressurized configuration and a nonpressurized configuration. In the pressurized configuration the upper ends of the gate confronting standards  18  are set apart at a first distance and the lower ends of the gate confronting standards  18  are set apart at a second distance. In the nonpressurized configuration the upper ends of the gate confronting standards  18  are set apart at a third distance and the lower ends of the gate confronting standards  18  are set apart at substantially the second distance, and where the first distance is less than the third distance. Lower members  22  are disposed on a common axis in the nonpressurized configuration. Lower members  22  may be slightly bowed downwardly in the pressurized configuration. When bowed, lower members  22  remain in a common plane with the barrier  10  as a whole. Since there is a slight bowed structure to the lower members  22 , namely the gate confronting portion  52  and inner end portion  54 , the second distance in the pressurized configuration is slightly less than the second distance in the nonpressurized configuration; however, the second distances in each of the pressurized and nonpressurized configurations are still substantially the same, i.e. having a difference from each other not measurable with much precision with a tape measure, where the difference is preferably within one-eighth of inch, and more preferably within one-sixteenth of an inch. The first distance (the distance between upper ends in the pressurized configuration) is preferably between about one inch and about two inches shorter than the third distance (the distance between the upper ends in the nonpressurized configuration). 
     When in use, gate  16  may be operated so as to be swung open. Pet door  104  may be operated so as to swing open. Barrier  10  includes upright members, including members  64 ,  58  and  18  of first and second end frames  12 ,  14 , and further including members  92 ,  96 ,  99 ,  101 ,  98 , and  94 , that are spaced sufficiently close together to prevent the passing through of small children and small dogs, and that are spaced sufficiently far apart to let hands pass through. 
     To remove the barrier  10  from between the two locations such as two door jambs, knobs or hand wheels  42  are turned outwardly so as to draw in and loosen the disk  44  relative to the door jamb and so as to relieve internal pressure within the barrier  10 . When one or more of the standards  18  returns to its nonpressurized configuration, one or more knobs or hand wheels  42  are turned slightly more, and the barrier  10  loosens relative to the door jambs. Thereupon, the barrier  10  may be removed from between the two locations. 
     A multiple piece gated pressurized barrier  124 , an alternate embodiment of the invention, is shown in  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  4 . Barrier  124  is substantially identical to barrier  10  except that 1) lower member  22  is replaced by a lower member  126  on each of the first and second end frames  12 ,  14 , 2) the lower members  126  are engaged with a gate confronting tie or third lower member  128 , and 3) mount  68  includes an integral downwardly extending pivot pin to replace pin  70 . Lower member  126  is an inverted U-shaped piece that is elongate in the length direction and is preferably formed of a metal such as aluminum or steel. Lower member  126  includes a pair of openings  130  for alignment with a pair of openings  132  formed in gate confronting tie  128 . Gate confronting tie  128  is rectangular in section and is preferably formed of a metal such as aluminum or steel. U-shaped lower member  126  fits over and receives therein gate confronting tie  128 . Openings  130  may be formed in each of the side sections of the U-shaped lower member  126 . Openings  132  may be formed in each of the side sections of gate confronting tie  128 . Openings  130 ,  132  receive threaded pins  134  for engagement of the gate confronting tie  128  to each of the first and second end frames  12 ,  14 . One or more of the openings  130 ,  132  may have threaded inserts placed therein for reinforcing a connection between pins  134 , gate confronting tie  128  and U-shaped lower members  126 . Each of the four pins  134  is preferably engaged by each of the side sections of gate confronting tie  128  and by each of the side sections of U-shaped lower member  126 . As with lower member  22 , lower member  126  includes an inner end portion  136 . Inner end portion  136  or a central axis thereof of end frame  12  of barrier  124 , forms an oblique angle of slightly more than ninety degrees with standard  18  or a central axis thereof of end frame  12  of barrier  124 , such that barrier  124  is also a resiliently pressurized barrier and includes the pressurized configuration and nonpressurized configuration of barrier  10 . Standard  18  is integral and one-piece with lower member  126 . Lower members  126 , along with gate confronting tie  128 , are disposed on a common axis in the nonpressurized configuration and are slightly bowed in the pressurized configuration. Each of the outer ends of gate confronting tie  128  includes an opening  138  for reception of the shaft  40  of turnable arm  38 . The outer ends of gate confronting tie  128  extend beyond the outer ends of members  126 , as shown in  FIG. 3B . If desired, gate confronting tie  128  may be slightly lengthened such that the outer ends thereof may extend slightly further beyond outer ends of members  126 . In barrier  124 , and barrier  10  if desired, pins  134  may be pin connectors where one pin  134  is a male pin that engages in a threading and drawing in manner a female pin such that the openings in the barrier are not threaded and such that the head of the male pin brings pressure to bear upon the barrier from one side and such that the head of the female pin brings pressure to bear upon the barrier from the other side. In barrier  124 , eight pins  134  are used to fix the gate confronting tie  128  to the lower members  126 , with four male pins engaging four female pins and where openings  130  and  132  are not threaded. 
     Thus since the invention disclosed herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or general characteristics thereof, some of which forms have been indicated, the embodiments described herein are to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is to be indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalents of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4