Patent Abstract:
To open a two-action gate, a sliding of a latch and a lifting of the gate to disengage a double stop is required. Performing one step without the other fails to open the gate. The gate is engaged in a frame which may in turn be engaged in a partition or doorway. Via a thumb tab, a portion of the latch can be slid out of the frame. Then the gate is lifted to lift the double stop up and clear of a lower portion of the frame such the gate is swingable. The gate is journaled to a vertically running frame member which serves as the swinging and sliding axis for the gate.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a gate, particularly to a safety gate for the inside of a residence, and specifically to such a safety gate that requires two steps to open. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Children have boundless curiosity. Children can figure out how things work without books. For example, given time, a child can figure out how a gate works so that he or she can get to the other side or so that the dog can be let in. However, a child, especially a toddler, lacks physical strength. 
     Adults and teenagers are too busy and have little time. While a dog may move out of the master&#39;s path, a gate does not. A gate must be dealt with. If a gate is difficult to manage, then the gate will be removed or left open. If a gate is made easy to open and easy to close, then the chances are maximized that the adult or teenager will keep the gate closed to keep the children safe from falling down the stairs or to keep the dog in or out. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A feature of the present invention is a two-action gate that requires two steps to open. One step is a sliding of a latch with the thumb and the second step is a lifting of the gate with the remainder of the hand to free up a double stop while the latch is retained in an open position with the thumb. Thus, only one hand is required to manage the gate to make the gate easy to open and easy to close. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the weight of the gate. The gate is preferably relatively heavy from the standpoint of a toddler. A toddler may be able to manage the sliding of the latch. However, a toddler may not be able to manage to lift the gate so as to free up the double stop. The chances are fewer yet that the toddler can keep the latch open with one hand and lift the gate with the other hand. The material of the gate is preferably metal such as stainless steel. 
     Another feature of the present invention is that one control mechanism, the latch, for keeping the gate closed is positioned at an upper portion of the gate, and that another feature of the invention, the double stop, for keeping the gate closed is positioned at a lower portion of the gate such that the gate includes a two point connection when closed. When closed and pushed against, the gate remains square in its frame without any swaying or twisting. 
     An advantage of the present invention is that chances are maximized that a toddler cannot open the gate. The two-action or the two steps in combination provide difficulty for the child. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is that chances are maximized that older people in the household, such as adults and teenagers, will keep the gate closed. The two-action or two steps in combination are easily managed with one hand by a teenager or adult. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is that the gate is simple and inexpensive to manufacture. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present two-action gate in a closed position. 
         FIG. 2  is a side, detail view of the two-action gate of  FIG. 1  and demonstrates how the latch is managed by the thumb and how the remainder of the hand may grasp the gate to lift the gate. 
         FIG. 3  is a side, detail, partial section view of the latch of  FIG. 2  and shows the latch in a closed position. 
         FIG. 4  is a side, detail, partial section view of the latch of  FIG. 2 , shows the latch in an open position, and further shows how the gate is lifted while the latch is in the open position. 
         FIG. 5  is a side, detail view of the gate of  FIG. 1  and shows the lower pivot connection of the gate. 
         FIG. 6  is a side, detail view of the gate of  FIG. 1  and shows the double stop engaged to the frame. 
         FIG. 7  is a section view of the double stop of  FIG. 6  at lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6  and shows the double stop engaged to the frame in solid lines and clear of the frame in phantom lines. 
         FIG. 8  is a side, detail view of the gate of  FIG. 1  and shows the upper pivot connection of the gate. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the present gate apparatus is indicated in general by the reference number  10 . Gate apparatus  10  includes a frame or outer frame  12 , a gate  14 , a latch mechanism  16 , and a double stop  18 . 
     Outer frame  12  generally includes a first side portion  20 , a second side portion  22  and a lower portion  24 . More specifically, each of the side portions  20 ,  22  of the outer frame  12  includes an upper structural member  26  that extends generally horizontally, a lower structural member or member portion  28  that extends generally horizontally, an outer or first structural member  30  that extends generally vertically and is engaged, such as by welding, to and between the members  26  and  28 , and an inner or second structural member  32  that extends generally vertically and is engaged, such as by welding, to and between the members  26  and  28 . 
     Outer frame  12  further includes, as part of the side section  22 , an inner structural member  33  that extends generally vertically to and between the upper member  26  of side section  22  and lower member  28 . Inner member  33  is referred to as the axis of the gate  14 . Gate  14  is journaled upon inner member  33 . Inner member  33  is fixed to lower member  28  via a pin and extends into upper member  26  via an opening in which inner member  33  frictionally fits. 
     Outer frame  12  is a compression frame. Outer frame  12  and gate  14  are disposed generally in a plane. Each of the side portions  20  and  22  includes an upper portion that includes the horizontally extending member  26 . The upper portions, including members  26 , are relatively drawable to and away from each other in such plane and such upper portions are biased away from each other such that, when the upper portions are drawn together, the outer frame  12  is compressed. This compression is maintained when male members  34  are engaged in female members in an exterior frame or apparatus, where such exterior frame or apparatus is part of a partition or barrier or where such exterior frame or apparatus extends from opposing walls or opposing portions of a door frame. Upper male members  34  extend from and are integral and one-piece with upper member  26 . Lower male members  34  extend from and are one-piece with lower member  28 . To provide such a compression, one or more of the side portions  20 ,  22  may be manufactured so as to be slightly oblique relative to the lower portion  24  of the outer frame  12 . It should be noted that the four male members or four points of connection  34  may alternatively be female members, or the four points of connection may include a combination of male and female members. 
     Members  26  and  28  run generally parallel to each other when the outer frame  12  is compressed. Side portions  20  and  22  run generally parallel to each other when the outer frame  12  is compressed. Members  20  and  32  run generally parallel to each other when the frame is compressed or in an uncompressed state. 
     Upper horizontally extending member  26  is a cylindrical tube. Lower horizontally extending member  28  is tubular and in vertical section takes the form of a rectangle. 
     Outer or first vertical member  30  can be a tube or a rod. Inner or second vertical member  32  is a tube. Inner member or axis  33  can be a tube or rod. 
     Outer frame  12 , including members  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32  and  33 , is preferably formed of a metal. Of the metals, stainless steel is preferred. If desired, aluminum may be used. 
     Gate  14  includes its own frame  36 . Gate frame  36  includes an upper structural member  38  extending generally horizontally, a lower structural member  40  extending generally horizontally, a first end vertical structural member  42  extending generally vertically and engaged between the upper and lower members  38  and  40 , and a second end vertical structural member  44  extending generally vertically and engaged between the upper and lower members  38  and  40 . Member  44  is journaled upon axis member  33  such that gate  14  can swing about the axis member  33 . Member  44  is also axially slidable in the vertical direction along axis member  33  such that the gate  14  can be lifted up and set down in a vertical fashion. 
     Gate frame  36  further includes a pair of inner vertical structural members  46  extending generally vertically and engaged between the upper and lower members  38  and  40 . Between the inner vertical structural members  46  is engaged a relatively short member  48  extending generally horizontally. Between the short member  48  and the upper member  36  is engaged two relatively short inner members  50  extending generally vertically. Pivotally engaged within short member  48 , lower member  40  and side members  46  is a relatively small gate  52  having four vertically extending structural members and two horizontally extending structural members. Small gate  52  includes a spring biased latch  54  that cooperates with one side member  46  and is biased to the closed position. Small gate  52  is pivotally engaged via pin connectors to members  40 ,  48  at the end of the gate  52  that is opposite latch  54 . Small gate  52  can swing out to either side of gate  14 . 
     Gate frame  36 , including structural members  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48 , and  50  and further including small gate  52  and the structural members of the small gate  52 , is preferably tubular. If desired, one or more of such structural members may be rods. Gate frame  36 , including such structural members, is preferably formed of a metal. One preferred metal is stainless steel. If desired, aluminum may be used. Gate frame  36  is preferably relatively heavy for a toddler to lift vertically and relatively light for the teenager or adult to lift vertically. 
       FIGS. 5 and 8  show a swinging and lifting arrangement between the gate  14  and the outer frame  12 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , member  33  is engaged to member  44  via a lower slippery collar  56  that permits both of a smooth swinging and lifting of gate  14  relative to member  33 . Collar  56  is inset into a lower open end of member  44 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , an upper slippery collar  58  is inset in an upper open end of member  44  to journal member  33  within member  44 . Like with lower collar  56 , such permits both of a smooth swinging and lifting of gate  14  relative to member  33 . As further shown in  FIG. 8 , member  44  is engaged to upper member  38  of gate  14  via an angle bracket  60 . Such a construction defines the upper limit to a vertical travel of the gate  14  relative to the frame  12 . In other words, when the gate  14  is lifted, upper collar  58 , preferably formed of a plastic material, abuts the undersurface of member  26  such that the upper collar  58  and undersurface act as stops relative to each other. A lower limit to the vertical travel of the gate  14  relative to the frame  12  is provided by a portion of the latch mechanism  16 . 
     The latch mechanism  16  is shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 . Latch mechanism  16  includes a generally U-shaped slide  62  slideably mounted on member  38  of gate  14 . Slide  62  includes a thumb tab  64  extending from a rear end of the slide  62 . Thumb tab  64  may be slid back by the thumb when the remaining portion of the hand, namely the fingers and/or palm of the hand, grab upper member  38  to lift the gate  14 . Slide  62  is fixedly engaged with a pin connector  66  to a latch piece  67  that slides in member  38 . Axially extending slots formed in both sides of member  38  receive the pin connector  66  and define how far the slide  62  and latch piece  67  can slide rearwardly, i.e., in the direction of axis member  33 . An end  68  of a structural member extension  70  defines how far the slide  62  and latch piece  67  can slide forwardly, i.e., away from axis member  33 . Structural member extension  70  is cylindrical and formed in the shape of a half-pipe such that extension  70  has an upper portion and a pair of side sections. Extension  70  is fixedly engaged to an upper half portion of member  38  and extends in the axial direction to bridge a gap over to member  26 , the upper half-exterior of which forms a cylindrical seat  71  for seating extension  70 . Extension  70  and seat  71  define the lower limit for the vertical travel of gate  14  when gate  14  is set down so as to engage the double stop  18  upon member  28  and, again, as shown in  FIG. 8 , collar  58  and the undersurface of member  26  of section  22  define the upper limit for the vertical travel of gate  14  relative to frame  12 . When seated on seat  71 , extension  70  maintains lower member  40  in a spaced apart and generally parallel relationship to member  28 . When gate  14  is set down to one side of the frame  12  or to the other side of frame  12  such that the double stop  18  is not engaged, then the plastic lower collar  56  rides upon the upper surface of member  28  such the gate  14  swings easily on either of the sides of the frame  12  and such that the upper surface of member  28  defines the lower limit of vertical travel of gate  14  when the gate  14  is set down out of the plane of the frame  12 . 
     Latch piece  67  is a tube. A rear portion of the latch piece  67  is engaged to one end of a coil spring  72  in member  38 . The other end of the coil spring  72  is engaged within member  38 , such as to a protruding end of member  46 . A front portion  74  of latch piece  74  slides into and out of an inner open end or receiver  76  of member  26  of first side portion  20 . When latch piece  67  is in open end or receiver  76 , the gate  14  cannot be lifted relative to the frame  12 . Nor can the gate  14  be swung relative to the frame  12  because of the nature of an inner tube (latch piece  67 ) engaged within an outer tube (member  26  of first side portion  20 ). The coil spring  72  biases the latch piece  67  to the closed position. This closed relationship is shown in  FIG. 3 . When latch piece  67  has been slid out of the open end  76 , the front end  74  of latch piece  67  clears the open end  76  and the gate  14  is liftable relative to the frame  12 . This open relationship is shown in  FIG. 4 , and this open relationship is relative to the latch, not necessarily relative to the gate  14 , because the double stop  18  provides the next hurdle. 
     The double stop  18  is shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  6  and  7 . The double stop  18  is formed generally in the shape of an inverted U. The double stop  18  is mounted on lower member  40  and in a confronting relationship to upright end member  42 . Stop  18  includes a pair of rigid sides  78  depending downwardly, with each of the sides  78  having a lower end  80 . When extension  70  is seated on seat  71  of member  26 , each of the sides  78  of double stop  18  confronts a side of member  28 . After latch piece  67  has been disengaged from open end  76  and after gate  14  has been sufficiently lifted, each of the ends  80  of double stop  18  can clear the upper surface of member  28 , thereby allowing a swinging of the gate  14  to either of the sides of the frame  12 . 
     In operation, to open the gate  14 , the hand grabs upper member  38  with the thumb positioned on tab  64  of slide  62 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . Then the thumb slides the slide  62  rearwardly to draw latch piece  67  out of the open end  74  of upper member  26 . Then the gate  14  is lifted until the double stop  18  clears the lower member  24  of the frame  12 , whereupon the gate  14  is swingable to either side of the frame  12 . Once on either side of the frame  12 , the gate  14  may be lowered, and, in such a state, the gate  14  is swingable on only one side of the frame  12 , as the double stop  18 , by virtue of hitting member  28 , prevents a swing through of the gate  14  to the other side of the frame  12 . To close the gate  14 , the gate  14  is lifted so that the double stop  18  clears member  28  and so that the double stop  18  is positioned over and aligned with member  28 . Then the slide  62  is drawn rearwardly with the thumb such that the front end  74  of the latch piece  67  can clear the open end  76  of member  26  as the gate  14  is lowered, whereupon the gate  14  is lowered until the extension  70  is seated upon seat  71 , whereupon the thumb releases the slide  62 , and whereupon the front end  74  of the latch piece  67  automatically returns into the open end  76  of member  26  such that the gate  14  is closed. 
     It should be noted that latch mechanism  16  and double stop  18  are generally aligned vertically. Such provides a two-point connection and minimizes any swaying or tilting of the gate  14  relative to the outer frame  12  such as when a toddler pushes upon the gate  14  when closed. 
     It should further be noted that, while the double stop  18  holds the gate  14  against a force applied perpendicular to the plane of the gate  14 , latch mechanism  16  also holds the gate  14  true against a force applied perpendicular to the plane of the gate. Latch mechanism  16  does this in two ways. First, extension  70 , formed in the shape of a half-pipe, includes side sections that confront member  26  of first side portion  20  about side sections of member  26 . This provides resistance against such a perpendicular force. Second, latch piece  67  is an inner tube that is received within an outer tube, i.e., member  26 . This also provides resistance against such a perpendicular force, as well as providing resistance against a lifting force. In other words, the extension  70  maintains member  40  in a spaced apart and parallel relationship with member  28  to provide a lower limit to vertical travel of gate  14  and further prevents a swinging of the gate  14  when the extension  70  is seated on seat  71 , as side sections of the cylindrical extension  70  are seated about side sections of tubular seat  71 . 
     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