Improvements in or relating to Swinging Gates.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 29th Sept., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Swinging Gates.
I, WILLIAM RICHARD WHITE, of Bloomington, McLean County, State of Illinois,
United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in swinging gates
and it consists substantially in such features of arrangement, construction and
combination of parts as will hereinafter be more particularly described. The
invention has for its object to provide a swinging gate which can be readily opened
and closed from either side without having to descend from a vehicle or to alight
from a horse for the purpose. The invention also has for its object to simplify the
construction and arrangement of the gate operating device as well also as the
devices which lock or engage the gate in either its opened or its closed position.
The invention has for its object still further to simplify and improve the devices by
which the gate is raised or elevated to varying positions from the ground or
roadway. A still further object is to cheapen the cost of manufacture of the
several parts, to simplify the general construction, and also to prevent the gate
from being released from either its opened or its closed positions through the
attempts or efforts of horses, cattle or other live stock.
These objects I attain by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings,
wherein
Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a swinging gate constructed and arranged in
accordance with my invention.
Figure 2 is a top or plan view showing the gate in its closed position across the
roadway.
Figure 3 is a detailed view in perspective of the combined support and guard for
the devices which operate the latch or bolt which secures the gate automatically
whenever the latter is opened or closed.
Figure 4 is a perspective view in detail of the locking device by which the gate
is held at varying heights from the ground whenever it is desired to elevate the gate
for the purpose of enabling small stock to pass thereunder.
In carrying my invention into effect provide a post A to one side of the
roadway, and to this post the swinging gate B is hinged or pivotally suspended in
such manner as to be easily swung to its opened or closed position. On the
opposite side of the roadway, I arrange a post Ĉ against which the gate closes, and
on the same side of the roadway as the post A is situated, I arrange an additional
post D, the same being at the proper distance from said post A. The two latter
posts are connected together at the top by means of a strip or bar E, and bracing
this bar to the said posts are the several diagonal braces 1, 2 and 3. There is an
additional post F located in the direction of the fence G, and being a short distance
from the post A.
The gate is operated from the roadway on either side of the gate, by means of
operating levers H H¹, which as shown at 4 and 5 respectively are pivotted to the
connecting bar or strip E between the posts A and D. The said operating lever H¹
is movably connected at 6 to the inner end of a steadying bar I which is suspended
on a screw 7 entering the post F at one side; and the said operating lever H is by
means of a link 8 also connected to the inner end of said steadying bar from
beneath, as is clearly shown in the drawings, the said link being secured to both
the operating lever and the bar I by having its ends bent and inserted therein,
small nuts a a being employed to maintain the connection. Each end of the

page_text: operating levers H H¹ are provided with handles 99 by which the operator can
readily operate the gate from either side, and either when seated on a horse or when
walking.
The gate B is preferably constructed of the longitudinal strips 10, 11 and 12,
together with the rods 13 intermediate of the two latter strips. A series of
vertical braces connect these parts as indicated at 14, while intermediate of these
vertical braces are the diagonal braces 15. At the hinged end of the gate the
upper and lower longitudinal strips are turned over or twisted and flattened out
horizontally as shown at 16 so as to constitute hinges 17, 18, which are held or
supported upon stationary guide rods 19 and 20 permanently secured in the post A,
and upon which guide rods the gate is capable of being lifted or elevated as will
clearly appear from the construction shown. It is very often desirable in the use
of gates of this character that the gate be capable of being so elevated or raised
in order that chickens and other small farm stock be permitted to pass freely
beneath the gate or when it is desired that stock shall not be permitted to pass
beneath the gate, the latter is of course lowered to a position to allow it to swing
clear of the roadway yet very close thereto. In order to support or maintain the
gate at different elevations, and without in any manner interfering with the free and
perfect working of the gate, I employ a locking device such as is indicated at J,
Figure 4, and which device will be seen to consist of a straight portion c having
its lower end turned or bent into a hook d, while the upper end thereof is flattened
at e and turned over horizontally at f in the same direction as the hook, and then
turned backwardly upon itself forming the lip g. As shown in Figure 1, the upper
part of the locking device J receives between it the upper flattened hinge 18 of the
gate, while by means of an opening y' in the portion of the locking device the
latter is permitted to slide upon the guide rod 20. Thus it will be seen that when
the gate is lifted the locking device is carried with it, and then by turning the said
device in such manner as to cause the hook d thereof to enter any one of the
series of openings 25 in the post A the gate will be supported to the elevation to
which it may be raised or lifted.
The devices which operate to open and close the gate on manipulation of either
one of the operating levers H H consist of a rocking or oscillating connecting
rod K which at its upper end is pivotally connected in a universal manner to the
inner end of the bar I, on the underside thereof, as indicated at 26 in Figure I.
The lower end of said connecting rod K is linked at 27 to an oscillating slide M,
and when in a closed position of the gate, the said connecting rod inclines in a
direction toward the end of the gate adjacent to the post C, but when the gate is
in an opened position, the position of said rod is reversed or in the direction of
post F. These changes of position of the connecting rod occur by reason of the
movement imparted thereto whenever either one of the operating hand levers is
operated, and the momentum of the gate when once moved or started either from
an opened or closed position, is such as to cause or impart a rocking or oscillatory
novement to the rod, which in turn is imparted to the gate, and the influences
thereby brought about assist in moving the gate in one direction or the other
accordingly as the lever H or H¹ is depressed.
The slide M the outer end of which is linked to the lower end of the connecting
rod, is flattened at one end, as shown at 30 where it is inserted through the elbowed
portion 31 of a bracket or guard N, which latter as shown is constituted of a single
piece bent into shape and having each end thereof bifurcated or divided at 32,
thereby producing members or branches 33, the ends of which are bent and secured
to the two vertical braces of the gate next adjacent to the hinged end of the gate.
The said slide is held in place at its outer end by means of the split pin 35, while
at the other end the slide is bent outwardly into the form of a hook 36 which is
perforated so as to permit the longitudinal locking bolt or latch O to pass through
the same at or near the inner extremity of said bolt or latch. The bolt or latch is
constituted of a rod 40 which extends to beyond the end of the gate where it is
bent or turned at 41, then again bent or turned at 42 and terminating in a short

page_text: piece 43, which parts 43 and 40 work between the vertical stays or braces of the
gate, and are guided in their movements by means of suitable rivets passing
through said braces. At 45 the member 40 of the bolt or latch is separated, and
one part thereof screw-threaded at 46 and carrying an adjusting nut 47, while the
other portion of said member is formed into a turn-buckle 48 through which the
screw-threaded portion is received, substantially as shown in Figure 3. It will
thus be seen that if the locking bolt or latch should become bent or distorted in
such manner as not to be engaged by either the catch 50 when closed or the
catch 51 when the gate is opened, then it is simply necessary to adjust the devices
by turning the nut 47 in the desired direction to effect the desired lengthening or
shortening. Also if the locking engagement of the bolt and catches should
become affected by a sinking or sagging of either one of the posts, the said
adjusting device is then also resorted to in a similar manner to correct the improper
working of the parts. By virtue of the shape of the slide M at the point where
it fits the locking bolt or latch the said latch is immediately released on application
of slight force to either one of the hand levers, and then by reason of the
movement of the connecting rod the said bolt is projected to the desired position
for engaging the catch 51 when the gate is opened. These results are due to the
fact that as soon as the slide is at all affected, it oscillates or partially turns over
in such manner as to press inwardly against the turn-buckle, and it is evident that
the parts will work in the manner set forth and explained. The bracket or guard
serves to protect the slide M in addition to supporting the outer end thereof, and
the said guard prevents the locking bolt from being drawn back by the act of
animals rubbing themselves against the gate, and which it is of course desirable
should be guarded against.
From the foregoing description it is thought that the construction and operation
of my improved gate will be fully understood, and I desire to say that I do not
limit myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement herein shown
and described, since it is evident that immaterial changes therein could be resorted
to and still be within the scope of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
A swinging gate adapted to be opened or closed from either side and embodying
the several characteristics and mode of operation substantially as herein shown.
Dated this 20th day of August 1894
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.