Improvements in Fastenings or Catches for Gates, Doors, or the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 27th Mar., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fastenings or Catches for Gates, Doors, or
the like.
I, MARY JANE ECKLEY of Stone Farm, Pencombe, Bromyard in the County
of Hereford, Married Lady, 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 has for its object a fastener or catch for gates, doors or the like,
which can be fixed to a gate without interfering with the pales and which will
automatically fasten when the gate closes. In gate fastenings now in use in which
there is a horizontal pivotted latch on the gate and a fixed bevelled catch on the
post for the latch to engage in, the sagging of the gate on its hinges from the
horizontal plane will usually prevent the latch from engaging the catch until
the gate be actually lifted up by hand back into the horizontal. Now by my
invention this objection is obviated, as it allows the gate to sag at the head several
inches, and yet will automatically fasten the gate unless the gate actually drags on
the ground.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 shows my improved catch or fastening applied to a gate; and
Figure 2, a view on a smaller scale of a complete gate with catch applied.
In these figures, A is the gate, B the gate post, a tee headed bracket secured
to the post B, D a catch or fastening pivoted at d to the bracket head. This
catch D is by preference made hollow of triangular shape, two sides being square
and at right angles, the third side inclined or bevelled. The tee head of the
bracket forms a rest against which the catch D works, and the lower end of the tee
head forms a stop which limits the turning of the catch about its pivot. E is a
pivoted lever with a handle e.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The gate in closing will close against the bevelled face of the catch D, turn it
aside and close against the gate post after which the catch will swing back by
gravity to the vertical position, and lock the gate, the square face holding the gate
closed. To unfasten the gate, the handle e is turned, pushing the catch D into
the position indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1, thus freeing the gate and
enabling it to be opened.
Among the advantages gained by the use of this catch may be mentioned, that
an animal cannot put his nose under the head of the gate and lift up and open it
or force himself through between the post and head of gate at the ground as is the
case with some catches hitherto used. Furthermore, the catch allows the gate to
drop on its several hinges and yet always performs its duties in fastening the gate
closed, in fact it will always catch until the head of the gate drags the ground.
By boring one or two extra holes in the gate post when fixing, if the post should
in any way get knocked cut of the upright, the bracket can be easily unscrewed
from its position and put into a fresh hole, and so long as the gate keeps swinging
the gate will perform its duty. Furthermore the catch shown in the drawings can
be fitted to a right or left handed gate if a pivot be provided at either end of the
catch at d and d. The catch can be used in the position shown on the drawings

page_text: for a right handed gate, or turned upside down so as to utilise the other pivot d¹ for
a left-handed gate.
I have described the above way of carrying my invention into effect, but it is
obvious that alterations may be made in the details of the arrangement without
departing from the nature of the invention. Thus for example in some cases the
fastening device might be fitted on the gate and engage the post instead of the
converse plan, it is not however so convenient.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The manufacture of catches or fastening devices for gates, doors or the like,
substantially as described.
2. In a fastening for gates, doors and the like, the arrangement of parts,
consisting of a tee headed bracket C secured to the gate post, a bevelled catch D
pivotted thereto, and so constructed that when the gate strikes against its bevelled
face, it will turn it aside and enable the gate to close, after which it will fall
by gravity into practically a vertical plane, locking the gate substantially as
.described.
3. The combination with the fastening device for gates, doors or the like of the
kind set forth of a pivotted lever and handle arranged substantially as and for the
purpose described.
4. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming my
improved catch for gates, doors, and the like substantially as set forth.
Dated thin 10th der of Tohruar 1907
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.