Improvements in Folding Gates.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1894
CUMIT LIE
Improvements in Folding Gates.
I WILLIAM RAFFORD PITT of Fifth Avenue and Twenty-fifth Street, New
York, in the County and State of New York, United States of America,
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner.
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
the same
My invention relates to improvements in so-called "folding gates," in which a
series of pickets are provided with sliding sleeves connected by links extending
from one picket to one or more adjacent pickets.
A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying
drawings, in which―
Fig. 1 represents a gate as it appears when open, the links in this instance being
shown as connected to the sleeves upon opposite sides of the pickets.
Fig. 2 is a view of the same, showing the gate closed.
Fig. 3 is a view of the same in end elevation.
Fig. 4 is a view of the upper portion, of a modified form, in which the links are
pivotally secured to fixed bearings on the pickets at their ends, and at points
intermediate of their ends, the gate being represented as open.
Fig. 5 is a view of the same, showing the gate closed; and
Fig. 6 is a view of a portion of a gate, showing the latter open, and the
connecting links on one side of the pickets only, as distinguished from locating
them on opposite sides, as shown in the former figures.
The pickets are denoted by A, and the number to constitute a gate may be
determined at pleasure, depending upon the width of the opening which the gate
is intended to close, and also upon the distance between two consecutive pickets
when the gate is open. The pickets are connected by two or more double series of
As the different
links. In the present instance, two such double series are shown.
double series are quite similar, it will only be necessary to describe one of them.
A set of sleeves in the form shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6, three in number, and
denoted respectively by B, B¹, and B', are slipped onto each picket A, and are.
The middle line of
constructed to receive the picket with a snug sliding fit.
sleeves B¹ are fixed to the pickets by means of rivets b (see Fig. 3) extending
through the wall of the sleeve into engagement with the body of the picket.
Each of the sleeves is provided, on its front and rear sides, with studs, those on
the sleeve B being denoted by and b; those on the sleeve B¹ by ; and those
on the sleeve B' by '. The several studs referred to are for the purpose of
The series of the links at the front
pivotally securing the links to the sleeves.
are denoted by C, C', etc., while the series of links at the rear are denoted.
by c, c', etc. Each link of each series connects the sleeve of one picket with the
sleeve or sleeves of one or more consecutive pickets, the link C, for example, at
the edge of the gate, connecting the sleeve B' with the sleeve B of the next
consecutive picket, and the link C¹ connecting the sleeve B of the first picket with
the sleeve B of the third picket. The series of links c, c', etc., are furthermore
arranged in a diagonal direction, to cross the links C, C¹, etc., of the other series.
The set of intermediate sleeves B' being fixed to the pickets, while the sets B
and B are left free to slide upon the pickets, as the pickets are drawn apart or

page_text: closed together, the sleeves B and B will slide toward
sleeves B¹
or away from the
As a matter of detail, the sleeve B2 of the first picket, at the left, and the
sleeve B of the last picket, at the right, may be provided with studs on one side
only, instead of upon both opposite sides.
The other double series of links, whether one or more, are, as before observed,
secured to the pickets, and arranged thereon in the same manner as the series
already described.
In the form shown in Fig. 4, the number of links employed is materially
reduced, being less than half the number employed in Fig. 1, for a gate of the
same number of pickets, and the number of sleeves on each picket for a double
series of links, is two instead of three. The pickets in this form are denoted,
as before, by A; the sleeves on each alternate picket are denoted by D and D';
and upon the intermediate pickets by D. The sleeves D are fixed in position
on the pickets on which they are located, and the sleeves D' are fixed in
position on the pickets on which they are located. The links of the series at
the front are denoted by E, E¹, and E', and those at the rear by e, e', and e².
Each link E, E', etc., is pivotally secured to a sleeve D of one picket; the
sleeve D of a consecutive picket, and the sleeve D¹ of the next picket, and
the links e, e', etc., are similarly pivoted to the sleeves, and extend in a direction
across the links E, E', etc.
In this structure, the sleeves D¹ are permitted to slide up and down on their
pickets, while the pickets to which the sleeves D' are fixed, will be required to
move bodily up and down as the gate is closed or opened.
In the structure represented in Fig. 5, the two series of links, which are quite
similar in all respects to those already described in Fig. 1, are connected to
studs on one side of the sleeves, instead of upon the opposite sides of the sleeves,
as in the former case. In other respects, the structure and operation. is: the
same as that referred to in connection with Figs. 1, 2, 3.
Among the advantages inherent in the structure herein above described, it
will be observed that the pickets may be formed of ordinary bar iron, as it is
found upon the market, cut off in such lengths as may be desired to determine
the height of the gate. The sleeves to which the links are pivoted being of a
similar structure, may be manufactured in quantities, and slipped into position
on the pickets, while the links being also of uniform structure, with the
exception of the shorter links at the edges, may be manufactured in quantities,
and the gates set up by simply upsetting the ends of the studs on the sleeve,
to hold the links in position, and rivetting certain of the sleeves to the pickets.
The structure also provides for making the sleeves of bronze or other suitable
metal, which will contrast with the iron or other metal of which the body of
the picket may be constructed, thus providing, for the pivotal connections, a
metal which will not be liable to oxidise, so as to weaken or obstruct the free
-folding and unfolding movements of the gate.
The pickets may be tipped with any ornamental form that may be desired, or
they may be left plain.
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 :-
1.
1. A folding gate comprising a series of pickets, each provided with a plurality
of sleeves, one of the sleeves being fixed to the picket, and series of links pivotally
secured to the sleeves, each link connecting a fixed sleeve on one picket, with a
sliding sleeve on an adjacent picket, substantially as set forth.
2. A folding gate comprising a series of pickets, cach provided with a plurality
of groups of sleeves thereon, one sleeve of each group being fixed to its picket, and
links pivoted to the opposite sides of the sleeves, each link connecting the fixed
sleeve with one or more sleeves on-adjacent pickets, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 3. A folding gate comprising a series of pickets, sleeves fitted to slide on the
pickets, and having studs extending from their sides, and links with perforations to
receive the studs on the sleeves, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 19th day of March 1894
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.