IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SLIDING GATES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, and
323, High Holborn, in the county of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for an Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SLIDING GATES."-A commu-
nication from abroad by Isaac S. Sherwin, of Battle Creek in the County of
Calhoun, State of Michigan, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd August 1882.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors,
6, Lord Street Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO
SLIDING GATES A communication from abroad by Isaac S. Sherwin of Battle
Creek in the County of Calhoun State of Michigan, United States of America.
This invention relates to an improvement in "Sliding Gates" and it consists in
combining with a gate of suitable construction an improved device for supporting
it and allowing it to slide and be freely turned at will; a latch of peculiar con-
struction whereby the gate may be securely fastened; and in further combining
therewith a vertically adjustable guide-post for directing it in closing, and retaining
it in a horizontal position, all to be more fully set forth hereinafter.
In the accompanying drawings—Fig: 1 is a side elevation of the gate complete.
Fig: 2 represents the supporting device. Fig: 3 is a side elevation, partly in
section, of the guide post.
A represents the gate, mounted upon the support, B, secured between posts C, C.
This supporting device is constructed of cast metal, with a fluted shank, b, by
means of which it can be driven in an auger hole bored in the wooden mounting, C.,
and is formed with lugs or upright projections b', b¹, on opposite sides, the inner
faces of these lugs being bevelled to an edge, forming angular bearings for the
opposite sides of the upper gate rail, the intermediate portion of the device, b³,
being formed with a rounded bearing surface for the lower face of said rail, the
rail being adapted to rest and slide thereon. The bottom rail, A', and the middle
rail, A2, of the gate are provided with projecting ends, that enter the slot, E', of
the gate-post, E. These projecting ends are rounded or tapered off on their under
sides, as shown, to enable them to slide freely over the transverse pin, e, with
which the slotted gate-post, E, is provided. This pin is placed near the inner edge
of the gate-post, and at a suitable height to place the gate in a perfectly horizontal

page_text: position, when the rail, As, of the gate is resting upon it. The upper portion of
the projecting end of the bottom rail, A', is sloped away as at, a, Fig. 1, so as to
allow it to slide under the lower end of the drop-pawl, G, when the gate is
elevated so as to allow small animals to pass under one end. The projecting end
of the middle rail, A³, is provided on its upper edge with a V-shaped bevel, a', as
shown. Near the upper end of the gate-post, E, is pivotted the drop-pawl, G,
which hangs in the slot, E¹, and is prevented from assuming a vertical position by
the pin, g, which strikes against the outer edge of the post when the pawl has
reached its proper position. The bottom edge of the pawl is slightly bevelled, as
shown. To the outer end of the gate is pivotted the bent lever, H, the lower end
of which projects into the slot, E', when the gate is closed, and rests against the
inner lower side of the pawl, G. The inner end of the lever serves as a handle.
On the top of the gate is pivotted a somewhat similar lever, H¹, which is connected
to the lower lever by means of the rod, h. Pedestrians use the lower lever when
unlatching the gate, and mounted horseman use the upper lever. D represents a
guide-post, having the broad base or flange, a, and the female screw in its upper
end as shown at Fig. 3. D'. represents an adjustable head which is provided with
a slot, d', across its top for the reception of the lower gate rail, and has projecting
from its lower side the screw, d², adapted to enter the female screw in the post, D.
By means of this construction the head D¹, can be raised or lowered to compensato
for any vertical displacements which might affect the post, so as to be always at
the proper height for the guidance of the gate. D³, is a sliding collar made of
similar size and shape as the cross-section of the post, and adapted to lock the
head, D¹, to the post, thereby preventing the head from turning and altering the
adjustment. F is a post against which the gate rests when open, the post being
provided with the hook f, for holding it.
Having now described the invention as. communicated to me, I wish it to be
understood that what I believe to be new and desire to claim is :-
1st. An improved device provided with bevelled side bearings for limiting the
swing of the gate, an intermediate bearing for supporting the gate-rail, and a
fluted shank, whereby it may be driven into a wooden support and prevented from
turning, in combination with a sliding gate substantially as shown.
2nd In combination with the gate-post E, provided with a transverse pin, e,
and with a drop-pawl, G, a sliding gate provided with a projecting tapering
bevelled rail, A, which rides over the pin, e, and engages with the pawl, G. the
gate being further provided with the connected levers, H, H¹, adapted to unlatch
the gate by tripping the pawl, substantially as specified.
3rd The slotted gate-post, E, provided with a pivotted drop-pawl, G, and a
transverse pin, e, in combination with a sliding gate provided with the projecting
tapering bevelled rails, A', A², and the lever, H, whereby the gate may be secured
either in a horizontal position, or with one end raised, substantially as set forth.
4th In combination with a sliding gate, a guide-post provided with a vertically
adjustable head, whereby vertical displacements of the post may be compensated
for, substantially a specified.
5th In combination with a sliding gate a guide post provided with a vertically
adjustable head, and a suitable locking device for retaining it in position when set,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Phillips Thompson have hereunto
set my hand and seal this first day of August in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty tw