Patent ID: 6966146

Claim:
A crossing gate assembly that is activated when detecting a train, said gate assembly having a support structure and a crossing gate arm pivotally mounted on said support structure about a first axis spaced from and substantially aligned with both a forward and a reverse direction of a flow path of traffic past said crossing gate assembly, and said gate arm being pivotal about said first axis between a raised, open position for allowing the traffic to pass said gate assembly and a lowered position for blocking said both directions of the flow path of traffic past said gate assembly; said gate assembly includes a gate arm mechanism comprising: a crossing gate arm adapter for supporting said gate arm, said gate arm adapter and said gate arm being pivotal about said first axis, said gate arm adapter with said gate arm thereon being pivotally mounted on said support structures, which permits the gate arm adapter to rotate about a second axis transverse to said first axis, said gate arm adapter and said gate arm both being pivotal about said second axis between said lowered, blocking position and a displaced position in response to a displacement force imparted against said gate arm in a direction substantially aligned with both of said directions of said flow path of traffic, rotating the gate arm one of toward and away from a railroad crossing, at least two separate, positive, independent return force mechanisms coupled to said gate arm adapter for returning said gate arm adapter with said gate arm to said lowered, blocking position of said gate arm upon removal of said displacement force, and first and second latch hook assemblies each comprising a biasing element having a generally horizontally extending longitudinal axis which biases a latch pivotally mounted about an axis generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis into engagement with said gate arm adapter to hold the gate arm in said lowered, blocking position in an absence of said displacement force.