Patent ID: 8465063

Claim:
A gate latch for use in securing a gate to an object having a chain attached thereto, the latch comprising: a bracket having first and second substantially inflexible latch plates, the second latch plate being a mirror image of the first latch plate, each latch plate having: a first substantially-flat member having a U-shaped slot opening to a first side of said bracket and an aperture formed through said first substantially-flat member for receiving an elongate fastener, said U-shaped slot being adapted to receive a chain link; a second, central member, having a contour adapted to match the contour of a mounting portion of a gate to which it may be attached; and a third, substantially-fiat triangular-shaped member having a first edge adjacent to said central member, a second edge extending away from said central member, and a hypotenuse edge extending from said first edge of said second bracket to said second edge of said second bracket, said third member having an L-shaped slot having two sections that are substantially perpendicular to one another, one said section opening at and being substantially perpendicular to said hypotenuse edge of said bracket and the second said section extending toward said second edge of, and terminating within, said third member, the L-shaped slot being adapted to receive a chain link, said third member having an aperture formed there through for receiving an elongate fastener, said aperture being disposed outwardly of said second L-shaped slot section with respect to said second, central member, between said second edge and said hypotenuse edge of said third member, such that said two latch plates may be placed on opposite sides of the mounting member of a gate and secured in place by elongate fasteners placed through respective said apertures in said first members and respective said apertures in said third members to clamp the two latch plates to said gate, and that a first link of the chain may be inserted into respective said L-shaped slots of said first and second latch plates and a second link of the chain may be inserted into respective said U-shaped slots of said first and second latch plates to secure to the gate to the object.