Patent ID: 6996935

Claim:
A gate regulator for controlling swinging of a gate relative to a stationary wall, said gate regulator comprising: a. a regulator bracket for mounting to the stationary wall; b. a mounting plate for fastening to the gate, the gate swingable between first and second positions relative to the wall; and c. means for controlling the gate to swing about a horizontal gate axis without restriction in a first direction from the first position toward the second position, and to swing with restriction in a second direction from the second position toward the first position; d. wherein the means for controlling the gate comprises: a fluid cylinder having a first member pivotally connected to the regulator bracket, and a second member connected to the mounting plate; means for cooperating with the fluid cylinder to control the gate to swing without restriction in the first direction, and to swing with restriction in the second direction; and e. the means for cooperating with the fluid cylinder comprising: a fluid reservoir; first and second lines connecting the fluid reservoir to the cylinder; means for permitting unrestricted flow of fluid between the reservoir and the cylinder when the gate is swinging in the first direction and for resisting flow of the fluid between the reservoir and the cylinder with the gate is swinging in the second direction; and f. means for overriding the means for controlling the gate when the gate swings in the second direction and reaches a gate third position to enable the gate to swing without restriction from the third position to the first position; and g. wherein the means for overriding comprises: a cylinder pin on the fluid cylinder second member; a lug on the mounting plate that defines a generally L-shaped slot that receives the cylinder pin, the L-shaped slot having first and second slots that meet at a junction, a selected one of the first and second slots receiving the cylinder pin when the gate is swinging in the second direction; and means for releasing the selected slot from the cylinder pin when the gate is swinging in the second direction and is at the gate third position, so that the gate swings without restriction in the second direction from the third position to the first position.