Patent ID: 8191604

Claim:
A fabric gate comprising: a reeling column assembly comprising a hollow post having a central hole defined through the post and a fabric outlet defined longitudinally in the post and communicating with the central hole; a top cap and a bottom cap attached respectively to two ends of the post, and the top cap having a slot defined laterally in the top cap; and a reeling shaft mounted rotatably in the central hole in the post and having a top end; a ratchet assembly mounted in the top cap of the reeling column assembly and comprising a ratchet mounted rotatably in the top cap and having a central shaft mounted securely around the top end of the reeling shaft; and a wheel formed around the central shaft and having multiple upper ratchet teeth and multiple lower ratchet teeth, wherein the upper ratchet teeth extend toward a direction opposite to that of the lower ratchet teeth extending; a positioning ring mounted around the wheel of the ratchet and having a top; an inner surface; a notch defined in the positioning ring to make the positioning ring having an expandable capability and two ends; an upper engaging tooth and a lower engaging tooth formed on the inner surface of and respectively at the ends of the positioning ring and engaging respectively with the upper ratchet teeth and the lower ratchet teeth on the ratchet; and two stubs formed on and protruding from the top respectively near the ends of the positioning ring; a driven pad attached to the top of the positioning ring, mounted around the central shaft of the ratchet and having a top; a periphery; and two curved extensions formed separately on and protruding radially from the periphery of the driven pad, wherein each curved extension has an end abutting with one of the stubs on the positioning ring; a coil torsion spring connected to the reeling shaft; a delaying assembly mounted in the top cap and connected to the ratchet assembly; a driving device mounted in the top cap, connected to the delaying assembly and comprising a rotating plate mounted rotatably in the top cap and connected to the delaying assembly; a torsion spring mounted in the top cap and having two ends connected respectively to the top cap and the rotating plate to provide a recoil force to the rotating plate; and a pushing tab connected securely to the rotating plate and mounted slidably through and extending out from the slot in the top cap; an expandable fabric reeled around the reeling shaft and having an expanded end extending out from the fabric outlet in the post; and a connecting column assembly being parallel with the reeling column assembly and holding the expanded end of the expandable fabric in position.