Animal husbandry – Confining or housing – Stall
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-04
2001-06-12
Price, Thomas (Department: 3643)
Animal husbandry
Confining or housing
Stall
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244221
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a gate and gate post assembly and more particularly to locking assembly for use with the gate and gate post assembly.
BACKGROUND
It is common practice to make use of pens having numerous gates for the containment and handling of animals such as hogs and the like. The gates generally include a panel element which is pivotally mounted between a pair of posts with a locking device coupled thereto to prevent the gate from being opened when unattended such that the animals are prevented from escaping the pen. The present invention is concerned with certain improvements to a gate and gate post assembly for use with animal containment pens.
SUMMARY
According to the present invention there is provided a gate and gate post assembly comprising:
a pair of upright posts arranged to be supported spaced apart;
a gate coupled to at least one of the posts for pivotal movement from a closed position between the posts to an open position wherein a free side of the gate is spaced from a corresponding one of the posts; and
a latch pivotally mounted on the free side of the gate;
the latch having a pendulum portion which is suspended in equilibrium along the side of the gate in a locked position and an engaging portion which extends laterally outward from the pendulum portion towards the corresponding post for pivotal movement with the pendulum portion between the locked position and an unlocked position wherein the pendulum portion is deflected from equilibrium;
the engaging portion being located in alignment with a stop on the corresponding post in the locked position for restricting the gate from being opened and being spaced from the stop in the unlocked position for permitting the gate to be opened.
The gates are secured in a locked position by a simple mechanism which is biased towards the locked position to ensure that an animal is not able to release the gate. The self locking feature of the latch due to the pendulum ensures that the gate is adequately secured while unattended for preventing the accidental release of an animal.
There may be provided a pin extending downward from the free side of the gate and a mounting aperture located in a support flange on the post arranged to slidably receive the pin therein wherein the engaging portion of the latch comprises a horizontal flange for engaging a bottom side of the support flange in the locked position such that upward deflection of the side of the gate relative to the post is restricted for restricting the gate from being opened.
The engaging portion of the latch preferably extends laterally outward to a free end located adjacent a bottom end of the pin.
There may be provided an upper support flange adjacent a top end and a lower support flange adjacent a bottom end of each post; and
a pair of upper mounting pins extending downward from respective sides of the gate adjacent a top end of the gate and a pair of lower mounting pins extending downward from respective sides of the gate adjacent a bottom end of the gate, the upper and lower mounting pins being arranged for slidably engaging into respective apertures in the upper and lower support flanges for coupling the gate to the posts;
wherein a latch is associated with each side of the gate.
The apertures in the upper and lower support flanges preferably comprise elongate slots such that the gate is permitted to be pivotally deflected within a plane extending between the posts for releasing one side of the gate independently of the other side.
Each of the upper and lower support flanges preferably includes a first mounting aperture and a second mounting aperture, the first mounting apertures being arranged to receive the respective mounting pins, the second mounting apertures being arranged to support an adjacent gate having a similar configuration such that numerous gates can be connected in series.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1581029 (1926-04-01), Smith
patent: 1928819 (1933-10-01), Neller
patent: 2731744 (1956-01-01), Schnell
patent: 3650245 (1972-03-01), Karnes
patent: 4262883 (1981-04-01), Feeken
Battison Adrian D.
Crystal Spring Colony Farms Ltd.
Price Thomas
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