Movable or removable closures – Closure surface moved to inoperative position flush-with-ground
Patent
1982-06-28
1984-11-06
Downey, Kenneth
Movable or removable closures
Closure surface moved to inoperative position flush-with-ground
49 34, 49192, E06B 1100
Patent
active
044804059
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a self-closing gate which may be used, inter alia, as a stock gate on farms, pastoral properties or the like.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
There have been many proposals for self-closing stock gates and a number of these have reached the manufacturing stage. Most of the gates presently availatle have a number of significant practical disadvantages. The closing mechanisms employed are often complex and rely on systems of springs and linkages to return the gate to the upright closed position. Such systems are expensive to manufacture and assemble and have been proved to be unreliable in field use, being subject to severe service conditions due to a combination of rain, dust, heat and a lack of regular maintenance. It must be appreciated that farmers are notoriously bad at maintaining equipment and will often operate equipment to failure before carrying out any maintenance or servicing.
With most gates, the area adjacent the bottom rail of the gate must be built up so that minimal weight is applied to the bottom rail as a vehicle passes over the rail to prevent the rail from becoming bent, and thereby causing the gate to jam in an open position.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a self-closing gate which avoids such systems of springs and linkages or the like to return the gate to the upright closed position.
It is a preferred object to provide such a gate with at least one counter weight assembly to close the gate.
It is a further preferred object to provide such a gate which can also be swung open about a vertical axis to enable the unimpeded passage of livestock through the gateway normally closed by the gate.
It is a still further preferred object to provide such a gate which is fitted with a vehicle buffer assembly, which will effectively operate the gate, without damage to the vehicle (as the vehicle opens the gate), and which will also assist in closing the gate when the vehicle has passed over the gate.
It is a still further preferred object to provide a gate which does not require a rigid bottom rail interconnecting the gate stiles.
Other preferred objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.
In one aspect, the present invention resides in a self-closing gate of the type adapted to selectively close a gateway between a pair of spaced gate posts, said gate being characterized by:
a pair of normally upright stiles each having a laterally extending axle means;
a pair of gate support means adapted to be fixed to said gate posts, each axle means being rotatably journalled in a respective one of said support means;
tensioned flexible closure means interconnecting said stiles; and
at least one counterweight means connected to at least one of said stiles below said axle means to return said gate to a normally upright closed position when said gate is moved from said upright closed position.
Preferably each gate support means includes a tubular body secured to its respective gate post by a suitable fixing bracket. Preferably a bush (e.g. of nylon) is fitted in the tubular body. Preferably each axle means includes a stub axle directed outwardly from its respective stile and journalled in a respective bush. Removable pins or plates may be provided on the stub axles to locate them in the bushes.
Preferably the flexible closure means includes wires, cables and/or chains strung between the stiles and tensioned by springs connected to the stiles. (Hereafter, the term "wires" shall include cables and/or chains.)
At least one of the wires may interconnect the stiles to brace and triangulate the gate when it is swung to an opened position about a vertical axis.
Vertical wires, interconnected by a number of cross wires, may be provided on each side of the centre of the gate to form tracks for vehicle tires on the gate.
Preferably the counterweight means include concrete blocks which may be filled with metal-punchings or scrap to in
REFERENCES:
patent: 1499120 (1924-06-01), Nies
patent: 2007071 (1935-07-01), Burns
patent: 2859944 (1958-11-01), Cisney
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