T-shaped Lever Gate Latch Pull System

Abstract

A gate latch pull system for a swinging gate and gate post. A gate latch with pivotal latch lever is mounted on a gate post and a latch bar on an inside edge of a swinging gate. A T shaped lever with first and second lever arms and a swinging base is pivotally mounted on the gate post above the gate latch. A vertical linkage connectable between bottom of swinging base and top of the pivotal latch lever, with the linkage adjustable in length during connection of the base and the latch lever such that when the latch lever is in a latched position and the swinging base is vertical, the linkage has flexibility, slack and weight enough to provide additional downward weight bias to pivotal motion of the latch lever.

Claims

1. A gate latch pull system for a swinging gate and gate post, the system comprising: (a) a conventional gate latch mechanism mountable upon an inside of the gate post, the gate latch comprising a conventional pivotal latch lever, the latch lever having a recess; (b) a conventional latch bar conventionally mountable at an inside edge of the swinging gate and conventionally horizontally alignable with the recess of the pivotal latch lever; (c) a T shaped lever comprising first and second lever arms and a swinging base, the T lever conventionally pivotally mountable on a pivot point midway between ends of the lever arms, the T lever mountable upon an inside of the gate post and alignable vertically above the gate latch mechanism; and (d) a vertical linkage connectable between a bottom of the swinging base and a top of the pivotal latch lever, the linkage adjustable in length during connection of the base and the latch lever such that when the latch lever is in a latched position and the swinging base is vertical, the linkage has flexibility, slack and weight enough to provide additional downward weight bias to a pivotal motion of the latch lever.

2. The system of claim 1, further wherein the slack in the length-adjustable linkage is insufficient to prevent the swinging base from reaching a maximum swing to effect a corresponding full opening of the latch lever to release the keeper bar from the gate latch.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the linkage comprises a chain of flexible links having a weight, when slack, such that the weight provides an effective amount of the downward bias to the pivotal motion of the latch lever.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the linkage comprises a flexible line, the line comprising a supplemental weight proximate the line's connection to the latch lever top, such that the weight of line and supplemental weight, when slack, provides an effective amount of the downward bias to the pivotal motion of the latch lever.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the lever arms are positionable below and proximate a top of gate post.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the lever arms are substantially the same length and the swinging base depends from substantially below the pivot point.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the linkage comprises a chain of flexible links having a weight, such that the weight, when slack, provides an effective amount of the downward bias to the pivotal motion of the latch lever.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the linkage comprises a flexible line, the line comprising a supplemental weight proximate the line's connection to the latch lever top, such that the weight of line and supplemental weight, when slack, provides an effective amount of the downward bias to the pivotal motion of the latch lever.

9. A gate latch pull system for a swinging gate and gate post, the system comprising: (a) a conventional gate latch mechanism mountable upon an inside of the gate post, the gate latch comprising a conventional pivotal latch lever, the latch lever having a recess; (b) a conventional latch bar conventionally mountable at an inside edge of the swinging gate and conventionally horizontally alignable with the recess of the pivotal latch lever; (c) a T shaped lever comprising first and second lever arms and a swinging base, the T lever conventionally pivotally mountable on a pivot point midway between ends of the lever arms, the T lever mountable upon an inside of the gate post and alignable vertically above the gate latch mechanism; and (d) a chain of flexible links having a weight, the chain connectable between a bottom of the swinging base and a top of the pivotal latch lever, the linkage adjustable in length during connection of the base and the latch lever such that when the latch lever is in a closed or latched position and the swinging base is vertical, the linkage has flexibility, slack and weight enough to provide an effective amount of downward bias to the pivotal motion of the latch lever.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the lever arms are positionable below and proximate a top of gate post, the lever arms are substantially the same length and the swinging base depends from substantially below the pivot point.

11. A gate latch pull system for a swinging gate and gate post, the system comprising: (a) a conventional gate latch mechanism mountable upon an inside of the gate post, the gate latch comprising a conventional pivotal latch lever, the latch lever having a recess; (b) a conventional latch bar conventionally mountable at an inside edge of the swinging gate and conventionally horizontally alignable with the recess of the pivotal latch lever; (c) a T shaped lever comprising first and second lever arms and a swinging base, the T lever conventionally pivotally mountable on a pivot point midway between ends of the lever arms, the T lever mountable upon an inside of the gate post and alignable vertically above the gate latch mechanism; and (d) a flexible line, the line connectable between a bottom of the swinging base and a top of the pivotal latch lever, the line comprising a supplemental weight proximate the line's connection to the latch lever top, such that when the latch lever is in a closed or latched position and the swinging base is vertical, the line has flexibility, slack and weight enough to provide an effective amount of downward bias to the pivotal motion of the latch lever.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the lever arms are positionable below and proximate a top of gate post, the lever arms are substantially the same length and the swinging base depends from substantially below the pivot point.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a prior art conventional gate latch.

[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the T-shaped lever gate latch pull system in latch closed position.

[0019] FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the lever gate latch pull system of FIG. 2.

[0020] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the T-shaped lever of FIG. 2.

[0021] FIG. 5 illustrates an exploded view of the T-shaped lever of FIG. 4.

[0022] FIGS. 6A to 6C schematically illustrate aspects of the pivotal latch bar.

[0023] FIGS. 7A to 7C schematically illustrate aspects of the T-shaped lever.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Unlike the ‘seesaw’ up-down motion of many conventional gate latch pulls (not unlike that of an old-style derrick crude oil pump), the disclosed T lever, side-mounted on the gate post, is a sideswing or pendulum-like motion where the latch pull vector can come from two different sets of directions (right and left of the gate post), one pull vector for each fraction of a degree of pendulum swing motion (see for example FIGS. 7A-7C). This motion is distinct from other teachings in that it varies from coming directly from overhead (with respect to the latch) to coming from any of several degrees to the side (as the T base swings to the side), both in origination of activation force on the linkage and in the vector transfer of that force, through the appropriate linkage, to the pivotal latch lever of the gate latch.

[0025] A conventional pivot latch lever (and recess) have only a limited and slight bias toward closure (down-pivot). This is conventionally accomplished by placing the pivot axis eccentrically below with respect to the center of mass of the latch lever. In practice, it is typically a barely adequate bias to overcome the friction of the pivot joint itself and the sliding engagement of the entrance of the latch bar itself into the recess.

[0026] Unexpectedly however a chain of links and or a flexible line having a weight attached proximate the point of line attachment to the pivot latch lever, adds considerable bias toward the latch closed position. This is especially advantageous for a chain of links because every link freed from the tension of the chain (for example, from when the latch lever is fully raised to then as it is lowered) adds incrementally to the biasing weight as the latch pull is released (after having been held open)—or as the latch bar raises (pushes up) the latch lever and then tucks itself into the recess—allowing the weight of slack chain (when the gate pull is not being held open) to bias the lever closed.

[0027] Turning now to the drawings, the disclosed latch pull system will be described by reference to the numerals of the drawing figures wherein like numbers indicate like parts.

[0028] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the disclosed T-shaped lever gate latch pull system 100 in locked (closed, latched) position, but with latch bar 26 free. Pivoting T-shaped lever 10 has aligned first and second arms 12, 14 advantageously shaped as paddle handles. Swinging base 16 extends downward from the midpoint of first and second arms 12 and 14, forming the T-shape of lever 10. Pivot point (hole) 18 (shown in FIG. 5) is desirably positioned at a midpoint of first and second arms 12 and 14. When conventionally mounted on a gate post in the relative position shown (FIG. 5) such as with screw 20 and washer 22, arms 12 and 14 move in respective up and down arcs around pivot point 18, and swinging base 16 moves, along with attachment point 17, in respective side (and upward) arcs according to the respective motion of arms 12 and 14 to impart a lifting motion on weighted chain 24.

[0029] In one example, T-shaped lever arms 12 and 14 have a combined length of 3.5 inches, and swinging base 16 has a length of 1 inch to preserve the base swing from possible interference with the opening gate. T-shaped lever 10 is desirably positioned proximate a top of the gate post, facilitating actuation of the T lever from either side of the gate post without having to go around to unlatch the gate and without the T lever becoming visible from the outside.

[0030] FIGS. 6A to 6C schematically illustrate aspects of engagement of latch bar 26 and pivotal latch lever 27, including exemplary rotational dynamics of latch lever 27 and tension and slack in line 24. Line 24 pulls upward on pivotal latch lever 27 to release latch bar 26 (FIG. 6A); slack in line 24 pulls pivot lever 27 back down to latch around latch bar 26 (FIG. 6B). Closing alternately, bar 26 pushes pivot lever 27 up and thus also creates slack in line 24 (FIG. 6C).

[0031] FIGS. 7A to 7C schematically illustrate rotational or pendulating aspects of T-shaped lever 10. FIG. 7A shows lever 10 in ‘normal’ (neutral) position, swinging base 16 hanging straight down; FIG. 7B shows lever 10 fully pendulated (or, in maximum swing) with pressing force at arrow “a” and maximum pulling force or upward motion on line 24; FIG. 7C shows one of many possible lever positions and pulling vectors for line 24—lever arm 14 partially depressed, swinging base 16 partially swung left, and line 24 only partially pulled up and in a vector direction different from those shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B.

[0032] In FIG. 3, chain 24 connects T-lever 10 to pivotal latch lever 27 (conventionally mounted in gate latch structure 28 on pivot point 30) from point 17 to point 31, respectively. When either lever arm 12 or 14 is depressed, swinging base 16 is correspondingly swung sideways in an upward arc to tension chain 24 and pull up on it to pivot latch lever 27 upwards and thus unlatch gate latch 28 to release latch bar 26 so the gate can open.

[0033] It is to be noted that chain 24 is desirably installed so that with lever base 16 pointing more or less straight down and the gate closed, there is some slack in the chain. It may be further noted that, while chain 24 is shown, other weighted connecting links may be employed without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, a line or cable with weight 29 engaged on the line advantageously proximate an upper portion of pivotal latch lever 27 may be used.

[0034] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, since the means and construction shown comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims, appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.