Post for swinging and cantilever gates

Abstract

A hinge for a swinging gate includes a base plate, a hinge base pivotally secured to the base plate and a mounting member connected in spaced apart relation to the hinge base by an elongate bolt. A gate-engaging member is secured to the mounting member so that pivoting of the hinge base effects conjoint pivoting of the mounting member, the gate-engaging member and a gate that it engages. An upstanding post has a pair of laterally spaced apart T-shaped slots that extend along its height. A bolt disposed within a T-shaped slot is disposed horizontally and cannot rotate. The bolts housed in a T-shaped slot screw-threadedly engage apertures formed in the corners of the base plate to secure the base plate to the upstanding post. In a second embodiment, a cantilever gate supported by a trolley assembly is secured in cantilever relation to at least one upstanding post.

Claims

1. A hinge for a gate, comprising: a base plate having an aperture formed in each corner of said base plate; a first hinge post holder formed integrally with said base plate at an uppermost end thereof; a second hinge post holder formed integrally with said base plate at a lowermost end thereof; said first and second hinge post holders being vertically spaced apart from one another; a hinge base disposed between said first and second hinge post holders wherein the first hinge post holder and the second hinge post holder are in contact with the hinge base; a vertical bore formed in a first end of said hinge base; a vertically-extending bore formed in each of said first and second hinge post holders, said bores being in axial alignment with one another; a hinge post having opposite ends rotatably received within said vertically-extending bores formed in said hinge post holders; said hinge base vertical bore being in axial alignment with said vertically-extending bores formed in said hinge post holders so that said hinge post vertical bore receives said hinge post so that said hinge base is hingedly connected to said base plate and can pivot one hundred eighty degrees (180°) with respect to said base plate; an internally-threaded horizontal bore formed in said hinge base in normal relation to said vertical bore formed in said hinge base; a mounting member having a horizontal bore formed therein, said mounting member horizontal bore disposed in axial alignment with said horizontal bore formed in said hinge base; an externally-threaded bolt having a tool-engageable head at a proximal end thereof, said externally-threaded bolt having a distal end in screw-threaded engagement with said horizontal bore formed in said hinge base and having a medial extent disposed within said horizontal bore formed in said mounting member; a square U-shaped gate-engaging member having a central aperture formed in said square U-shaped gate-engaging member; said mounting member being securely attached to said square U-shaped gate-engaging member so that pivoting of said hinge base effects conjoint pivoting of said square U-shaped gate-engaging member and the gate that it engages; an upstanding post; a pair of T-shaped slots formed in said upstanding post along the entire extent of said upstanding post, each member of said pair being laterally spaced apart from the other member of said pair and each member of said pair being in open communication with the top and bottom ends of said upstanding post; each of said T-shaped slots adapted to receive a screw or bolt having a tool-engageable head where the tool-engageable head is positioned within a short crossbar section of said T-shape and where a threaded stem of said screw or bolt is positioned within the longer part of said T-shape; said threaded stem having a length greater than an extent of said longer part of said T-shape so that a distal free end of said threaded stem is adapted to be engaged by a nut; a gate frame received within a space defined by said square U-shaped gate-engaging member; and a T-shaped slot formed in said gate frame, said gate frame T-shaped slot adapted to receive a screw or bolt to secure said gate frame to said square U-shaped gate-engaging member.

2. The hinge of claim 1, further comprising: a gate secured to said square U-shaped gate engaging member; said gate being secured to respective gate frames near upper and lower ends of said gate.

3. The hinge of claim 1, further comprising: said hinge base and said mounting member having a parallelepiped structure.

4. The hinge of claim 1, further comprising a nut that enables adjustment of the distance between said hinge base and said square mounting member; and a flange formed in an edge of said base plate, said flange being normal to a plane of said base plate and turned in an inward direction relative to an outward direction of said hinge post mounts, said flange serving to facilitate alignment of said upstanding post and each base plate.

5. A hinge for a gate, comprising: a base plate, wherein an aperture is formed in each corner of said base plate; a first hinge post holder formed integrally with said base plate at an uppermost end thereof; a second hinge post holder formed integrally with said base plate at a lowermost end thereof; said first and second hinge post holders being vertically spaced apart from one another; a hinge base disposed between said first and second hinge post holders wherein the first hinge post holder and the second hinge post holder are in contact with the hinge base; a vertical bore formed in a first end of said hinge base; a vertically-extending bore formed in each of said first and second hinge post holders, said bores being in axial alignment with one another; a hinge post having opposite ends rotatably received within said vertically-extending bores formed in said hinge post holders; said hinge base vertical bore being in axial alignment with said vertically-extending bores formed in said hinge post holders so that said hinge post vertical bore receives said hinge post so that said hinge base is hingedly connected to said base plate and can pivot one hundred eighty degrees (180°) with respect to said base plate; an internally-threaded horizontal bore formed in said hinge base in normal relation to said vertical bore formed in said hinge base; a mounting member having a horizontal bore formed therein, said mounting member horizontal bore disposed in axial alignment with said horizontal bore formed in said hinge base; an externally-threaded bolt having a tool-engageable head at a proximal end thereof, said externally-threaded bolt having a distal end in screw-threaded engagement with said horizontal bore formed in said hinge base and having a medial extent disposed within said horizontal bore formed in said mounting member; a square U-shaped gate-engaging member, a central aperture formed in said square U-shaped gate-engaging member; said mounting member being securely attached to said square U-shaped gate-engaging member so that pivoting of said hinge base effects conjoint pivoting of said square U-shaped gate-engaging member and the gate that it engages; an upstanding post; a pair of T-shaped slots formed in said upstanding post along the entire extent of said upstanding post, each member of said pair being laterally spaced apart from the other member of said pair and each member of said pair being in open communication with the top and bottom ends of said upstanding post; each of said T-shaped slots adapted to receive a screw or bolt having a tool-engageable head where the tool-engageable head is positioned within a short crossbar section of said T-shape and where a threaded stem of said screw or bolt is positioned within the longer part of said T-shape; said threaded stem having a length greater than an extent of said longer part of said T-shape so that a distal free end of said threaded stem is adapted to be engaged by a nut; a gate frame received within a space defined by said square U-shaped gate-engaging member; and a T-shaped slot formed in said gate frame, said gate frame T-shaped slot adapted to receive a screw or bolt to secure said gate frame to said square U-shaped gate-engaging member.

6. A hinge for a gate, comprising: a base plate, wherein an aperture is formed in each corner of said base plate; a first hinge post holder formed integrally with said base plate at an uppermost end thereof; a second hinge post holder formed integrally with said base plate at a lowermost end thereof; said first and second hinge post holders being vertically spaced apart from one another; a hinge base disposed between said first and second hinge post holders wherein the first hinge post holder and the second hinge post holder are in contact with the hinge base; a vertical bore formed in a first end of said hinge base; a vertically-extending bore formed in each of said first and second hinge post holders, said bores being in axial alignment with one another; a hinge post having opposite ends rotatably received within said vertically-extending bores formed in said hinge post holders; said hinge base vertical bore being in axial alignment with said vertically-extending bores formed in said hinge post holders so that said hinge post vertical bore receives said hinge post so that said hinge base is hingedly connected to said base plate and can pivot one hundred eighty degrees (180°) with respect to said base plate; an internally-threaded horizontal bore formed in said hinge base in normal relation to said vertical bore formed in said hinge base; a mounting member having a horizontal bore formed therein, said mounting member horizontal bore disposed in axial alignment with said horizontal bore formed in said hinge base; an externally-threaded bolt having a tool-engageable head at a proximal end thereof, said externally-threaded bolt having a distal end in screw-threaded engagement with said horizontal bore formed in said hinge base and having a medial extent disposed within said horizontal bore formed in said mounting member; a square U-shaped gate-engaging member, a central aperture formed in said square U-shaped gate-engaging member; said mounting member being securely attached to said square U-shaped gate-engaging member so that pivoting of said hinge base effects conjoint pivoting of said square U-shaped gate-engaging member and the gate that it engages; an upstanding post; a pair of T-shaped slots formed in said upstanding post along the entire extent of said upstanding post, each member of said pair being laterally spaced apart from the other member of said pair and each member of said pair being in open communication with the top and bottom ends of said upstanding post; each of said T-shaped slots adapted to receive a screw or bolt having a tool-engageable head where the tool-engageable head is positioned within a short crossbar section of said T-shape and where a threaded stem of said screw or bolt is positioned within the longer part of said T-shape; said threaded stem having a length greater than an extent of said longer part of said T-shape so that a distal free end of said threaded stem is adapted to be engaged by a nut; a gate frame received within a space defined by said square U-shaped gate-engaging member; a T-shaped slot formed in said gate frame, said gate frame T-shaped slot adapted to receive a screw or bolt to secure said gate frame to said square U-shaped gate-engaging member; a gate secured to said square U-shaped gate engaging member; and said gate being secured to respective gate frames near upper and lower ends of said gate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed disclosure, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the novel structure;

(3) FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;

(4) FIG. 3 is an end elevational view thereof;

(5) FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view thereof;

(6) FIG. 5 is a top plan view thereof and is also a view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 6;

(7) FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of a swinging gate mounted by the novel hinge;

(8) FIG. 7A is a front elevational view of a swinging gate mounted with a second embodiment of the novel hinge;

(9) FIG. 7B is a top plan view of the second embodiment of the hinge;

(10) FIG. 8A is side elevational view of a third embodiment;

(11) FIG. 8B is a front elevational view of a trolley apparatus of the third embodiment; and

(12) FIG. 8C is a top plan view of the trolley apparatus of FIG. 7B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(13) FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative embodiment of the novel structure which is denoted as a whole by the reference numeral 10.

(14) Novel hinge bracket 10 includes base plate 12 having first hinge post holder 14 and second hinge post holder 16, said hinge post holders being vertically spaced apart from one another. Hinge base 18 has a parallelepiped configuration and fits between said first and second hinge post holders. Said first and second hinge post holders 14, 16 are centrally bored to receive hinge post 20. A first end of hinge base 18 has a vertical bore formed therein that is in axial ant with the central bores formed in the hinge post holders so that said vertical bore receives said hinge post 20. Accordingly, hinge base 18 is hingedly connected to base plate 12 and can pivot one hundred eighty degrees (180°) with respect to said base plate 12.

(15) An internally-threaded first horizontal bore, not provided with a reference numeral, is formed in hinge base 18 in normal relation to the vertical bore formed in said hinge base. That internally-threaded horizontal bore screw-threadedly receives the distal end of externally-threaded bolt 22 having tool-engageable head 24 at its proximal end. The medial extent of bolt 22 extends through a second horizontal bore formed in mounting member 26, also of parallelepiped structure, said second horizontal bore being in axial alignment with said first horizontal bore. Nut 28 enables adjustment of the distance between hinge base 18 and square mounting member 26 and provides conjoint pivotal displacement of hinge base 18 and mounting member 26.

(16) Square mounting member 26 is securely attached to square U-shaped gate-engaging member 30. More particularly, a vertical wall of square mounting member 26 is welded to a vertical wall of square U-shaped gate-engaging member 30 as depicted in FIG. 1. Accordingly, pivoting of hinge base 18 effects conjoint pivoting of square U-shaped gate-engaging member 30 and the gate that it engages.

(17) FIG. 1 also depicts four (4) apertures, collectively denoted 32, formed in base plate 12 near the respective corners thereof, and a flange 35 formed in an edge of base plate 12, said flange being normal to the plane of base plate 12 and turned in an inward direction relative to the outward direction of hinge post mounts 14, 16.

(18) The same parts are depicted in the front elevational view of FIG. 2.

(19) FIG. 3 depicts the parts of FIGS. 1 and 2 in end view and adds central aperture 34 formed in square U-shaped gate-engaging member 30. No additional parts are depicted in the rear elevational view of FIG. 4.

(20) The top plan view of FIG. 5 adds upstanding post 36 which may be of any height and which in a preferred embodiment is hollow, four inches (4″) wide and four inches (4″) in depth. It is referred to as a T-slot post because it has two (2) T-shaped slots, collectively denoted 38, that extend the entire vertical extent of the post and which are in open communication with the top and bottom ends of the post. Post 36 could be of solid construction but the preferred embodiment is hollow as depicted except in its forward or front corners where the T-shaped slots are formed.

(21) As drawn in FIG. 5, the short, cross-bar section of each T-shaped slot receives the tool-engageable head of a nut or screw, not depicted, and prevents rotation of that head. The long section of each T-shaped slot receives the screw-threaded stem of the screw or bolt. The distal end of the screw or bolt extends outwardly from said long section and is engaged by a nut that is tightened to secure base plate 12 to post 36.

(22) FIG. 5 also adds gate frame 40 which fits within square U-shaped gate-engaging member 30 within which is formed T-shaped slot 41. A screw or bolt fits within said slot in the same manner as it would in the slots formed in post 36. The distal end of the stem of such screw or bolt extends through central aperture 34 and a nut that engages said distal end secures gate frame 40 to square U-shaped gate engaging member 30.

(23) FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of swing gate 42 which is mounted to first and second novel brackets 10 near an uppermost and lowermost end thereof as depicted, said gate 42 being welded at said brackets 10, 10 to gate frame 40. In FIG. 6, as depicted and as perhaps best understood in connection with FIG. 5, the screws that secure base plate 12 to post 36 are perpendicular to the plane of gate 42 when said gate is closed, i.e., said screws are perpendicular to the plane of the paper in said FIG. 6.

(24) FIGS. 7A and 7B depict a second orientation of novel T-slot post 36. In this embodiment, the screws that secure base plate 12 to post 36 are parallel to the plane of gate 42 when said gate is closed, i.e., said screws are in the plane of the paper in said FIGS. 7A and 7B.

(25) As best understood in connection with FIG. 7B, base plate 12 includes T-slot post 36 as in the first embodiment, but hinge post holder 14 is elongated as at 14a and 14b on opposite sides of hinge post 20 in this embodiment and mounting member 26 is eliminated. Elongated part 14b has two (2) flanges, 14c and 14d. Flange 14c is welded to gate frame 40 and flange 14d is captured as depicted. Gate-engaging member 30 receives gate frame 40 which has a height substantially equal to the height of post 36.

(26) This second embodiment increases the space between T-slot post 36 and gate-engaging member 30. Gate 42 of the first embodiment can swing one hundred eighty degrees (180°) relative to T-slot post 36 but gate 42 of the second gate 42 can swing open more than ninety degrees (90°) but as understood from an inspection of FIG. 5, such swing will be less than one hundred eighty degrees (180°) relative to said T-slot post 36.

(27) FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C depict how novel post 36 can also be used in the construction of cantilever gates, i.e., gates that do not swing about hinges but which slide to the left or right.

(28) Instead of bracket 10 having base plate 12 that is secured to post 36 by four (4) screws, in this third embodiment upper angle bracket 50 is secured to post 36 near an upper end thereof by two (2) laterally spaced apart screws 52, only one of which is depicted in the side elevational view of FIG. 8A. The nut associated with screw 52 is not numbered to avoid cluttering the drawing. Angle bracket 50 supports roller 51 that is housed by guide frame 51a that is secured to the cantilever gate.

(29) Trolley bracket 54 is secured to a lower end of post 36 by two additional screws, also denoted 52 in the same way. A ground surface is denoted 37 in FIG. 8A. FIGS. 8B and 8C depict trolley assembly 56 in front elevational and top plan views, respectively.

(30) Trolley assembly 56 includes elongate flat base plate 58 to which four pairs of rollers are mounted in this particular embodiment, it being understood that fewer or more rollers may be used for various applications and differing numbers of pairs of rollers are therefore within the scope of this invention. The paired rollers are collectively denoted 60.

(31) As best understood by comparing FIGS. 8B and 8C with FIG. 8A, flat base plate 58 is oriented in a vertical plane, as are rollers 60 which rotate about associated horizontal axles, collectively denoted 62, which are disposed transversely to the longitudinal axis of symmetry of flat base plate 58.

(32) Auxiliary wheel mounts, collectively denoted 64, are secured to and extend from opposite ends of flat base plate 58. Each wheel mount 64 supports a vertical axle and each vertical axle supports a horizontally mounted wheel 66.

(33) Trolley assembly 56 is housed within elongate housing 68 (FIG. 8A) which includes inboard-turned flanges 70 upon which rollers 60 ride.

(34) Flat base plate 58, vertical rollers 60 and horizontal rollers 66 are mounted to trolley bracket 54 by elongate screw 72 and a pair of nuts, not numbered to avoid clutter, that sandwich the horizontal part of trolley bracket 54 between them as depicted in FIG. 8A. Those nuts are also depicted but not numbered in the center of FIG. 8B as well.

(35) Cantilever gate 74 is welded to the top wall of elongate trolley housing 68 as depicted in FIG. 8A. Accordingly, when gate 74 is displaced to the left or right (out of or into the plane of the paper as drawn), trolley housing 68 is conjointly displaced and rollers 60 and 66 rotate about their respective fixed-position axles upon inboard-turned flanges 70, to facilitate such gate displacement.

(36) The number of trolley brackets 54 and trolley assemblies 56 and hence the number of T-slot posts 36 that must be used depends upon the length of the cantilever gate.

(37) Roller 51 at the upper end of each post 36 also rotates when gate 74 is displaced but most of the weight of gate 74 is carried by trolley assembly 56 and said upper roller 51 is thus a guide or idler roller, there being one guide roller 51 for each post 36.

(38) Accordingly, the novel apparatus includes three embodiments. The first two embodiments are used with swinging gates. In the first embodiment, the screws that mount the hinge to the novel T-slot gate post 36 are normal to the plane of a closed swinging gate, i.e., they are perpendicular to the plane of the paper as drawn. In the second embodiment, the screws that mount the novel T-slot gate post 36 to the hinge are parallel to the plane of a closed swinging gate, i.e., they are positioned in the plane of the paper as drawn. The third embodiment employs the novel cantilever T-slot gate post 36 in a cantilever-mounted, i.e., non-swinging gate.

(39) It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, and those made apparent from the foregoing disclosure, are efficiently attained and since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matters contained in the foregoing disclosure or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

(40) It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention that, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.