Gate latch

• US 4,083,591 A
• Filed: 09/01/1976
• Issued: 04/11/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rudolph E. Parisien
• Original Assignee: Rudolph E. Parisien
• Inventors: Parisien, Rudolph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Richard E.
• Application Number:
  US05/719,593
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 292/54, 292/238, 292/68, 292/71, 292/78, 292/213, 292/230, 292/238, 292/231, 292/299, 292/44, 292/50, 292/64, 292/202
• US Class Current: 292/202
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/06 for swing doors or windows, i.e. opening inwards and outwards
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/086 Rigid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1072 Rigid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1083 Rigid

Abstract

The gate latch is intended for use with gates which are capable of swinging through an arc of approximately 180 degrees. The latch finger secured to the gate may therefore pass through the latch if desired. The latch includes a hollow body secured to the gate post. A slot in the front wall of the body allows the latch finger to pass therethrough and one or more pawls are rotatably mounted in the body so as to trap the latch finger.

In one embodiment, a pair of pawls is provided and the latch finger engages one pawl which rotates out of its path and the latch finger is trapped between the pawls as the pawl returns to its rest position due to the action of gravity.

In another form of the invention a single rotatable pawl has a notch to engage the latch finger as the gate swings to the closed position. The pawl is then held there by co-operating means on the pawl and on the lower wall of the latch until it is released manually.

Claims

1. A gate latch adapted to be secured to a gate post so as to be engaged by a latch pin on a gate adapted to swing toward the gate post, said gate latch comprising a body including back wall, a top wall having a downwardly depending flange and a bottom wall having an upwardly extending portion, and a pawl mounted for rotation between said back wall and said upwardly extending portion, said pawl being adapted to be deflected inwardly by said latch pin so as to cause said latch pin to be trapped in the body thus preventing return movement of said latch pin, an upper portion of said pawl being substantially semi-circular and having an indentation at a mid-portion thereof to co-operate with said latch pin, a lower portion of said pawl being semi-circular and of lesser radius than said upper portion so as to define shoulders on each side of said pawl one or the other of which is adapted to engage said bottom wall or said body when said pawl is in an unlatched and manually releaseable means on said lower portion of said pawl and said bottom wall of said body for retaining said pawl in a closed position.

2. A gate latch as claimed in claim 1 wherein a lug on the lower portion of said pawl is adapted to be received in an aperture in said bottom wall of said body when said latch is in the closed position and said lug is adapted to be released from said aperture so as to move said pawl to the open position by manually pressing said lug upwardly.