Gate latch cam

• US 5,116,090 A
• Filed: 11/26/1990
• Issued: 05/26/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Frederick C. Nichandros
• Original Assignee: Frederick C. Nichandros
• Inventors: Nichandros, Frederick C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JAYNE, DARNELL M
• Application Number:
  US07/617,562
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 292/132, 292/134, 292/198, 292/205, 292/236, 292/332, 292/334
• US Class Current: 292/236
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 53/00 Operation or control of locks by mechanical transmissions, e.g. from a distance
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0007 for gates for wire gates E06B11/021
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 3/16 with operating handle or equivalent member moving otherwise than rigidly with the latch E05C3/122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/60 Adjustment provisions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/107 Lever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1086 Padlock or seal catch

Abstract

A gate latch, using neither gravity nor springs, is forceably opened and closed from either side of the gate by a handled lever that passes between the gate and gate post an into an arcuate cam slot. When the lever is lifted, it forces open the latch to eject a gate pin and, when lowered, forces the latch to close on the gate pin.

Claims

1. A gate latch for securing a swinging gate to a gate post, said gate latch comprising:

a cam member mountable normal to the surface of the gate post in a yoke attachable to said gate post, said cam member being rotatable about a pivot in said yoke and having a gate pin slot rotatable between an open and a locked position;

a gate pin attachable to the swinging gate and having an end extendible into said gate pin slot in its open position, said gate pin end for striking an arcuate surface on said cam member in its locked position for forcing rotation of said cam member into its open position to receive said pin;

the improvement comprising;

an arcuate slot in said cam member, said slot extending above and outward from said gate pin slot and having an arcuate opening edge and closing edge said arcuate opening edge and said arcuate closing edge being plotted from centers below said cam member; and

a latch bar extendible from the side of the gate opposite said latch, through an opening between said gate and said gate post and terminating in a flat tongue within said arcuate slot, a lifting of said tongue acting upon the opening edge of said arcuate slot to rotate said cam member into its open position, and a lowering of said tongue acting upon the closing edge of said arcuate slot to urge rotation of said cam member into its closed position.

2. The gate latch claimed in claim 1 wherein said yoke for mounting said cam member has a V-shaped face for guiding said gate pin to said cam member and to said gate pin slot, and wherein said cam member, in its locked position, has a padlock hole approximately centered at said V-shaped face of said yoke for receiving a lock for preventing opening of said cam member.

3. The gate latch claimed in claim 1 wherein said latch bar is a thin metal bar passing between said gate and said gate post and is pivoted to said gate post at a location approximately level with the lowest part of said arcuate slot, said latch bar being bent around the corner of said gate post and bent into a tongue within said arcuate slot.

4. In combination with a gate latch wherein a gate pin horizontally extending from a gate engages a gate pin slot in a cam member pivotally mounted in a yoke perpendicularly attached to the face of a gate post adjacent the gate, a means for pivotally rotating said cam member between a locked and open position comprising:

an arcuate slot in said cam member and extending above and outward from said gate pin slot said slot having an arcuate opening edge and an arcuate closing edge, said arcuate edges being plotted from a common center below said cam member; and

a latch bar extendible from the side of the gate opposite said latch and terminating in a flat tongue within said arcuate slot, a lifting of said tongue acting upon the arcuate opening edge of said arculate slot to rotate said cam member into its open position, and a lowering of said tongue acting upon the arcuate closing edge of said arcuate slot to urge rotation of said cam member into its closed position.