Handrail gate, hinge coupling and lock

• US 6,565,069 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2001
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles H. Morris
• Original Assignee: Charles H. Morris
• Inventors: Morris, Charles H.
• Primary Examiner(s): REDMAN, JERRY E
• Application Number:
  US09/911,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20020017062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 493/94, 49/49, 292/175, 256/1, 256/59, 256/65.01, 256/65.02, 256/65.15, 256/73, 403/102
• US Class Current: 256/73
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/1836 Handrails of balustrades; Connections between handrail members
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/1865 Collapsible or portable balustrades
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1007 with positive locking
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/12 with two parallel pins and one arm
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/538 Interior lids
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 11/00 Means for allowing passage through fences, barriers or the like, e.g. stiles general features of doors E06B1/00 - E06B9/00; cattle grids A01K3/002; features peculiar to electrified wire fencing A01K3/005
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/10 Arrangements for locking
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2350/00 Machines or articles related to building in general E01 - E06
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32409 Members locked in axial alignment

Abstract

A hinge coupling and a lock for connecting a stationary handrail to a gate arm for a gate. The gate in closed position retains the structural integrity and peripheral profile of the handrail. The hinge coupling consist of a fixed connector and a mobile connector, both pivotally connected to a middle link by pins. The components of the hinge coupling pivot about the pins, enabling the gate arm to pivot through a 180° angle. One hinge connector is inserted and secured into an open end of the stationary handrail. The other connector is inserted and secured into an open end of the gate arm. The lock consists of two mating active and passive components that are fastened to respective terminal ends of the handrail and gate arm. The lock components are provided with a manually releasable latch. All components in the closed position of the gate compactly fit together and are shaped to provide peripheral continuity.

Claims

1. For a handrail having a peripheral profile and having an open gateway between two aligned terminals of the handrail, one terminal on either side of the gateway, a gate comprising:

a pivotable gate arm having a peripheral profile that is substantially the same as the peripheral profile of the handrail, and having a hinge end and a lock end;

a hinge coupling one end of which is fastened to the hinge end of the gate arm and the other end of which is fastened to a hinge terminal of the handrail, being one said terminal of the handrail, for hingedly connecting the hinge end of the gate arm to the hinge terminal of the handrail;

a two-component lock, one lock component of which is fastened to the lock end of the gate arm, and the other lock component of which is fastened to a lock terminal of the handrail, being the other said terminal of the handrail;

a release means for releasing the two lock components from one another after they have locked together;

the two lock components matingly engaging one another as the lock end of the gate arm moves into alignment with the lock terminal of the handrail in a closed position;

the two lock components being respectively provided with mating components of a releasable latch operative by the release means that is operative to latch the lock components together and thereby lock the gate arm to the handrail when the lock end of the gate arm is aligned with the lock terminal of the handrail and the mating lock components have come into engagement with one another;

the length of the gate arm and of the hinged coupling and lock elements being selected so as to provide a substantially uninterrupted continuum of the handrail when the gate arm is locked into alignment with the handrail;

the hinge coupling and the lock elements each having a peripheral profile selected to merge with the peripheral profile of the gate arm and the handrail.

2. A gate as defined in claim 1, wherein the terminals of the handrail and the ends of the gate arm include tubular receptacles, and wherein the hinge coupling and lock elements are provided with stubs insertable into and mating with the interior of the tubular receptacles of the gate arm and handrail for mating engagement therewith.

3. A gate as defined in claim 1, wherein the hinge coupling comprises:

a fixed connector for attaching to a terminal portion of the handrail;

a mobile connector for attaching to the hinge end of the gate arm; and

a link pivotally connected to the fixed connector and the mobile connector by means of separate pivot axes, one for each connector;

the pivot axes being spaced from one another to permit the link to pivot about the fixed connector axis and the gate arm to pivot about the mobile connector axis; and

the pivot connection between one of the connectors and the link having limited axial movement so that the hinge coupling can be extended and contracted so as to extend the hinge coupling to permit the fixed connector and mobile connector to pivot past each other, and to contract the hinge coupling so that the connectors and link have an external profile substantially identical to that of the handrail and gate arm.

4. A gate as defined in claim 3, wherein:

the link is pivotally connected to each connector by means of a pin passing through the connector and a hole in the link; and

the hole of the pivot connection having limited axial movement is an elongate hole such that the pin may be moved within the elongate hole in directions substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pin.

5. A gate as defined in claim 3, wherein the pivot connection having limited axial movement is between the fixed connector and the link.

6. A gate as defined in claim 3 wherein

the mobile connector and fixed connector each comprise a clevis comprising two opposed clevis fingers attached to a clevis web, the clevis fingers defining a clevis gap, the clevis gaps being of substantially identical widths;

the link is sized for insertion into the clevis gaps such that the width of the link is selected to be slightly less than the width of the clevis gap, the length of the link is selected to provide substantial peripheral continuity of the hinge coupling between the clevis webs, and exposed peripheral surfaces of the devises and exposed surfaces of the link are shaped to provide substantially uninterrupted surface continuity between the gate arm and the handrail to which the hinge coupling is connected.

7. A gate as defined in claim 6 wherein the link has two end surfaces, one end surface being adjacent to one clevis web when the gate arm is in the closed position and the other end surface being adjacent to the other clevis web when the gate arm is in the closed position, and the clevis web surfaces and the end surfaces of the link are matingly shaped to permit substantially unencumbered pivotal movement of the gate arm upwardly from the closed position through an angle of substantially 180°

.

8. A gate as defined in claim 7, wherein the mobile connector abuts the link and the fixed connector abuts the link when the gate arm has pivoted through about 180°

from the closed position, so as to impede further pivotal motion of the gate arm through more than about 180°

from the closed position.

9. A gate as defined in claim 8, wherein:

the mobile connector abuts the link when the mobile connector has pivoted through about 90°

relative to the link from the closed position; and

the fixed connector abuts the link when the link has pivoted through about 90°

relative to the fixed connector from the closed position.

10. A gate as defined in claim 6, wherein the link has two end surfaces, one end surface being adjacent to one clevis web when the gate arm is in the closed position and the other end surface being adjacent to the other clevis web when the gate arm is in the closed position the clevis web surfaces of the mobile and fixed connectors, and the adjacent end surfaces of the link are provided with abutment elements that abut when the gate arm is in the closed position so as to resist downward pivotal motion of the gate arm.

11. A gate as defined in claim 10, wherein the abutment elements of the link and connector that are pivotally connected with a pivotal connection having limited axial movement, comprise, respectively:

a clevis web surface having a projecting first finger having an abutting surface substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the handrail and gate arm when the gate arm is in the closed position; and

a link end having a projecting second finger having an abutting surface substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the handrail and gate arm when the gate arm is in the closed position;

wherein the first and second fingers are configured to overlap through the full range of limited axial movement of the link relative to the relevant connector, such that some portion of their abutting surfaces abut when the gate arm is in the closed position so as to impede pivotal movement of the link and relevant connector relative to each other in the direction opposite to their relative pivotal movement during opening of the gate arm.

12. A gate as defined in claim 6, wherein the terminals of the handrail and the ends of the gate arm include tubular cavities, and wherein the hinge coupling and lock elements are provided with stubs insertable into and mating with the interior of the tubular cavities of the gate arm and handrail for mating engagement therewith;

and each of the clevis webs provides centrally a seat and axial aperture for an axially extending bolt for engaging a threaded central portion of a brace generally radially extendable upon rotation of the bolt to tighten walls of the stubs of the lock components into tight engagement with the interior walls of the tubular cavities into which the stubs of the hinge coupling are inserted.

13. A gate as defined in claim 12, wherein the stubs are provided with tubular stub walls, at least snugly and preferably tightly fitting into the tubular cavities of the gate arm or handrail into which the stubs are inserted, and the brace applies generally radially directed force to the interior portions of the stub walls, thereby to force the stub walls into tight engagement with the interior walls of the tubular cavities into which the stubs are inserted.

14. A gate as defined in claim 13, wherein the generally tubular configuration of the stub walls is interrupted by circumferentially spaced generally axially extending slots for facilitating radially outward displacement of the stub walls, thereby to facilitate tightening of the stub walls into engagement with the interior walls of the tubular cavities into which the stubs are respectively inserted.

15. A gate as defined in claim 1, additionally comprising auxiliary tightening means for tightening the hinge coupling into a secure tight fit with adjoining terminal portions of the gate arm and hand rail.

16. A gate as defined in claim 1, wherein the two lock components are each provided with a tightening means for tightening the lock components into a secure tight fit with adjoining terminal portions of the gate arm and hand rail.

17. A gate as defined in claim 1, wherein one of the lock components is provided with a manually operable trigger or equivalent for releasing the latch.

18. A gate as defined in claim 1, wherein the distal ends of the lock components are provided with mating surfaces that facilitate alignment of the lock components with one another as the gate arm is pivotally moved into closed position.

19. A gate as defined in claim 18, wherein the mating distal portions of the two lock components are provided with complementary exposed peripheral surfaces that together provide substantial peripheral profile continuity with the handrail and the gate arm.

20. A gate as defined in claim 1, including a spring for biasing the latch into latching position, thereby requiring manual retraction of the latch against the force of the spring for release of the latch.

21. A gate as defined in claim 1, wherein each said lock portion is provided with a collar and a distal projecting portion mating with the distal projecting portion of the other of the two lock components, the respective exposed end portions of the distally projecting portions of the lock components being configured to mate peripherally with the collar portion of the mating connector such that the collars and distally projecting portions of the two locked components together form a substantially continuous peripheral profile.

22. A gate as defined in claim 21, wherein the latch comprises:

a retractable tongue protruding from and slidable within the collar of one of the lock components; and

a tongue-receiving cavity in the other of the lock components shaped to mate with and receive the tongue of the latch, said tongue-receiving cavity being formed at the distal end of the distally projecting portion of the lock component having the tongue-receiving cavity.

23. A gate as defined in claim 22, wherein the distally projecting portion of the lock component from which the tongue protrudes is provided with a generally concave recess and the distally projecting portion of the lock component having the tongue-receiving cavity is provided with a generally convex radially extending protrusion mating with the concave recess, thereby to facilitate alignment and engagement of the lock components when they move into engagement with one another.

24. A gate as defined in claim 23, wherein the recess and the protrusion are of generally trapezoidal radial section.

25. A gate as defined in claim 23, wherein the distal surface of the protrusion is sloped from the apex to the base of the protrusion so as to constitute a sloped surface against which the tongue bears, whereby as the lock components move into engagement with one another, the sloped surface forces axial retraction of the tongue, thereby to facilitate latching of the lock components with one another.

26. A gate as defined in claim 23, wherein the recess and protrusion interrupt respective generally planar diametrical surfaces, said diametrical surfaces being substantially horizontally oriented when the gate is locked, and the diametrical surfaces of the lock component having the tongue-receiving cavity contacting the diametrical surfaces of the lock component from which the tongue protrudes when the gate is locked.

27. A gate as defined in claim 23, wherein the terminals of the handrail and the ends of the gate arm include tubular cavities, and wherein the hinge coupling and lock elements are provided with stubs insertable into and mating with the interior of the tubular cavities of the gate arm and handrail for mating engagement therewith;

and the collar of each of the lock components provides centrally a seat and axial aperture for an axially extending bolt for engaging a threaded central portion of a brace extendable upon rotation of the bolt to tighten walls of the stubs of the lock components into tight engagement with the interior walls of the tubular cavities into which the stubs of the lock components are inserted.

28. A dual gate comprising two individual gates each as defined in claim 1, and additionally comprising a central stanchion between the two gates, the stanchion provided with two opposed lock components mating with the lock components of the two gate arms of the two gates, one on either side of the stanchion, and wherein the gates are hingedly connected to stationary handrail terminals each spaced by its respective gate distance from the stanchion, whereby the two gate arms when fully pivotally opened may each rest proximate to an associated portion of the stationary handrail, and wherein the stanchion comprises a pedestal and a shaft hingedly coupled to the pedestal, the shaft being normally vertical when at least one of the gates is closed and being provided in the vicinity of its upper end with the two opposed lock components.

29. For use with a gate for a tubular handrail, the handrail having a peripheral profile, a hinge coupling for connecting one terminating end of a stationary handrail to a pivoting gate arm having a peripheral profile substantially the same as the peripheral profile of the handrail, the hinge coupling comprising in combination:

(a) a fixed connector having a stub portion and an exposed clevis portion comprising two opposed clevis fingers attached to a clevis web;

(b) a mobile connector having a stub portion and an exposed clevis portion comprising two opposed clevis fingers attached to a clevis web; and

(b) a link interposed between the clevis fingers of each connector and pivotally coupled to each connector by a pin passing through the relevant clevis fingers and the link

said stub portion of the fixed connector being for attaching to the terminal ehd of said stationary handrail;

said stub portion of the mobile connector being for attaching to the end of said pivoting gate arm;

said pivoting gate arm opening and closing the access in the handrail; and

all said components of the hinge coupling when assembled together allowing for the gate arm to pivot up to a 180°

angle.

30. A hinge coupling as defined in claim 29, in the closed position having a periphery matching the periphery of the handrail and of the pivoting arm.

31. A hinge coupling as defined in claim 29, wherein the exposed clevis portions of the fixed and mobile connectors have clevis gaps of substantially identical widths formed as generally rectangular recesses;

each said clevis gap being located between two fingers of the clevis between which a section of the link is interposed and attached by an associated one of said pins.

32. A hinge coupling as defined in claim 31, wherein the clevis web of the mobile connector is shaped in the form of a shallow concave hollow so that the mobile connector can pivot relative to the link without the link'"'"'s corners binding against the clevis web.

33. A gate as defined in claim 29, wherein the mobile connector abuts the link and the fixed connector abuts the link when the gate arm has pivoted through about 180°

from a locked position, so as to impede further pivotal motion of the gate arm through more than about 180°

from the locked position.

34. A gate as defined in claim 33, wherein:

the mobile connector abuts the link when the mobile connector has pivoted relative to the link through about 90°

from the locked position; and

the fixed connector abuts the link when the link has pivoted relative to the fixed connector through about 90°

from the locked position.

35. A hinge coupling as defined in claim 29 wherein the width of the link is slightly less than the gap between the clevis fingers, the length of the link is selected to provide substantial peripheral continuity of the hinge coupling between the clevis webs, and opposed profile-defining surfaces of the link are configured to merge with the periphery of said exposed clevis portions of the connectors.

36. A hinge coupling as defined in claim 29 wherein each pin passing through the link, passes through one of two holes in the link;

and one of the holes in the link is an elongate hole such that the pin passing through the elongate hole may be moved within the elongate hole in directions substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pin, such that the relevant connector is capable of limited axial movement as well as pivotal movement relative to the link, so that the hinge coupling can be extended and contracted so as to extend the hinge coupling to permit the fixed connector and mobile connector to pivot past each other, and to contract the hinge coupling so that the connectors and link have an external profile substantially identical to that of the handrail and gate arm when in the closed position.

37. A gate as defined in claim 36, wherein the pin passing through the elongate hole also passes through the fixed connector such that the link has limited axial movement relative to the fixed connector.

38. A hinge coupling as defined in claim 29, wherein the stub portions of the hinge connectors are configured for insertion into the terminal ends of the gate arm and handrail.

39. A hinge coupling as defined in claim 38, wherein the stub portions of both hinge connectors additionally comprise auxiliary means for tightening the hinge coupling into a secure tight fit within the adjoining terminal ends of the gate arm and stationary handrail.

40. A hinge coupling as defined in claim 39, wherein each of the clevis webs provides centrally a seat and axial aperture for an axially extending bolt for engaging a threaded rotation of the bolt to tighten walls of the stubs of the lock components into tight engagement with the terminal ends of the gate arm and stationary handrail.

41. A hinge coupling as defined in claim 40, wherein the stub portion of each hinge connector is formed as a short hollow element having tubular walls with an outer diameter same or just slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the mating open part of the terminal end of the handrail or the gate arm into which the stubs are inserted, and a brace that applies generally radially directed force to the interior portions of the stub walls, thereby to force the stub walls into tight engagement with the interior of the terminal ends.

42. A hinge coupling as defined in claim 41, wherein the tubular walls of each hinge connector have circumferentially spaced generally axially extending slots for facilitating radially outward displacement of the stub walls, so that the stub can engage the terminating end of the stationary handrail and the end of the gate arm in a tight fit.

43. For use with a gate for a tubular handrail, the handrail having a peripheral profile, a two-component lock for temporarily connecting one terminating end of a stationary handrail to a pivoting gate arm having a peripheral profile substantially the same as the peripheral profile of the handrail, the lock comprising in combination:

(a) an active component having a stub portion and an exposed terminal;

(b) a passive component having a stub portion and an exposed terminal;

(c) a release means for releasing the two lock components from one another after they have locked together;

one lock component being fastened to one end of the gate arm and the other lock component being fastened to one terminal of the handrail;

the exposed terminals suitably including a proximal short solid cylindrical collar

the two lock components being respectively provided with mating components of a releasable latch operative by the release means that is operative to latch the lock components together and thereby lock the gate arm to the handrail when the lock end of the gate arm is aligned with the terminating end of the handrail to which a lock component is fastened and the lock components have come into engagement with one another;

the stub portion of the active component accommodating an axially retractable tongue protruding from and slidable within the collar of the active component;

the exposed terminal of the passive component having a recess or cavity shaped to mate with and receive the tongue, said recess being formed in the collar of said passive component.

44. The lock as defined in claim 43, wherein two lock components matingly engage one another in a closed position when the lock end of the gate arms moves into alignment with the lock terminal of the handrail, the lock components having a peripheral profile selected to merge with the peripheral profile of the gate arm and the handrail.

45. The lock as defined in claim 43, wherein the tongue axially retracts as the lock components come into engagement with one another and said axially retractable tongue is provided with a bevelled distal end surface to facilitate the axial retraction of the tongue.

46. A lock as defined in claim 45, wherein the recess and protrusion interrupt respective generally planar diametrical surfaces, said diametrical surfaces being substantially horizontally oriented when the gate is locked, and the diametrical surfaces of the passive component contacting the diametrical surfaces of the active component when the gate is locked.

47. A lock as defined in claim 43, wherein the active lock component is provided with a manually operable trigger or equivalent for releasing the latch.

48. A lock as defined in claim 47, wherein the stub fits into a cavity at the end of the tubular handrail or gate and the tubular cavity into which the stub carrying the trigger fits is cut away to form a suitable slot in which the trigger slides, to permit the trigger to penetrate into the cavity and to be retracted.

49. A lock as defined in claim 43, wherein the distal ends of the lock components are provided with mating surfaces that facilitate alignment of the lock components with one another as the gate arm connected to one lock component is pivotally moved into closed position.

50. A lock as defined in claim 49, wherein the mating distal portions of the two lock components are provided with complementary exposed peripheral surfaces that together provide substantial peripheral profile continuity with the handrail and the gate arm.

51. A lock as defined in claim 43, further comprising a spring for biasing said axially retractable tongue di ally outwards into latching position, thereby requiring manual retraction of the tongue against the force of the spring for release of the latch.

52. A lock as defined in claim 43, wherein each said lock portion is provided with a distal semi-cylindrical portion having a planar diametrical surface, said semi-cylindrical portion projecting axially distally away from the cylindrical collar and mating with the distal projecting portion of the other of the two lock components, the respective exposed end portions of the distally projecting portions of the lock components being configured to mate peripherally with the collar portion of the mating connector such that the collars and distally projecting portions of the two locked components together form a substantially continuous peripheral profile.

53. A lock as defined in claim 52, wherein the distally projecting portion of the active lock component is provided with a generally concave recess and the distally projecting portion of the passive lock component is provided with a generally convex radially extending protrusion mating with the concave recess, thereby to facilitate alignment and engagement of the lock components when they move into engagement with one another.

54. A lock as defined in claim 53, wherein the recess and the protrusion are of generally trapezoidal radial section.

55. A lock as defined in claim 54, wherein the distal surface of the protrusion is sloped from the apex to base of the protrusion so as to constitute a sloped surface against which the tongue bears, whereby as the lock components move into engagement with one another, the sloped surface forces axial retraction of the tongue, thereby to facilitate latching of the lock components with one another.

56. A lock as defined in claim 43, wherein the stub portions of both lock components additionally comprise auxiliary means for tightening the lock components into a secure tight fit with adjoining terminal portions of the gate arm and stationary hand rail.

57. A lock as defined in claim 56, wherein the collar of each of the lock components provides centrally a seat and an axial aperture for an axially extending bolt for engaging a threaded central portion of a brace extendable upon rotation of the bolt to tighten walls of the stubs of the lock components into tight engagement with the interior walls of the tubular cavities into which the stubs of the lock components are inserted.

58. A lock as defined in claim 57, wherein the affixing stub portion of each lock component is formed as a short hollow element having tubular walls with an outer diameter same or just slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the mating open part of the adjoining tubular cavity of the handrail or the gate arm into which the stubs are inserted, and the brace applies generally radially directed force to the interior portions of the stub walls, thereby to force the stub walls into tight engagement with the interior walls of the tubular cavities.

59. A lock as defined in claim 58, wherein the tubular walls of each lock component have circumferentially-spaced generally-axially-extending slots for facilitating radially outward displacement of the stub walls, so that the stub can engage the terminating portion of the stationary handrail and of the gate arm in a tight fit.