Safety gate
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A safety gate comprising:
- a stationary frame having adjustment means, to selectively close an opening by abutting a structure defining the opening, and an opening defined within the stationary frame;
a gate movably mounted within said stationary frame opening;
a latching mechanism comprising a first housing having a movable latching member movable relative to said first housing and extending through an opening in said first housing, said first housing being movably mounted on said gate, said movable latching member selectively engaging a fixed latching member provided in a second housing arranged along said frame opening when said gate is in a closed position; and
an operating lever pivotally mounted to said second housing and projecting from said first housing for moving the movable latching member away from said fixed member when the operating lever is pressed in a first direction;
said movable first housing being movable between a latched and an unlatched position and having a projecting portion;
said fixed latching member being adjacent to a recess in said second housing;
wherein said projecting portion is positioned in said recess and said movable latching member engages said fixed latching member when the gate is closed and latched and said projecting portion is withdrawn from said recess when the gate is in the closed position and the movable latching member is displaced from the fixed latching member, enabling the movable housing portion to move to the unlatched position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A gate having a latching mechanism which requires two distinctly different unlatching movements which occur in distinctly different directions, but where both of these unlatching movements can be performed with the use of only one hand. In addition, timer/alarm capabilities are provided to emit an alert signal in situations where the gate has been opened and has not been reclosed within a given time interval after the gate was opened. The gate has a self-closing spring assembly arranged within a pivot assembly. All of the above capabilities are obtained through a greatly simplified design which is extremely rugged and provides highly reliable service.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A safety gate comprising:
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a stationary frame having adjustment means, to selectively close an opening by abutting a structure defining the opening, and an opening defined within the stationary frame; a gate movably mounted within said stationary frame opening; a latching mechanism comprising a first housing having a movable latching member movable relative to said first housing and extending through an opening in said first housing, said first housing being movably mounted on said gate, said movable latching member selectively engaging a fixed latching member provided in a second housing arranged along said frame opening when said gate is in a closed position; and
an operating lever pivotally mounted to said second housing and projecting from said first housing for moving the movable latching member away from said fixed member when the operating lever is pressed in a first direction;said movable first housing being movable between a latched and an unlatched position and having a projecting portion; said fixed latching member being adjacent to a recess in said second housing; wherein said projecting portion is positioned in said recess and said movable latching member engages said fixed latching member when the gate is closed and latched and said projecting portion is withdrawn from said recess when the gate is in the closed position and the movable latching member is displaced from the fixed latching member, enabling the movable housing portion to move to the unlatched position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13)
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10. A safety gate comprising:
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a gate; a stationary frame arranged to selectively close off an access opening positioned between two (2) adjacent areas, said opening being defined by at least a floor and two (2) spaced side surfaces; said frame being secured between said sides by holding members on opposite sides of said frame; said frame having an opening for receiving said gate, one side of said gate being moveably mounted to one side of said frame opening; a latching mechanism arranged along another side of said gate opposite said one side and having a first and second movably mounted members movable between a latched and unlatched position and being normally urged in a first direction outwardly and away from said gate by bias means; a fixed latching member fixed on said frame; said first and second movable members being spaced apart and each having a cam surface for slideably engaging one of a pair of opposing vertices of said fixed member when said gate is swung toward a position in alignment with said fixed member, one of said cam surfaces slidably engaging an associated vertex and being moved toward the unlatched position until said one cam surface engaging said associated vertex is free of said associated vertex whereupon the first and second movable members are both urged to the latched position whereby said first and second movable members lie on opposite sides of said fixed member, said fixed member being positioned between said first and second movable members when the gate is in a closed position. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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14. A safety gate comprising:
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a gate; a stationary frame arranged to selectively close off an access opening positioned between two (2) adjacent areas, said opening being defined by at least a floor and two (2) spaced side surfaces; said frame being secured between said side surfaces by adjustable holding members on opposite sides of said frame; said frame having a gate opening for receiving said gate, one side of said gate opening having hinge assemblies for moveably mounting one side of said gate to said frame; a latching mechanism arranged along another side of said gate opposite said one side for selectively engaging a fixed latching member arranged along said frame when said gate is in a closed position; at least one of said hinge assemblies comprising a housing, and a helical biasing spring maintained in a toroidal shape in said housing and cooperating with a projection moved by said gate, which compresses a portion of the spring when the gate is opened for normally urging said gate toward the closed position. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A gate assembly comprising:
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a stationary frame to selectively close off a frame receiving opening defined by a structure and defining a gate receiving opening that is smaller than said frame receiving opening; a gate mounted in said gate receiving opening; and a latching mechanism comprising; i) a housing, which is slidably mounted on and movable along said gate; ii) a movable latching member pivotally mounted in said housing for selective engagement with a fixed latching member arranged on said stationary frame; and iii) an operating lever projecting from said housing for moving the movable latching member away from the fixed member when the operating lever is pressed in a first direction; wherein said movable latching member extends into a recess in said fixed latching member and engages said fixed latching member when the gate is closed and latched and is withdrawn from said recess and displaced from the fixed latching member when the movable housing is moved to an unlatched position.
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Specification