Gate stabilizer

• US 8,544,149 B1
• Filed: 08/24/2010
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eric Brett Faber
• Original Assignee: Eric Brett Faber
• Inventors: Faber, Eric Brett
• Primary Examiner(s): Lugo, Carlos
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US12/862,272
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 16/861, 16/88, 292/DIG.29
• US Class Current: 16/256
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/12 to allow easy detachment of the hinge from the wing or the frame E05D15/507 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/406 against deformation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/40 for gates

Abstract

A gate stabilizer for reducing sag-inducing stress on a gate comprising a support member and a stabilizer assembly, said stabilizer assembly including a rotating member having a first end portion adapted to engage said support member and a fixed member. The present invention further relates to a fence system incorporating said gate stabilizer.

Claims

1. A gate stabilizing device comprising:

a support member;

a U-shaped fixed member having a closed end, an open end, a pair of sides, and a pair of opposing latching keyways defined in the open opposing end portions of the U-shaped fixed; and

a U-shaped rotating member having a closed end, an open end, and a pair of sides rotationally connected to said U-shaped fixed member wherein

the closed end of said U-shaped rotating member is adapted to engage said support member and

the sides of the U-shaped rotating member define opposing latching slots such that said latching slots align with said latching keyways when said U-shaped rotating member is engaged with said support member;

a latching bolt, said latching bolt having a shaft sized to pass through said latching slots and said latching keyways and said latching bolt having a length sufficient to simultaneously extend through each of said latching slots;

wherein

the support member has a first end portion that is generally hemispherical;

the U-shaped rotating member rotates in a horizontal plane and the closed end of the U-shape has a diameter that is complementary to the diameter of the generally hemispherical end portion of the support member; and

the support member is affixed to a latching post and the U-shaped fixed member is affixed to a gate such that when the gate is in its closed position the closed end of the U-shaped rotating member engages the generally hemispherical end portion of the support member such that the gate stabilizing device bears a portion of the gate'"'"'s weight.

2. The gate stabilizing device of claim 1 wherein the latching slots defined in the U-shaped rotating member are partially surrounded by a shoulder.

3. The gate stabilizing device of claim 2 further comprising a grip affixed to an edge portion of the U-shaped rotating member adjacent to and extending beyond the closed end of the U-shaped portion.

4. The gate stabilizing device of claim 2 wherein the fixed member is affixed to a horizontal member of the gate.

5. The gate stabilizing device of claim 2 wherein the fixed member is affixed to a vertical member of the gate.

6. A fencing system comprising:

a gate, said gate having

a hinge end portion, said hinge end portion including at least one hinge and

a latching end portion;

a hinge post to which said at least one hinge is connected;

a latching post,

a gate stabilizer, said gate stabilizer including

a support member connected to said latching post;

a U-shaped fixed member having a closed end, an open end, and a pair of sides connected to the latching end portion of said gate;

a U-shaped rotating member having a closed end, an open end, and a pair of sides rotationally connected to the U-shaped fixed member wherein

the closed end of said U-shaped rotating member is adapted to engage said support member, the sides of the U-shaped rotating member define opposing latching slots, and the open opposing end portions of the U-shaped fixed member define opposing latching keyways such that the latching slots in said U-shaped rotating member align with the latching keyways in said U-shaped fixed member when said U-shaped rotating member is engaged with said support member; and

a latching bolt, said latching bolt having a shaft sized to pass through said latching slots and said latching keyways and said latching bolt having a length sufficient to simultaneously extend through each of said latching slots;

wherein

the support member has a first end portion that is generally hemispherical;

the U-shaped rotating member rotates in a horizontal plane and the closed end of the U-shape has a diameter that is complementary to the diameter of the generally hemispherical end portion of the support member; and

the support member is affixed to a latching post in a fence system and the U-shaped fixed member is affixed to a gate in the fence system such that when the gate is in its closed position the closed end of the U-shaped rotating member engages the generally hemispherical end portion of the support member such that the gate stabilizer bears a portion of the gate'"'"'s weight.

7. The fencing system of claim 6 wherein the gate stabilizer further comprises a shoulder partially surrounding each of the latching slots defined in the U-shaped rotating member.

8. The fencing system of claim 7 further wherein the gate stabilizer further comprises a grip affixed to an edge portion of the U-shaped rotating member adjacent to and extending beyond the closed end of the U-shaped portion.

9. The gate stabilizer of claim 7 wherein the fixed member is affixed to a horizontal member of the gate.

10. The gate stabilizer of claim 7 wherein the fixed member is affixed to a vertical member of the gate.