This application relates generally to the field of closure latches for side-hinged, swinging closures such as doors, panels, or gates, to be referred to herein collectively as gates. More particularly, the application relates to latches that address the problem of gate sag, whereby over time the weight of the gate results in the non-attached end of the gate opposite to the hinged side dropping or sagging.
Most gates are constructed by assembling individual members, such as for example wooden boards, into a substantially rectilinear configuration with both ends of the gate being in parallel. One end of the gate, the hinged end, is mounted to a hinge post or other structural supporting member with hinges. The other end of the gate is a free end which is not supported when the gate is in an open position. When closed, the free end of the gate is supported by a latch comprising two main components. A stationary component of the latch, often referred to as a catch or keeper, is mounted to a latch post or other structural support member. A swinging component of the latch, often referred to as a striker, is mounted to the free end of the gate, the striker being received and retained by the catch when the gate is closed.
When first installed, the catch and striker components of the latch are properly aligned in horizontal relationship to retain the gate in the closed position until the striker component of the latch is released to open the gate. It is very common over extended time periods for the free end of the gate to drop or sag, especially with gates made from wood or with excessively elongated gates, such as those used to allow vehicle access. When this occurs, closing and latching the gate requires manually lifting the free end to align the striker with the catch.
Gate latches typically comprise a striker component having a laterally extending pin, post or rod that is received within the slot of a catch component. To address the common problem of gate sag, an inclined lower ramp surface is usually provided on the catch, the inclined ramp surface extending from the bottom of the slot. With this structure, when the striker pin is no longer properly aligned with the slot of the catch assembly due to a small amount of gate sag, the person closing the gate must push or pull the gate to force the striker pin to ride up the ramp of the catch and enter the slot. This operation can be difficult for heavy or elongated gates, and if the free end of the gate has sagged excessively such that the striker pin does not align with the ramp, the person closing the gate will have to lift the free end of the gate a significant distance to bring the striker pin to the level of the ramp and slot on the catch. This can be very difficult for heavy gates.
In addition to providing the catch ramp, various other methods are used to address the gate sag problem. One solution is to reinforce the gate itself, such as by attaching a diagonal strut made of wire or cable from a point on the gate near the uppermost hinge to a point on the gate near the lower corner of the free end. Additional struts may be mounted in various directions to prevent the free end of the gate from sagging. Such attachments are unsightly and are often ineffective in precluding gate sag. A similar solution, especially for elongated gates, is to provide an extended vertical tower on, adjacent, or as part of the stationary hinge post. A wire or cable strut is then extended from the top of the extended tower to the upper corner of the free end of the gate. This solution is also unsightly, especially with short gates, and is typically only effective on elongated gates.
It is an object of this invention to provide a gate latch that addresses the problem of gate sag, the gate latch being a gate lifter latch wherein the structure of the latch is such that closure of the gate results in the lifting of the free end of the gate to the correct pre-sag height relative to the latch post, the closing and lifting operation occurring easily and with little effort on the part of the person closing the gate. It is a further object to provide such a gate lifter latch which comprises a lifting assembly having a pivoting lift arm, the lift arm being angularly adjustable to account for the increases in gate sag over time, such that when the gate is closed the striker pin is initially received in a receiving slot of the lift arm, with further closure of the gate pivoting the lift arm into a vertical orientation to raise the free end of the gate to the proper height. It is a further object to provide such a gate lifter latch in a basic embodiment, an embodiment operational with a manual locking assembly, or an embodiment operational with an automatic locking assembly. It is a further object to provide such a gate lifter latch that is capable of universal application, wherein the elemental parts or components of the latch may be rearranged for use with either inswing or outswing gates. These objects and objects not expressly set forth will become apparent upon review of the disclosure which follows.