T-Shaped Lever Gate Latch with Weighted Bias Chain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gate latch systems lack sufficient bias to ensure secure latching, particularly when the gate is slammed, due to lack of additional downward pressure on the pivotal latch lever, leading to potential misalignment and failure to stay in the fully latched position.
Innovation Solution
A gate latch pull system featuring a pivoting T-shaped lever with a weighted chain or line providing additional downward bias, mounted inside the gate post to ensure the latch lever moves securely to the latched position and can be operated from either side, incorporating a flexible linkage that adjusts to provide the necessary bias for secure closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional pivotal latch lever is used without additional bias, then the structure is simple, but the latch bar bounces out of the latch when the gate is closed or slammed
Solution Approach 1:
A bias weight is attached to the pivotal latch lever to provide additional downward force. This counterweight compensates for the upward bouncing force when the gate is closed or slammed, ensuring the latch bar remains securely engaged in the latch recess.
2Ease of operation
If pull rings are used to operate the latch lever, then the gate can be opened from outside, but the rings create opposing counterweight force that prevents full latching
Solution Approach 1:
The bias weight attached to the pivotal latch lever counteracts the opposing force created by the pull rings. This ensures that when the pull rings are released, the latch lever can fully pivot down to engage the latch bar securely, overcoming the residual upward force from the rings.
3Ease of manufacture
If the latch lever is mounted inside the gate post, then it is not visible to passersby, but operation becomes more restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The T-shaped lever is designed to pivot horizontally rather than vertically, and the bias weight is positioned to swing with the lever's motion. This dynamic configuration allows the lever to be mounted inside the gate post for aesthetic purposes while still being operable from either side of the gate by reaching over.
4Reliability
If friction is present in the pivotal mounting, then the latch lever may not move to fully latched position, but adding bias weight increases the force required to overcome friction
Solution Approach 1:
The bias weight provides continuous downward force on the pivotal latch lever, ensuring that the latch bar remains firmly pressed against the latch recess. This additional bias force overcomes friction in the pivotal mounting, ensuring the latch lever reaches and maintains the fully latched position.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The weighted chain or line provides sufficient downward bias to ensure the latch lever quickly and securely closes, maintaining the latch bar in place, even when the gate is closed forcefully, and can be operated discreetly from either side without being visible.
Implementation Method 1
a weighted chain or line providing additional downward bias
Implementation Method 2
pivoting T-shaped lever having first and second lever arms 12, 14 and a swinging base 16. A pivot point (generally in the form of an aperture or hole in the T) is provided at the junction of the first and second lever arms
Implementation Method 3
The swinging base and lever arms form a T-shaped lever pivotally mounted via the pivot point to a gate post such that the swinging base pivots in an arc side to side as the lever arms are depressed
Data Source
AI summary
A gate latch pull system for a swinging gate and gate post. A gate latch with pivotal latch lever is mounted on a gate post and a latch bar on an inside edge of a swinging gate. A T shaped lever with first and second lever arms and a swinging base is pivotally mounted on the gate post above the gate latch. A vertical linkage connectable between bottom of swinging base and top of the pivotal latch lever, with the linkage adjustable in length during connection of the base and the latch lever such that when the latch lever is in a latched position and the swinging base is vertical, the linkage has flexibility, slack and weight enough to provide additional downward weight bias to pivotal motion of the latch lever.