Gate-latch.

Application filed March 10, 1909. Serial No. 482.435.

To dll whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, James Moore, a citizen of the United States, residing at Myrtle Point, in the county of Coos and State of 5 Oregon, have invented a new and useful Gate-Latch, of which the following is a specification.

The latch herein shown and described is designed, more particularly, for gates, and 30· the object of the present invention is to provide a latch of this kind which is simple in structure, and devoid of complicated parts to get out of order; and also to provide a latch which can be easily operated from 15 either side of the gate.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts, to be hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had 20 to the drawings hereto annexed, in which:—

Figure 1 is a face view of a portion of a gate, showing the application of the invention : Fig. 2 is a similar view, partly broken away, showing the parts in another position: 25 Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3—3 of Fig. 1: Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4—4 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 5 denotes the gate. The latch works in 30 a housing comprising a base-plate 6, and a cover-plate 7, having at its longitudinal edges flanges 8, whereby it is fastened to the base-plate. Fastening means such as screws 9 pass through notches 10 in the edges of 35 the base and the cover plates, said, edges being in alinement, and said fastening means also pass into the gate, whereby the housing is secured to the latter.

The latch-bolt is indicated at 11, it be40 ing of such a length that it may be projected from the housing into the keeper (not shown), the housing being open at its front end for this purpose. The rear end of the housing is also open, and from this end the 45 bolt projects when it is in retracted position. The bolt is normally held in retracted position by a coiled spring 12, connected at its ends to the rear end of the bolt and to the gate, respectively. The bolt 11 is operated 50 by a transverse pin 13, projecting from opposite sides thereof, one end of said pin projecting through a slot 14 in the cover-plate, and the other end of the pin projecting through registering slots 15 in the base-plate 55 and the gate, whereby the bolt may be φρ erated from either side of the gate. Two sets of the herein described slots are provided, in order that the latch may be reversed. The bolt is held in advanced or locking position by a gravity detent, com- 60 prising an arm 16, working in the housing, and pivoted thereto as indicated at 17. The free end of this arm is hook-shaped, as indicated at 18, and is adapted to engage a shoulder 19 on the bolt, adjacent to the rear 65 end thereof, said shoulder being formed by reducing said end of the bolt. Access to the detent for the ourpose of operating the same, may be had from both sides of the gate, the latter and the base-plate 6 of the housing 70 having registering apertures 20, and the cover-plate 7 having an aperture 21. The hook is exposed through these apertures, and is therefore accessible from both sides of the gate. In order to facilitate the operation of 75 the detent, the hook has finger notches 22 on opposite sides.

The operation of the latch will be apparent from the foregoing description, but it may be summarized as follows:—The parts 80 are normally in the position shown in Fig. 1. To advance the bolt into its keeper, it is pushed forwardly by means of the pin 13, against the tension of the spring 12. When the shoulder 19 comes in line with the hook 85 18, the latter drops into engagement therewith, as shown in Fig. 2, whereby the bolt is held in locking position. To retract the bolt, the hook is lifted off the shoulder, whereupon the spring is permitted to contract and 90 thus retract the bolt, and restore it to its normal position.

It will be seen, from the foregoing, that I have provided a latch which is easily operated from eitner side of the gate, and, as 95 its parts are few and simple, it can be cheaply produced, and easily applied.