IE20030918U1 - A method and apparatus for converting a portion of a wall or railings into a gate - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT A method and apparatus for converting a portion of a wall or railings into a gate, the method comprising the steps of separating the portion of wall or railings from the remaining wall or railings to form a gate portion, supporting the gate portion, and providing a means to move the gate portion between its position within the wall or railings and a position wherein an opening is formed in the wall or railings. Apparatus for converting a portion of a wall or railings into a gate comprising support means adapted to be fitted to a gate portion of the wall or railings to support the gate portion during and following separation from the wall or railings, means for moving the gate portion from a closed position within the wall or railings to an open position wherein an opening is formed in the wall or railings.

Description

Title A method and apparatus for convening a portion of a wall or railings into a gate.

Field of the Invention The invention relates to boundary structures of gardens, in particular the front gardens of period houses.

Background to the Invention The front gardens of period residences are typically walled. It is common for Victorian houses to have at least the front boundary wall provided with often ornate iron railings. The iron railings may be set directly into the ground or may be set in a stone base or plinth. Planning laws exist to protect the aesthetic appearance of period residences, including the walls and/or railings that form the boundary walls of the garden. To date in Ireland, planning laws prevent the removal or destruction of such railings.

A pedestrian gate is typically provided within the boundary wall to allow pedestrian access to the front garden and ultimately to the house. These gates typically date back to when the property was built. The gates usually match the railings of the house, and may be subject to the same planning restrictions as the railings of the boundary Wall.

In recent years off-street parking has become increasingly appealing for financial and security reasons. While the aforementioned period properties typically have the benefit of a front garden large enough to accommodate a parked car, vehicular access to this space is prevented by the front wall/railings.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for converting a portion of the boundary wall or railings into a gate to allow vehicular access to the front garden of a property.

It is a further object to the invention to provide a method and apparatus for converting a portion of an existing wall into a gate wherein, the appearance of the existing wall is not jeopardised by the gate.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for converting a portion of an existing wall into a gate wherein the resultant gate arrangement does not contravene planning regulations.

Summary of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided a method of converting a portion of a wall or railings into a gate, comprising the steps of: separating the portion of the wall or railings from the remaining wall or railings to form a gate portion, supporting the gate portion, and providing a means to move the gate portion between its position within the wall or railings and a position wherein an opening is formed in the wall or railings.

Preferably, the method further comprises the step of erecting a gatepost adjacent one end of the separated portion of wall or railings.

Preferably the step of erecting the gatepost is carried out prior to the step of separating the portion of wall or railings.

Preferably the step of constructing a gatepost comprises the steps of: a) digging a large hole in the ground b) filing the hole with a foundation, and c) securing a post to the foundation Preferably, the gatepost is positioned adjacent the wall or railings. Preferably, the gatepost is positioned adjacent the rear face of the wall or railings. Preferably the step of securing the post to the foundation comprises bolting the post to the foundation.

Ix) Ln Preferably the step of sectioning the portion of wall or railings comprises the step of: making a substantially horizontal cut through the wall or railings along a line adjacent to the ground to form the base of the gate portion, and making at least one substantially vertical cut through the wall or railings to form a side of the gate portion.

In one aspect of the invention, two substantially vertical cuts are made through the wall or railings to fomi the two sides of the gate.

Preferably, a saw is used to cut the wall or railings. Where the wall is a stone wall, a diamond saw is preferably used to cut the stone. Preferably the diamond saw is a chain saw tipped with diamond. For larger projects, a diamond tipped wire saw may be used. Where a narrow kerf width is preferred, a circular saw may be used.

Alternatively a water jet tool may be used to cut the wall.

Where the wall is stone, the step of sectioning the gate from the wall may comprise the step of splitting the wall to form the base and sides of the gate.

Where the wall comprises one or more lines of bricks or stones separated by grouting, the step of sectioning the gate from the wall may comprise the step of paring away the grouting in between a line of bricks or stones to form the base and sides of the gate.

Preferably the method further comprises the step of bracing the gate portion prior to the step of sectioning the gate portion.

Preferably, the step of bracing the gate portion comprises the step of securing at least one brace, bracket, or reinforcement plate to the wall. Ideally, the at least one reinforcement plate is secured to the wall using bolts or similar fastening means.

Preferably, the at least one reinforcing plate or brace is secured to rear of the wall. The /5930713 step of bracing may further comprise the step of securing a brace to the base of the wall.

It will be appreciated that by limiting the application of support means to the rear of the wall, visible disruption to the front of the wall is minimised.

The method may further comprise the step of weatherproofing the gatepost.

Preferably the step of weatherproofing involves applying a weatherproof coating to the gatepost and/or foundation. Alternatively, the step of weatherproofing may involve providing a run-off path for surface water.

The method may further comprise the step of shaving the base of the gate to allow clearance of the gate over the ground when opening or closing the gate.

The method may further comprise the step of attaching wheels to the base of the gate to ease opening. Ideally the wheel is multidirectional.

Locking means such as a bolt may be attached to the gate so as to enable the gate to be locked when closed.

The gate may be operated by a mechanical or electrical actuator, electronically controlled to open and close the gate. The gate may incorporate electronic or mechanical sensors as part of this control and may incorporate safety features to stop opening or closing if a potential hazard is detected.

The gate operation may also be integrated into an overall premises security system In accordance with the present invention there is further provided apparatus for converting a portion of a wall or railings into a gate comprising: support means adapted to be fitted to a gate portion of the wall or railings to support the gate portion during and following separation from the wall or railings, means for moving the gate portion from a closed position within the wall or railings to an open position wherein an opening is formed in the wall or railings.

Preferably, the means for moving the gate portion comprises a gatepost.

Preferably the gatepost is cylindrical. Preferably the gatepost is provided with means for engagement with the ground. Preferably the means for engagement with the ground comprises at least one bolthole at the base of the gatepost so that the base of the gatepost may be bolted to the ground.

Preferably the height of the gatepost is less than the height of the wall or railings, so that the gatepost is not visible above the wall or railings.

Preferably the support means comprises: means for attachment to the wall or railings and means for attachment to the gatepost.

Desirably the means for attachment to the wall or railings comprises a bracket adapted to be secured to the rear face of the wall or railings. Preferably the bracket is a metal bracket, such as steel.

Desirably the means for attachment to the gatepost comprises a supporting arm adapted for rotational engagement with the gatepost.

Desirably, the supporting arm is provided with a cylindrical bore through which the gatepost may be received in the manner of a spigot and socket joint. Bearings may be mounted on the upright column of the gatepost to mate with the supporting arm.

Preferably the bearings are roller or angular bearings. Preferable at least two sets of bearings are provided on the gatepost.

It will be appreciated that the word ‘‘wall’’ as used herein includes any type of boundary wall including but not limited to a stone or brick wall, a set of railings with a base plinth, and a set of railings with no base plinth.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of one type of wall which may be converted to a gate by the method of the invention, Figure 2 is a front view of a wall to be converted according to a first example of the method of the present invention, Figure 3 is a plan View of the wall of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a front view of the wall of Figure 2 once converted, Figure 5 is a plan view of the converted wall of Figure 4, Figure 6 is a plan view of a wall converted according to a second example of the method of the present invention, and Figure 7 is a plan view of a wall converted according to a third example of the method of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Drawings Figure 1 shows a portion of a type of wall typically used to form a boundary of a front garden of a period residence. The wall 1 comprises a set of railings 2. The railings 2, which are typically iron, are set into a stone base or plinth 3. The railings 2 comprise a plurality of equally spaced upright members 2a the lower ends of which are bedded into the stone or granite base 3. The upright members 2a are linked in the region of their upper and lower ends by a pair of horizontal rails 2b.

The wall of Figure 1 is one type of wall, to which the method of the present invention may be applied. The method of converting a portion of a wall into a gate consists of five identifiable steps: . Defining the area of wall to be converted . Constructing a gatepost, consisting of a foundation, with a vertical column attached I . Applying additional support to the cut wall (gate), in the form of bracing, typically made of steel, to ensure that it can support itself while acting as a swivelling gate . Securing the wall section to the gatepost . Sectioning the wall for the gate The exact sequence of steps 2 to 5 will be a matter of convenience in each case.

It may Vary depending on a number of factors: - the exact design and location of the gatepost, - the nature of the wall, and access to it.

- The degree of interference with the historic wall that is allowable.

METHOD EXAMPLE 1 A preferred method of converting a portion of wall into a rotatable gate will now be described with reference to Figures 2 to 4.

. Define gate The first step is to define an area of the wall from which it is intended to construct a gate. Figure 2 is a front view of a wall 1 to be converted according to the present example. The wall 1, which is similar to that shown in Figure 1, comprises a set of railings 2 on a stone plinth 3. A pedestrian gate 4 is provided within the wall 1. The area 5 of the wall 1 from which the new gate is to be formed is shown in Figure 2. The new gate will be rectangular having two side edges: a pivotal edge 6 and a free edge 7.

. Construct gatepost The second step of the method involves the construction or erection of a gatepost. This first involves the creation of a secure foundation for the gatepost that does not deflect under the operation of the gate. The foundation is formed by digging a large hole in the ground and filling the hole with concrete which, once set, forms a solid, flat, levelled base for the gatepost. The gatepost to be used in the present method comprises a vertical steel column attached at its base to a horizontal thick steel plate. In the present example the column is cylindrical although an elongate column of any shape cross—section may be used. The steel plate is provided with a number of boltholes. All erecting the gatepost, the steel column is held in position over the foundation while the plate is then bolted to the concrete using standard construction procedures (typically masonry drill and ‘Hilti’ bolts). An important step to the easy operation of the gate is to ,5 930913 8 ensure that the gatepost is vertical once directed, and again standard construction techniques are used to achieve this. Before use, it may be desirable to weatherproof the gatepost to a standard appropriate to its service conditions and design life. This may include coating the gatepost and the concrete foundation, or providing a run-off path for surface water.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the wall 1 of Figure 2 on which the desired location of the gatepost 8 is shown. The gatepost 8 is located behind the wall 1, adjacent the pivotable edge 6 of the gate portion 5 of the wall 1. As will be seen in Figure 4, the height of the gatepost 8 above ground is less than the height of the wall 1. This is to prevent visibility of the gatepost 8 from the road. It will be appreciated however, that in alternative methods, a gatepost of any height may be used.

. Apply additional support The third step is to apply additional support to the gate portion 5 of the wall 1 to ensure that it can support itself while acting as a swivelling gate.

In the present example, the resultant gate portion of the wall 1 will be heavy due to the presence of the stone or brickwork plinth 3. As shown in Figure 2, the stone plinth 3 of the wall 1 is constructed from a series of stone blocks 9 laid end to end and joined by mortar 11. The gate portion 5 of the wall 1 comprises a mortar joint 11. It will be appreciated that unless the width of the gate is restricted to the width of one stone block, the existence of a mortar joint in the gate is unavoidable.

In this step of the method, support means in the form of T-sectioned steel reinforcement plates 12 are secured to the rear of the wall 1 across the mortar joint 11 as shown in figure 4 and figure 5 . Two reinforcement plates 12 are provided. The plates are secured to the stone plinth 3 using bolts or similar fastening means. As the plates 12 are only applied to the rear of the wall 1, they will not be visible from the road.

. Secure gate portion of the wall to the gatepost.

The fourth step of the present method is to secure the gate portion 5 to the gatepost 8. As seen in Figures 4 and 5, a bracket 10 is provided to secure the gate to the gatepost 8. The bracket 10 used in the present example is steel although any strong metal or solid material may be employed in the construction of the bracket. The bracket comprises a wall-engaging portion 13b and a post-engaging or supporting arm 13a.

The posl—engaging or supporting arm 13a is adapted for rotational engagement with the gatepost 8. In the present example a cylindrical hole 14 is fonned through the free end of the supporting arm 13a. The hole 14 is dimensioned to allow the upright column of the gatepost 8 to be received through the hole, in the manner of a spigot and socket joint. Appropriate bearings (not shown) are mounted on the upright column of the gate post 8 to mate with the inner wall 1 of the hole 14 formed within the supporting arm 13a. Roller or angular bearings may be used. In the present example, two sets of bearings are provided along the post. When the gate construction is complete, these bearings will allow the supporting arm 13a and subsequently the gate to rotate freely about the gatepost 8.

In the next step of the present method, the supporting ann 13a of the bracket is mounted on the gatepost 8 by lowering bracket 10 down over the top of the gatepost 8 so the gatepost 8 is received through the hole 14. The wall-engaging portion 13b of the bracket 10 is then secured to the stone plinth 3 adjacent the pivotal edge 6 of the gate portion. Suitable fastening means such as bolts may be used to secure the wall-engaging portion 13b to the stone. At this stage in the method, the portion of the wall 1 from which the gate is to be formed will now be fully supported by the gatepost 8.

. Section the wall The next step is to separate or section the predefined gate portion of the wall 1 from the rest of the wall 1.

The steel reinforcement plates 12 will support the stone plinth 3 of the wall 1 during the cutting so that it doesn’t fall apart during cutting. A wall constructed from several sections of stone and brick could be irreparably damaged if not kept together during this process.

In the present example, a sectioning of both the railings 2 and the stone plinth 3 will be required to form the gate from the wall 1.

IE 05091.8 Referring again to Figure 2, a first vertical cut is made through the horizontal rails and the stone plinth 3 along cut—line A to form the pivotable side edge 6 of the gate.

The top of the railings 2 will fonn the top of the gate.

To form the free edge 7 of the gate, a second vertical cut is made through the horizontal rails adjacent the existing pedestrian gatepost 8 along cut-line B.

The existing free end 13 of the stone base adjacent the pedestrian gate 4 will form the free end of the new gate and so no additional cutting of the stone base in this region is required.

The base of the stone plinth 3 is then separated from the ground by making a horizontal cut parallel and adjacent to the ground through the stone plinth 3 along cut- line C. This cut will form the base edge of the gate.

It will be appreciated that a variety of cutting tools may be employed to cut through the iron rails and the stone. Examples of suitable tools include diamond cutting tools, high-pressure abrasive water jets, and saws.

Sectioning of iron railings is a simple matter, and may even be done manually with a hacksaw. Sectioning through softer materials like mortar, can be done with a variety of materials, including standard saws, hammers or Chisels Sectioning of stone or brick will typically be done with diamond saws. Typically this will be done with a chain saw tipped with diamond, which are now common in construction. For larger projects, a diamond tipped wire saw may be used, as is commonly used in the quarrying and demolition industries. A narrow kerf width may be preferred in some cases, as is given by a circular saw. In this instance, a saw with an eccentric drive where its centre projects into the cut, is preferred. Water jet cutting and other sawing equipment may also be used, where appropriate.

K) U1 IEt:zo91a 11 Splitting of materials can also be used, and will likely be used nearing the end of a final sectioning cut. In this Case, wedges are hammered into a pre-formed slot and cause the remaining block to split. This technique is commonly used in stone quarrying, and may be used especially on stone walls. In that case, as well as in other cases, some smoothing of the cut may be desirable, which can be done with a range of tools common in the quarrying and construction industries.

When cutting is complete, the underside of the gate will remain in a substantially horizontal orientation as the weight of the gate will be supported by the gatepost 8. The gatepost 8 and bracket arrangement will also prevent the cut section from falling down on the tool during the cutting process.

An additional step of "shaving" the base of the gate to allow clearance of the gate over the ground when opening or closing the gate may also be required.

The method may further comprise the step of attaching one or more wheels to the underside of the gate to ease opening. A wheel under the free end of the base will further help to support the gate and may be desirable in cases where it is difficult to provide a secure foundation for the gate post, or where the loads involved in the cantilevered design are higher than desirable (either on the foundation, the brackets, or any part of the wall itself). Ideally the wheel is multidirectional.

The gate may now be pivoted through approximately 90 °about the gatepost 8 to an open position. It is in this open position that vehicular access to into the property is permitted.

Locking means such as a bolt may subsequently be attached to the free edge 7of the gate so as to enable the gate to be locked when closed.

The method may further comprise the step of connecting a mechanical or electrical actuator to the gate to allow the opening and closing of the gate to be electronically controlled. For example, operation of the gate may be remote controlled.

IE 050918 12 The gate may incorporate electronic or mechanical sensors as part of this control and may incorporate safety features to stop opening or closing if a potential hazard is detected.

The gate operation may also be integrated into an overall premises security system An alternative example of step 3 (applying additional support to the gate portion) will now be described. A cradle or similar support means may be attached to the underside of the gate to secure the bottom line of bricks or stone together. Bracing of this kind need not be visible to passers—by. The cradle may be applied to the cut gate while in its original location or the gate portion may be removed from its original position before being sat on a cradle. The cradle may then be attached to a gatepost either directly or via a support arm of the type described above.

The above methods are used to convert a wall into a rotational gate. It will be appreciated that the method may be adapted to convert a wall into a gate having an alternative axis of motion, for example a longitunal axis of motion. In one example, the gate is opened through substantiallylongitudinal motion, that is to say it slides. Where the gate is to be opened by sliding the gate across the opening, the step of applying a cradle to the base of the gate portion is required. The cradle may have a number of wheels underneath which allow the gate to roll along a defined path. Tracks or similar guide means may be positioned on or within the ground across the gate opening to guide the sliding gate.

It will further be appreciated that a combination of sliding (translational) and rotational motion may be employed to open and close a converted gate.

It will be appreciated that the method of the present invention is not limited to use on the type of wall shown in Figures 1 to 4. The method may also be used to provide a gate from a set of railings having no stone plinth or base. In these circumstances, the lower end of the upright members of the railings may protrude a short distance into the ground. In addition to cutting vertically through the horizontal fd ‘J1 /E 050918 13 rails to fonn the sides of the gate, a horizontal cut would need to be made through the upright members adjacent the ground to form the base of the gate.

The method may further be used to convert a portion of a wall without railings into a gate. The body of the gate may be cut from the wall in a similar manner to previously describe with regard to walls with railings. Alternatively, the body of the gate may be separated from the remaining wall by paring away the grouting in between a line of bricks or stones.

The method may be used to convert walls constructed of brick, plaster, grouting, concrete, metal, wood or any other type of wall.

METHOD EXAMPLE 2 In a second example of the present method, step 4 (cutting) may be carried out before step 1 (constructing post). This order may be used where it is desirable to construct a gatepost within the area presently occupied by the wall. Two such orientations of gatepost will be briefly explained with referenced to Figures 5 and 6.

Figure 6 is a plan view of a converted gate 205 having a gatepost 208 in line with the end of the gate 205,.

The method of converting a wall into a gate of this type comprises steps of: : Defining the area 205 of wall to be converted into a gate : Sectioning the wall for the gate and temporarily removing the resultant gate portion of the wall.

: Constructing a gatepost 208, consisting of a foundation, with a vertical column attached within the area from which the gate is removed : Applying additional support 210 to the gate portion : Securing the gate portion 205 to the gatepost 208 to complete the conversion.

It will be appreciated that it may be necessary to brace 212 the gate section of the wall before the wall is sectioned. The step of temporarily removing the gate portion may involve the use of heavy lifting equipment. To dispose of the need of such IE 0300 equipment, the sectioned gate portion of the wall may be disassembled and reassembled when the step of constructing a gatepost is complete.

This method involving disassembly of the wall is suitable only where the requirement for minimum disturbance of the historic wall is less severe. For instance, if applied to a wall of the type shown in Figure 1, the railings could be removed from the wall, and each of the stone or granite plinths cut and removed in turn, and then later re- assembled together with the gatepost to form the gate.

Figure 7 shows a converted gate 105 having a gatepost 108 constructed within the gate 105 itself so that the gate 105 swivels about an axis that passes through itself.

As the gatepost 108 is to protrude from the ground under the wall, then removal of the gate portion 1()5 of the wall 101 is essential prior to construction of the gatepost. The gate portion of the wall is first braced 112 in the manner described hereinbefore and then sectioned from the wall 101. The sectioned gate portion 105 is then temporarily removed from the wall. Once removed from the wall 101, an elongate cylindrical hole or passage 150 is cut into the base of the newly fonned gate adjacent its pivotable edge 106. The passage extends a predetermined distance into the gate corresponding to the height of the gatepost 108 to be received into the passage. The diameter of the passage will be greater than that of the gatepost. The passage is then lined by introducing a length of steel tubing 160 into the passage. The gate may then be "hung" on the post by lowering the gate over the gatepost.

The diameter of the tubing 160 is less than that of the passage 150 but greater than that of the gatepost 108 to insure that the gate portion can be supported by and swivel freely on the gatepost. Bearings may be provided on the gatepost 108 to cooperate with the inner wall of the steel tube 160.

The words "comprises/comprising" and the words "having/including" when used herein with reference to the present invention are used to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

Claims (1)

1.Claims l . A method of converting a portion of a wall or railings into a gate, comprising the steps of: separating the portion of wall or railings from the remaining wall or railings to form a gate portion, supporting the gate portion, and providing a means to move the gate portion between its position within the wall or railings and a position wherein an opening is formed in the wall or railings. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of erecting a gatepost adjacent one end of _the separated portion of wall or railings, and optionally: making a substantially horizontal cut through the wall or railings along a line adjacent to the ground to form the base of the gate portion, and making at least one substantially vertical cut through the wall or railings to form a side of the gate portion. Apparatus for converting a portion of a wall or railings into a gate comprising: support means adapted to be fitted to a gate portion of the wall or railings to support the gate portion during and following separation from the wall or railings, means for moving the gate portion from a closed position within the wall or railings to an open position wherein an opening is formed in the wall or railings. A method for converting a portion of a wall into a gate or railings as substantially described herein with reference to the accompanying examples and drawings. Apparatus for converting a portion of a wall or railings into a gate as substantially described herein with reference to the accompanying examples and drawings.