US51710A - Improved gate-latch - Google Patents

Description

ENITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

E. OTIS FRINK, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

IMPROVED GATE-LATCH.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 5 [,710, dated December 26, 1865.

To all whom "it may concern Be it known that I, E. O'rts FRINK, of the city of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Latch for I asteniug Gates, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exactdeseription thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of the invention consists in the peculiar construction and operation ot the said latch. The said latch is to be made of iron, brass, or any other suitable metal.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I proceed to describe its construction and operation as follows:

The latch consists of a slide (represented by l) D of No. l of the said dra\\'ings,) which said slide is provided with a latch, K, ahandle, l5, and a slot, [1, all of which are represented by said No.1 of said drmvings. The sliding latch operates in asuitablc cover, (represented by A A of the said dra\\'ings,) the same being, when arranged for its proper operation, as represented by A A l) K of No. 3 of thesaid drawings. Through the said slot- L of the slide 1) 1) passes a. proper screw, which secures a proper parting-plate to the said cover A A, and the said slot being of sutlicient length the said slide is free to move unobstructed by the said screws. The said cover is provided with a shield or basket (represented by )I I 1 ;\I of No. 3 of said drawings) to protect the said handle E and prevent said latch from being improperly opened by animals or by accident. This said basketorshield is provided with two thumb-rests, one directly above the other. Connected with each is a proper aperture, (represented by I of No. 3 of said dra-wings,) whereby the thumb is enabled to rest on the edge of the said shield or basket at F, thereby obviating the necessity of ashoulder for that purpose. By means of constructing the upper and lower half of said latch exactly similar it can be used either as a right or left hand latch at pleasure, the whole being, when properly attached to the gate, as represented by No. 3 of the said drawings.

\Yhen the motion of the gate in closing has carried the latch K f'arenough it will impinge upon the beveled edge of the catch G. The said slide D D, being free to move, will be raised and caused to slide upward in said cover by the said latch K moving on the inclined plane made by beveling the edge of the said catch G, and thereby allow the said latch ii to pass over the said catch G. When the said latch K has passed beyond the beveled edge of the said G the weight of the said slide 1) I) will cause it. to fall into a proper notch ot' the said catch G, where it will be firmly held. To open the latch the thumb is placed on the said thumb-rest F, and the said handle E is drawn up with the forefinger, which lifts the said latch K out of the notch of the said catch G, and the gate is then free to open.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The said sliding latch, when the same is constructed with the projecting portion K, the slot. L, and handle E, and operated substantially as set forth.

L. The said shield or basket M F F M, when constructed aml applied substantially as set forth.

3. The improved device as a whole, con structed and operated substantially as set forth.

OTIS FRINK.

AIICSI;

U. E. W. DONALD, H. A. MOORE, H. DAVIS.

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