Fig. 204.—A “Self-opening” Gate.
Fig. 205.—Latch-post.
[Figure 204] shows a gate balanced in a similar manner, and arranged so it can be opened by a person desiring to drive through, without leaving the vehicle. It is suspended by ropes which pass over pulleys near the top of long posts, and counterpoised by weights upon the other ends of the ropes. Small wheels are placed in the ends of the gate to move along the inside of the posts, and thus reduce the friction. The gate is raised by means of ropes attached to the center of the upper side of the gate, from which they pass up to pulleys in the center of the archway, and then out along horizontal arms at right angles to the bars which connect the tops of the posts. By pulling on the rope, the gate, which is but a trifle heavier than the balancing weights, is raised, and after the vehicle has passed, the gate falls of itself. In passing in the opposite direction, another rope is pulled, when the gate is raised as before.
Fig. 206.—The Gate Open.
Fig. 207.—The Gate Closed.
[Figures 206] and [207] show a gate specially designed for snowy regions. The latch-post, [figure 205], is fixed in the ground and connected with the fence. It is an ordinary square fence-post, to the side of which a strip of board is nailed, with a space of an inch between the board and the post. At the opposite extremity of the gate a heel-post is set slanting, as shown in [figures 206] and [207]. The gate is made by laying the five horizontal bars on a barn floor or other level place, with one of the sloping cross-bars under them and the other above them. Half inch holes are bored through the three thicknesses, carriage bolts inserted from below, and the nuts screwed on. The gate, thus secured at one end, is carried to the place where it is to remain and the other ends of the horizontal bars secured to the heel-post by similar bolts. These should work freely in the holes. The lower bar is four feet long and the upper bar seven feet. To the heel of the upper bar is hung a weight nearly heavy enough to balance the gate, so that it may easily be swung up, as shown in [figure 206], and the weight will keep it raised.