TECHNICAL FIELD

This present invention relates to a retro fit safety apparatus for gates and especially for existing forcing yard gates in cattle yards.

BACKGROUND

It should be noted that reference to the prior art herein is not to be taken as an acknowledgement that such prior art constitutes common general knowledge in the art.

Typically, cattle yards are used to work cattle in confined spaces. Cattle can become very agitated and dangerous when confined within these spaces. As cattle are moved from yard pen to yard pen they are often forced into small forcing yards or holding pens through hinged gates. These gates require latching when the animals are enclosed and this process of latching poses great danger to the operator. If an animal contacts the gate with force while the gate is not latched the gate can cause serious impact injury or the operator may become trampled by escaping animals.

Some gates currently available provide some protection in that they are self-latching. However, such gates are still required to be closed and in position before the self-latching mechanism is engaged. Therefore there is still the risk that until the gate is closed the gate could be forced open by an animal and cause injury to the operator.

Clearly it would be advantageous if a system could be devised to overcome or ameliorate at least some of the above disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a retrofit safety apparatus for use with a gate comprising: an upper assembled part attached to a gate frame; a lower assembled part attached to the gate; and a safety mechanism attached to the lower assembled part, wherein the upper assembled section is adapted to engage with the safety mechanism such that the gate is prevented from moving towards an open configuration if a force is applied to the gate from an opposite side. Preferably the safety mechanism may comprise a tongue for engaging with the upper assembled part.

Preferably the upper assembled part may comprise an arm which is curved such that it follows a sector of a circle wherein the centre of the circle coincides with a hinge part of the gate.

More preferably the arm may comprise at least one poppet wherein the or each poppet is adapted to engage with the tongue and wherein when the tongue and the or each poppet are engaged, movement of the gate is prevented.

It may be preferred that the or each poppet may be movable within the arm.

Preferably the tongue may be configured to engage with the or each poppet such that when the gate is closing the tongue displaces the or each poppet sufficiently to allow movement of the gate but when the gate is opening the tongue engages with the or each poppet and thus prevents further movement of the gate.

It is preferable that the safety mechanism may comprise a tilting lock head adapted to tilt when a force is applied to the gate in an opening direction and is movable between a first locking position and a second non-locking position.

More preferably the tilting lock head, may be pivotally mounted to the lower assembled part.

More preferably the tongue may be attached to an upper part of the tilting lock head. More preferably still when the tilting lock head is in the second nonlocking position the tongue may remain clear of the or each poppet.

It is more preferable that when the tilting lock head is in the first locking position the tongue may engage with the or each poppet. More preferably the tilting lock head may be biased into the second nonlocking position by a counter balancing member.

More preferably still the counter balancing member may be a handle for closing and opening the gate.

It is preferable that the handle may be configured such that when it is pushed in order to close the gate the tilting lock head tilts into the first locking position and when the handle is released the tilting lock head tilts into the second non-locking position.

More preferably the handle may be pivotally attached to the lower assembled part. More preferably still the handle may engage with the tilting lock head such that when the handle pivots it causes the tilting lock head to tilt.

It is more preferable still that the lower assembled part may comprise a locking button for locking the handle and the tilting lock head in the first locking position. In an alternate embodiment the tongue may be pivotally attached to a fixed gate member.

Further the handle may be pivotally attached to an end of a protruding fixed member wherein the protruding fixed member extends away from the gate. It is more preferable that the point at which the handle is attached to the protruding fixed member may include an adjustable braking means for holding the handle in place. It is preferable that the tongue and the handle may be attached by a connector rod wherein when the handle is pushed towards the gate the connector rod causes the tongue to move to a first locking position and when the handle is released the tongue moves into a second unlocking position wherein when the tongue is in the first locking position it is engageable with the or each poppet and when it is in the second unlocking position it not engageable with the or each poppet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

More detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment will now be made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a retrofit safety apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the retrofit safety apparatus shown in FIG. 1 with a tongue engaged with a poppet; FIG. 3 is an isometric front view of the retrofi safety apparatus of FIG. 1 installed on a gate;

FIG. 4 is an isometric rear view of the retrofit safety apparatus of FIG. 1 installed on a gate;

FIG. 5 is front view of the retrofit safety apparatus installed on a gate as shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a front view of an alternate embodiment of a retrofit safety apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The following description, given by way of example only, is described in order to provide a more precise understanding of the subject matter of a preferred embodiment or embodiments.

FIGS. 1 to 5 illustrate a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows the invention comprising an upper assembled part 12 and a lower assembled part 18. The upper assembled part 12, when in operation, is attached to a gate frame 30 as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. It is attached by use of a clamping mechanism 54. The lower assembled part 18 is attached to a gate 28 by a rigid attachment means (not shown). The upper assembled part 12 includes an arm 14 which is curved. The curve of the arm 14 is part of a circle which has a centre at a hinge end of the gate 28. This curve ensures that as the gate 28 moves the same part of the gate 28 is beneath the arm 14 along the arm's 14 entire length. Included in the arm are a series of spaced apart ratchet pins or poppets 16. These poppets 16 are loosely vertically disposed within a series of corresponding holes along the length of the arm 14. The lengths of the poppets 16 are greater than the vertical width of the arm 14 so that a portion of each of the poppets 16 extends below the arm 14. The poppets 16 are able to slide freely within their respective holes. They are prevented from sliding all the way out by the inclusion of flanges disposed at either end of the poppets 16. The lower assembled part 18 includes a tilting lock head 26 which is pivotally attached to a main body of the lower assembled part 18. A tongue 20 is attached at the top of the tilting lock head 26 and in this first embodiment is integrally formed with the tilting lock head 26. A handle 22 is pivotally attached to a lower part of the main body at pivot mount 24. The top most part of the handle 22 engages with a bottom part of the tilting lock head 26 such that when the handle 22 pivots it causes displacement at 25 which causes the tilting lock head 26 to pivot which in turn causes the rotational displacement of the tongue 20. The tongue 20 is displaceable between a first locking position and a second non-locking position. When the lower assembled part 18 is in its resting configuration the top of the tongue 20 is clear of the bottom most part of each of the poppets 16. This means that the gate 28 can freely move between its open and closed positions. When a force is applied on the side and in the direction represented by the arrow 52 inertia causes the tilting lock head 26 to tilt such that the tip of the tongue 20 is raised. When the tongue 20 is raised the tip is displaced upwards to a point above the lowest part of the poppets 16. If the gate 28 continues to move then it will be stopped when the tongue 20 encounters the first poppet 16 and stopped from swinging open any further. This mechanism would prevent injury to an operator who was operating the gate from the opposite side to the force applied. If an operator were to be guiding animals through the gate 28 and was closing the gate once the animals were on the other side then the operator would be in danger of injury due to the gate 28 being forced into him or her by the animal. However, because the gate 28 is stopped by the tongue 20 engaging with a poppet 16 the gate would stop before it could impact the operator therefore preventing potentially serious injury from occurring.

The greater the number of poppets 16 means the greater protection afforded the operator. Each poppet 16 provides a means to stop the gate 28 from opening towards the operator, if the safety mechanism is engaged. The poppets 16 are spaced apart along the length of the curved arm 14 of the upper assembled part 12. Therefore the gate 28 can be prevented from forcefully opening once the safety mechanism has been activated at different angles of gate opening, depending on the position of the most distal poppet 16. It should be appreciated that the maximum angle could be changed to suit the operator's requirements. The distance between poppets 16 should also be calculated to provide maximum protection. The distance between the poppets 16 would provide the maximum displacement of the gate 28 before making contact with a poppet once the tongue 20 is raised due to force applied. It would be most advantageous to make this distance as small as possible, while still maintaining the most efficient mechanical configuration.

It has been stated above that the tilting lock head 26 tilts due to inertia when a force is applied on the opposite side and in turn displaces the tongue 20. In order to achieve this a counter balance is required to maintain the second un-locked position of the tilting lock head 26 when at rest while movement through inertia! forces to cause the displacement of the tongue 20. The counter balance mechanics is achieved by use of a handle 22 being pivotally attached to the main body of the lower assembled part 18. The top of the handle 22 is pivotally attached to a bottom part 25 of the tilting lock head 26. When the handle 22 rotates clockwise the tilting lock head 26 rotates anti-clockwise and vice versa. The lower end of the handle 22 should be weighted to provide the counter balancing feature. The handle 22 can also be used by an operator to close the gate 28. If an operator closes the gate using the handle 22 by pushing it the handle 22 will cause the ultimate raising of the tongue 20. If the tongue 20 is raised it will engage the poppets 16. However, since the poppets 16 are movable vertically and since the shape of the tongue 20 will cause the poppets 16 to be raised when the gate is moving into the closed position, the gate can be closed while providing a further safety mechanism, that being that the tongue 20 is already raised. So, if a force were applied on the other side the tongue would already be in a position to be stopped by poppets 16 if gate 28 were to suddenly change direction. This means that while the operator is closing the gate 28 with the handle 22 the safety mechanism does not need to be engaged by the inertia provided by the sudden movement of the gate 28 in the opposite direction.

Further, the handle 22 can be held in place by a locking button 29 (shown in FIG. 5). The locking button 29 holds the handle 22 in the position which causes the tongue 20 to be raised. This provides a latching mechanism for the gate 28 to prevent it from being opened once the locking button 29 is engaged.

In an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 6 the lower assembled part 18 includes a handle 22 a tongue 20, a connector rod 42 and a main body 49. The handle 22 is pivotally connected to a protruding fixed member 47. The handle 22 comprises a manual part 43 and a lever part 45. The lever part 45 is deviated by an angle which is less than 180 degrees to the manual part 43. The handle 22 is pivotally attached to the protruding fixed member 47 at an elbow 46 formed at the junction of the lever part 45 and the manual part 43. A first end of a connector rod 42 is pivotally attached to the lever part 45 at some distance from the elbow 46.

The tongue 20 is pivotally attached to the top most part of the main body 49. A second end of the connector rod 42 is pivotally attached to tongue attachment 50 which is positioned at some distance between a free tip of the tongue 20 and a pivot connection 44 between the tongue 20 and the main body 49. This alternate embodiment configuration 40 provides a different mechanism to achieve the same result as the first embodiment described above. The tongue 20 is manipulated by both inertial forces and by the operation of the handle as described above but in this case it is the connector rod 42 which provides the coupling between the handle 22 and the tongue 20. When the handle, 22 is pushed towards the gate 28 the connector rod 42 is pushed up due to the upward displacement of the lever part 45. The upward movement of the connector rod 42 pushes the tongue attachment 50 up. The tongue 20 thus rotates about pivot connection 44 and the tip of the tongue 20 is displaced upwards to a position ready to engage with the poppets 16.

ADVANTAGES

The present invention provides a safety mechanism for gates used in controlling animals, for example cattle on farms. The invention provides a means to prevent a gate from being forced open by an animal on the opposite side, and possibly into an operator. If a gate were to be forced open and impact an operator serious injury could occur. This invention greatly reduces the likelihood of such injuries, providing a safer working environment for operators of such gates.

VARIATIONS It will be realized that the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example only and that all other modifications and variations as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein set forth.

The drawings herein do not display definitive specifications as they are for explanatory and demonstration purposes only. The dimensions, appearance, materials or devices used in this accessory may be varied to suit different applications.

In the specification the term "comprising" shall be understood to have a broad meaning similar to the term "including" and will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. This definition also applies to variations on the term "comprising" such as "comprise" and "comprises".

The word poppet(s) has a special meaning in this specification. A poppet as referred to in this specification refers to pin like structures and should be interpreted in light of how they appear in the drawings. They may also be described as ratchet pins.