Fence gate assembly, and hat channel hinge apparatus therefor

A gate assembly comprising:

• an upwardly extending pipe or other round post;
• a hat channel bracket having a forward face which is positioned against a longitudinal exterior of the pipe or other round post, the hat channel bracket comprising
• a U-shaped channel which extends longitudinally from a lower end to an upper end of the hat channel bracket and includes (i) a longitudinally extending back wall, (ii) a longitudinally extending left side wall which projects from the back wall toward the forward face of the hat channel bracket, (iii) a longitudinally extending right side wall which projects from the back wall toward the forward face of the hat channel bracket, and (iv) a longitudinally extending opening of the U-shaped channel in the forward face of the hat channel bracket which is positioned on the longitudinal exterior of the pipe or other round post and
• the forward face of the hat channel bracket including a left flange plate which projects laterally outward from a left side of the longitudinally extending opening of the U-shaped channel and a right flange plate which projects laterally outward from a right side of the longitudinally extending opening of the U-shaped channel;
• a U-bolt in which the pipe or other round post is received, the U-bolt comprising a first threaded leg which extends through an aperture provided in the left flange plate of the hat channel bracket and a second threaded leg which extends through an aperture provided in the right flange plate of the hat channel bracket;
• a hinge pin element, at least a portion of which (i) extends outwardly from the back wall, the left side wall, or the right side wall of the U-shaped channel of the hat channel bracket and (ii) comprises a gate hinge pin;
• and
• a gate having a hinge pin receiving member thereon in which the gate hinge pin is received for pivoting the gate on the gate hinge pin,
• the left side wall of the U-shaped channel projecting forwardly from the back wall of the U-shaped channel at an angle of about 90° and
• the right side wall of the U-shaped channel projecting forwardly from the back wall of the U-shaped channel at an angle of about 90°.

A hinge apparatus for a gate comprising:

• a hat channel bracket having a forward face which is positionable against a longitudinally extending exterior of a pipe or other round post, the hat channel bracket comprising
• a U-shaped channel which extends longitudinally from a lower end to an upper end of the hat channel bracket and includes (i) a longitudinally extending back wall, (ii) a longitudinally extending left side wall which projects from the back wall toward the forward face of the hat channel bracket, (iii) a longitudinally extending right side wall which projects from the back wall toward the forward face of the hat channel bracket, and (iv) a longitudinally extending opening of the U-shaped channel in the forward face of the hat channel bracket and
• the forward face of the hat channel bracket including (a) a left flange plate which projects laterally outward from a left side of the longitudinally extending opening of the U-shaped channel and (b) a right flange plate which projects laterally outward from a right side of the longitudinally extending opening of the U-shaped channel;
• a U-bolt which is positionable on the pipe or other round post to hold the hat channel bracket, the U-bolt having a first threaded leg which is receivable through an aperture provided in the left flange plate of the hat channel bracket when the forward face of the hat channel bracket is positioned against the pipe or other round post and a second threaded leg which is receivable through an aperture provided in the right flange plate of the hat channel bracket when the forward face of the hat channel bracket is positioned against the pipe or other round post;
• a hinge pin element, at least a portion of which (i) extends outwardly from the left side wall or the right side wall of the U-shaped channel of the hat channel bracket and (ii) comprises a gate hinge pin;
• the hinge pin element being a J-bolt structure;
• the portion of the hinge pin element being a distal portion of the J-bolt structure;
• the J-bolt structure having a threaded arm which extends through (i) an aperture provided in the left side wall of the U-shaped channel of the hat channel bracket and/or (ii) an aperture provided in the right side wall of the U-shaped channel of the hat channel bracket;
• and
• the gate hinge pin of the J-bolt structure extending upwardly or downwardly at an angle of about 90° with respect to the threaded arm.