Hands Free Gate
AssigneeCarlson Pet Products, Inc.
InventorsMark A. Flannery, Brian G. Linehan, Elizabeth R. Volk
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present gate includes a barrier frame and a gate in the barrier frame. The gate is opened by inserting a foot into a foot opening in the gate, which action compresses springs disposed about pivot pins between the gate and the barrier frame and draws an extended latch downwardly and out of a latch receiver that is bottomless, which action unlatches and frees the gate from the barrier frame such that the gate can be swung open. Downward travel of the gate is minimized until a foot pushes a pivoting stop out of the way.
Claims6
A gated barrier comprising:
- a) a barrier frame, the barrier frame defining a barrier plane;
- b) a gate engaged to the barrier frame, the gate defining a gate plane, the gate movable vertically in the barrier plane, the gate swingable relative to the barrier frame such that the gate swings out of the barrier plane;
- and
- c) a latch between the barrier frame and gate and engaged to one of the barrier frame and gate, the latch having a latch end, the latch having an extended position relative to the gate, the latch having a retracted position relative to the gate;
- d) a latch receiver on one of the barrier frame and gate, the latch end being receivable in the latch receiver when the latch is in the extended position, the latch end being movable downwardly out of the latch receiver when the latch is in the extended position;
- and
- e) the gate being movable vertically in the barrier plane when the latch is in the extended position.
A latch apparatus for latching a first piece to a second piece, comprising:
- a) a main latch housing, the main latch housing engaged to one of the first and second pieces, the main latch housing having a latch, the latch having a distal latch end, the latch having an extended position and a retracted position, the latch being slideable between the extended and retracted positions;
- and
- b) a latch receiver housing, the latch receiver housing engaged to the other of the first and second pieces, the latch receiver housing having a latch receiver receiving the distal latch end of the latch to latch the first piece to the second piece, the latch receiver defined by a first side, a second side, an end side, a top side, and a bottom side, the latch receiver having an end opening opposite said end side such that the distal end of the latch can slide from the retracted position to the extended position and into the latch receiver, at least one of the top and bottom sides being open such that the latch can be drawn out of the latch receiver through said at least one top and bottom side when the latch is in the extended position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.