Counterbalanced gate for a hospital youth crib and method for using the same

An improved hospital youth crib having a frame and a moveable side gate, wherein the improvement comprises:

• a pair of spring power reels attached to the moveable side gate;
• each spring power reel having a spring powered cable with a constant force exerted thereon;
• each cable having an end;
• the end of each cable attached to the crib frame;
• the improved hospital youth crib further including a latch mechanism comprising:
• a pair of handles having upper ends and lower ends, the lower ends being pivotally mounted to a handle retainer and each upper end being pivotally mounted to a latch trigger;
• a push button and a release button located within the upper horizontal member and biased in an outward position by a push button spring;
• each latch trigger located adjacent to the release button and having a latch trigger slot for receiving the release button when the push button is in a spring biased position;
• a latch rod connected to each latch trigger, each latch rod extending axially outward through the upper horizontal member and having a latch rod end extending through a horizontal member aperture formed within each end of the upper horizontal member;
• each latch rod end engaging with a latch rod aperture formed within the crib frame.

A method for counterbalancing a hospital youth crib side gate moveable within a side gate track, the side gate including:

• a gate frame having an upper horizontal member parallel to a lower horizontal member and at least two vertical members connected between the upper and lower members;
• at least one spring power reel attached to the gate frame below the lower member;
• the spring powered reel having a spring powered cable having an end;
• the cable end attached to the crib frame;
• a pair of handles having upper ends and lower ends, the lower ends being pivotally mounted to a handle retainer and each upper end being pivotally mounted to a latch trigger;
• a push button and a release button located within the upper horizontal member and biased in an outward position by a push button spring;
• each latch trigger located adjacent to the release button and having a latch trigger slot for receiving the release button when the push button is in a spring biased position;
• a latch rod connected to each latch trigger, each latch rod extending axially outward through the upper horizontal member and having a latch rod end extending through the horizontal member aperture formed within each end of the upper horizontal member;
• each latch rod end engaging with a latch rod aperture formed within the crib frame, the method comprising the steps of:
• attaching a pair of spring power reels having constant force cables to the side gate frame;
• routing the constant force cables into the side gate track;
• attaching the constant force cables to a mid point in the side gate track.