GB2041051A

GB2041051A - Baby gates

Info

Publication number: GB2041051A
Application number: GB7904720A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1979-02-09
Filing date: 1979-02-09
Publication date: 1980-09-03

Abstract

A barrier to obstruct an opening such as a doorway or stairway, to restrain the passage of infants therethrough, comprises a hinge plate 31 to which releasably may be hinged a gate member 10 having a first portion 11 of generally rectangular shape and a second portion 12 of C-shape. The two portions are relatively slidable and may be clamped together at an appropriate relative disposition to allow the gate member fully to obstruct the opening. The gate member includes a latch mechanism 17 spring biassed to a position in which the latch may engage a catch plate 21, mounted on the opposite side of the opening to the hinge plate 31. The latch mechanism has a knob 20 of rounded profile, rendering the mechanism difficult to operate by an infant but nevertheless easily operable by an adult. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Baby gate This invention relates to a gate for restraining the passage of infants through an opening, such as a doorway or stairway. Such gates are often referred to as "baby gates".

It is often required to prevent an infant entering or leaving a room, or climbing up or down a flight of stairs, whilst at the same time to allow an adult to pass relatively freely. A well-known form of baby gate for this purpose has a barrier which is removably fixed between two wall elements on either side of the opening, the barrier comprising a rectangular frame, and screw-threaded clamps which may be turned to bear against the walls on each side of the opening. This form of baby gate suffers from several disadvantages. The gate is inconvenient to use, for when an adult wishes to pass through the opening, the clamps must be retracted from the walls by rotation, to allow the gate to be removed, and the clamps must be tightened again after the adult has passed through. In addition, there is the risk that the clamps may be operated by an infant.At the same time, since the gate is merely held in position by means of the clamps expanded horizontally to bear against the walls, there is a considerable danger that the gate may move out of position should an infant climb on the gate, or run into it.

It is an aim of this invention to provide a baby gate for restraining the passage of an infant through an opening, which gate is convenient to open by an adult, and yet cannot be opened by a young infant.

According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided a baby gate for restraining the passage of infants through an opening, which gate comprises a hinge member adapted for mounting on a wall element on one side of the opening, a catch member adapted for mounting on a wall element on the other side of the opening, and a gate member for pivotal mounting on the hinge member and having a latch which is engageable with the catch member, the latch being spring biassed to a catch member engaging position, and the gate member having two portions which are slidably adjustable to allow the effective width of the gate member to be varied to suit the opening to be closed, there being locking means to lock the two portions against relative sliding movement when the width of the gate member has been adjusted to a required size.

By appropriate design of the latch co-operable with the catch member, the gate when closed may be opened with relative case by an adult and yet be effectively locked against opening by an infant lacking the required strength or skill to operate the latch.

Conveniently the gate member comprises a substantially rectangular portion, and a substantially C-shaped extension portion, the upper and lower limbs of the C-shaped extension portion respectively lying adjacent and outside the top and bottom sides of the rectangular portion. Preferably the rectangular portion comprises a rectangular frame provided with a number of parallel members arranged between two opposed sides thereof.

Preferably the locking means to lock together the two portions of the gate member is constructed to allow the locking means to be released by an adult yet to be substantially immovable by an infant. For example, screw threaded clamps may be employed. Conveniently the catch member and the hinge member are mounted on the respective wall members by means of screws. It will be appreciated that since in use the gate is hingedly yet securely fixed to one wall member, and the catch member is secured to the other wall member, even if an infant does run into or climb on the gate member, the gate will remain secure. Moreover pairs of hinge and catch members may be provided in a house in various openings, and a single gate member employed for use on any one pair at a time.

According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided a gate for restraining the passage of infants through an opening, which gate comprises a hinge member adapted for mounting on a wall element on one side of the opening, a catch member adapted for mounting on a wall element on the other side of the opening, and a gate member for pivotal mounting on the hinge member and of adjustable width over a preset range so as to be able substantially to block the opening when so mounted, the gate member having a latch which is engageable with the catch member, the latch being in the form of a bolt biassed by a spring of predetermined strength to a position for engagement with the catch member and having a manually-grippa- ble release member of rounded profile whereby the predetermined spring bias and the rounded profile of the release member together render the catch member substantially immovable by infants whilst being releasable by adults.

It has been found by experiment that a preset spring bias of from 2 to 4 Kgf in combination with a release member in the shape of a sphere 2 to 3 cm. diameter together render the catch member substantially immovable by infants whilst being releasable by adults. It will be appreciated therefore that the gate may not be opened by an infant, yet is easily openable by an adult.

By way of example only, one specific em- bodiment of baby gate of this invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a general perspective view of the baby gate; Figure 2 is a cross section through the catch member of the gate of Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a detail view of part of the gate shown in Fig. 1; and Figure 4 is a section view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

Referring to the Figures, there is shown a baby gate of this invention intended for restraining the passage of infants through an opening, yet allowing adults to pass therethrough.

The gate 10 comprises a substantially rectangular portion 11 and a C-shaped extension portion 12 both formed of square-section tubing. The free ends of the C-shaped extension portion 12 are closed by means of plastics plugs 12'. Rods 13 extend vertically between the top and bottom sides 14,15 respectively of the rectangular portion 11, and are arranged to prevent the passage of an infant therebetween.

On side 16 of the rectangular portion 11 there is provided a latch mechanism 17 which includes a slidable horizontal bolt 18 urged by a spring 19 of preset bias to protrude from the side 16, the bolt being restrained by means of a release member 20 spherical shape. The bolt 18 has a rounded free end and is arranged to be engageable with a catch member 21 which may be attached to a wall element by means of screws. The catch member 21 is of substantially D-section and is provided with a recess in which the rounded free end of the bolt 18 may seat.

The rectangular portion 11 and the extension portion 12 are slidably adjustable to allow the effective width of the gate 10 to be varied to suit the opening to be closed. The rectangular portion 11 and extension portion 12 are clamped in a required setting by two locking mechanisms, one locking mechanism being provided on each of the top and bottom sides 14, 15 of the rectangular portion 11.

Each locking mechanism includes a short length of square section tube 22 which fits closely within the square tubing of the extension portion 12, and which is provided with a threaded stud 23 extending through an elongate slot in the extension portion 12 and through a hole in the side of the rectangular portion 11. In addition, a pine 25 is mounted on the tube 22 and extends into another hole provided in the side of the rectangular portion 11 to prevent rotation of the length of tube 22, relative to the rectangular portion 11, and thus also of the extension portion 12. A knob 24 is is threaded on the free end of the threaded stud 23 by which the length of tubing 22 may be pulled towards the side of the rectangular portion 11, thereby locking together the rectangular portion 11 and extension portion 12 by a clamping action.

Two downwardly projecting hingepins 29 are provided on the extension portion 12 and may be received respectively in the bores of two bosses 30 provided on a hinge plate 31.

In use, the hinge plate 31 and the catch member 21 are mounted on the opposed wall elements at an opening, and the gate 10 is hung on the hinge plate 31 by means of the hinge pins 29. The locking mechanisms 22 are released, and the extension portion is slidably moved relative to the rectangular portion to suit the width of the opening; the mechanisms 22 are then operated to clamp the portions together. It will be appreciated that corresponding sets of hinge plates and catch members may be positioned at different openings, but only one gate member used to close any one of the openings. The width of the gate may however be adjusted to suit the width of any of the openings, when the gate is hung on the respective hinge plate.

A latch mechanism comprising a release member 20 in the shape of a sphere of 2 to 3 cm. diameter and a preset spring bias of 2 to 5 Kgf has been found to be inoperable by infants of 3 years or younger, nor by many 4 or 5 year old infants, yet is operable with ease by an adult.

In operation, due to the shape of the catch member 21, when an adult has opened the gate, the gate may simply be closed by swinging the gate shut, since the rounded free end of bolt 18 will ride over the curved surface of the catch member 21 and seat in the recess provided therein. Moreover, because the bolt is received in a bore, the bolt restrains upward movement of the gate, so as to resist lifting of the gate and hence of the hinge pins 29 out of the bosses 30. When however the gate is open, it may simply be lifted off the hinge plate.

Claims

1. A baby gate for restraining the passage of infants through an opening, which gate comprises a hinge member adapted for mounting on a wall element on one side of the opening, a catch member adapted for mounting on a wall element on the other side of the opening, arfd a gate member for pivotal mounting on the hinge member and having a latch which is engageable with the catch member when so mounted, the latch being spring biassed to a catch member engaging position, and the gate member having two portions which are slidably adjustable to allow the effective width of the gate member to be varied to suit the opening to be closed, there being locking means to lock the two portions against relative sliding movement when the width of the gate member has been adjusted to a required size.

2. A baby gate as claimed in claim 1, wherein one portion of the gate member is substantially rectangular, and the second portion of the gate member is substantially Cshaped, the upper and lower limbs of the C shaped portion respectively lying adjacent and outside the top and bottom sides of the rectangular portion.

3. A baby gate as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rectangular portion comprises a rectangular frame provided with a number of parallel members arranged between two opposed sides thereof.

4. A baby gate as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the latch is in the form of a bolt biassed by a spring of predetermined strength to a position for engagement with the catch member, the bolt having a manually-grippable release member of rounded profile.

5. A baby gate as claimed in claim 4, wherein the spring provides a bias of from 2 to 4 Kgf to the bolt.

6. A baby gate as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the release member is in the shape of a sphere of 2 to 3 cm. diameter.

7. A baby gate as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the locking means to lock together the two portions of the gate member includes screw threaded clamp means to restrain movement between the two portions.

8. A baby gate substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.