Removable Quick Latch For Cattle Gates

Removable Quick Latch For Cattle Gates FENCING Gates 30-2-33 Here's a cattle gate latch that I think is innovative. My husband, Keith, designed it so maybe I'm biased, but I don't think so. In high traffic livestock areas, he needed something that would work better than the factory chains on his pipe gates. Those were cumbersome and not very safe. What he came up with is strong, quick, safe, and flexible because it's removable and can be used as either a left or right hand latch. And the gate doesn't need to be cut or welded so it's not weakened. The latch fits any 2-in. pipe gate. Three 2-in. muffler clamps secure it to the gate so the latch can easily be removed and relocated to a different gate if necessary. "It's a quick-latch that's meant for dangerous places such as in runways or behind loading chutes," he says. "Using a chain in these places isn't fast or safe." Keith's home-made latch consists of a 4 by 16-in. metal plate with holes drilled for the muffler clamps. A 1-in. dia. pipe welds to the plate. A 7/8-in. dia. rod that slides inside the pipe has a 6-in. right angle handle on one end. When pushed all the way into the pipe, the rod extends past the end of the gate to a cleat on the fence. Two short pieces of 1/4-in. thick, 1-in. sq. plate form a stop so that when the handle is down in closed position, the cattle can't push it open. Because there are two of these stops (top and bottom), they also form a slot that the rod has to slide through to get the gate open. Keith says that if the latch is used in permanent holding areas, it should have added security. To achieve this, a flexible tarp strap can be used to hook around the gate and the handle so that there's no way the cattle can rub it into position and get it open. Keith says he really likes using his latch because it slides smoothly and freely, but is strong. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Keith Schole, R.R.#1, Pickardville, Alta., Canada T0G 1W0 (ph 780 349-3538; jschole@west-teq.net).

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