The
Spring Latch is a very heavy duty latch that has been the mainstay used on
larger wooden gates in England for well over one hundred years.
It offers
much over products available on the domestic market. It is very
robust and extremely functional. For the equestrian it is ideal. The
spring latch is easily operated while handling a horse on a lead shank or even
from horse back.
A gate built using the spring latch and our Double Straps can easily be slammed shut from the full open position.
While the idea of hanging a gate behind the posts is somewhat foreign to those of us raised in North America it is a very common practice on the other side of the Atlantic. If a gate is built one inch wider than the opening the gate and hung on the inside of the field it offers significant advantages;
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It can be opened a full 180 degrees
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When the gate is open none of the hardware projects into the opening thus significantly reducing the change of injury to animals and machinery passing through
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Horses tend to push on a gate rather than pull on it. Thus if the gate if on the inside of the field the chances of the gate being accidentally forced open are significantly diminished
The spring latch can be used behind the posts (Part #8326) as indicated above or a vertical version (Part #8327) can be used for a between posts installation.
The
latch keep is three inches wide to fit two thickness of standard 2 x 6 lumber.
The picture on the left shows a between posts latch (Part #8327) on a Vinyl Gate installation.
Where livestock are involved the ball on top of the latch should be installed at least an inch below the top of the post. While it is extremely unlikely that an animal will manage to open the latch, a loop of chain or rope around the gate style and post is recommended.