130 



THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



a part of one side of gate A, and retain it when the gate is closed. The gate rests on a vi- 

 bratory lever D, sunk a little below the roadway at the middle of the track, but elevated at 

 the one side. This lever railway is hung upon a pivot, with its long end towards the opening 

 of the gate, so as by its weight at that end to tilt down the gate into its place, self-acting, 

 when the lighter end is relieved from the weight or pressure of a carriage, &c. on the road- 

 way, after it has passed through. E is the platform ; it is secured to the short end of the rail 

 D at the left-hand side, and extends both in front and back of the gate. Supposing a person 

 or carriage to be approaching the -gate, his weight or that of the carriage on the platform will 

 depress the now elevated end of the lever D at the left, and the gate will roll into the position 

 shown in dotted lines A, until the person or carriage has passed off the platform E on the 

 other side ; the lever D will then rise to the position as shown in the figure, and tilt the gate 

 into its place and close it. The vibrating rail D may be so hung that its long end will be to 

 the left of the pivot or vibrating point, as by a weight on the platform it can be so adjusted 

 to open and close the gate independent of the point at which it is hung on its pivot. Different 

 methods of securing the platform to the tilting-rail may be employed. The platform, also, 

 may be provided with any suitable fastening, such as a spring switch with a vertical lever at 

 one side, which will set free a catch on the platform, and allow it to act so as to prevent ani- 

 mals opening the gate by merely getting on the platform. 



The inside corners of the posts at the ground may be extended as close to the gat as pos- 

 sible, so as to fill up the space between the gate and the posts, to prevent hogs, &c. from thus 

 passing through. The filling up of these spaces may be executed neatly, to accord with the 

 general contour of the gate. 



Various modifications of this gate may be adopted, embracing the same general principles 

 of construction and operation, according to the taste of those who put them up. In fig. 2 the 

 gate A rests upon a rail C sunk in the lever platform D a little below the road-way in the 

 middle of the track, but elevated at one side and extending some distance to the left. This 

 platform D extends both in front and back of the gate. The rail C is firmly fastened to the 

 platform D, which itself rests upon a fulcrum next the short end of the rail upon which the 

 gate rolls, and the platform has a weight F at its edge sufficiently heavy to keep the short end 

 of the rail upon the ground, and the long end in an inclined position, thus shutting the gate. 

 By the pressure of a carriage or person upon the platform, the position of the rail is reversed 

 and the gate rolls open. The platform D may be provided with any proper catch or fastening, 

 so that the gate cannot be casually opened by animals, a plan of which is shown at fig. 3. 



There is claimed for this gate great simplicity of construction ; and when its cheapness, 

 utility, and beauty (if desired) shall be remembered, and it is likewise borne in mind what 

 little skill is required to make it, and how little its liability to get out of repair, it is believed 

 that it will be regarded as preferable to the common gate swinging on hinges ; and may pos- 

 sibly be esteemed superior to any form of gate among the various inventions of more modern 

 date. 



