Field Gates. 
51 
top hinge to elevate the point of the gate, it is time to arrange 
for refixing the post. 
The fastening of gates is of great importance for the security 
of grazing stock, and to meet the requirements of a hunting 
countiy, as well as the hopeless indifference of the many who 
have not that distinctive mark of good manners — to close a gate 
which they have opened. Gates must not only be self-closing, 
they must be self-fastening also. Perhaps the most common 
fastening is the long vertical spring lever, 
striking on the bevelled plane of the catch 
and springing into its notch. The wonder is 
that it is so common, for it is as often out of 
working order as it is in order. A fastener, 
much less liable to go wrong, is, instead of 
a spring on the lever, made by forming the 
lower end to work within a mortise on a pin 
(well fitted) passing through it and the gate 
head (fig. 13). The weight of the head 
keeps it against the keeper or in the catch. 
It is useful to have the top of the lever 
It is then 
person on 
opens this 
slightly above the gate post, 
readily seen and reached by a 
horseback. An old cow which 
fastener will open a spring one. 
The next very simple fastener (fig. 14) 
comes from Buckinghamshire, and may be 
new to some readers. It will please all 
equestrians, for whose benefit it is designed. 
The crook over the top rail is raised by the hand or hunting-crop. 
The crank action pulls the oak bar horizontally along the slots in 
Fig. 13.— Gate Fastener. 
which it ia held, slightly raising it at the same time, till it escapes 
the catch. When the gate is thrown open, the weight of the 
crook, which is made of iron, brings the bar forward till the 
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