Wind stop for garage and other gates

The most popular type of gate in our country is swing. They are simple in design and reliable. But one important point must be taken into account: if the swing gates are not fixed in the open position, they can slam shut due to a gust of wind. If there is a car in the opening, then the sash will obviously leave a dent. And if a person gets in her way, the injury can be very serious. Therefore, in the design there must be an emphasis for the gate. Designs can be very different. From elementary hooks welded to the leaves, to electromechanical or magnetic latches.

Mechanical gate stopper: types

Mechanical stoppers or latches for gates are among the simplest and cheapest. They are popular not only because of this. Also because, in fact, there is nothing to break. This is a couple of metal parts. Metal is also not eternal, but if something breaks, then replacement will take a minimum of time. You can do and replace everything yourself, with your own hands, moreover, without complex and expensive tools.

Easier than simple – a hook on the sashes and reciprocal loops

The easiest way to secure a swing gate open is to use a metal hook. In fact, this is a well-known door hook. At ground level, in a wall or on a pole, there should be loops or staples for which you will hook this hook.

This is perhaps the cheapest and easiest way to secure open swing gates. And you can mount it at any height. Ideally, if it is possible to fix at the level of the belt. And the sash will hold well, and it will be easy to fix / recline the hook.

What is the downside? The fact that the loops do not always have somewhere to fix – not all gates have poles or walls. It is possible, of course, even to drive in / concrete a loop into a concrete or unpaved area before entering, welding it to the pin. And attach the hook at the bottom, behind the bottom of the sash. But the loop will have to be “digged out”, cleaned, which is not always easy and simple to do. Especially in rain or winter found under snow and ice. The second point – you have to bend over to fix and release. Not everyone is happy with this prospect.

If you like the crochet hook idea but want more security, you can use zip ties. They have a loop on one side and a hook on the other. What is their plus (except reliability) – they easily adjust to the required length / height.

There is another option for installing a hook to fix the sashes in the open position – attach it to the top of the sash (see the drawing in the figure above). It can be on a loop, it can be on a metal corner. Fix the counter part of the corner with holes on the gate frame. We position the corner so that one of the shelves is free and is just above the edge of the frame. In this shelf, you can drill holes for the hook. By moving the hook, you can adjust the opening angle of the sash. The longer the reciprocal corner, the more positions the gate leaf can have. The same design can be used as a sash opening limiter.

Simple gate stop: two hinges and a deadbolt, spring-loaded vertical deadbolt

If you need to fix light sashes or a gate, there is a simple device that consists of two loops and a metal rod. Everything is simple here. It is necessary to choose the method of fixing the loops and the level at which they should be attached. An emphasis must be welded onto the rod on one side – a crossbar or a ball. Everything works elementary: combine the loops, thread the latch. That’s it, the gate stop is at work.

The second option in the right photo above is well suited for options with a metal frame. You will need to weld an additional bar, which will be at a distance of 20-30 cm from one side of the frame. Next, holes are drilled through which the rod will pass. The metal rod for the spring stop should be about 2,5 times longer than the distance between the crossbars. You also need a spring with a length equal to the distance between the crossbars.

The gate stop is assembled on site. We bend the upper part of the rod at a slight angle. You will need welding and a small piece of metal – for the stopper. Two more washers are required. Insert the rod into the first upper hole. We put a washer on the bottom side, thread the spring, another washer and thread the edge of the rod through the bottom hole. The length must be adjusted so that the sash can be locked. Again, you need to try on the spot. Then weld a small piece of metal above the edge of the top cross member. That’s all, the stop for the gate is ready.

If there is no welding, it is permissible to use a bolt. You can drill a hole in the rod, cut the thread and screw in the bolt. You can use a tube instead of a rod. Then it is necessary to drill a through hole in the marked place, insert the bolt, on the other hand, screw the nut.

It makes sense to use a thread locker to securely fix the nut on the bolt.

Vertical bolt for gate

Another simple and cheap way to lock the gate in the open and closed position is to use a conventional or spring-loaded deadbolt. Just put it vertically, with the pin down. In the ground, the site is hammered / concreted with a response tube. It should have a larger diameter than the diameter of the deadbolt rod. And at least half as much.

The disadvantages of this type of stops are the same: in order to lower the bolt, you need to get into the tube. And it can be covered with snow, filled with mud, hiding in the grass. It is necessary to conduct “excavations” bending over, as well as fixing the gate. We’ll have to bend down again – to release the bolt and close the gate. In general, cheap, but not very convenient.

Catcher-latch for swing gates or wickets

A slightly more complex model with a spring allows you to get rid of unnecessary tilts. Sometimes such an emphasis for the gate is called a “catcher”. Because he really “catches” the sash and fixes it. There are store options. For example, Gah Alberts (pictured below). There are both vertical (floor) and horizontal (for mounting the catcher on a wall or pole) version.

The corner-loop with a window for the hook of the catcher is mounted on the sash at the bottom, the catcher itself is mounted on the wall or on the platform in front of the gate. When the gate opens, the corner lifts the movable hook. It has a rounded shape for easy movement. When the sash has opened so much that the loop is outside the hook, it (the hook) falls, grabbing the loop and not giving the possibility of a reverse motion. To release the sash, you need to press the “button” with your foot. The hook will lift, the latch will open.

Homemade spring-loaded retainer-catcher

You can make a convenient catcher yourself – the design is simple. We need a piece of a profile (square) pipe, a metal strip, a spring. It is desirable to have a welding machine, but everything can be done on bolted joints.

You make a rack from a profile pipe. The cross section of the pipe is the larger, the heavier the sash. In the variant in the photo, the stop is simply hammered into the ground, but you can make an option for attaching to a concrete pad or to a wall. When manufacturing, it is important to correctly determine the height at which you want to mount the movable cross member. Its upper edge should be 1 cm below the edge of the “caught” sash.

Production features

The length of the catcher plate is chosen arbitrarily. But don’t make it too short – it will be a tough move.

Please note that the trap plate can be located both flat (photo above) and on edge (drawing above).

If the plate is located flat, on one side of the workpiece, at a slight angle, weld a segment of the same strip about 10 cm long. It is this segment that will “grab and lock the sash. Perhaps, after testing, it will have to be done more or (more likely) less.

On the other side of the catcher plate, closer to the edge, make a hole for the spring mounting. Select the length and force of the spring “in place”. The efficiency and degree of rigidity of the entire device depends on its properties. Also, the stiffness can be changed by changing the place where the spring is attached to the cross member. So you can pre-drill a few holes. So, when testing, you can choose the required “mode” of capture.

The spring can be attached to the vertical post in different ways. Any of the methods will work. The choice depends on its parameters.

Now we need to assemble the structure. Under the installation of the crossbar, it is necessary to make a vertical cut in the rack. Its height is 2,5 times greater than the width of the crossbar. The width of the cut was approximately 1,5 times wider than its thickness. In the center of the cut, we make a hole for installing a bolt, which will be the axis of movement. Assembly takes a couple of minutes. The main thing is to fix the spring.

Folding stop for garage doors: a simple effective design

In the garage, few people are chasing beauty – functionality is more important here. The simplest and most effective method of fixing the gate leaf is the usual stop from improvised materials. As a rule, the emphasis is made of a metal strip, a tube or a profile pipe of small section. Can accommodate a corner with small shelves. In order for the stop to fix the sash well and not move under gusts of wind, its edge is sharpened.

You can attach it both to the leaf itself (the first and third photos above), and to the gate frame (photo above in the center). It also needs a spring (you can put two, on both sides of the stop), which will keep the device in working or “closed” state. Choose the place of fastening of the spring on the rod at the time of manufacture. Here you need to find a compromise: so that it is not too hard to recline the stop, but also hard enough so that the gate does not move. In general, the design is simple and everything can be seen in the photo.

gate stopper

Swing gates can open wide. Specifically, the opening angle depends on the hinges and how they are installed. And far from always this ability of theirs is for the good. By pushing the sash hard, you can damage what is nearby: the wall, the car, injure people and pets, etc. For convenient use of the entrance, it is enough that the leaves open at 90 ° or perhaps a little more. To prevent the gate from opening too wide, use a gate stopper. Sometimes there is a name limiter of the course or movement of the gate, side stop or limiter.

Gate stops

In the simplest case, a peg or a metal rod stuck into the ground can limit the opening angle of the gate. It is better to pull a piece of rubber hose onto the rod. These are very economical options, aesthetically they are not very attractive. More presentable ones can be bought. In stores and in the “iron” markets there are a variety of designs of gate stops. Usually this is a metal plate with holes for fasteners, on which rubber cylinders are fixed. There are limiters for mounting on vertical and horizontal surfaces.

The structures are very simple. If you have welding and some experience with it, you can weld something similar. The problem may arise due to the lack of suitable rubber parts. But they are sold separately under the name “sliding gate travel stops”. And by slightly changing the design, you can do without a cylinder. It is necessary to make the limiter platform in the desired plane. It will be possible to stick a couple of layers of thick rubber on it. The effect will be about the same.

Stoppers for locking in the closed state

There is another device group with the same name. These are limiters for swing gates when closing. They are usually needed for entrance gates without a threshold. Can be used for gates.

To prevent the closed sashes from hanging in the air, small stands are mounted at the place where they stop, on which the edges of the sashes rest. This removes unnecessary stress from the hinges, increases stability in the wind.

Specialists often call this stopper the central or middle one, and those that are located on the sides – the side ones. They are available in different heights, widths and shapes. Dimensions are in centimeters. The height of the stop itself at a high point is about 4-6 cm. So the sashes should fit perfectly.

Can you do something similar yourself? Why not? In the simplest case, you can put a metal corner on a small stand. But it sticks out too much, which can cause injury. You can collect a homemade gate stopper from metal plates of different sizes. Can be assembled by welding or bolting.