Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 123, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 October 1903 — A Perfect Farm Gate. [ARTICLE]

A Perfect Farm Gate.

•Our former townsman, Silas ' Swain, Des Moines, lowa, who is of an inventive \ turn of mind, set himself some years ago to invent a farm gate which should be as perfect as human engenuity could devise. It was to be of moderate cost, strong, durable, perfectly easy to open and Bhut from a vehiole or on horse-back, but whioh no animal oould open from the ground In making, perfecting and patenting such a gate, Mr. Swain has spent all his sjaare time and spare oash for years, but now be has “got here with the goods.” He has just been visiting his old friend Capt. R. W. Marshall and has just put up at the latter’s residence, in the west side of town a full sized g&te, where it may be seen and its workings examined, by anyone. This gate is built of wood, with a section of John O’Conner’s patent wire fencing, but may be wholly of wood. It opens by simply a very light pull on a banging handle at the end of a lever, sliding back on ball bearing pulleys and with perfeot ease. And the ball bearings work so easily that it is impossible to catch the gate on the center, as so many patent gates do, thus requiring the operator to get out and open it, anyhow.

Driving through the gate it closes with another light pull from they other side. When the gate is either opened or closed it locks right there and can not be moved either way, except by pulling down on one or the other of the lever handles. The mechanism of the gate is so simple and yet so perfect that it can not be seriously interfered with by snow, the main feature being the ball bearing rollers, which are completely protected from the weather. Regarding the cost of one of these full size farm gates, Mr. Swain states they can be built oomplete for sls. Or for $6 the oastings, pulleys and lumber may bethought and the owner do the work himself.