by drjamesr »
Fri Mar 18, 2011 2:02 pm
The same problem here - a gate that needs to open up a hill sloping up at right angles to the line of the shut gate (in distinction to a hill sloping along the line of the shut gate). After a bit of experimentation there is a possible solution that needs only ordinary hinges. Normally hinges would be set beneath each other and on the edge of the vertical gate post. The idea here is to offset the hinges at an angle equal to that of the slope. A triangular board fixed to the gate post along the line of the shut gate will permit the top hinge to be set further out into the gate opening space than the bottom hinge. The hinges must be fixed at right angles to the outer slope of the triangular board. (A diagram would make it easier to explain). No need to cut the gate, just fix it to the triangular board with the bottom edge PARALLEL to the ground when shut. Looks just like a standard gate. Yet when open, the bottom of the gate will slope upwards, at the same slope as the hill. Looks like magic if you can't see the hinges!
It's not a perfect solution as the gate will lean into the opening when open, and it will need to be secured so that it doesn't close under it's own weight onto your brand new car as you drive out. Opening the gate will require more and more effort the steeper the hill. But the method does work.
A more elegant solution is a pivoting hinge mechanism so that the gate can be tilted outwards in the shut position. The gate can then be opened parallel to the slope. The effort required still increases with the steepness of the slope but the gate doesn't slope inwards when open. I haven't seen such a mechanism being sold but let me know if there is one.
