Garden latch keeps failing

[Jupiter01]

I've got this garden gate which is in a location which comes under severe wind pressure. This can cause the gate to slam and I’ve now gone through two of these latches and the same piece keeps breaking.

Is it a case of trying a different brand of locks (this component) or do you have any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

 

[kingandy2nd]

You could place a strip of wood on the other side of the gate that sits tightly to the gate when closed.

Then if the gate slams shut in the future it will hit the newly installed piece of wood, rather than allow the latch to take the brunt of the blow, which is what’s causing it to break as it has now.

 

[Jupiter01]

I don’t follow.
If I fit a strip of wood, it will take the brunt off the latch but I can’t see how I would then lock it as the gate would be pushed out further due to the wooden strip - if I have understood correctly...

 

[kingandy2nd]

The wood would sit on the other side of the gate (than shown in your photos), and would be fitted to the gate frame.

Without seeing the other side of the gate it’s not possible to explain how it could be fitted to the frame/fence post.

However, the wood should work effectively like a door stop and prevent the gate from swinging too far inwards, which means the latch can bend or break.

 

[Tigercubrider]

If it is caught by the wind, causing the metal bar to take the impact, consider something on the inside of the frame, protruding but flexible.
This would take the brunt of the energy acting as a shock absorber

A chunk of hefty rubber, that deforms on closure. Something like one of those rings that people buy to play with a dog?

Or a tennis ball with a hole in it, screwed to the door or frame, which would collapse on impact but absorb energy

 

[conny]

As the part that breaks is a 2 piece assembly I would look at shaping a single piece of metal to the same shape. If you don't have the facilities/skill to do it I'm sure an apprentice in a local garage/engineering shop could knock something up for you for a small fee.

 

[conny]

You could place a strip of wood on the other side of the gate that sits tightly to the gate when closed.

Then if the gate slams shut in the future it will hit the newly installed piece of wood, rather than allow the latch to take the brunt of the blow, which is what’s causing it to break as it has now.

What KingAndy means is to put a block on the opposite side of the gate that doesn't open, i.e. the left hand side in your picture. As it seems to be the lower portion of the catch that fails I would put the block slightly below this position on the outside.

 

[Jupiter01]

Thanks for the response. Sorry but I don't follow. If I put any block at the back, the gate will sit proud and hence not allow me to latch.
As someone suggested earlier,could I try a piece that is a whole as opposed to the two parts that the current piece is? I would be very interested to hear any suggestions on such a device.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

The ramp on that latch is very steep- I suspect that the wind causes the gate to slam shut at such speed that the bar doesn't slide up, thus causing the fail, rather than the gate overclosing.
Solution- grind that ramp down to about 30 degrees, prob need to deepen the notch for the bar as well as raising the latch plate a bit (you'll be able to see by how much when you've ground it down)
Solution 2 is just use a cheap mortice latch (no need to try and recess it in the gate, fix bits of batten top and bottom to the gate then fix the latch to the battens)

 

[Jupiter01]

is this a more appropriate solution: https://www.toolstation.com/auto-ga...n7Zx_mdJa82camS17UFTDgRzeAbVGFkAaApufEALw_wcB

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Yeah that should do a better job