History has long lost track of the time when an ancient man had the idea to roll a stone to the entrance of the cave. This invention in its significance can only be compared with a wheel. The dwelling has become safer for the inhabitants. It was possible not to be afraid of the unexpected attack of wild animals. Tribes feuding over territory first had to overcome the fence. Craftsmen got the opportunity to work quietly, women - to raise children, warriors - to train and relax. Swing gates have changed the world. It has become more secure.
Goal history
Centuries passed slowly. The man expanded his dwelling. Instead of caves, field camps began to appear, fenced with a high fence. The problem of guarding the entrance to the security zone has always remained in the first place. The stone turned into a real gate. Only its design has changed:
- In conditions of limited space, mountainous terrain, it is more convenient to build lifting gates. When opened, they take up little space, while reliably locking the entrance. True, before industrial times, the production of an opening mechanism was very difficult.make. The undoubted advantage is that they closed quickly.
- An easier way to open - sliding doors. Requires a small space along the wall. In terms of security, this option clearly lost to others. But the time for such a design came much later.
- Someone guessed to surround the walls with a moat. The main gate often began to play the role of a swing bridge. As soon as they were raised, the castle became almost impregnable. Over time, the need for such structures disappeared. Modern drawbridges can be considered an echo of antiquity.
- History developed differently in the steppe and forest-steppe expanses. There was no need to save space. The masters of antiquity used the simplest option - swing gates.
Famous gates
Over time, swings began to play the role of not just a means of security, but also serve as a measure of the power of the rulers of the earth. They began to decorate.
- The fortress walls of ancient Babylon had 100 huge gates decorated with copper. It is hard to imagine an army that would dare to storm them.
- If you look at the photo of the swing gates of Constantinople, it will take your breath away. The Golden Gate, preserved from the 5th century, amaze with its grandeur. A majestic picture is presented of how the passions of the ancient shopping malls raged near them.
- In the 11th century, Yaroslav the Wise ordered the erection of the famous Golden Gates of Kyiv. Giants 14 meters high personified the power of Kievan Rus. The invincible hordes of Batu did not dare to storm them. It turned out,easier to destroy a wall than a set gate.
- In Russia, there are many examples of architecture of ancient masters. It is clearly seen that any Kremlin has a main tower with swing gates to the outside.
Design features
For many centuries, the design of swing gates has not changed at all. All genius lies in the simplicity of their device. Two, sometimes one canvas is attached to poles on hinges.
At the request of the owner, they can open both inwards and outwards. The main thing is to have enough free space. The rest is a matter of taste.
Various locks are placed, a gate is made at the gate or nearby. The opening can be arched or just open.
Any production material. The most popular are wood or metal. Wrought iron doors are often used. Modern technologies have added new types - swing gates made of corrugated board, composite materials, polycarbonate, sandwich panels and a number of others. What the industrial age has undoubtedly introduced are the mechanisms for automatic opening of the sashes. Swing gates with electric drive appeared.
Dignity of swinging
The simplicity of the design determines the main advantages of such structures:
- Even for summer cottages, swing gates can be installed without much difficulty.
- Low price and the ability to make from improvised material.
- Unlimited design possibilities.
- There are no problems limiting theheight.
- Installation of swing gates is easily done by yourself.
Consider the disadvantages
Any technical product has both its pros and cons. The simplicity of swing gates does not deprive them of some shortcomings.
- Large ones require well-supported support posts. On various soils, you have to install them deep and almost always make bored piles.
- Worth making a mistake in the strength of the poles - and it is guaranteed that over time they will warp.
- To be comfortable to use, you need a lot of free space. In the conditions of close suburban buildings, this is very difficult to achieve. This becomes especially obvious if swing gates are made for the garage.
- Even lattice structures of canvases are exposed to high wind loads. This is even more obvious for solid valves. In strong winds, swinging is dangerous to use.
- Electric opening devices greatly increase the cost of the structure.
Auto drive
If everything is clear with the installation of swing gates, then special attention should be paid to the electric drive for opening. The calculation must be error-free. As already noted, with gusts of wind, the canvases experience a large wind load. If the drive is selected incorrectly, an emergency situation can be created. If you are not completely confident in your own experience, it is better to turn to specialists.
Everything counts:
- Design weight.
- Distance from hinge to support.
- Linear dimensionssash.
There are two types of electric drive - linear and lever design. There is not much difference between them, and it is a matter of taste which one to choose. The main thing is that the manufacturer is reliable.
Important. Particular attention should be paid to the safe laying of the conductive cable. Do not forget that it will take place in an area of increased loads and must comply with all safety requirements.
Additional security
Automatically opening swing gates are a mechanism of increased danger. It is worth worrying about additional measures to avoid unpleasant situations.
- Install warning signs in the area of the radius of movement of the leaves.
- Use sound and light signals while driving.
- Photocells are installed to detect foreign objects in the movement area. If this appears, the process should be stopped immediately and resumed only after the interference has been eliminated.
Production example
As already noted, there can be many options for manufacturing swing gates. Consider one of the most popular:
- First of all, let's take care of the racks. Even for small doors, it is better to take a metal pipe with a diameter of at least 100 mm.
- Two holes are made for the foundation. For small country gates and with dry dense soil, you can get by with broken brick lining and other construction debris. More serious structures should be poured with concrete.
- Beforeby installing the pipes are primed with an anti-corrosion compound. The part below ground level is additionally treated with a composition from moisture.
- Strips for attaching loops are welded to the fixed pipe. The length of the strips depends on the design solution for the arrangement of the poles.
- Loops are attached to the embedded parts.
- After priming, the poles are ready for hanging the sashes.
Gate types
According to the manufacturing design, all swing can be divided into several groups:
- By type of opening - manual or automatic options.
- For safety and design - building envelope, decorative element.
- Open or closed.
- According to the material of manufacture. As already noted, the most popular have always been wooden and metal products.
Wooden structures
Without any doubt, wood has always been the most interesting material for the manufacture of any structures. Larch is especially well suited. Under the influence of atmospheric precipitation, undergoing cold and heat, it only gains strength. Practically does not rot and is not afraid of moisture. Such designs have a high aesthetic value. Especially if they are decorated with softer wood, use forged and metal lining.
For not the most important structures, you can use almost any wood, as long as it is well dried. When installing, it should be impregnated with an antiseptic and fire-fighting agents. Thus, we are inwe will significantly reduce such wood imperfections as:
- low strength;
- short service life;
- low ignition temperature.
Using metal
Metal successfully competes with its eternal companion - wood. Of course, metal ones are much more expensive and, most importantly, heavier. Accordingly, there are additional requirements for poles and hinges. But, for specially protected objects, it is difficult to imagine another option. Few people want to save on garage doors.
To reduce costs, various options are often resorted to:
- Make lattice. Much less metal is spent on their manufacture, and in terms of strength, such gates are not inferior to solid structures. In addition, the lattice sashes lose a lot of weight.
- Recently, if you want to hide the inner part of the courtyard from prying eyes, the doors are sheathed with polycarbonate. It looks great with metal and adds little to no weight.
- Metal frame can be combined with corrugated board, wood and many other materials.
The variety of options does not limit the designer's imagination - how to make the design beautiful and individual product.
Plot design
Gates play an important role in landscape design. They create the first impression when approaching the object and complete the design of the interior of the territory. When choosing a project, you should pay attention to three essential factors:
- Costs of Implementationconceived. The material can be very expensive. No less valued quality work. It is worth paying special attention to the lock system and video surveillance equipment.
- The level of security of the territory. Still, the main purpose of the gate is to prevent outsiders from entering your site.
- General landscape plan. Gates should organically fit into the architecture of the site.
It is advisable to make a covered section of the courtyard immediately outside the gate. This will help to avoid getting caught in the rain when leaving the car. And in winter, the site will be easier to clean.
The format of the article allows only to give a brief description of the whole variety of such a small architectural form as a gate. An ordinary photo says much more than a multi-page text.
